Chapter 59

Thalia had barely settled into her seat at the restaurant when Drake arrived, heading for the table beside theirs. The adjacent table was occupied by a couple just seated and preparing to order. Drake approached them and asked the man, “Would you mind giving up your table? I’m willing to pay.”

The couple exchanged glances. The woman asked, “How much are you offering?” Drake replied, “Would five thousand pounds be sufficient?” The woman’s eyes widened slightly. “Are you serious?” “Absolutely,” Drake said, opening his phone. “Show me your payment details, and I’ll transfer it now.” The woman’s eyes lit up as she immediately displayed her payment app. After confirming the transaction, she and her boyfriend happily departed.

Drake smiled at Thalia, pulled out a chair, and sat down, leisurely pouring himself a cup of tea. Mason watched the entire scene in disbelief. Did that really just work? He glanced between Thalia and Drake, then eventually moved to Drake’s table and sat opposite him.

Thalia had always cherished several signature dishes at Clos Maggiore. Drake’s deliberate proximity was clearly intended to unsettle her. In the past, when she had cared about him, such behavior would have ruined her meal. But times had changed. She no longer cared.

She ordered, requesting a chilled drink as well. When it arrived, Drake interjected, “Your period is due soon. You shouldn’t have cold drinks.”

Thalia mentally rolled her eyes, picked up her glass, and took a few sips, her eyes crinkling with satisfaction. She turned to Asher and said, “It’s been ages since I’ve had this. Still tastes the same. Asher, would you like to try?” Her eyes sparkled with affection, a sweet smile transforming the air around them.

Asher took the glass and drank from the same straw Thalia had used. Their interaction was completely natural, devoid of awkwardness. Seeing this, Mason understood. This was how Thalia and Asher genuinely interacted; their affection was real, not a performance. Which meant Drake was…

He discreetly glanced at the man across from him. Drake’s jaw was clenched, his eyes fixed intently on Thalia, his gaze a mixture of fury and hurt. Yet Thalia hadn’t given him a second glance. His knuckles were white as he gripped his teacup; Mason worried he might crush it. Mason inwardly sighed. Buddy, why are you doing this to yourself?

“Have you ordered yet?” Mason asked, attempting to divert Drake’s attention. But Drake remained unresponsive, his gaze still fixed on Thalia. Mason shook his head helplessly and scanned the menu QR code.

By then, Thalia’s dishes had arrived. Drake frowned at the seafood. “Aren’t you allergic to seafood? Why are you ordering it?”

Thalia ignored him, savoring a prawn Asher had peeled for her, dipping it in sauce with evident enjoyment. Mason awkwardly cleared his throat. “Drake, is it possible that… Thalia isn’t actually allergic to seafood? Maybe she only avoided it when dining with you because of your allergy.”

Drake turned to him sharply. “What did you say?”

Mason repeated himself. “Thalia isn’t allergic to seafood. She avoided it when with you because of your allergy.”

“How do you know that?”

“I saw her having dinner with colleagues. They ordered tons of seafood…”

Drake’s lips thinned, disbelief in his eyes. “Really?”

Mason shrugged. “Why would I make that up?”

A bitter ache filled Drake’s heart. He had never known this about her!

He watched as Thalia enjoyed a seared scallop, her eyes crinkling with delight. She then began recounting a recent legal victory to Asher: “So I was telling you, I received the favorable verdict yesterday. It was such a complex case—the evidence alone filled more than five hundred pages.”

Asher listened attentively, preparing a lobster tail for her with a gentle expression. “What type of case was it?”

“A defamation lawsuit. We represented the plaintiff,” Thalia replied, taking a sip of her drink. “Asher, you wouldn’t believe how difficult it was to gather evidence. The client’s initial documentation was woefully incomplete. I spent over a month helping them collect everything we needed.”

“Over a month? Wasn’t that right before our engagement?” Asher placed the lobster on Thalia’s plate. “That must have been exhausting.”

“Yes, exactly during that time,” Thalia confirmed, adding drawn butter. “It was tiring, but receiving the favorable verdict made it worthwhile.” Her face brightened as she showed him a photo of a thank-you plaque from her client. “It’s the first time I’ve ever received one.”

She looked delighted, her eyes shining as she sought his praise. Asher gazed at her with undisguised affection. “My brilliant barrister, aren’t you remarkable?”

“Oh, stop,” Thalia’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “I’m only moderately impressive.”

Drake watched, a tightness in his chest, his back stiffening. He had assumed their relationship was merely a business arrangement, a marriage of convenience lacking genuine feeling. He believed that by changing his ways, he could win her back. But he was wrong. They were deeply in love.

He remembered Thalia sometimes sharing work details with him in New York. At the time, he had found it amusing, pointing out that her entire month’s salary was less than he spent on a single dinner with friends. Little did he know she came from considerable wealth and chose to work to experience life and discover her own value. When she spoke to Asher about her work, her eyes shone brilliantly, her whole being radiating an alluring light.

This jewel was no longer his. Watching Thalia and Asher’s intimate conversation, their comfort and happiness, consumed him with jealousy. These everyday moments—she should have been sharing them with him. Her joys and sorrows should have been shared only with him. He regretted coming. He had intended to interfere, to unsettle Asher, but instead, he was the one shattered. The woman he loved, affectionate with another, filled him with bitterness, his heart aching with each beat.

The server finished bringing their dishes. As Mason picked up his fork, Drake stood abruptly, his chair scraping harshly across the floor. Other diners turned to look. He walked away without looking back, his fury palpable even from behind. Drake was the one who couldn’t bear it any longer.

Mason sighed, cutting into his Dover sole. “Well, I’m still going to eat. Been starving all afternoon…”

Drake returned to his car and lit a cigarette. As evening fell, neon lights twinkled outside. Inside the car, smoke swirled around him. He hazily recalled past dinners with Thalia, when she always sat opposite him. He had never thought anything of it. But today, she sat beside Asher. The table wasn’t large; two people on the same side made it cramped. Yet she chose to sit beside him, not across. He’d even noticed her hand casually resting on Asher’s forearm—an intimate gesture she never made with him.

He replayed these images until the cigarette burned his fingertips, pulling him from his reverie. He took out his phone and sent a message:

[I’m in. Let’s do this. -Drake Ashcroft]