Chapter 100

At the restaurant, Alexia didn't hold back and ordered enough dishes to cover the entire table. She even toyed with the idea of adding a cocktail for some liquid courage.

However, the weight of Waylon's piercing stare made her rethink it. In the end, she settled for a glass of juice.

As they waited for their meals, Alexia tried to break the tension. She cleared her throat, fumbling for words. "About what happened last night... I was pretty out of it. I was drunk. I crossed a line, and I shouldn't have dragged you into it."

Waylon, completely unbothered, looked as though he'd been expecting this. "How much do you actually remember?"

Alexia hesitated, chewing on her lip as she tried to piece things together. "Um... I remember kissing you.That's about it."

A chill crept into Waylon's voice. "Just that? You don't remember anything else? Nothing from before or after?"

Confusion flickered in Alexia's eyes. She seemed to be silently asking, "What else did I miss?"

Seeing her bewildered face, Waylon feIt a strange mix of annoyance and helplessness.

He reminded her, "Do you even recall why I was there in the first place?"

Starving, Alexia grabbed a cherry tomato and took a big bite before she answered, "Now that you mention it, I wanted to ask you that, too. What's the reason you showed up? You looked upset, and you and Sylvia were about to start a fight."

For a brief moment, Waylon's face went still, and a faint twitch pulled at the edge of his mouth.

Looking back, he was beyond grateful that he'd managed to leave when he did. If he hadn't, Alexia would probably be denying everything right now, and she'd have gotten away with even more than just a kiss.

The waiter appeared with their food just then, placing a plate of beef stew and mashed potatoes in front of Alexia. She picked up her spoon, ready to eat, but Waylon's voice drifted across the table, calm and clear. "I was jealous. That's why I came."

Stunned, Alexia's spoon clattered onto the table.

Unfazed, Waylon simply nodded at the waiter to bring her a replacement.

When the waiter brought over a fresh spoon,Waylon noticed Alexia still staring blankly, caught completely off guard. "You look shocked. Didn't expect me to say that, did you?"

Alexia remained rooted in place, almost as if she hadn't heard him at all.

Waylon leaned in, voice steady. "No matter how surprised you are, I'm not taking it back. And you can't pretend those words didn't reach you."

Fluistered, Alexia grabbed her spoon and dug into her stew, clearly hoping to change the subject. "Can we just eat?"

Waylon's gaze turned unreadable, shadows flickering in his eyes.

A moment later, the server placed a steaming plate of crawfish on the table.

Alexia slipped on a pair of gloves and started peeling,but soon realized Waylon hadn't touched his food,the tension growing between them. Trying to lighten the mood, she asked, "You're not hungry?"

Waylon rested his chin on his hand, watching her with lazy amusement. "Why don't you peel one for me?"

Alexia shot him a look. "Half the point of eating crawfish is doing it yourself."

With a faint smile, Waylon replied, "I can live without that experience. You do it."

Irritation flashed across Alexia's face as she bit into a piece of crawfish, shooting him a glare. "You're pushing your luck."

Waylon's laughter was quiet but unmistakable. "And some people are quite skilled at acting clueless."

Alexia was about to answer, but before she could get a word out, a woman's voice called out, smooth and pleasant, "Mr.Mason?"

Turning, Alexia spotted a young woman in a smoky lavender silk dress.

Long, glossy waves of hair framed her delicate features. Her skin glowed under the crystal chandelier, and a pair of dramatic, blood-red gemstone earrings sparkled at her ears, completing her striking look.

An absolutely gorgeous woman! Alexia took in the woman's elegance, unable to hide her admiration.

She quietly sipped her juice, watching the exchange unfold.

Waylon raised an eyebrow, showing mild surprise,though his voice stayed as frosty as ever. "What brings you here?"

For a moment, the woman hesitated, but quickly found her composure. "Oh, nothing important. I'm just out with friends and happened to notice you here,so | wanted to say hello."

Waylon offered nothing in return, letting a heavy silence fill the space.

As the quiet stretched on, the woman tried again,forcing a cheerful tone. "By the way, my birthday's coming up next week. Will you be able to make it?"

Waylon's answer was swift and unyielding. "I won't.I'm busy."

Clearly caught off guard by his bluntness, she blinked in surprise. "But your grandfather mentioned you'd be there."

That comment made something inside Alexia tighten.She shot a glance at Waylon, noticing how his face darkened for just a second before he masked it with his usual cool indifference.

"If you're relyìng on my grandfather's promises, why bother asking me?"

The woman wasn't about to give up that easily. She kept her smile in place, brushing off the rejection with practiced grace. "Well, even if you skip the party, I'll look forward to your present." She let her gaze slide over to Alexia, a not-so-subtle challenge in her eyes.

Alexia's looks were impossible to ignore, and the woman, Selena Brooks, took note-she studied Alexia with barely hidden suspicion before returning her attention to Waylon.

With a sweet, almost innocent smile, she asked Waylon, "And who might this be? Are you going to introduce us?"