Chapter 14
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After a few drinks, Queenie felt a bit dizzy, so she stepped out of the private room to freshen up in the restroom.
“Mommy?” Archie was leaving the restroom when he spotted Queenie in the hall. He quickly ducked back inside.
He wondered, ‘Why is Mommy here? Did she follow us because she knew Daddy and I were with Vivian?
‘No way, I can’t let Mommy find out which room we’re in, or she’ll make a scene again. It’s Vivian’s birthday today, and I really don’t want her celebration to get ruined.’
He stayed hidden, worried Queenie would spot him. Only after she went into the women’s restroom did he hurry back to the private room.
Queenie splashed water on her face, trying to clear her head. But she couldn’t stop thinking about what she had seen in the hallway.
“They’re probably with Vivian right now, blowing out candles and making wishes,’ she thought bitterly. ‘Come on, Queenie. You’re getting divorced. Have some self-respect.’
Getting over someone she’d loved for seven years wasn’t going to be easy. But at least it didn’t hurt as much as it used to. Given time, she’d forget Vincent completely.
After pulling herself together, she stepped out of the restroom.
“Queenie!” a man shouted.
Queenie paused, almost running right into Luke.
Luke smirked. “You actually followed us all the way here?”
Queenie ignored him and stepped around him. Luke had always had a problem with her, and she didn’t want him to trouble her.
Feeling brushed off, Luke got annoyed and blocked her path. “Queenie, is this really worth it? Why do you keep pestering like this?”
Queenie looked up, her eyes turning icy. “I’m the one pestering? What do you call what you’re doing?”
Luke blinked, caught off guard. He’d never seen the look in her eyes like that before, much less talk back. She used to do anything to stay on Vincent’s good side, sucking up to him and all his friends.
“Queenie, what kind of trick are you pulling now? You’ve been watching too many soap operas or something?” Luke said with a sneer.
Sensing his contempt, Queenie stared at him with her fists clenched at her sides.
“Queenie?” Nathan strode over.
Luke frowned, shooting a look at Nathan.
Nathan brushed past him without a word, his whole vibe suddenly intense. When he got to Queenie, his voice softened. “What took you so long?”
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Chapter 14
Queenie slowly unclenched her fists, her expression relaxing.
“You two know each other?” Nathan looked at Luke, and even that one glance made Luke uneasy.
Queenie smiled faintly. “No, I don’t know him.”
Luke was so shocked that he thought he must have heard wrong.
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“Come on. Everyone’s waiting for you. The restaurant made you a cake. You’re the birthday girl, so you have to try it,” Nathan said.
“Okay,” Queenie replied. She walked off with Nathan, never even glancing back at Luke once.
‘Birthday girl? It’s Queenie’s birthday, too?’ Luke thought, stunned all over again.
The door to the private room opened, and Brian looked up as Luke walked in. “Luke, you were in the bathroom forever. What happened, stomach issues?” Brian asked.
“Shut up, man,” Luke said, pushing Brian aside. He dropped into the seat next to Vincent and leaned over. “Vincent, you’ll never guess who I saw just now.”
Vincent glanced over at him.
‘Queenie. She’s here for dinner, too,” Luke said.
At the mention of Queenie, Vincent’s eyebrows pulled together slightly, but he didn’t react much.
Luke went on, “She’s here with people from work. You think she did it on purpose? She knew you were throwing Vivian’s birthday party here, so she had to show up and celebrate her own birthday at the same restaurant.”
Her own birthday?’ Vincent thought, looking genuinely surprised.
“What’s the point?” Luke chuckled.
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