Chapter 235
Chapter 235
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Larry’s eyes flickered with nervousness, looking just like a kid caught doing something wrong. He accidentally knocked over the glass in front of him.
The water spilled onto his clothes, but he didn’t even care to wipe it off. He just stared at Marina, completely stunned. “Marina, why? Is it because I messed up? Do you… not think much of me?”
Marina saw the pain in his eyes, grabbed a few tissues and handed them over. She met his gaze, took a deep breath, and started to speak slowly.
“It’s not your fault,” she said. “It’s on me.”
She added, “There’s someone I’ve had feelings for, for years. I thought I was over him, but I guess I didn’t realize how much he still matters to me. Honestly, I only agreed to meet someone new because I was trying to avoid dealing with all that.”
His lips parted, but he just couldn’t find the words.
Instead, he just reached out, took the tissues Marina offered, and quietly dabbed at the water on his shirt.
Larry had liked Marina for years, and he knew she’d had a boyfriend in Sicester for seven years.
‘Didn’t that guy cheat on her?‘ Larry wondered. ‘And she was the one who ended it, wasn’t she?‘
“Marina, it’s fine. I don’t mind waiting for you to move on from him. I truly believe that one day you’ll be able to let him go. It’s just a bit of emotional withdrawal right now,” Larry said softly.
‘If Marina just stays with me, she’ll definitely get over that cheating jerk, Larry thought to himself.
Marina shook her head and said, “Some things you just can’t forget.”
Everyone has regrets in life that they just couldn’t get over.
Larry went quiet, a look of sadness clouding his eyes.
He wanted to tell Marina that her ex was just some guy who cheated, not worth all this pain, but the words got stuck in his throat. He was scared he’d only end up hurting her more if he said it out loud.
He didn’t want to badmouth the other guy just to make himself look like the good guy.
But still, this was something Larry had never dealt with before. His competition was already someone Marina herself had kicked out of her life.
Larry wasn’t his usual lively self anymore. He looked weighed down, like he had a lot on his mind.
After dinner, he still kept his gentlemanly manners and offered to take Marina home.
Marina nodded. “Sorry to trouble you.”
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Chapter 235
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Larry forced a faint smile, his voice a little downcast. “It’s no trouble at all. Even if we can’t take things further, we’re still friends. Marina, no need to be so polite with me.”
They walked out of the restaurant together.
Larry pulled up in front of Marina, got out, and opened the passenger door for her.
Marina bent down to get in, honestly thankful for how understanding Larry was.
She’d been worried that being upfront would make things awkward if Larry couldn’t accept it.
Larry closed the door, got back behind the wheel, and drove off.
After their car pulled away, meanwhile, in another corner of the parking lot, the assistant braced himself and glanced up at the man sitting in the back seat.
The man in the back, Daron, had kept a stern, unreadable look on his face the whole time.
“Mr. Zamora, Ms. Finley’s gone. Do you want us to keep following them?” the assistant asked.
Daron didn’t answer. His eyes were glacial, and the assistant felt a chill run down his spine.
Suddenly, he really missed Garret.
If Garret were around, he’d have figured out Daron’s mood in no time.
Mustering up his nerve, the assistant started the car, ready to tail them.
But before they could even pull out of the parking lot, Daron cut in with an icy tone.
“Take me to Gracefall Dining,” he ordered.
The assistant snapped to attention. “Yes, Mr. Zamora.”
As soon as they left the restaurant, he made a left turn, taking a route completely opposite to where Marina had gone.
After they’d driven for a while, the assistant snuck a cautious glance in the rearview mirror.
Daron was leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed, and the assistant wondered if he was actually asleep or just deep in thought.
He couldn’t figure out why Daron had shown up at the restaurant so early, just sat there and watched Marina go in, not stopping her or anything.
And he really couldn’t get why they’d waited outside all night, only for Daron to just watch Marina and Larry leave together and didn’t even try to follow them.
He couldn’t even understand how Daron hadn’t eaten all day and still didn’t seem hungry.
Earlier, when the smell of food from Silkwind Kitchen drifted out, his own stomach had already started
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Chapter 235
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When Daron walked into the VIP room, Finn, Zachary, and the rest had already finished their meal and were getting ready to go upstairs for a card game.
Finn looked up at the doorway, spotting Daron standing there, giving off a cold vibe. He arched an eyebrow.
“Thought you said you weren’t coming?” Finn teased.
Daron didn’t say a word. He just walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
Zachary raised an eyebrow, about to ask Daron what was up, when his phone started ringing.
He glanced at the screen. It was his little cousin Larry. He swiped to answer.
“Larry, what’s up?” Zachary asked.
Daron froze mid–pour, set the bottle down, and shot a look at Zachary.
Finn caught the shift in Daron’s mood and turned his attention to Zachary too.
Zachary could feel both their eyes on him, but it was Daron’s frosty stare that really sent a chill down his spine.
“Why are you overthinking this? She went to the blind date, didn’t she? Stop worrying about her ex. Anyway, I’ve got stuff to do, talk later, bye.” With that, Zachary hung up.
He turned to Daron and asked casually, “What’s up?”
Daron was giving him a look that could kill.
Daron gave Zachary a frosty look before turning away, ignoring everyone else as he picked up his glass and tossed back the drink in one go.
Zachary looked over at Finn, confusion written all over his face.
Finn, meanwhile, seemed pretty intrigued by Zachary’s phone call just now.
“What did Larry want?” Finn asked. “Haven’t seen that guy in ages. He and my sister were classmates back in middle school.”
Zachary, always straightforward, jumped in right away.
He said, “That kid’s been on a pure love kick lately.
“He’s had a crush on this girl for years, and her family’s been setting her up on blind dates. He’s been trying to get close to her, and for the past three days, he’s been bugging me for tips on how to win her over.”
“Just now, he called and said he finally confessed. But she told him she can’t get over her ex. She was with the
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Chapter 235
guy for seven years.
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“She said it wouldn’t be fair to just jump into marriage with him, so she only wants to be friends. Now he’s asking me what to do.”
“Is that really such a big deal? Just go for it, seal the deal, and once there’s a kid in the mix, even the most unforgettable ex will be ancient history.”
While talking, Zachary elbowed Daron, who was busy downing drinks by himself.
“Man, are you trying to get wasted all by yourself?” Zachary teased.
Finn didn’t say anything, but he had a good idea who Larry’s blind date was.
‘No wonder Daron’s been so weird since he came in,‘ Finn thought.
‘After all that effort to get her by his side, she just goes off to a blind date,‘ he mused.
‘If it were me, I’d be ready to cough up blood too, Finn thought.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
