Chapter 16: Everyone's Got an Ex

Bradley lifted his eyelids lazily. "Since when are you so nosy?"

"Curiosity killed the cat, huh? If I had known you had a girlfriend, I wouldn’t have called you that night," Valentia said with a smile. "And you're tight-lipped! Even I didn't know, and neither did Donovan and Lockrey. You've kept it under wraps really well."

The implication was clear: Livia wasn't deemed worthy enough to meet Angelo’s friends. It also confirmed that he indeed left that night because of her.

Donovan frowned. "You two knew each other from before? I thought you were a stranger to her, just like me."

"I haven't seen Angelo for years and didn't hear anything about a girlfriend. I wanted to surprise him. I called him right after I landed late at night, but he came so quickly I had to assume he was still single," Valentia said, still laughing.

Livia was annoyed. She wanted to leave.

Angelo poured Livia a glass of water. “Let’s set a ground rule, then. No more late-night calls unless it's important, okay?"

Valentia's smile froze on her face.

"It really is inconvenient to receive calls at night," Donovan said with a suggestive smile. "Yeah, guys with girlfriends are different. Phone calls, hangouts, they all have to be scheduled."

"Good to know," Angelo said, putting the conversation to rest.

Livia felt a tad better inside.

Donovan was talkative, sparing the room from total silence. Valentia stopped talking to Livia and instead made occasional jokes with the group, reminiscing about the past.

Livia couldn't fit in because Angelo never discussed his past.

Yet Angelo did care for Livia. He didn’t completely neglect her, while engaging in small talk with the others from time to time.

"Donovan, always the gossip," Angelo interjected. "Valentia, now that you're the nation's sweetheart, are guys lining up to ask you out?"

Valentia took a small sip of her drink. "Yep."

"Anyone caught your eye yet? If not, consider me!" Donovan said playfully, his expression making it unclear if he was serious.

Valentia gave him a cold look. "I'm already someone's wife. Don't you get that?"

Donovan's smile froze, his eyes darting towards Angelo, who was whispering to Livia. Livia's hand, holding cutlery, tensed.

"When did you and Lockrey hook up? How come none of us knew about it?" Donovan asked, glancing at Angelo. "You didn't know either, did you?"

Angelo leaned back in his chair, lazily lifting his glass with one hand and resting the other on the back of Livia's chair. "First I've heard of it."

Valentia glared at Donovan. "Stop poking your nose in other people’s business."

"If it’s not Lockrey, then whose wife are you?" Donovan asked, seeming a bit insensitive.

"Don't stir up trouble," Valentia said as she sipped her drink. "I came back with a purpose this time."

When she said that, the other two men looked towards Angelo, and Livia glanced at the man by her side.

The message was clear to everyone. Valentia was being quite straightforward.

Donovan grinned at Valentia, asking, "You're not thinking about getting back with Angelo, are you?"

Livia's heart skipped a beat, not daring to look up at either Angelo or Valentia.

She wanted to leave. The atmosphere was suffocating her.

Angelo glared at Donovan.

Donovan shrugged. "Just curious."

"How do you expect Valentia to answer that?" Lockrey glared at Donovan.

"If she did, that would be interesting," Donovan said with a mischievous grin as if relishing the chaos.

Livia couldn't sit still any longer.

She feigned a glance at her watch and said, casually,, "Sorry, I have a class soon. I need to go."

"So soon?" Donovan said with a look of regret.

Livia smiled, "Enjoy your meal. Let's catch up another time."

She stood up, deliberately avoiding looking at Angelo, as she had no intention of having him walk her out.

Angelo also stood up. "I'll walk her out."

"You don’t have to," Livia quickly refused. "You guys finally got back together. Don't worry about me."

Angelo grabbed her hand. "Stop being so stubborn."

Livia was at a loss for words.

After they left the room, Donovan looked seriously at Valentia. "Miss Ashcroft and Angelo seem like a good match. Hiding her away and not introducing her to us until now, looks like things are getting serious."

"Married folks can still get divorced. Who knows if they're really compatible to the end?" Valentia retorted nonchalantly.

Lockrey lifted his gaze. "Are you looking to interfere or take back what was yours?"

Valentia frowned. "He was mine from the start."

Donovan let out a snort. "No use crying over spilled milk."

Valentia remained unfazed. "I'll do whatever it takes."

"But Angelo already has a girlfriend," Donovan pointed out and then laughed, looking at Lockrey. "Lockrey, it makes me think about my ex, too."

Lockrey suddenly swallowed hard, his glance darting uneasily around the room.

Livia gently pulled her hand away, saying sensibly, "You don't need to walk me out. Go back inside and enjoy time with your friends."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course." Livia maintained a polite smile. She had to be magnanimous and tolerant.

Angelo snorted. "You should take a look in the mirror and see how ugly your smile is. Get in the car!"

He yanked the car door open, climbed in, started the engine, and waited for her.

Livia pinched her face, wondering, 'Is my smile really that ugly?'

On the road, Angelo held the steering wheel with one hand while the other, holding a cigarette, rested on the open window, looking like a streetwise rogue.

"Could you stop at the next intersection, please?"

"Why?"

"I want some pasta."

Angelo frowned. "Didn't you just eat?"

Livia's smile was tight-lipped but sarcastic. "The Mexican food wasn't that great."

Angelo looked at her intensely but still pulled the car over.

Livia ordered Italian pasta and sat down without paying much attention to Angelo.

"Do you like it?" Angelo asked, staring at her.

"It’s delicious," replied Livia without even lifting her head.

Angelo took a fork, picked some pasta from her bowl, tasted it, and put the fork down. "It's fine, I suppose."

"The enjoyment of food depends largely on the environment and the company."

Angelo's brow furrowed again. "What are you implying?"

"Nothing. It's no big deal. Being friends with an ex is quite normal," Livia smiled at him. "After all, who doesn't have an ex?"

Angelo's face fell instantly. "You have an ex?"

Livia took the last bite of her pasta and dabbed at the corner of her mouth, her smile growing more radiant. "I'm on good terms with my ex too."

Angelo drummed his fingers on the table, eyes scrutinizing her. "Then your ex wasn't good enough, huh?"

Livia didn't quite understand what he meant.

"Your first time was with me," Angelo said seriously.

Livia's face turned red instantly.

Angelo felt incredibly smug.

He paid the bill for her. "Hurry up, or you'll be late for class."

Livia felt very aggrieved.

By the time they reached the school, she still hadn't thought of a retort.

To show her discontent, she got out of the car as soon as it stopped and slammed the door shut without looking back.

Angelo watched her go, a trace of amusement in his eyes.