The First Meal

The First Meal
Lance's POV

At Lance's Mansion

I woke up before my alarm. I didn’t know why. Maybe it was because I slept early. Or maybe it was because my mind did not rest well last night. Either way, I was up, showered, dressed, and ready before seven thirty. I wore a dark blue suit and a white shirt. I kept the tie simple because I didn’t feel like dressing too much today.

When I stepped out of my room, Ethan was already waiting by the door like he always did. The young man worked very hard. He could be annoying sometimes with how cheerful he was, but he was good at his job. He held my briefcase and followed behind me as I walked down the stairs.

The house was quiet at first. That normal cold morning quiet I was used to in this mansion. But as soon as I got halfway down the stairs, I heard plates. I heard a spoon lightly hit ceramic. I frowned. Who was in the dining room this early?

Ethan saw it too. He tried to hide his small smile. I ignored him and kept walking.

We reached the bottom of the stairs and then I saw her.

Diane.

She was seated at the dining table, eating. Well, maybe not eating. The table was packed with food. Bread. Eggs. Pancakes. Fruits. A pot I knew had custard or oats inside. And there was juice beside her too.

For one person.

Honestly, it looked like someone set a table for six people. Maybe seven.

Ethan spoke before I did.

“Good morning, Ma’am Diane.”

His voice was soft and polite like always. But I noticed something. Diane looked up fast. Like she knew that voice. The same way someone reacts when a memory hits them. Then I saw her face drop a little. It was small, but I noticed. The disappointment sat on her face for a second. She had probably thought Ethan was someone else.

Then her eyes moved and landed on me. And just like that, the disappointment vanished. It was like someone wiped it away with a cloth. Her face brightened, but not too much. She looked calm. But not cold. Just neutral. Maybe a little shy.

“Good morning,” she said.

I nodded once. “Morning.”

Ethan left to put my briefcase in the car, so it was just both of us there. I looked at the food again. It was a lot. This was not normal.

“Are we having a party in my house today?” I asked, trying to sound like it was a joke. My voice came out flat anyway.

She smiled a little and shrugged. “Sorry. Pregnancy cravings.”

Her hand rested on her stomach in that casual way pregnant women do. I stared at that motion for a second. She was not showing much yet but she carried herself like she already felt the baby inside her every second.

I nodded slow. “Right.”

I turned to leave but she spoke again, quickly.

“Lance.”

I stopped but did not turn yet. Something in her tone made me pause. Like she was unsure if she should call me. I looked back.

She hesitated. I could see she was thinking about how to talk to me. We were always very careful with each other. Too careful. Definitely my courtesy. It made everything awkward sometimes.

“Do you want to join me for breakfast?” she asked quietly. She tried to smile but I could tell she was nervous. Or maybe shy. “There is enough.”

I did not even think before I answered.

“No. I am late for work.”

It was direct. Too direct. I saw her face fall a little again. She tried not to show it but she did. And I felt like a jerk again. I wanted to fix it but I did not know what to say without sounding weird. So I did nothing. I was ready to walk away but then my stomach betrayed me.

It grumbled loud.

Very loud.

I swear the whole dining room heard it. Her eyes widened and then something like amusement passed through her face. I felt heat rush to my neck. That was embarrassment. I never get embarrassed. Ever. But it was too obvious.

My body language probably looked stiff because she looked at me in a soft way. She smiled again, but this time it was small and warm. Not shy. Not forced. Just real.

“Sit,” she said. “Join me. I do not bite.”

Her voice was low. Calm. There was something gentle in it. Something that made me feel stupid for acting like a brick wall. I stood there for maybe two seconds before I gave up. I walked to the table and sat across from her. It felt strange. Very strange.

She pushed a plate toward me. “Eat.”

I ate in silence at first. She did too. We did not talk. We did not look at each other. It felt like we were both trying not to be caught staring. Or trying not to start anything weird. I do not know what to call it. But there was something in the air. Strange. Warm. Tense. Quiet. Like both of us were pretending there was nothing going on when we both knew something was there.

The food tasted very good. Simple but very good. Better than most things I ate in this house. Better than my chef’s food. Better than Victoria’s food too. I tried not to think about that. I really tried. But the thought still came.

I didn’t finish everything even though I wanted to. I felt too aware of her sitting there. Too aware of how close she was. Too aware of her eyes when she looked up sometimes and looked away fast. I hated how I noticed these things.

I dropped my fork and stood up. “Thanks,” I said, short and low. Then I added, “For the food.”

That was all I could manage. My voice sounded stiff. I did not even look at her too long. If I did, I might sit back down and that would be stupid.

I walked out and headed to the car. As soon as I got inside my Benz, I let out a long breath without thinking. It felt like I had been holding it from the moment I sat at the table. My shoulders relaxed and I shook my head at myself.

What the hell was that?

I started the engine and drove out. I didn’t put on loud music. Just a soft slow song from the radio. The type my mother used to hum sometimes. 

I found myself thinking about her face. About her skin. About how clean and pretty she still looked even while pregnant. She did not look stressed. She looked soft. Warm. Natural. And when she laughed about the cravings earlier, her smile had been real and bright. It did something to my chest and I hated that I noticed it.

I felt weirdly light. Like something good was around me and I did not know why.

Maybe it was just the food.

Yeah. That was it.

The food tasted good. She cooks very well. Unlike Victoria. Victoria always ordered food or tried to cook fancy modern things but they always tasted like nothing special. Why was I comparing them?

I cursed under my breath.

Stupid.

Diane was a deal. A business deal. A contract. Nothing more. I was for Victoria. That was the plan. That had always been the plan. Victoria would come soon. She said she would stay in the country for good. That was supposed to make me happy. It used to make me happy. But right now, I didn’t know how to feel.

I whispered to myself, “Diane is a deal. Only a deal.”

I kept repeating it in my head until I got to the office. I parked outside and stepped out, tossing my keys to one of the security men like always. He nodded and walked off to park it well. I adjusted my suit and picked up my briefcase.

As soon as I walked into the lobby, my employees greeted me. Usually I ignored everyone and walked straight to my office with a cold face. But today, before my brain stopped me, I greeted back. One or two words. Quiet. But I did greet.

And they all stared at me like I had grown a second head.

I saw the surprise. I heard little whispers. They looked confused. Some even looked scared. I realized I was slipping. I was not acting like myself. Or what they know as me. I cleared my throat and switched back fast.

Cold face. Straight walk. No more greeting.

I walked to the elevator and kept my face empty, but inside my head I was thinking:

What did that girl do to me in just one breakfast?

I hated how I did not have the answer.