Chapter 38 Our Lunch Date
Adrian’s POV.
I leaned closer to Evelyn, close enough to see her eyes widen and her throat bob as she swallowed.
I leaned in deliberately, close enough that our breaths met. She blinked. I still held the car door open, fully aware of the cameras flashing around us.
That was the point of this date. They needed to take enough shots to kill the rumors.
I made us stay in that position for minutes, doing nothing but breathe into each other's face.
After a few more minutes passed, I was certain the cameras would have gotten pictures from different angles, so I leaned back.
“Let's go in,” I said as I stretched my hand and nudged her to take it.
“Don't ruin this lunch,” I said, more like a warning than a simple statement, my voice dark and hoarse. Evelyn said nothing and only took my hand after a little hesitation.
Her heels clicked against the floor, my shoes also thumped on the marble floor as we walked into the restaurant.
I held the door open for Evelyn with a broad smile as she walked in first, holding my arms.
When we entered the restaurant, an attendant walked to us, bowing slightly.
“What can we--” She trailed off. She looked at our faces and recognized me immediately.
She bowed deeply once again. “Welcome, Mr. Kane,” she said with a shaky voice.
I didn't respond to her greetings but only continued to stare at her.
Again, her voice rose. “You didn't call to make a reservation.”
“The restaurant is packed with customers right now,” she continued. “I'm afraid we won't be able to lease out the space for your private use,” she spoke quickly.
I smirked.
This was my second visit. The first time, I was alone and had rented the place until I was done eating.
“It's fine. We would take any available table,” I said.
My voice was gentle and that itself made the attendant lift her head in disbelief. She quickly masked her expression and bowed slightly again.
“This way please,” she said, gesturing to a table at the only available table in the restaurant, at the center of the room.
As we headed for the table, a few diners began lifting their eyes from their plates to watch us.
Just as expected, they whispered under their breath and leaned in closer to each other to speak. I didn't need to ask or rack my brain to know what they were talking about. It was obvious. Us; Adrian and Evelyn Kane.
Evelyn wrapped her hand tightly around my arm as we walked, her body clinging closer to mine with each passing second.
My other hand was placed in my pocket and my eyes were fixed on the table at the center of the room where we were heading to.
I moved my eyes around the room. People had taken their phones out, secretly taking pictures of us.
Even without looking, I knew they took pictures because some of them had their camera shutter sounds making noises.
The expression on my face didn't change and finally, we got to the table.
Evelyn took her hand away from me, then I drew out a chair for her.
She took two steps forward, standing in front of the chair before she flipped her hair and turned her face to me, flashing a smile.
“Thank you,” she muttered.
She settled down and I helped her place her bag on the table, unnecessary but intentional. I had to be a complete gentle man.
I took my seat opposite her and the menu was slid in front of me.
“Please place your order,’’ the attendant said.
I didn't look through the menu, I slid it to Evelyn instead with a faint smile on my lips.
“You can pick what we would be having,” I said to her.
She took off her sunglasses, carefully and slowly, in a way that pissed me off.
Camera shutters still clicked and even without looking, I knew a lot had abandoned their meals to watch the way we'd act.
Evelyn glanced through the menu but slid it back to me seconds later.
“Everything looks yummy, darling,” she groaned. “You should pick what we eat instead.”
I wanted to glare at her, tell her to pick anything so we could get this over with. But with cameras around—shooting from every angle—I knew even a look wouldn’t go unnoticed.
She smiled at me, wide and deliberate. The more I thought about it, the clearer it became. She was doing this on purpose, trying to get under my skin.
She wasn’t here to clear rumors. She was here to show them who I really was.
To expose how little there was behind the marriage everyone liked to call perfect. To show she didn’t want to be here at all.
But she needs to try better because I wasn't letting the people see that, not the cameras, not the media.
I smiled widely and took the menu.
“Then….” I turned to the attendant whose head was bowed, her hands neatly folded together at her front.
“Since my wife thinks everything on that list is yummy, get us everything.”
I hadn't even finished talking when Evelyn spoke, her voice raised and filled with shock.
“Wait, what? That's a lot!” She dropped the act of the lovely wife and stared at me with eyes wide open.
I turned to her, my face calm and soft. “What's wrong, sweetheart? You want everything, don't you? Then we’ll get it all.”
She didn't say a word but only stared at me while she clenched her jaws.
I didn’t know if the cameras caught it or if I was the only one who understood the look on her face. But it was there, pain. And the quiet understanding that she had lost.
Evelyn thought she was the one controlling this little lunch game. Thought she could corner me in public, box me in with an audience watching.
She was wrong.
She would always be a pawn in every game I chose to play.
EVELYN’S POV
I was surprised when Adrian ordered every meal on the menu. Almost fifty dishes, I didn’t think it was possible, but the attendant only bowed and left.
Cameras clicked while people whispered. Adrian held my gaze until I couldn’t anymore and looked away, then I caught sight of a camera aimed from the corner.
I couldn’t see who held it, but I knew whose plan this was. Adrian. All I had to do was smile and let the rumors die.
The sound of rolling wheels cut through the camera shutters. I leaned back as two attendants arrived with carts filled with food.
Adrian looked relaxed, leaning into his chair, as dish after dish was set down, the air was filled with different aromas.
The table filled quickly, so quickly that another was brought in beside us, blocking the aisle without hesitation.
I stared in disbelief. The food in front of us was enough to feed everyone in the room.
“Should we begin eating now, sweetheart?” Adrian made me turn to him. His voice was sweet, the frustration I caused hidden beneath those words.
I decided to play along.
“Of course, darling. You are the best,” I said, picking up the cutleries.
We ate in silence.
A few minutes later, Adrian muttered softly, “Ah.”
I looked up. He was nudging a piece of steak toward me with his fork.