(Freya's POV).
I stare at the restaurant in confusion. It looks like a restaurant that couples often go to to celebrate something. I gave him an exasperated look but he grinned at me.
This was no ordinary dinner, but a romantic dinner!
"You're okay, right? I've reserved a place and food for us," he said with an innocent face.
I let out a long sigh. All I hoped was that this dinner would be over soon and after that, I wouldn't see him again.
The waiter seated us at our table. It was right next to a glass wall with a view of New York City at night. The restaurant was on the top floor so I could see everything from there, it looked so beautiful with all the sparkling lights.
"Do you like it?" I turned to him.
"About what? The restaurant? Or the view of New York City?" I said.
"Our dinner."
"Nothing special. It's just a normal dinner," I replied curtly.
He smiled at me. "It seems like my behavior yesterday has upset you. I apologize for everything I did to you, Vivian."
"Including today," I added, and he chuckled.
"Yes, including today. I'm sorry...."
"Forget it. We won't see each other again after this." I refocused on the scenery outside the building.
"Says Who?"
"What?" I looked at him in confusion.
"Nothing," he muttered, looking at me with a gaze that made me feel uncomfortable. "Can I ask you something?"
"Yes, if it's not an annoying question." I narrowed my eyes, and I saw him smirk.
"Do you have a twin sister?"
"What kind of silly question is that?" I tried hard to stay calm, acting a little annoyed to make Devan not suspicious. But my nervousness grew the longer I sat with him.
"I was just wondering if you had a twin sister separated from you because you...." he paused for a moment, looking at me with his eyes turned sad. "Because you look so much like my wife."
My heart was beating so fast that I hoped he wouldn't hear it. I continued to crumple the napkin on my lap with an uneasy feeling.
"Wife? Where is your wife?" I asked, "That night you also said that you were looking for her."
"She's gone," he replied hoarsely. Like a bad crow that has lost its life.
"Died?" The squeeze on my napkin tightened. I stared at him intently.
He shook his head. "No, just gone. That's why for the past four years I've been trying to find her. For..." He didn't continue and smiled wryly at me.
For some reason, I felt a tightness in my chest, but I tried to erase those feelings.
Just then the waiter came with our food. A bottle of red wine, a steak, and a small bowl of soup. I glanced at my soup with a furrowed brow.
"Excuse me," I said just before she walked away from our table.
"Yes, Miss? How can I help you?"
"Um, sorry, but I'm allergic to shrimp. You can take it with you. I can't eat it," I informed her.
"Oh, we're sorry. It's already a set with the steak, but we'll replace it with a new one. No shrimp."
I smiled at her as she looked at me with a guilty expression.
"It's okay. It's our fault for forgetting to tell you when we ordered it," I said.
"Then we'll replace it with a new one right away. Please wait, Miss." She walked away and I dropped my gaze to Devan.
"Are you allergic to shrimp?"
"Yes."
"My wife is also allergic to shrimp," he said quickly, "what a strange coincidence."
I gasped. Both my hands were suddenly shaking and I immediately pulled them under the table, hiding them from Devan. I didn't expect him to remember that I'm allergic to shrimp.
"There are plenty of people who are allergic to shrimp," I snapped, "and stop lumping me in with your wife. We're two different people!"
"Forgive me."
Silence engulfed us for a few moments.
"Can you stop staring at me like that and focus on the food in front of you?" I protested when I realized he kept looking at me without even touching his steak.
"I like to look at the person I'm talking to." He smirked.
"But we're not talking!" I snapped. I gave him an exasperated look.
"Then tell me something about yourself while we eat."
"I don't like talking while eating."
"I insist."
I glanced at him sharply.
"Alright, I'll change it. Tell me something about your son. His name is Adam, right?"
"Why are you asking about him?" I held my fork and dinner knife tightly. My gaze focused on him.
"I just want to be close to him because he's so adorable. He reminds me of myself when I was a kid."
"Mr. Harrison, I think you've crossed the line. Remember that we are having dinner together just because of the auction. There's nothing special about our dinner. And stop asking about my personal life, especially my son!"
"I just want to try to get to know you better..."
"Don't do it. I don't want to get close to you. Not with anyone. So, stop making me feel uncomfortable and increasingly..." I sighed heavily, "While I don't hate you yet, please behave yourself, Mr. Harrison. I beg you."
I saw the expression on his face turned sad. But I didn't want to care about his feelings, because I just wanted to live our respective lives without repeating the mistakes that happened in the past. I just wanted to live peacefully with Adam.
Eating alone with him already scared me if my true identity was known by him. I wanted to bury my past tightly, but God brought us together again.
"I'm sorry. I won't do anything to make you uncomfortable again, but please don't avoid me."
"Mr. Harrison, don't you understand what I'm saying? I don't want any relationshipー"
"Even if it's just a friend. Are you still rejecting it?"
I smiled wryly. "Why do you want to be friends with me? We've only met a few times. Is it because you think I look like your wife so you're hoping I might be her? Sorry, but I'm also married and I love my husband. And I won't forget him even if he dies!"
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Author's note:
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