Chapter 36

Andrew was starting to feel like things were getting a little complicated.

He knew he had to handle things carefully, especially with the big day coming up. There was no room for mistakes, no second chances. He had to make sure everything went smoothly, which meant talking to Alessandro ahead of time. He needed to confirm every little detail and make sure nothing slipped through the cracks. The last thing he could afford was someone finding out who he really was.

As he thought about all this, he picked at his food absentmindedly. He was deep in thought, planning his next steps, when Loretta suddenly spoke up, changing the conversation entirely.

“Before I came to Beverly Hills,” she began, setting her fork down with a smile, “I caught up with a few of our old classmates. They suggested we should have a reunion. You know, get the whole gang back together! What do you guys think?”

Andrew barely looked up from his plate. Without missing a beat, he said, “Nope, not interested.”

Loretta blinked at him, surprised by how quickly he shot it down. “Wait, what? Why not? We may not have spent all four years together, but we were still classmates for at least a year!”

Andrew sighed internally. He wasn’t in the mood for a class reunion. In college, he had met Clara when the Johnson family took him in, and they had ended up in the same class for the final year. Right after graduation, they got married. But truth be told, he had never really bonded with anyone in that class.

Most of their classmates had looked down on him. He had been nothing more than the transfer student, someone they didn’t think was worth their time. It wasn’t like he had many fond memories with them, so why bother seeing them again?

Clara didn’t seem interested either. She turned to Loretta and said, “I think we’ll sit this one out. I haven’t really kept in touch with anyone.”

Loretta, however, wasn’t giving up so easily. “Oh, come on! The whole reason we’re having this reunion is because of Colby Galloway. He’s opening a brand-new restaurant tomorrow, and he invited everyone to come. It’s not just about catching up—it’s also a celebration for him.”

She leaned in slightly, adding, “Wouldn’t it be kind of rude if you guys don’t show up? It’s a big deal for him.”

Just as she finished speaking, all three of their phones buzzed at the same time. Andrew glanced down at his screen and saw a flood of notifications lighting up.

Colby had just made a group chat and added over thirty people from their old class.

His message read:

Hey, everyone! My restaurant officially opens tomorrow at noon in Beverly Hills! I’d love for you all to come and celebrate. We can turn it into a class reunion too!

Then, as if that wasn’t enough to get people excited, Colby added:

Oh, and guess what? Loretta Thomas—one of the prettiest girls in our class—is also in town and will be joining us! By the way, she’s still single, so all you single guys, this might be your chance!

That message was all it took to set the group chat on fire.

“Congrats, Colby!”

“Wait, Loretta is in Beverly Hills? Why didn’t I hear about this? I’m definitely coming!”

“What about Clara? Is she coming too?”

“I heard Clara married that guy Andrew, the transfer student. Isn’t he just a stay-at-home husband now?”

“Yeah, that’s what I heard! But I’m not sure if it’s true. Haven’t seen them since graduation.”

“Rumor has it that even though they’re married, they haven’t really been together, if you know what I mean…”

Clara’s face darkened as she read the messages. Her grip on her phone tightened, but she took a deep breath and let it go. “Just ignore them,” she said, turning to Andrew.

Andrew, on the other hand, only chuckled. “It’s fine,” he said casually. “They’re not saying anything I haven’t heard before. I’m used to it.”

Loretta, not wanting the gossip to get out of hand, quickly typed in the chat:

Hey, quit making stuff up! I’m literally having dinner with Andrew and Clara right now. They’re a great couple!

That message caught everyone’s attention.

“Wow, it’s really Loretta!”

A bunch of guys started replying right away, all trying to impress her.

Then, Colby tagged Andrew in the chat.

Andrew, I know we didn’t spend much time together in college, but we got along well. You and Clara have to come tomorrow!

Andrew paused for a moment. Out of all their classmates, Colby was one of the few decent ones. Unlike the others, he had never been the type to gossip or look down on people. He had always treated others with kindness and respect.

Seeing how sincere Colby was, Andrew replied:

Alright, we’ll be there.

Colby was thrilled. Awesome! It’s going to be great!

Since Andrew had already agreed, Clara turned to him and said, “We should get a nice gift for Colby’s restaurant opening. We can’t just show up empty-handed.”

Andrew nodded. “Got it. I’ll pick something up in the morning.”

“Perfect,” Clara said. “I have to stop by the Blackwood Group office in the morning anyway.”

Loretta’s eyes lit up. “Oh! When you’re done, come by my office. We can ride together to Colby’s restaurant at noon.”

Clara laughed. “Well, don’t count on me giving you a ride—I don’t have a car. I usually take the bus, or Andrew gives me a ride on his scooter.”

Loretta nearly choked on her drink. “Wait, what? You’re a company director now, and you don’t even have a car?!”

Clara shrugged. “I just started working, so I haven’t made enough to buy one yet. Most of my salary goes to household expenses and helping my mom. After that, I don’t have much left.”

She added, “Besides, I actually like taking the bus. And riding with Andrew on his scooter? It’s nice, especially when the weather’s good.”

Loretta shook her head. “Girl, come on. You don’t need to go overboard, but you should at least get yourself a car. You’re a director at the Johnson Group and work with the Blackwood Group! People are going to talk if you don’t even have a car.”

Andrew listened to the conversation and had to admit—Loretta had a point.

Clara had always been too frugal, and the worst part was that most of her salary ended up in her mother’s hands. Her mom would rather throw money into risky investments than help Clara buy something she actually needed.

Andrew made up his mind. He was going to get Clara a car.

First thing in the morning, he would head to the dealership.

After dinner, they said goodbye to Loretta and took a taxi home.

On the way back, the radio DJs were talking about something interesting—the Grand Sky at the Grand Pavilion had been completely booked for an upcoming event.

Apparently, this was a huge deal. The Grand Pavilion was one of the most exclusive venues in Beverly Hills, and not even the wealthiest members were allowed to reserve the Grand Sky. For it to be fully booked like this? That was unheard of.

The driver chimed in, “If you ask me, it’s probably that mystery billionaire everyone’s been talking about online!”

Andrew didn’t say a word, but inside, he was shocked.

He hadn’t expected news about the Grand Sky to spread this fast.

In just one night, the whole city was buzzing about it.

Everyone was throwing out theories.

Some people thought it was a secretive billionaire.

Others believed it was a foreign investor.

But the most popular rumor?

That some mysterious man had reserved the Grand Sky for the most extravagant, romantic wedding ever.

And that rumor... was the most believable one yet.

Beverly Hills was going wild with speculation.

And as Andrew sat in the taxi, staring out the window, he couldn't help but wonder—when the truth finally came out, would the city be ready for it?