“What a coincidence! I didn’t expect to bump into you here. I was planning to ask you out for a meal, but you didn’t reply to my message.”
“I was too busy, so I didn’t see it,” Tobias replied.
Idania then turned her gaze on Skylar beside him. At a single glance, she recognized the celebrity who frequently appeared on the trending list on Twitter recently.
Just yesterday itself, she spoke of Skylar with her colleagues and expressed her sympathy for her tragic background.
“And this is…” Idania inquired with an inquisite gaze.
“A friend,” Tobias nonchalantly answered, leaving it at just that.
Upon hearing that, the courteous smile on Skylar’s face faded. Her expression froze and turned taut.
Subsequently, the woman graciously extended a fair and slender hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Idania Garland.”
Skylar had only ever heard of her name but had never seen her in person. Never had she expected to bump into Idania here, the only woman whom Tobias told his family he wanted to marry.
She stared at her for a few seconds before retracting her gaze. “Nice to meet you. I’m Skylar Jones, Tobias’ girlfriend.”
Idania froze upon hearing that. Is this for real? Did he really find a girlfriend from the entertainment industry? But isn’t he big on chastity? So, she is the girlfriend he mentioned to me the other day, huh? How ironic that I’d just pitied her today itself!
Then, she flashed them a gentle smile. “I’ll leave the two of you to your date, then. I’ve got a meeting with a client here, so we’ll get together next time.”
After she had left, Skylar put away the fake smile on her face. Anguish surged within her. He claimed that we’re just friends, and he did that before his ex-girlfriend to boot.
Noticing her dejected expression, Tobias caressed her hair. “What are you thinking that you’re spacing out here? You’ve got to satisfy me tonight. I’ve got half a month’s worth of repressed desire to sate.”
Long since immune to his crude remarks, Skylar countered, “That’s your problem. You should just keep it for yourself since your ex-girlfriend is really beautiful.”
Tobias stared at her sharply. “She’s passable.”
Snorting, Skylar deliberately bumped him with a shoulder and stalked ahead.
Meanwhile, Idania was exceedingly distracted after returning to the private room. As the meal went on, the sound of cutlery hitting the plates irritated her greatly.
Her mind kept going back to Tobias’ answer of Skylar being his friend. What did he mean by that? Was he worried that I’d misunderstand, or was it out of concern for me?
She had always harbored the hope that they would reconcile one day, confident that the wonderful memories between them could never be replaced by anyone else.
“You seem preoccupied today, Ms. Garland. I haven’t seen you raising your wine glass even once.” Her business partner, Andy Waldo, started urging her to drink.
Upset, Idania guzzled her wine in a single go.
Her chest was now aching fiercely, and it was a long-term sequela thanks to Tobias having pissed her off back then. Of course, there were good memories, but she was simply unwilling to recall the pain in the past.
After several rounds of drinks at the table, someone suddenly brought Tobias up.
Even after so many years, the mention of his name still felt like a stab in the heart to Idania every single time, the pain excruciating.
Speaking of him, it could be none other than business. She listened attentively since she had once contemplated jumping ship to Ford Group.
Nonetheless, she had also considered the fact that it wouldn’t do her any good. After all, it was difficult to guarantee that she would bump into him when Ford Group was such a huge corporation.
“How does it feel to have bumped into an ex-girlfriend?” Skylar teased with a snicker.
Tobias merely threw her an indifferent look. “I’ve got too many ex-girlfriends, so she doesn’t really matter to me.”
However, Skylar felt that he was lying. Hah, as if! The look in his eyes when he gazed at her was obviously different. His tenderness in that instance couldn’t have been fake.
As soon as they stepped into the house, Madelyn brought them both a glass of hot chocolate to warm them up.
Skylar seldom cooked ever since Madelyn came to be the housekeeper. Madelyn was a decent person, her only flaws being too talkative and nosy besides getting off work too punctually.
She was so intrusive that she even asked Skylar where she graduated from.
Nevertheless, Skylar still chatted with her to assuage her boredom.
After loosening the tie around his neck, Tobias patted the sofa and gestured for Skylar to sit beside him.
