“You seem quite busy.”
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
“Hmm. No, it’s better to be busy than to be idle, right?”
His tone felt somewhat sarcastic, but perhaps it was just her own misunderstanding.
Lola, feeling awkward and unable to respond, lowered her head and fiddled with the strap of her bag.
Dylan didn’t say anything more and pretended to focus on driving, but inside, a fierce wave was churning.
During the past two nights and three days, Dylan had also been tormented by the emotions swirling in his heart.
While feeling displeased with her irresponsible actions, he also worried about whether she was uncomfortable in Lapper. And he was curious about how she was doing.
Despite his strong desire to contact her, he hadn’t sent a single message during that time.
There hadn’t been any problems between them until now.
What on earth was the reason?
Why had she suddenly changed her thoughts and attitude?
It was so incomprehensible that the two nights and three days felt like an eternity.
He would find out when he asked her later.
First, he would feed her, then he would interrogate her or confront her.
******
Dylan took Lola to a nice restaurant.
After entering the reserved private room and sitting down, he ordered food and then casually asked Lola.
“Did the seminar go well?”
Given the situation, Lola felt uncomfortable sitting across from him, as if she were sitting on a bed of thorns.
“Yes.”
“How was the seminar? Was it interesting?”
For Lola, the seminar was a momentary escape and a refuge.
During the two nights and three days, she barely paid attention to the lectures, her mind elsewhere. All she could think about was Dylan Eve, and a multitude of emotions boiled within her.
She felt anger, longing, resentment, and worry.
However, it didn’t seem like the right time to be honest, so she couldn’t speak freely.
“Yes, dear.”
“I’m glad! You wouldn’t want to miss out on such an important seminar.”
It felt like there was a thorn embedded in his words.
Lola wasn’t dull enough not to catch the meaning behind them.
“I’m sorry… Dear.”
“Sorry? What are you sorry for?”
“I’m sorry for not telling you in advance.”
Lola couldn’t dare to look Dylan in the eye.
It was truly a ridiculous situation.
The one who should feel hurt and offended was her.
It was Dylan Eve who should be explaining and interpreting why he received a call from the public relations officer, yet she was the one feeling guilty as if she had committed a crime.
“No. I don’t think you’re the type to make such a reckless choice without a good reason. Maybe the seminar was really important, or there were other circumstances.”
She was visibly flustered and anxious.
There was definitely something she didn’t know.
Dylan was confident in his intuition but hadn’t asked anything yet.
“And I’m not that narrow-minded. I’ll understand your situation, so you don’t need to feel too sorry.”
Even though Dylan spoke kindly, Lola still felt uneasy.
“Yes. Thank you for understanding.”
Just then, the food they ordered arrived, and Dylan picked up his chopsticks.
“You must have had a hard time during the seminar for the past few days, so eat a lot.”
“Yes.”
Realizing that she might have acted recklessly, Lola felt as if a heavy stone was placed on her chest. She picked up her fork, but she couldn’t tell if the delicious food was going down her throat or her nostrils.
“Hmm… I shouldn’t come here again next time.”
Dylan’s sudden remark while eating caught Lola off guard. She looked at him in confusion.
“Why not?”
“I feel like you’re not enjoying the food. It doesn’t seem to suit your taste, so let’s go somewhere else next time.”
“Oh, no. dear.”
Lola hurriedly waved her hands. Dylan’s expression turned serious.
“I mean, if the food I pay for isn’t good, it really puts me in a bad mood.”
“The food isn’t bad.”
“Then why aren’t you eating?”
Dylan scooped some meat and rice into an empty bowl and pushed it toward Lola.
“Or do you have some unspoken worries?”
It felt like an interrogation.
He might have already noticed something suspicious.
After all, he was an extremely sharp investigator.
Should she just confess everything about the public relations officer now?
But for some reason, she felt anxious, and her heart raced.
She didn’t know what was making her so anxious or why she hesitated.
“I think I’ve been quite tired lately. I’m sorry for making you worry, dear.”
In the end, Lola didn’t speak the truth and instead made up an excuse.
Dylan raised one eyebrow.
“Hmm… It doesn’t make me feel good that you can’t eat at all.”
“I-I’ll eat.”
Lola forced herself to shove meat into her mouth and chew. Only then did the corner of Dylan’s mouth lift slightly.
