“If you want to take pictures, I’ll take them for you.”
“No…”
A little later, while quietly watching Lola capture everyday items like plates and teapots, as well as ornaments shaped like phoenixes, Dylan suddenly asked.
“Is there a special place you want to travel to?”
“Yes. The beach.”
Lola, who had been continuously pressing the camera shutter, turned to Dylan and said.
“The beach?”
To Dylan, who was quietly murmuring, Lola added with a faint smile.
“I think seeing the vast ocean would be healing.”
“Then let’s go.”
“Excuse me?”
“You said you wanted to go to the beach, right? So I’ll take you.”
She understood, but another issue arose.
Surely, he wasn’t suggesting that the two of them go on a trip together?
Lola asked hesitantly.
“But Dear… are we going just the two of us?”
“Why? Is there a problem?”
Today, her heart, which had been beating steadily, started racing again like it was sprinting.
“I’ll see when would be good. Let’s go when our schedules match.”
“So, you mean just me and you going to the beach…?”
“Yeah. Just the two of us.”
While Lola was seriously contemplating, Dylan showed no change in his expression. He turned and walked toward the backyard of Queen’s Residence first.
“Just me and Dylan…?”
Repeating the same words several times, Lola shook her head vigorously to shake off the strange thoughts creeping into her mind and slowly followed Dylan.
After unexpectedly reuniting with Dylan at the department store, Nia felt elated and couldn’t sleep a wink that night.
Even during their school days, Dylan was a dazzling man. Whether it was studying, looks, or sports, he excelled at everything and was very popular among the female students. Nia, who had a strong competitive spirit since childhood, always wanted to beat Dylan, who never missed being first in class. However, no matter how hard she tried, she always ended up second. At first, it fueled her determination, but as time passed, that competitive spirit gradually turned into affection and eventually into a crush.
If only she hadn’t married so early.
Now, even though she knew such thoughts were futile, Nia couldn’t help but feel regret and sadness.
Even after getting married, Nia occasionally heard news about Dylan. He was thriving as a successful elite prosecutor. Every time she heard about him, even by chance, her heart raced. When she learned that he hadn’t remarried after his divorce, a shiver ran through her body, and her heart felt warm.
She thought this was a golden opportunity for her. It felt like she was finally finding her place.
Nia wanted to see Dylan again. But if she just went to him and suggested they grab a meal together, that prickly and arrogant man would likely ignore her completely.
What should she do?
As she pondered for two whole nights, a person suddenly came to mind.
Alan Jay. If she visited her senior, who was now Dylan’s direct superior, she would be able to see Dylan’s face.
With a satisfied smile, Nia intentionally went to the prosecutor’s office just before lunchtime.
******
Knock, knock!
With a couple of light knocks, the door to Alan’s office opened, and the sound of heels clicking echoed.
Alan, who was sitting across from Dylan and discussing work, turned his head toward the sound.
The woman wearing a bright beige floral dress was tall and beautiful. She was someone he had never seen before.
Who is she?
A moment ago, the front desk had mentioned that a close junior was looking for him, so he had let her in. Could this be that woman?
Had he ever had such a pretty junior?
Before Alan could ask, the woman greeted him warmly.
“It’s been a while, senior. How have you been?”
The woman acted as if she knew him well.
After scanning the woman in front of him for a while, Alan finally seemed to remember and stood up, asking with a hint of disbelief.
“Nia Aliza? Are you the Nia Aliza I know?”
“Of course, you have a good memory, senior. Dylan didn’t remember me at all.”
There was a hint of disappointment in Nia’s voice. As she glanced at Dylan, who showed no reaction to seeing her, Alan sat back down.
“Dylan has never been interested in women, so it’s not surprising he wouldn’t remember.”
Alan gestured to the chair across from him, urging Nia to sit down. As she pulled the chair next to Dylan and sat down, Alan curiously asked.
“So when did you come back? When are you going back to the States?”
“I think it’s been about a week since I returned. And I’m not going back. I realized I like Lampard better.”
Nia smiled at the end of her sentence.
After catching up with her long-lost junior, Alan finally asked why she had come to see him.
