As Kiara Dillon watched Sebastian Lockwood leave with Sydney Sawyer, a complicated expression crossed her face.
She glanced at Andrea Wyatt beside her, whose face was ashen. Just as she reached out to tug on his sleeve, he shook her off and turned to the waiter. "The check."
Many diners were watching the spectacle. Kiara Dillon could only clutch her purse and follow him out of the restaurant. "Andrea, what happened today was truly a coincidence..."
"Was it also a coincidence that Mindy Caldwell said those things? That she doesn't even know Syd? How are you going to explain that?"
Andrea Wyatt was well aware of the machinations that could go on between girls. He could usually tolerate Kiara Dillon's occasional petty schemes, her spoiled and dramatic behavior.
But this time, it wasn't just about embarrassing him and Sydney Sawyer; she had also offended Sebastian Lockwood.
Andrea Wyatt might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he wouldn't gamble with the Wyatt family's name or his own future.
Kiara Dillon was stunned by his questions. "What she did... I..."
"Don't tell me you didn't know anything about it. Do you really think I'm that stupid? My uncle already made it so clear. We... shouldn't see each other for a while."
With that, Andrea Wyatt got in his car and drove off, leaving Kiara Dillon standing there, dumbfounded.
He was usually so indulgent with her—why else would he have even brought her along to a blind date? What was different this time...?
**
「Meanwhile, in the car」
Sydney Sawyer sat primly in the passenger seat, her back straight and her smile frozen. The thought that Sebastian Lockwood had witnessed her entire outburst made her wish a few knives would fall from the sky and put her out of her misery.
The air was a little stuffy. Sitting in the car, she felt a dizzying, unsteady sensation.
'My image is completely ruined.'
'Andrea Wyatt, you idiot, you're the death of me!'
Sitting in the back seat, Donovan Sheridan pretended to be playing on his phone, but he was actually observing the two of them.
"Are you uncomfortable?" It was rush hour, and the traffic was heavy, giving Sebastian Lockwood a moment to look at her.
Sydney Sawyer was taken aback for a second. "No, not at all."
"Lift your head."
His voice was soft, yet it held a strange, commanding power.
Sydney Sawyer forced herself to look at him. His gold-rimmed glasses caught a fleeting glint of light, and behind the lenses, his eyes were staring straight at her. An invisible pressure instantly enveloped her.
She only felt that the car was getting hotter and stuffier. She couldn't read his mind and had no idea what he was up to.
Under his gaze, her fair, small face flushed bright red. Her heart hammered in her chest. "Uncle..."
"Did you lose out back there?"
'That girl of yours is so fierce,' Donovan Sheridan clicked his tongue, 'how could she possibly lose out?'
"No."
"Do you and Andrea keep in touch often?"
"Huh?" Sydney Sawyer was confused.
'What kind of tactic is this? Shouldn't he be asking about what happened at the restaurant?'
"I heard you two are childhood friends, that you grew up together."
Worried that he would get the wrong idea, Sydney Sawyer reflexively shook her head. "That was when we were kids. We're just regular friends now. He kept asking to meet up because he wanted to apologize for the blind date, and it ended up like this."
"He 'kept' asking to meet up?" Sebastian Lockwood raised an eyebrow.
Donovan Sheridan wanted to give the man a round of applause. 'You really know how to pick out the important details!'
"He was probably afraid I wouldn't accept his apology, so he'd call me from time to time." Sydney Sawyer bit her lip and changed the subject. "Where are we going now?"
Sebastian Lockwood: "That meal didn't work out. I'm taking you to eat."
Donovan Sheridan chimed in at the perfect moment, "There's a work dinner tonight. You should come with us."
"It's a dinner for colleagues. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to go." Sydney Sawyer gave a sheepish smile. "Why don't you just pull over and let me out? I live really close to here. I can just eat at home."
Sebastian Lockwood frowned. 'What's with this girl tonight? Is there some man-eating monster in my car? It's like her butt's on fire, she's so eager to run away.'
Donovan Sheridan chuckled. "It's fine. Just come with us."
"I..." Sydney Sawyer reached up and pulled the brim of her hat down a little. "I'm not wearing any makeup today."
"Haha—" Donovan Sheridan couldn't hold it in and let out a low chuckle. 'This little lady is pretty amusing.' Sydney, however, wished she could just shut him up. 'What's so funny?'
'If I'd known I was going to run into Sebastian Lockwood today, I never would have dressed so casually.'
After a certain someone had laughed his fill, Sydney heard Sebastian Lockwood say in a low voice, "At your age, you look good even without makeup."
A direct hit to the heart.
Sydney Sawyer felt her face grow warm.
Donovan Sheridan, on the other hand, looked like he'd been struck by lightning.
'I've seen it all now. This guy actually knows how to sweet-talk someone. Unbelievable.'
'Who was it that swore up and down that in his eyes, there was no difference between men and women in this world? Then what is she?'
"But there might be a lot of people later. Do you mind?" Sebastian Lockwood asked again.
Sydney Sawyer shook her head. "I'm just worried it wouldn't be appropriate for me to be there."
"There's nothing inappropriate about it. The department head and the others are probably all bringing their families," Donovan Sheridan said with a smile. "I'll text the head and ask them to save an extra seat."
But Sebastian Lockwood said, "I'll be there. You don't have to worry."
Sydney Sawyer nodded in agreement.
"Andrea hasn't handled his private life well. Don't go out with him alone next time." His tone was that of a kind and caring elder, without a trace of selfish intent.
"Okay."
...
Donovan Sheridan, sitting in the back, just wanted to burst into song:
'I should be under the car, not in the car, watching how sweet you two are.'
**
The location for Sebastian Lockwood's work dinner wasn't far from Municipal First Hospital, just past two traffic lights. It was a Chinese restaurant. By the time they arrived at the private room, it was already mostly full.
Donovan Sheridan had called ahead, so there were exactly three empty chairs left.
Perhaps not expecting them to bring a young woman along, everyone was surprised, then started asking with smiles:
"Who's this pretty young lady? We haven't seen you before."
"Don't tell me she's one of your girlfriends."
"..."
"She's Dr. Lockwood's niece. She visited our hospital once before." The speaker was Nancy Zane. There was an empty seat next to her, likely saved specifically for Sebastian Lockwood, but she smiled at Sydney Sawyer. "Do you remember me?"
Sydney Sawyer nodded and greeted her.
Nancy Zane smiled magnanimously. "Do you want to sit next to me? There's an empty seat right here."
"I..." Sydney Sawyer found it hard to refuse, but she didn't want to sit with her. 'Who wants to sit so close to their love rival?'
Just as she was about to agree, Sebastian Lockwood glanced at the two adjacent empty seats on the other side. "My girl is a little shy around strangers. It's better if she sits with me."
'His... girl?'
THUMP-THUMP—
Sydney Sawyer could almost hear the sound of her own heartbeat. Each beat was rapid and strong, but it was gradually losing its rhythm, falling out of step.
Donovan Sheridan was completely stunned. 'There are only three empty seats. If you two are sitting together, doesn't that mean I have to sit next to Nancy Zane?'
'Modern society is so unfriendly to single people. First, it's the "buy one, get the second half-price" deals on drinks, and now I have the strange feeling I'm being dragged into a love triangle.'