CHAPTER 121: FALLING ALONE

Zeke gave Gianna’s name to the server, who led him to a private room where she was already waiting.

"You’re finally here," Gianna said as he sat down across from her.

"Have you been waiting long?" Zeke asked, slipping off his jacket and setting it aside.

"It’s fine. I just got here too," she replied with a faint smile.

Zeke asked, "So why did you invite me to dinner like this? What do you want to talk about?"

"You’re so straight to the point," She replied, skimming through the menu. "Let’s order first. What do you want? Sushi? Shabu-shabu?"

"Udon."

Gianna pressed the small bell on the table, and shortly after, a waitress entered the room.

Once they had placed their order, Zeke asked again, "So, what is it you want to discuss?"

Gianna rolled her eyes. "You’re so boring. Is work the only thing that ever goes through your head?"

Zeke’s expression cracked at her words. He let out a faint smile. "You know every time we meet, the conversation always circles back to work. And you also know I’m not the type who likes to waste time with small talk."

Gianna folded her arms on the table. "I want to talk about your company’s new drug production."

Zeke raised an eyebrow. "Our new drug? Why do you want to talk about that?"

"I’ve been hearing a lot about it. About the potential profits once it hits the market. I want to partner with you."

Zeke frowned. "Partner with me? Isn’t your company in the furniture business?"

Gianna’s face turned cold. "So what? A furniture company can’t work with a pharmaceutical company now?" Her tone was sharp with clear annoyance.

Zeke raised both hands slightly, realizing he’d hit a nerve. "I’m sorry. You’re right. So—you want to partner with my company?"

"I want to invest in your new drug production," she said firmly.

Zeke frowned slightly. "How much are you planning to invest?"

Gianna leaned back, casually crossing her legs. "2 billion dollars."

Zeke looked slightly surprised, then gave a small nod. "Alright. If that’s what you want, I’ll have the agreement drafted. You’ll receive ten percent of the total revenue once the drug hits the market."

Gianna smiled, clearly satisfied.

Not long after, their food arrived. The two of them ate in silence.

When they finished, Zeke wiped his mouth and glanced at Gianna. Something had been nagging at him.

"Do you know Xavier well?"

Gianna, who was gently dabbing her lips with the cloth napkin provided by the restaurant, paused for a second before placing it neatly on the table. "I’ve known him since college."

Zeke nodded slowly. He wanted to ask more, about her relationship with Xavier but stopped himself. It felt... inappropriate.

Gianna caught the conflicted look on his face and raised an eyebrow. "What are you thinking about? You look like someone trying to hold in a fart."

Zeke snorted. "Charming."

"Come on, just say it," she said, resting her chin on one hand. "I know you want to ask about me and Xavier, don’t you?"

He hesitated but eventually gave a small nod.

"We’re just friends. If that’s what you wanted to know," Gianna replied bluntly.

Zeke looked at her for a moment. Then, without much thought, he asked, "Is Xavier the guy you’ve had feelings for all this time?"

Gianna raised an eyebrow. "Why would you think that?"

Zeke shrugged. "I just... I’ve never seen you eat with another man before."

Gianna let out a soft chuckle. "Aren’t we eating together right now? Or are you not a man?"

Zeke frowned. Was he overthinking things?

Gianna leaned back, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"So what about you and Cassidy? You said you’ve never seen me dine out with a man, but aren’t you the same? Yet somehow, you ended up eating with three people at once. So who is Cassidy, exactly? What makes her different?"

Zeke sighed. He couldn’t dodge the question.

"She’s my ex-wife," he admitted.

Gianna’s eyes widened. "Wait, she’s your ex-wife? Seriously?"

Zeke gave her a look, clearly unamused.

Gianna smirked. "Well, that explains it. No wonder you made an exception for her."

They both went quiet.

Gianna slowly traced the rim of her glass with her finger. Her voice was low, curious. "So, what’s the deal between your ex-wife and Xavier?"

A flash of displeasure appeared in Zeke’s eyes. He gave her a cold look. "Why would you think there’s something between them?"

Gianna let out a short laugh. "That tone. That look. You just answered your own question."

"I saw her at Xavier’s restaurant opening," Gianna added. "They looked... close. Not just friends, if you ask me."

"They’re just friends," Zeke replied quickly.

"Oh? Did Cassidy tell you that herself?"

Zeke stared at her, clearly annoyed. "I know there’s nothing going on between them," he said, more like convincing himself than her.

Gianna looked at him and said softly, "You were right."

Zeke frowned slightly, not following. "About what?"

"That Xavier is the man I like," she murmured. "You guessed right. He’s the one."

Zeke blinked, a little surprised she admitted it so openly.

"So he’s the man you couldn’t forget?"

Gianna didn’t look at him. Her gaze dropped to her lap. Then came a faint, bitter smile as she whispered, "Pathetic, isn’t it?"

Zeke doesn’t respond. He knows Gianna isn’t looking for an answer, she just wants to be heard. So he stays quiet.

Gianna begins to tell him how she first fell for Xavier.

Zeke listens intently, without interrupting, without judging.

When she finally finishes, Gianna says, "Loving someone for that long... it hurts. Especially when that person doesn’t feel the same way about you."

Zeke still says nothing. His eyes stay on her, steady and calm, offering quiet support.

Gianna lets out a soft breath, then gives a dry chuckle. "Sometimes I wonder if I’m just a fool holding on to something that never existed."

There’s a pause.

"I kept hoping he’d notice," she continues, her voice barely above a whisper. "That maybe one day, he’d look at me the way he looks at her."

Zeke’s brows knit slightly, but he says nothing.