visiting the restaurant together

“Grace!” Kiana called, peeking into her office. “Aren’t you heading home?”

“Home?” Grace blinked, glancing at her watch. It was already past 6 PM.

She let out a tired sigh. I’ve been so buried in work that I didn’t even realize how late it is.

“Thanks, Kiana, but you go ahead. I’ll leave shortly.”

Kiana gave her a small nod before walking off. Grace quickly started packing her things, tossing her files and laptop into her bag. When she finally picked up her phone, her heart dropped—five missed calls from an unfamiliar number.

Her chest tightened. Could that have been Mr. Divine?

“Oh no,” she muttered to herself, pacing nervously. “He told me to expect his call. What if he’s angry now?”

With no time to dwell, she finished packing and hurried out of her office.

The moment Grace stepped out of the company building, she froze in surprise. Parked near the entrance was a sleek black Range Rover.

“Mrs. Divine,” one of the bodyguards said, stepping out and opening the back door for her.

Inside sat Nelson Divine—her supposed fiancé, and now her unexpected husband. He looked as calm and composed as ever. Grace hesitated for a second before climbing into the car.

“Good evening,” she greeted quietly, trying not to meet his gaze.

“Why didn’t you pick up my calls?” Nelson asked, his tone flat but authoritative.

“I’m sorry,” Grace replied, her voice small. “I was swamped with work and didn’t check my phone.”

“Next time, pick up. I don’t like calling people more than once,” he said coolly.

“I’ll remember that,” she murmured.

For a moment, silence enveloped the car, save for the hum of the tires against the road.

“How was work?” Nelson asked, breaking the quiet.

“Good,” she replied briefly.

“Did you eat anything today?”

Grace’s stomach chose that exact moment to remind her she hadn’t. A low growl echoed through the car, and she winced in embarrassment.

“No…” she admitted softly. “But I’ll grab something when I get home.”

“Steve, find a good restaurant nearby,” Nelson instructed his driver.

“Yes, boss,” Steve responded.

“That’s really not necessary,” Grace protested.

Nelson raised an eyebrow, his voice calm but sharp. “It’s not for you. I haven’t eaten either, and I’m hungry.”

From the front seat, one of the bodyguards, Richy, stifled a laugh.

“What’s funny, Richy?” Nelson asked without looking his way.

“Nothing, Alpha,” Richy replied quickly.

Thankfully, the car soon pulled up in front of a nice restaurant. Steve parked smoothly, and both Richy and Steve stepped out to open the doors for Nelson and Grace.

Inside, the soft lighting and classy décor of the restaurant made Grace even more uncomfortable. Why is he acting like we’re on some fancy date?

They were shown to a table by the entrance, and menus were laid before them.

“What would you like to eat?” Nelson asked, looking at her expectantly.

“I’m fine, Mr. Divine,” Grace muttered, though her stomach betrayed her again with a loud growl. Mortified, she stared at the table.

“It seems your stomach doesn’t agree with you,” Nelson said dryly, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Her cheeks flushed. “Fried rice and chicken,” she said quickly, still avoiding his gaze.

“And you, sir?” the waiter asked.

“Same,” Nelson replied, handing the menu back.

Once the waiter left, Nelson leaned back, observing her closely. “There’s no need to be shy around me. I am your husband, after all.”

Grace shifted uncomfortably, nodding but saying nothing.

“What is it you wanted to tell me?” he asked suddenly.

Her heart skipped a beat. “Ehh… Nothing,” she stammered.

“Grace,” he said firmly. “If you have something to say, spit it out.”

Her fingers twisted nervously. “My boss… requested your presence for an exclusive interview tomorrow,” she blurted out all at once.

To her shock, Nelson laughed—a rare sound that made her eyes widen in disbelief. Richy, standing nearby, turned to stare at his boss as if he’d seen a ghost.

“It’s fine,” Grace said quickly, panicking. “I’ll just tell him you can’t make it.”

Nelson didn’t respond immediately, his expression unreadable. Just then, the waiter returned with their food, sparing her from further embarrassment.

As they began eating, Nelson’s gaze fell to her hands. “Why aren’t you wearing your wedding ring?”

Grace froze mid-bite. Guilt washed over her as she quickly retrieved the ring from her bag and slipped it onto her finger. “I… I didn’t want my colleagues to notice. I’m sorry.”

He said nothing, merely watching her until she resumed eating. The rest of the meal passed in silence.

When they finished, Nelson tossed a thick wad of cash onto the table and stood. “What time is the interview?” he asked suddenly.

“9 AM,” Grace replied, blinking in surprise.

He didn’t say anything more as they left the restaurant and headed back to the car. The ride to her house was quiet, but when they arrived, Nelson finally spoke.

“I’ll be there at 9 AM,” he said. “And make sure you wear the ring. If not, you’ll owe me two punishments.”

Grace’s face burned at the word “punishments,” her mind immediately flashing back to the events of the previous night.

“Is that the kind of punishment you’re thinking of? Because I can give you that,” Nelson whispered near her ear, his voice low and teasing.

Startled, she jumped away. “No! I mean… goodnight!” she stammered, stumbling out of the car and running toward her house.

From inside the car, Nelson chuckled softly. “She’s adorable when she’s flustered.”

Once he was sure she was safely inside, he instructed Steve to drive him back to his mansion.

Grace barely made it through the front door before her mother confronted her.

“Who was that man who dropped you off?” her mother asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

Still dazed from Nelson’s teasing, Grace said nothing.

“Don’t tell me you let Victor go just to mess around with some other man?” her mother accused sharply.

“Mom, I’m tired. I don’t have the energy for this right now,” Grace muttered, brushing past her.

“Oh, so you think you’re grown enough to ignore me when I’m talking?” her mother shouted after her.

Grace didn’t respond. She was already halfway to her room, shutting the door behind her with a quiet click. Leaning against it, she let out a shaky breath, her mind swirling with thoughts of Nelson Divine—her husband, her boss’s requested guest, and the man who had her emotions spinning out of control.