Marrying my secret admirer after my husband's fake death novel Chapter 73

From the very beginning, she had always addressed him as Mr. Hawksley. Yet now, at this critical moment, she called him by his first name.

Justin glanced at the menu, his tone nonchalant. “I’m fine with anything.”

Edith hesitated for a moment, then asked softly, “Is there anything you don’t eat?”

The careful way she asked tugged at something in Justin, stirring a wave of tenderness he struggled to suppress.

If Edith couldn’t bring herself to speak plainly, then maybe he should be the one to lead.

“Edith, the food doesn’t matter. Is there something you want to talk to me about?”

He had prepared himself for this conversation, but watching Edith struggle to find the words still sent a dull ache through his chest.

Even now, he tried to reassure her. “It’s alright, Edith. Whatever you want to say, just say it.”

Edith couldn’t help but wonder–had Justin already guessed she was about to ask him for a favor?

But she herself wasn’t sure if she could go through with it. She felt so conflicted; that was why she’d invited Justin out for dinner, hoping to talk things through face–to–face.

If signing Pioneer Prime wouldn’t affect Hawksley Group, maybe she could bring herself to ask. But if it did–especially if it meant a significant financial hit–she couldn’t bring herself to plead Pioneer Prime’s case.

After all, Justin was a businessman.

And in any good businessman’s eyes, profit was sacred.

Edith found herself at a loss, so she decided to just order the food first.

1/3

13-24

Chapter 73

Since she didn’t know Justin’s preferences, she opted for the restaurant’s most popular dishes–the signature Thai–style curry prawns and crab.

You could never go wrong with the house specialties.

What Edith didn’t notice was the way Justin’s brow knit together when the food arrived, or how he unconsciously leaned back in his chair, putting just a little more distance between himself and the table.

She tried to be upbeat. “Justin, give these a try–they’re the chef’s specialties. The curry’s imported, totally authentic.”

At her words, Justin’s frown deepened.

This time, Edith caught it.

She paused, feeling awkward. “You don’t like it?”

Only then did Justin finally pick up his fork, serving a portion of the curry crab onto his plate. He hesitated for a couple of seconds before taking a bite, swallowing almost without chewing.

When he ate, the commanding presence he usually carried seemed to

fade.

Edith felt herself relax, the tension in her shoulders easing. She finally found the courage to speak. “Justin, I’m sorry to bother you when you’re so busy. The reason I wanted to have dinner was… well, I wanted to talk to you about the Vance family.”

The Vance family?

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify