Chapter 30

When Dane finished speaking, the surroundings were as silent as a graveyard. Everyone belatedly realized that even the next table had stopped talking and was listening to him. But even so, they only looked at each other, unable to break the awkward silence. In the embarrassing atmosphere, Ezra was the first to speak.

“Still, I believe that someday you will meet someone you love.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Ezra added with conviction.

“Like Sandra and me, just being together makes me happy, I want to kiss her when I see her face, I think of her all the time, and I feel like I would die without her…”

He twirled his cup with his fingertips as he spoke. Even as he spoke, he unconsciously wore a smile. It was as if the corners of his lips were rising on their own just thinking about Sandra. Even though she wasn’t in front of him, it was as if she was smiling beside him.

The ordinary days he spent with Sandra must have come to mind. The feeling of their shoulders touching when they walked down the street, the warm cup of tea she gave him on a tired day, the strangely ticklish feeling in his heart every time she called his name.

As Ezra listed them one by one, he looked at Dane.

“Someone like that.”

Across an unwelcome silence, Dane murmured.

“You’re lucky. Congratulations.”

“What? …Oh, no, I think I’m incredibly lucky to have met Sandra too…”

Ezra smiled sheepishly, flustered. He couldn’t help but be happy just thinking about his wife. He lightly tapped Dane on the shoulder as if to encourage him and said.

“Don’t worry, you’ll meet someone someday. Just like I met Sandra. When that time comes, you’ll know how great love is.”

It was a reaction that seemed to want agreement, but only a cynical sneer appeared on Dane’s profile.

“If love exists, that is.”

Having said that, he emptied the rest of his beer in one go and ordered another. Others followed suit and ordered, and the topic soon changed, and they quickly forgot what they had been talking about earlier.

It was quite late when Dane got up from his seat. Seeing him get up after completely emptying the beer in front of him, Ezra asked in surprise.

“Oh, are you leaving?”

Dane nodded and replied.

“It’s late. Darling will be waiting up. Will, thanks for the drinks.”

He simply raised his hand to greet his colleagues and turned around. It was then that he inadvertently turned his head and unexpectedly met Grayson’s eyes. Dane briefly met the purple eyes staring at him with an expressionless face, then averted his gaze and walked around the table. The waitress he happened to meet cast a meaningful glance, but Dane only gave her a light smile as if to say he would see her next time and left. He wouldn’t have refused the temptation at any other time, but today was an exception. He was so tired he just wanted to lie down in bed.

As he was walking down the hallway, he saw a very tall man walking towards him from the opposite side. It was Grayson Miller.

Even at a glance, he had an extraordinary physique. With slender arms and legs, a solid frame, and a natural height, most people would look shabby next to him. A sophisticated suit perfectly enveloped his broad shoulders and long legs, and deep eyes could be seen beneath his naturally swept-back dark hair.

But despite his glamorous appearance, Dane frowned unconsciously and continued walking without saying a word.

Unfortunately, it overlapped with the timing of him coming back from the bathroom. He didn’t feel good, but he didn’t want to look like he cared, so Dane didn’t adjust his speed and continued walking. Grayson was the same.

Or, so he thought. Dane had no intention of having a conversation with him, but Grayson’s thoughts were different. As he got close enough to reach out and touch him, he suddenly smiled broadly.

“Wow, are you leaving already? The night is still young.”

Grayson spoke in a light tone befitting his reputation as a playboy. Was it because he was so broad-minded that he could greet someone he had fought to the death with a few hours ago so nonchalantly, or was it just because he was a psychopath who couldn’t feel emotions?

“I’m tired.”

As he was about to leave after answering briefly, Grayson continued to speak.

“It seems like Martha is interested in you, are you just going to leave?”

Martha was the store employee who had flirted with Dane earlier. Had he already figured that out? Dane was dumbfounded and chuckled.

“You know it well. Even while flirting with all the female employees in the office.”

In response to the sarcastic remark, Grayson replied with a bright smile.

“Love can’t be hidden. It can’t help but stand out.”

Dane was dumbfounded and stared blankly at his grinning face.

Yeah, a one-night stand is still love.

He cynically thought to himself and was about to pass by without saying a word when Grayson suddenly grabbed his arm. What is this? Showing his displeasure, he looked at Grayson, who smiled innocently and said.

“Where are you going? You have to accept Martha’s feelings.”

“I told you I’m tired.”

“What if you regret it later?”

“Regret? Me? Why?”

Dane asked three short questions at the sudden word. Grayson replied with a serious face.

“Martha might have been your one and only love.”

Grayson’s voice was cheerful as always. Dane frowned and asked.

“So?”

“If you miss her this time, you might never see her again in your life. How terrible and sad is that? Ah, I feel like crying.”

Grayson made a face full of emotion. He even wiped his eyes as if he was sobbing, but of course nothing came out. It was an exaggerated gesture as if he was acting in a play. Dane stared at him in disbelief and asked sarcastically.

“So, what exactly is this love that you’re looking for so desperately?”

It was a rather challenging question. There was no way Grayson had seriously thought about love. But Grayson actually showed an unexpected reaction. His expression slowly changed. The joking air around his mouth was still there, but his eyes were strangely sparkling.

“Happy, joyful, just being together is good, and no matter what I do, they’ll take my side…”

His face as he spoke about love was as if he was having a good dream. After listing only good things for a while, Grayson finished with a satisfied face.

“Staying with me, by my side, forever.”

“Hmph.”

On the other hand, Dane, who had been listening with a listless expression as if his soul had left his body, made an indifferent exclamation and soon chuckled. The dreamlike answer that unfolded before his eyes sounded absurd to his ears.

“It’s true that it doesn’t exist in the world.”

In contrast to Grayson’s long explanation, he turned around, leaving only that one sentence. The sweet Pheromone scent that always lingered around him gradually faded away. He thought it was over, but Grayson suddenly asked a question.

“You didn’t come that day, did you?”

“Oh, I didn’t go.”

Dane answered casually without looking back at the sudden question. At that moment, a silence with a mischievous air flowed behind him. He suddenly felt like Grayson was smiling. He was annoyed. No, it was more strange than that.

And finally, Grayson added.

“I didn’t say what day it was.”

Dane finally stopped walking. When he turned around, he soon met Grayson’s eyes, who had been looking at Dane until then. Dane’s lips moved briefly.

“Not bad.”

He chuckled and walked away with his hands in his jacket pockets. Dane never looked back and left the store.

What are you thinking, of course it’s not that bastard.

Grayson, who had been standing in the same spot until then, turned around. He was dumbfounded at himself for saying such a thing, and he strode back to his seat in the opposite direction from Dane.