After resting her legs back on the bed, Yernia glanced at him as if she suddenly remembered something. âOh, right. Do you know a nice restaurant, Cassian?â
âRestaurant?â
âYes, Iâm going to go eat.â
Yerniaâs meetings were somewhat limited.
It was valid for both the Cilliardsâ and the Lecardosâ since they only associate themselves with a few other people.
Despite Yerniaâs constant participation in book clubs, she hadnât engaged in making connections either.
âAre you seeing Evan or Seria behind my back?â Cassian asked.
Yernia shook her head no.
âNo. You and I arenât dating anymore. Oh, press it hard over there, Cassian! Yeah, thereââ
Cassian gently pressed the part which Yernia liked to be massaged.
âIâll make a reservation.â
âThank you, Cassian. Please do. The restaurant must be nice and comfortable.â
âHow many people will be there?â
âItâs just a dinner for two. Do you think seafood would be good?â
âYou can eat whatever you want.â
âI want to know what you think.â
Why was she asking about them?
Cassian thought about it seriously while rubbing Yerniaâs leg in a daze.
Was Yernia asking him out on a restaurant date?
Yernia?
To him?
Cassian couldnât believe it.
He initially thought his wife would go with someone else, but he hadnât caught Yernia seeing someone else so far.
Yernia wouldnât hide anything from him, and she often talked about the people she met.
Cassian was sure she was doing this in a good way, but it would literally kill him if he found out Yernia had a man other than him.
He didnât want to hear it for it was a burden heâd rather not carry.
âWell, Iâm down for anything.â He answered curtly.
âReally? Then, please make a reservation for a good seafood restaurant.â
Cassian was even more convinced that Yernia was asking him out on a date.
Wait.
Yernia might not want a date.
Maybe she would just be there to eat as if it wouldnât matter whether Cassian was her companion or not.
If two people eat and spend time together, that was already considered a  date.
Cassian nodded, pursing his lips to suppress a smile.
He couldnât believe Yernia had asked him out.
He  couldnât believe it.
Cassian pretended to agree immediately on purpose.
He was afraid to give his eagerness away if he started babbling for no reason.
âOh, there! That spot hurts so much, Cassian.â
He had failed to control his strength due to anxiety.
***
For days, Cassianâs mood rose to the full.
Heâd been in such a good mood lately that he might as well be flying through the roof.
âYou seem to be in high spirits these days, my lord. Anything good going on?â
âGood things? Nothing.â
Cassian smirked at the report.
His assistant narrowed his eyes and thought to himself, âSee? I caught you.â before announcing Cassianâs schedule without further questioning.
âWe made a reservation at Sanvis this afternoon, my lord. Are you going with your wife?â
Cassian gave him a light, knowing nod.
âYernia said we should go there first.â
âIs that so?â
âShe wanted me to be  there.â
âIs that why youâre in a good mood, my lord.â
âDo I look happy? Not at all.â
The assistant wanted to respond with, âYes, you look great, my lord.â but he decided to hold them back.
Casaian looked very, very, very happy whether or not he was unconscious of it or he was simply in denial.
He had already finished the pile of work a few days ago in a heartbeat, and now there was really not much left.
He had been waiting for this fateful day.
âHaving dinner with my wife is nothing special to me. It didnât make me feel that good.â
After uttering those words, Cassian burst into laughter.
âWife! Hahahaha! âWifeâ.â
He sounded so pleased with the word âwifeâ that the assistant didnât know how to react.
âJoseph, you should go out with your wife, sometimes.â
âIâm single, my lord.â
âOh, you poor, poor thing!â
Cassian laughed as if other peopleâs misfortunes made him ecstatic.
Well, it didnât take long for his excellent mood to sink to the ground.
***
Cassian looked at the scene with a hardened face as Yernia sat next to the window not far away from him.
âHow did you make a reservation here? I love it.â
And another boy was in front of her, where Cassian should have been seated.
His head felt cold.
âThe lady left earlier.â
As the time of their reservation approached, Cassian decided to visit Yernia early.
He cared for everything left so she could devote his entire day, especially to Yernia.
He had arranged the next course at the restaurant.
Cassian was too excited for his good.
When he found out Yernia went to the restaurant first, he didnât think about it deeply.
At that moment, he realized how foolish he was being.
Cassian wasnât the person that Yernia wanted  to go to the restaurant with.
Why did he realize that just now?
What happened to his brain?
His heightened mood hit rock bottom.
After dumping the bouquet at the umbrella stand in front of the entrance, he turned his back but Yerniaâs words caught his attention.
âSomeone I know recommended this place to me.â
What?
Someone she knew?
Did she just refer to him as someone she knew?