Chapter 26

Stepping into the restaurant, Amelia became aware of a gaze on her-someone's attention clung to her even as she settled into her chair.

Her search for the source landed on a gentleman wearing gold-rimmed glasses, seated a short distance away to her left. His elegant suit and poised manner made him stand out.

His polished demeanor marked him as someone important, though she didn't know him.

He made no effort to look away once their eyes met, holding her gaze.

Meanwhile, Wyatt picked up on Amelia's slight unease. Tracking where she was looking, he frowned,reading the situation quickly.

His plan had been to savor a quiet afternoon together with Amelia. If only he had known this would happen,he would have booked the whole place.

The man, having caught Wyatt's attention, rose from his seat and strolled over to their table.

"So, it realy is you, Mr. Stewart. For a moment, I thought I was mistaken. I didn't expect to find you here today.I thought you were busy with work."

"Even a packed schedule can't keep a man from enjoying a good meal, right, Mr. Mills?" Wyatt said.

Their conversation was friendly enough, but the man's eyes kept drifting to Amelia, curiosity shining through. After all, he had never seen him with a woman by his side before.

Sensing the direction of his gaze, Wyatt shifted his position, shielding Amelia from view. "We'll catch up another time, Mr. Mills. I wouldn't want to interrupt your lunch."

Understanding the hint, Colton Mills ended the conversation and headed back to his table, offering Amelia a polite nod. She also nodded in response, her face composed.

Wyatt then introduced the man's identity to Amelia. Among the city's most powerful families were the Stewarts,the Mills,the Chapmans, and the Harveys.

Colton was the heir to the Mills family.

Amelia had suspected he might be someone of stature. Still, learning he was the Mills heir sent a ripple of nerves through her.

She hesitated, then asked softly,"Wyatt, is it going to cause problems for you that Mr. Mills saw us dining together?"

After all, she was still Jaxton's fiancée, and Jaxton's affair with Dayna had made her the subject of gossip recently.

Deep down,Amelia feared damaging Wyatt's reputation.

Wyatt, pouring her a glass of water, looked surprised by her concern. Setting the warm glass in front of her,he said, "Here in Kretol, nobody would dare gossip about me. You have nothing to worry about, Miss Flynn."

His assurance was gentle, and the confidence i his eyes was impossible to miss.

That answer caught Amelia off guard fora moment. Then, a warm smile soon spread across her face.

Whenever Wyatt was at her side, his gentle ways almost made her forget his immense influence. He was the son of the powerful Stewart family.

Before she could reply, the waiter appeared with steaming plates of food.

The moment those beautiful dishes landed on the table, Amelia's whole face lit up-they were all her favorites.

Instead of digging in right away, she waited, fork in hand, for Wyatt to eat first.

Noticing Amelia's obvious excitement, Wyatt felt delighted, and a genuine smile spread across his.features."Go ahead and try them. I hope they're to your liking."

After Wyatt began eating, Amelia wasted no time joining him.

Before coming here, she had thought the dishes at this place would be expensive and bland, but now,she realized she had been terribly wrong.

The food here was incredible.

Wyatt, not particularly focused on culinary delights, found his appetite inexplicably improved as he watched Amelia eating so happily.

Suddenly, applause swept through the dining room.

The chef emerged from the kitchen, his good looks and charisma evident. People in the restaurant started murmuring.

"It's rare to see Sanford serve anyone personally..."

"Who's managed to get Sanford to cook for them tonight?"

The murmurs of admiration filled Amelia's ears, piquing her curiosity.

She wondered who would receive such special treatment.

Sanford Chapman, without a word, made his way straight to Amelia, setting a mango mousse delicately beside her plate with a smile.

Al around Amelia, the sound of envious chatter grew louder.

"This dessert is just for you, Miss Flynn. Let me know what you think," Sanford said, his voice cheerful.

Mango happened to be Amelia's favorite fruit, but instead. of answering Sanford, she glanced across the table,looking at Wyatt.

Wyatt reached for a fork on the tray and offered it to her with a nod.

The first taste sent sweetness rushing through her, the flavor spreading warmth to every corner of her mouth.

Never in her wildest dreams had Amelia expected Wyatt to arrange something like this for her.

She realized now that this little surprise had been carefully planned by Wyatt. Her thoughts drifted to the Morrison family.

She had been engaged to Jaxton for two years, and she'd often shared meals with his family, but the table never held anything she especially liked. Every dish catered to Jaxton's tastes, and thanks to his allergy,mango had all but vanished from her life.

"This is wonderful. I really love how it tastes," she said.

Sanford,hopeful for a word of praise, started to move closer to her, but a single sharp look from Wyatt sent him back to the kitchen.

Noticing how pleased Amela looked, Wyatt let out a warm laugh. "If you're this happy eating here,、I'dlove to bring you here whenever you want."

His words pulled Amelia out of her daze. She quickly shook her head, saying, "Your schedule's packed as it is. I can't keep taking up your time."

Suddenly remembering why she'd come, Amelia sat up straighter.

Taking a card from her bag, she pushed it towards Wyatt with both hands, sincerely saying, "There's a hundred million dollars on this card. Please accept it as thanks for helping my grandmother with her hospital bills."

Wyatt stared at the card in silence, his eyes hard to read, but Amelia sensed that he was angry.

She wondered if she'd struck a nerve or come across as ungrateful.

She added, "Mr. Stewart, I wasn't trying to offend you. I just-"

"You don't want to owe me anything. I get it," Wyatt said, his gaze returning to its usual calm. "That's fine.I'll respect your decision."

Without waiting for a reply, Wyatt picked up the card and then pushed it right back to her.

"Miss Flynn, if you'd rather not owe me, I understand. But I hope you won't refuse this as a gift for our wedding, unless you want me to give it to the Flynn family?" The moment Wyatt mentioned that, Amelia's refusal was swift and certain.

"My father's only interested in what he can gain. If he finds out about our marriage, he'll only see you as a tool to get money and climb the social ladder.He will cling to you."

"Well, in that case, keep this for yourself."

Under the guise of a wedding gift, the card made its way back to Amelia's hands.

Only after she accepted it did Wyatt share some unexpected news. The month-long agreement might be adjusted, and she could soon end her engagement with the Morrison family.

The words were such a relief that Amelia grabbed onto Wyatt's sleeve without realizing it.

Wyatt's gaze drifted to her hand, his eyes catching on the engagement ring she still wore, and a quiet joy glimmered in his expression. "I've already asked Davin to take care of everything."

"Thank you, Mr. Stewart! Really,thank you!"

As she spoke, she realized she was holding Wyatt's sleeve and quickly released it.

She missed the flicker of sadness that crossed his face as she poulled away.