Chapter 3

Edward had claimed to be working overtime every night these past few days and never came home.

At noon, our client treated the entire department to lunch. Coincidentally, Edward and Jolene were dining in the private room right next door with their other two friends, Charles Jansen and Lynn Monroe.

An elderly woman sat at the head of the table, whom they addressed as Mrs. Hobart.

Edward and Jolene sat side by side, and he was asking a server to replace her drink with a cup of hot tea. "You're on your period. You shouldn't be drinking cold drinks."

Mrs. Hobart watched them with a warm smile. "You've been together for so long, yet your bond is still so strong. I still remember back when you two were dating. Everyone said you were such a striking pair."

I froze mid-step.

Charles chimed in, "That's right, Mrs. Hobart. I've still got so much to learn from Edward. Lynn nags me all the time for not being as thoughtful and romantic as he is with Jolene. Honestly, I don't think I could ever put up with Jolene's fiery temper."

Jolene gave Edward's arm a playful tug, causing him to reply in a calm, unhurried tone, "Who said that? Jolene has a lovely temperament."

"Alright, alright." Charles held up his hands in surrender. "There you go, defending her again."

They all burst into laughter.

Mrs. Hobart placed Edward's hand on top of Jolene's and patted them gently. "You two must always stay together. That would put my mind at ease."

Edward nodded solemnly. "Don't worry, Mrs. Hobart. We will."

His promise kept the lively atmosphere going. Charles and Lynn kept teasing them.

I suddenly remembered that on the rare occasions I'd dined with their group, the seat beside Edward was always silently reserved for Jolene.

"We've gotten used to this over the years. Hope you don't mind, Alison," they would say.

They constantly chatted about inside jokes, leaving me no chance to join the conversation and forcing me to sit by with an awkward smile.

Once, Jolene casually sighed that she craved fish but hated picking out bones, and the other two immediately replied, "Let Edward pick all the bones out for you."

Whenever Edward cooked, I'd offer to help, only to be pushed back onto the couch by them. "Don't tire yourself out, Alison. Let Jolene handle it."

I once asked Edward, "Do your friends dislike me? It always feels like they're deliberately reminding me how close you are to Jolene, as if they only want the two of you together. It makes me feel like an outsider."

Edward brushed it aside and cut me off with a kiss. "You're overthinking. You are an outsider to them, after all. It's only natural they can't always look out for you. Don't be so petty."

He had never told me that he and Jolene had once dated, nor that he'd been pretending to be her boyfriend for the sake of others.

Charles went on reminiscing about the happy dates the two couples had shared years ago.

Our large group was blocking the restaurant corridor, and a waiter politely spoke up. At the noise, Edward and the others turned their heads. Our gazes met calmly, but this time, I was the first to look away.

"Let's go," I said.

As we stepped outside, under the curious stares of onlookers, I let out a bitter laugh. I was laughing at myself.

Edward was never one for explaining himself to me. He said, "Mrs. Hobart practically raised all of us. She moved back to her hometown a while ago. We never told her that Jolene and I broke up because we didn't want to break her heart.

"Her daughter is bringing her to Madia soon, so I just wanted her to be happy before she left and not have to worry about our relationship."

I nodded. "I see. Is there anything else?"

Edward paused, letting out a faint laugh. "That's all. You're surprisingly mature today. I was worried you'd throw a fit and make things awkward for everyone. Since you're being so well-behaved, is there anything you'd like me to buy for you?"

Leaning both hands on the bathroom counter, I stared at my exhausted reflection in the mirror. "I want to get married on the date my mom picked last time."

The smile faded from Edward's face. His mouth pressed into a tight line. "Can you let this go already? I never said we won't get married. I just need your mom to pick another date. Is that so difficult?"