“You’re… married?” he repeated. “To someone else?”
“Yes,” Mia said simply. “I remarried after divorcing James.”
Before she could react, Gavin suddenly leaned forward and grabbed her arm across the table.
“Who did you marry?” he demanded. “Are you sure you married the right man?”
His grip was tight, his voice strained—troubled, almost frantic.
Mia immediately pulled her arm back, her chair scraping softly against the floor. “Yes.” she said coolly.
“You’re still young,” Gavin argued, urgency creeping into his voice. “You moved from one relationship to another so easily. Maybe you should reconsider—get a divorce from that man. Don’t rush into relationships like this.”
His tone softened, coaxing—trying to persuade her.
Outside the restaurant, a black car idled quietly by the sidewalk.
Allen glanced toward Alexander, who sat stiffly in the passenger seat, his back straight, shoulders locked, his expression carved from stone.
“Mr. Graves…” Allen asked carefully. “Do you want to go inside?”
He held the tablet angled toward Alexander, the live video playing—every word between Gavin and Mia piping through the speakers.
Alexander’s gaze never left the screen. His posture remained perfect, controlled to the point of rigidity.
“It’s fine,” he said quietly, dismissively. “Girls are curious by nature.” His jaw flexed once. “She’ll come home when she’s done talking to him.”
Allen blinked, then snorted. “Wow,” he said, clearly amused. “Mr. Graves, you’re suddenly so open-minded?”
He even flashed a thumbs-up, grinning.
Inside the restaurant, Gavin suddenly leaned forward.
His hands closed around Mia’s, trapping them firmly between his palms as he bent closer, invading her space.
Alexander’s calm shattered.
In one sharp movement, he leaned forward, eyes locking onto the screen, his body going tense.
“This motherfucker wants to die,” he snarled.
The next second, the car door flew open.
Alexander stepped out without another word and strode toward the restaurant, his long steps clipped, violent.
Inside, Mia shook her head firmly. “No,” she said, voice tight. “I’m not being taken advantage of. My husband is a good man.”
Gavin tightened his grip instead of letting go, his thumbs pressing against her knuckles as he leaned closer.
“Who is he?” he asked insistently. “Who did you marry, Mia? What’s his name?”
Just wanting the conversation to end, Mia blurted out, “It’s Alexander.”
Gavin froze for a moment, then frowned. “Alexander?” he repeated. “I don’t know anyone with that name.”
He sighed and shook his head, lowering his voice as if trying to sound reasonable. “Mia, listen to me. Don’t fall into traps like this. These old rich men—they just want to sleep with young women. It’ll only hurt you.” His tone sharpened. “You’re still young. You shouldn’t trust men like that, especially someone who marries so easily. You might just be a passing thing to him.”
The very next moment, Mia yanked her hands free and shot to her feet so suddenly her chair screeched loudly against the floor.
