Even if he wanted to move, it looked like his limbs had forgotten how.
“Harold, this is Emma!” Hannah said excitedly.
She pointed toward Emma, her eyes shining with excitement as if she were presenting the most wonderful surprise.
Harold slowly lowered his arm from the back of the couch.
His leg dropped back to the floor as he sat up properly.
His leg dropped back to the floor as he straightened in his seat and stood up.
He looked between Hannah and Emma with clear confusion on his face.
Before he could even ask a question, Hannah spoke again, her excitement only growing.
“I want you to go on a date with her!”
Harold stared at his mother as if he had just seen a ghost.
But the moment he fully processed her words, he turned toward his mother and then back to Emma.
He lifted a finger and pointed at Emma with a stunned expression.
“She’s like five years older than me!” he blurted out in a shocked voice.
Emma continued looking at him calmly, her expression soft and composed.
“Three years,” she corrected gently.
The moment she spoke, Harold’s eyes snapped back to Emma.
Their eyes met.
For a moment Harold looked like he wished the ground would open beneath his feet so he could disappear into it.
All the arrogance and composure he usually carried seemed to crumble the moment his gaze met Emma’s gentle one.
He looked at Hannah.
Then at Emma.
Then back at Hannah again.
And then suddenly—
Without saying another word, he grabbed his jacket from the table.
Before either of them could react, he turned and walked away quickly.
Within seconds, he was already heading toward the restaurant exit with hurried steps, almost as if he were running away.
“Harold!” Hannah shouted after him, her voice filled with anger and embarrassment.
But Harold didn’t stop.
He walked straight out of the restaurant without even looking back.
Hannah stood there awkwardly for a moment before turning toward Emma with an apologetic expression.
