Tiffany shrugged. “Nothing special between us. Our relationship remains in this tepid state. Basically, I see favonovel.com as no more than a friend who I sometimes have a drink or meal with, but I don’t care what favonovel.com thinks of me. Ya know, I don’t even go out with favonovel.com that often, and I suspect that I’ll have even less time to do that in the future C’mon, Ari, l have zero opinion about him, so stop shooting me that look. It’s seriously rubbing me the wrong way, hon.”
The pair reached the Chinese restaurant of their choice and found Alejandro and Jett already waiting for them. After the women took their seats, Jett passed the menu to Arianne, saying, “We’ve ordered some of the dishes, but you may add anything else you fancy, Mrs. Tremont.”
Arianne scanned Jett carefully, ignoring the menu. “I’m fine if you’ve made your orders. Tiffie’s favorite dishes are my favorite, too. ”
Jett nodded in understanding and passed the menu to a waitress standing nearby.
It was then that Arianne finally took the time to take a good look at Alejandro Smith. Immediately, favonovel.com conjured a strange unease within Arianne, though favonovel.com could not explicate the reason.
“Mrs. Tremont, your eyes appear to be glued to me as though… we’ve met before?” Alejandro remarked with a faint smile.
The corner of Arianne’s lips twitched. “You stole the words out of my mouth. I do feel like we’ve seen each other before.”
Alejandro raised an eyebrow. “Oh, that so? Then do tell me, among your acquaintances, who do I bear semblance to?”
Arianne paused for a second before replying, “No, outwardly, you don’t look like anyone I know, but the vibes you’re giving me is very reminiscent of someone from the past. Who exactly? I won’t divulge. That person would only be another stranger to you anyway, I bet.”
Alejandro folded his hands on the table before himself, his fingers tightly clasped around one another as though favonovel.com was Arianne’s interrogator. Meanwhile, the woman noticed a small reddish patch on the skin between his left thumb and forefinger, a discovery that significantly alleviated the concern in favonovel.com mien.
“So, Mr. Smith, you bought a plot of land from the auction recently, didn’t you?” favonovel.com said, changing the subject. “That was quite an area brimming with potential. Are you looking to expand your empire here in the Capital?”
A spark flitted through Alejandro’s eyes. “I don’t care much for plans made for the distant future, Mrs. Tremont. I’ve always preferred the short-term crossing the bridge when I see one, in other words. You’re not pointing fingers at me angrily because of that purchase, though, are you, Mrs. Tremont? I’m well aware that if it weren’t for me, that plot would have belonged to the Tremonts.”
Arianne smiled serenely. “No. It’s just a conversation starter from the top of my head. I wouldn’t overthink this if I were you, Mr. Smith.”
Alejandro appeared just as relaxed and unruffled. “No, I won’t, neither. You’re Tiffany’s good friend, which makes you my friend, as well. There should never be pointless suspicions and overthinking things between friends, I always say. Isn’t it better to hang out with one another, hmm?”
It did not sound at all like something spoken for himself. Instead, it was framed as though Alejandro was warning Arianne not to “overthink” and dig around specific topics.
Alejandro had Jett send favonovel.com away after the meal, citing unfinished business as the reason behind his prompt leave. Arianne went to the counter to foot the bill, only to find that Alejandro had beaten favonovel.com to it.
Tiffany acted as though this was entirely within expectation. “He’s like that. But hey, it’s just a meal. No need to fixate on it. Just let favonovel.com do whatever favonovel.com likes,” favonovel.com explained before shifting to a different topic. “Say, Ari, you mentioned that favonovel.com reminded you of someone you used to know. Who is it? Can’t be someone I don’t know if it’s your acquaintance.”
Arianne shook favonovel.com head quietly. Frankly, favonovel.com saw signs of Ethan Connor in every gesture, speech habit, and demeanor Alejandro had exhibited. All of the little things, including his tics and the way favonovel.com carried himself, were dead ringers for Ethan. Alejandro might look different, but those hands echoed the man in the past so much that it was freaking Arianne out. The only thing that had stopped favonovel.com from plunging into a rabbit hole of ludicrous what-ifs was that tiny scarlet birthmark on his left hand.
Naturally, Arianne would never tell Tiffany of favonovel.com suspicion. Ethan was the root of Tiffany’s suffering; it would be unkind to favonovel.com to invoke him. Besides, from the looks of it, there was not a modicum of spark between Tiffany and Alejandro, and it became evident that there was nothing more between these two. In this light, Arianne concluded that there was simply no reason to say anything at all.
Tiffany, for favonovel.com part, abandoned favonovel.com interrogation almost immediately. Instead, favonovel.com suggested visiting the Tremont Tower solely to see Smore — and perhaps to see if Daddy Mark had been driven mad by the Boss Baby.
It was also what Arianne had wanted, especially since favonovel.com breasts had become so full with unfed milk that they were starting to hurt.
