Upon hearing Toby’s question, Sonia’s face sank as well, and she fixed him with a cold look. “President Fuller, what does this have to do with you? Who are you to meddle in my affairs?”
“That’s right, Toby. You’re overstepping here.” Zane looked at Toby with a forced smile.
Toby pursed his thin lips a little stonily. “Zane, don’t you know that she has a boyfriend?”
“I do.” Zane shrugged.
Toby narrowed his eyes. “You know about it, yet you’re still—”
“We’re just sitting together; who said we were on a date?” Zane spread his hands out wide, then looked frostily at Tina, who was beside him. “Oh, right. It was you who said that.”
“I said it, but you admitted it yourself, Mr Coleman.” Tina grabbed tightly onto Toby’s arm.
Zane sneered. “I admitted to it, but there are many kinds of dates. Whoever stipulated that my date with Sonia’s is like yours? Can’t we meet to discuss something?”
Tina choked. “What about the flowers? What do you have to say about the flowers? Who brings flowers to a discussion?”
“What’s wrong with the flowers? Are they red roses? If Sonia and I were really on a date, then why didn’t I bring red roses?” Zane retorted.
Tina opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
Toby frowned.
Could it be that we’re thinking too much, and Sonia and Zane aren’t actually on a date?
As Toby thought about this, a lot of the fury in his heart was suddenly lifted.
“It’s all right, Zane.” Sonia stood up and glanced pointedly at Toby and Tina. “There’s no need to tell them so much. They’re just narrow-minded. All they think about is nasty stuff. There’s no point in explaining to them.”
“Miss Reed, did you just say we’re narrow-minded?” Tina widened her eyes.
Ignoring her, Sonia looked at Zane. “About what I just told you…”
“I’ve got it. I’ll help you find out.” Zane nodded.
Sonia smiled. “Thank you. Tell me as soon as you find out. Let’s go.”
“Okay.” Zane stood up too.
Sonia picked up the flowers on the table and left the cafe with him.
Watching their backs, Tina bit her lower lip. “Toby, they—”
“That’s enough,” Toby interrupted with a frown. “They’re right. You’ll only see what you’re thinking. Next time, don’t jump to conclusions.”
He was also in the wrong, because he shouldn’t just listen to one side and think that whatever Tina said was right.
“Toby, are you saying it’s my fault?” Tina looked incredulously at him.
Something flashed across Toby’s eyes. “No. I just feel that if things haven’t been clarified, it’s not good to just assume, and it’s unfair to others. Tina, don’t be so impulsive next time.”
Tina lowered her head dejectedly. “I didn’t want to either, but Zane admitted himself that they were on a date.”
“He was just messing with you,” Toby said while massaging his temples.
Tina stomped her feet. “He went too far.”
“All right. Let’s go. Didn’t you want to drink the coffee here?” Toby obviously didn’t want to talk about it anymore, so he changed the subject.
Tina could sense it too. Her eyes darkened, then she nodded. “Yeah.”
Outside the cafe, Zane offered to send Sonia back, but she refused because she drove here as well, so he had no choice but to give up.
Watching as Sonia drove off with the flowers he gave her, Zane was in a good mood and began to whistle.
He and Sonia were indeed not on a date, but she had accepted his flowers.
From now onward, he would give her a bouquet of flowers every time they met so that Sonia would get used to it. He believed that in the long run, Sonia would be moved, and perhaps their fake dates would become real dates.
As for Charles…
Zane smiled.
He could tell that besides friendship, there was nothing romantic in her gaze when she looked at Charles.
So, whether she and Charles were really a couple remained to be proven.
Zane leaned against the car door, then looked at the cafe across from him and leisurely twirled the car keys in his hand, as if waiting for someone.
After waiting for about half an hour, Toby and Tina walked out.
Upon seeing Zane, Toby narrowed his eyes.
Standing beside him, Tina looked at Zane. “Mr. Coleman, why are you alone? Where’s Miss Reed?”
“She left.” Zane returned Tina’s gaze, then gave her a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Miss Gray, I have something to talk about with President Fuller. Can you please excuse us?”
“I’m Toby’s fiancée; is there anything I can’t listen to?” Tina laughed.
Zane replied without mercy, “You just can’t.”
“You—”
“It’s fine, Tina. Go wait for me in the car. I’ll come over in a while.” Toby made a gesture to her.
Feeling a little reluctant, she cast a gloomy look at Zane before leaving obediently.
Zane and Toby were then left alone.
For two tall, handsome men with extraordinary temperaments to appear on the street at the same time was a very rare occurrence, so passers-by would look at them with admiration from time to time.
However, the two of them were used to these gazes, so they didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. They just stared at each other, completely unbothered.
“What do you want to tell me?” Toby spoke first.
Zane ruffled his hair, which still looked rather clownish. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m in love with Sonia.”
Toby’s expression changed in an instant. “What did you say?”
“I said, I’m in love with Sonia,” Zane repeated while smiling.
Toby grabbed his collar. “You’re in love with Sonia?”
“Yes.” Zane fixed Toby with a solemn gaze.
Toby was in a daze. At first, he thought Zane was joking, but now he understood that he was telling the truth.
Zane has fallen in love with Sonia.
How could this be? How could this have happened!
Toby was furious. In addition to his anger, he also felt a sense of betrayal, which caused his expression to turn cold and nasty. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
“Of course I do.” Zane pulled his collar out of Toby’s hand, took a step back, then patted his wrinkled collar. “I’m serious. I love Sonia.”
“The Sonia you love is my ex-wife.” Toby balled his hands into fists, and his eyes were filled with coldness.
“I know,” Zane replied indifferently. “You said it yourself that she’s your ex-wife. Since she’s your ex-wife, then she has nothing to do with you anymore, so there’s nothing wrong with me falling in love with her. Why are you so mad, then?”
He looked at Toby with an enigmatic grin.
For a moment, Toby was taken aback.
Zane was right. Sonia had long been divorced from him, so she no longer had anything to do with him. Naturally, there was nothing wrong with Zane falling in love with her, and he wasn’t betraying him either.
So why am I so angry?
A frustrated look appeared on Toby’s face.
The rational part of him was saying that he shouldn’t be so angry. Zane was free to love whoever he wanted, but as soon as he thought about Zane loving Sonia, he couldn’t help but want to lose his temper and stop him.
As for the reason behind his fury, he already had a vague answer deep down, but he didn’t want to admit it, because there was a voice in his heart telling him that once he admitted it, he might not be able to accept it.
Thinking about this, Toby took a deep breath, then suppressed his anger and looked coldly at Zane. “Even if Sonia no longer has anything to do with me, you can’t love her. Don’t forget—she’s Charles’ girlfriend.”
Zane’s lips curled up. “Didn’t you know that Sonia and Charles aren’t together at all? Their relationship is fake.”
“What?” Toby was startled. “It’s fake?”
“That’s right.” Zane nodded. “When Sonia looks at Charles, there’s not a single trace of romantic feelings in her eyes at all, so how could they be together? It’s just a show for the public.”
Upon hearing his analysis, Toby realized that it was likely that he was right. There was a surge of joy in his heart, but his face remained void of emotion.
