The air outside the restaurant felt completely different from the polished tension inside.
The private trail behind the estate stretched into a softly lit forest path, lanterns hanging from curved iron posts casting a warm golden glow over the winding stone walkway. The night breeze moved gently through the tall trees, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and night-blooming flowers, and the distant hum of the city felt like it belonged to another world entirely.
Valerie walked a step ahead of him at first, her heels clicking lightly against the stone, her dress brushing against her ankles as she turned toward him mid-step, still very much caught up in what had just happened.
