Chapter 1134:

🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙

Anna rolled her eyes, perplexed by Milton’s aloof demeanor, even though she couldn’t deny his striking handsomeness. She marveled at his presence — a sight to behold, even in silence.

Once Milton had left, she curiously peeked into the lunchbox’s contents.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the gourmet delicacies inside. Each treat appeared as if it were a masterpiece: a near-translucent plum cake, a luscious fruit tart, a silken and dainty confection, and various desserts with names she couldn’t even begin to pronounce.

Anna glanced at Candice’s empty seat and speculated that Milton had truly prepared this for Candice.

With a sigh, Anna decided to save the delectable morsels for a shared post-work indulgence with Brylee and Candice. She couldn’t bring herself to destroy such culinary art.

On the other side of town, Candice and Bart found themselves at a quaint coffee shop, where the crowd was thin at this hour.

The few patrons who did venture in were content to take their coffee to go.

Candice selected a seat near the window and was pleasantly surprised when Bart courteously pulled out her chair for her.

As they settled in, Bart smiled and inquired, “What may I get for you to drink?”

“I’ll have an iced Americano.” Candice assessed Bart carefully. She’d never met him face to face.

Her analytical instincts strained as Candice tried to connect the courteous gentleman before her with the man who had inflicted so much pain upon Bettina. Bart’s mask was impeccable, making Candice understand why Bettina had fallen victim to his apparent charm. Reading Bart’s mind was like trying to unravel a mystery, a challenge she seldom encountered with her skills in reading micro-expressions.

Bart chuckled at her choice, saying, “Ah, your taste aligns with Milton’s. Please, an iced Americano for this lady, and a sugarless Blue Mountain coffee for me.”

gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀.𝗰𝗈n – 𝓶𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗻

Candice took a sip of her lemonade and remarked casually, “If my recollection serves me right, Bettina had a penchant for Blue Mountain coffee.”

At the mention of Bettina, Bart’s facade finally cracked.

Candice, ever the astute observer, couldn’t help but detect the subtle shift in Bart’s countenance.

Candice maintained her cool demeanor and pressed on, “You know, Bart, it’s funny how life takes twists and turns. Once upon a time, Betty wouldn’t touch coffee with a ten-foot pole. She’d claim it was bitter and astringent, always opting for the soothing embrace of milk.

Then, out of the blue, I saw her get a Blue Mountain coffee. I had a good laugh back then. She either had a change of heart or picked the sourest, sugarless brew in the shop. Little did I know, it was your coffee of choice all along.”

Bart found his hand clenching into a fist on the table. He’d never seen Bettina indulge in coffee before. He had assumed it was simply not to her taste. Now, he realized she only drank what he enjoyed.

A touch of embarrassment appeared on Bart’s stiff, handsome face. Attempting to divert the conversation, he muttered, “You might be reading into things, Candice. My choice was rather arbitrary.”

“Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? Time is precious, and I have other matters to attend to. What’s on your mind?” Candice, undeterred, straightened her posture, all business.

Narrowing his eyes, Bart leaned in and said, “You vanish for a year, then reappear as a member of the Joint International Financial Crimes Investigation Team within the Royal Garden Corporation. There must be a motive. I think that means we can work together.”

“I’m listening,” said Candice.

.

.

.