Self

Chapter 16

They snagged a cozy booth on the second floor, which had a killer. view and some peace and quiet.

The waiter swung by with menus with American favorites–plenty of fresh choices and a full lineup of hearty soups and broths. Zachary’s eyes darted across the menu for ages, nearly going cross–eyed from all the options.

He noticed Yale had said little in a while and tossed the conversation

his way.

“They say this place serves amazing comfort food and many classic dishes. You have any cravings?”

Yale shrugged it off. “You can make the call.”

Ever since they left the jewelry store, Yale had been toying with his lighter, his mind elsewhere.

The memory of Yara breezing by without so much a glance, acting like he was invisible, made him frown.

Did she give him the cold shoulder?

Why had she not moved back even though she had left Rainie’s place?

How long was she planning to drag that out?

His thoughts were a tangled mess as he fired up a cigarette and inhaled deeply.

Zachary picked a spread of marinated bites, slow–roasted duck with herbs, and pineapple–glazed pork and threw in a seafood dish for good measure.

The dishes rolled out one after another, their scents filling the air. Zachary, starving by that point, was ready to dive in.

He grabbed a bite with his fork–man, it was good.

On the other hand, Vale picked at his food, eating like he had all the time in the world, clearly not savoring the feast.

“Yale, are you still thinking about what happened earlier? Look, Yara’s probably still fuming. Just give it some time. She might come around, *he said.

He paused mid-bite, something crossing his mind. “Plus, you dropped the breakup bomb on her in front of everyone. That had to hurt.

“She might need a minute to get past that. Wait a few days, then sweet–talk her, and you’ll be golden.”

Yale’s face was all business. “Who says I’m thinking about her? Focus on your meal, dude.”

“Ugh,” Zachary muttered, rolling his eyes. Yale was too stubborn!

Then, Yale’s phone buzzed.

He tapped the screen, and a blurry photo popped up. A woman stood with her profile to the camera, and a man was about to caress her face with a look of deep affection.

The picture was grainy, but Yale did not need a clear image to recognize Yara and Mason.

A chill swept through Yale’s eyes in an instant.

Zachary, catching the change, felt his heart drop. “Yale, what’s up?”

Yale tossed the phone on the table, his expression icy. “So, is this what you mean when you say she’ll come around? She’s really pushing her luck now!”

She went after Mason again, of all people!

Zachary blinked, his eyes briefly catching the image on the screen,

and winced.

Mason was playing with fire, taking advantage of Yara’s mood to make his move. The guy had nerves of steel.

Yale smirked coldly. “So, leaving me made her lose her standards, huh? Now she’s settling for trash like Mason.”

As if he cared.

Yara was blissfully ignorant of the drama unfolding. She did not care either.

Her new life consisted of a cycle of studying, eating, and sleeping- rinse and repeat. It was boring, sure, but it was also peaceful and stable.

Her days were a simple loop from her tiny apartment to the library She would whip up something tasty in her downtime and share it with her neighbor, who was always buried in work.

Sure, it was not as luxurious as the mansion she had left behind, but even the air felt like freedom.

“Yara, you studying?” Rainie’s voice was a daily fixture on the phone.

“Yeah.” Yara moved to a quiet corner, whispering to avoid disturbing

the peace.

“It’s Friday. Do you want to grab dinner?”

“Well…”

“Stop with the excuses. You need a break. What’s the harm in chilling

out for a bit?

“Plus, you have to mix up studying with some downtime. Don’t go nuts from being holed up all the time.”

“Alright.”

They decided to meet up at a Japanese restaurant.