"Logan... I’ve arrived, hmm... okay." After hanging up the phone, Titus Zane picked up his cocktail again, propped his chin in one hand, and took a small sip as he looked ahead.
"You... are still in touch with Logan Ray?" Holding his wine glass, Nathan Moore voiced the doubt in his heart, although his handsome face looked slightly unnatural.
Propped on her chin, Titus Zane turned her face over, her lips curving shallowly.
Nathan Moore found that Titus Zane smiled more than she did three years ago; maybe, it’s because she’s been doing well.
A hard-to-describe feeling welled up in his heart; it was suffocating and uncomfortable.
"Hmm," Titus Zane responded faintly, serving as her reply to Nathan Moore.
"He’s married. Did you know that?" Not sure why he mentioned such a gossipy topic, it just slipped out of Nathan Moore’s mouth.
Titus Zane was taken aback, seemingly unaware of Logan Ray’s marriage. But thinking back, he was engaged to another woman when she left, and moreover, when she called him... he didn’t answer.
Seeing Titus Zane just looking at him without a word, Nathan Moore pursed his lips and asked, "Do you still love him, don’t you?"
Titus Zane turned her face back, resting her cheek in her hand, her lush lips shaped in a clear curve, as she took another sip of her cocktail, "It’s all in the past now; I’ve only just reconnected with him."
So, not knowing about Logan Ray’s marriage, she had never thought of rekindling their former relationship.
Nathan Moore once again lowered his gaze to the red wine glass in his hand. Titus Zane noticed that he was much more reserved than he was three years ago, seemingly cautious with his words before speaking, and he dared not meet her eyes.
It’s funny when you think about it. What she used to fear the most was meeting the loathing and hatred in his eyes.
Those cold eyes seemed to penetrate her skin, making her feel chilled to the bone, and then, she couldn’t help but feel scared.
Yes, Titus Zane admitted, she was afraid of the man in front of her. Although she always kept her cool on the surface, it was a pretense, not wanting him to see through her.
But after her near-death experience, they made an agreement that they would owe each other nothing, and that’s why she could sit down and chat with him so composedly, to kill time.
Moreover, with this ’god’ sitting by her side, it dissuaded other men who thought to approach her.
Running her fingers through her hair, Titus Zane slightly arched her eyebrows.
"What do you mean by ’that’s good’?"
It was just a remark to himself, but Nathan Moore didn’t expect Titus Zane to dig so deeply. Caught off guard for a moment, he faintly curved his lips and said, "I was merely reminding you that he’s married now. Getting too close... might lead to misunderstandings."
"Are you worried I’ll become Logan Ray’s mistress? Stealing someone’s man?"
Titus Zane asked bluntly and directly.
Expecting Nathan Moore to deny it, or at least to skirt around the issue, to his surprise, Nathan Moore nodded seriously while holding his wine glass.
"Yes, if you become the mistress, it will affect your reputation."
"Heh," Titus Zane scoffed and gathered her brown, wavy hair together, speaking indifferently towards the front, "In T city, I hardly have a good reputation to speak of."
On the day of her sister’s wedding, she was known for pushing her down the stairs and sleeping with her husband; in T city, she is the topic of gossip in high society, notoriously known as a "wicked woman."
"It’s not as bad as you describe," Nathan Moore said earnestly, looking at Titus Zane.
Titus Zane shifted her gaze over, her lips slightly curved, "That’s because they’re afraid of your intimidation, so they don’t dare say it in front of you..."
"They wouldn’t dare even behind my back."
Titus Zane was startled, suddenly feeling like the man in front of her was an imposter Nathan Moore.
Because three years ago, even if no one else said it, he would grab her by the chin, corner her against the wall, and grit his teeth, saying word by word, "Titus Zane, you are a wicked woman!"
Back then, those words haunted her like a curse; in so many nights, she dreamed of being cornered by Nathan Moore against the wall, his icy demeanor, bloodthirsty eyes saying those words, and then waking up from the nightmare, too scared to sleep again, sitting on the terrace cushion, hugging her knees and watching the distant horizon until the red sun slowly rose...
Now, Nathan Moore is telling her, "They wouldn’t dare," and Titus Zane lowered her gaze, curving her lips, silent.
In silence, apart from the booming music filling their ears, there was no further communication between the two.
The phone on the bar top flashed again, and Titus Zane grabbed it and put it to her ear.
"Where are you? I’ve arrived!" Logan Ray cupped one ear, standing at the entrance of the bar’s inner hall, his back to the inside.