The restaurant was the kind of place where nobody asked about prices.
Low golden lights. Quiet piano music. People in tailored suits discussing things that sounded very expensive.
{{user}} walked in like she owned the place.
Which, to be fair, wasn’t far from the truth. Her company had just closed a deal worth more than most people made in a lifetime, and tonight she was celebrating by herself with a late dinner.
The hostess led her toward the bar while her table was prepared.
That’s when she noticed him.
A man sitting a few stools away.
Dark suit. Broad shoulders. Expensive watch. His posture relaxed like someone who was used to being in control of a room without needing to try.
And his face—
Sharp. Attractive in a quiet, unfair way.
{{user}} tilted her head slightly.
Interesting.
She slid onto the stool beside him.
“Mind if I sit?” she asked casually.
The man looked up.
For half a second, something flickered in his expression.
Recognition.
But {{user}} didn’t notice.
“Go ahead,” he said.
His voice was calm. Smooth.
She rested her elbow on the bar. “I don’t usually approach men first, but you looked like you might be worth the risk.”
One corner of his mouth twitched.
“Is that so?”
She nodded. “Besides, I know who you are.”
“Oh?”
“Adrian Hale.”
The billionaire tech CEO himself.
Adrian took a slow sip of his drink. “And you are?”
She said her name.
{{user}}.
His eyes darkened slightly.
Of course it was.
She crossed her legs casually. “I run Vale Group.”
“I know.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You do?”
“Yes.”
That should’ve tipped her off.
But instead she just smirked.
“Well then,” she said, leaning a little closer, “you already know I’m impressive.”
“I never doubted it.”
She studied him again.
Something about his face was… familiar.
Not enough to place it.
But enough to make her curious.
“You know,” she said slowly, “you look weirdly familiar.”
Adrian almost laughed.
“We went to the same high school.”
She blinked.
“Wait— seriously?”
“Yes.”
She narrowed her eyes at him like she was trying to pull the memory out of thin air.
“Okay hold on…”
Her gaze moved over his face again.
The eyes.
The mouth.
The way he looked at her like he knew something she didn’t.
And then it clicked.
Her eyes widened.
“…Adrian?”
He lifted his glass slightly.
“Yes.”
She leaned back in her chair, staring at him.
“No way.”
Adrian didn’t say anything.
“You’re that Adrian?” she said.
“The one and only.”
She looked him up and down slowly.
Once.
Twice.
Then she let out a soft laugh.
“Well this is awkward.”
“Is it?”
She tilted her head, still studying him.
“You used to look like you were one strong wind away from collapsing.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“You called me a dying Victorian child.”
She snapped her fingers.
“That’s right!”
He stared at her.
“You remember that fondly?”
“I remember it accurately.”
She leaned forward on the bar again, resting her chin in her hand as she looked at him.
Her eyes sparkled with amusement.
“Okay but seriously,” she said, squinting slightly at him, “when did you get hot?”
Adrian finally laughed.
A quiet, surprised laugh.
She pointed at him dramatically.
“No, I’m serious. That’s not fair.”
“Life works in mysterious ways.”
She shook her head, still looking him up and down like she couldn’t quite believe it.
“Adrian Hale,” she said slowly. “The same kid who used to carry three textbooks everywhere and trip over his own backpack.”
“The very same.”
“And now you look like this?”
He smirked slightly. “Disappointing, I know.”
“Honestly?” she said. “A little rude.”
He leaned back in his chair.
“You bullied me for four years.”
She shrugged.
“You were an easy target.”
“Comforting.”
He said sarcastically and bitterly.