Accidentally Yours, My Super Rich Second Husband-Chapter 166: A Meal to Remember

The elegant restaurant was bathed in warm golden lighting, its ambiance exuding quiet sophistication. As soon as Delphinia, Ashton, and Lydia stepped inside, the maître d’ greeted them with a deep bow and led them towards a private VVIP room. The secluded space was beautifully furnished, with plush chairs surrounding a polished wooden table, adorned with fine china and silverware that gleamed under the soft overhead lights.

As they settled into their seats, Lydia removed her oversized sunglasses and lowered the hood of her coat, revealing her striking features. She glanced around with a fond smile before turning to Delphinia and Ashton.

"This is one of my favorite restaurants," she announced with enthusiasm. "I come here often whenever I want something comforting but exquisite. I really hope you both will like it."

Delphinia offered a polite smile. "It looks wonderful."

Ashton, seated beside her, simply nodded, his small fingers lightly tapping the edge of the menu. His wariness towards Lydia had not faded, and though he remained polite, his body language was guarded. When the waiter arrived, Ashton shifted slightly towards Delphinia and tugged at her sleeve.

"Can you help me choose?" he asked in a small voice, his eyes scanning the extensive menu with uncertainty.

Lydia leaned in slightly, seizing the opportunity. "How about I recommend something for you? The mushroom truffle pasta here is absolutely delicious, and they have the best grilled salmon. Would you like to try them?"

Delphinia glanced at Ashton, silently asking for his opinion. Ashton hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Okay."

"Perfect!" Lydia beamed and gestured to the waiter. "We’ll have one of each, and for drinks, a fresh mango smoothie for the little boy and iced lemon tea for myself. Delphinia, what about you?"

"Just water is fine," Delphinia replied with a gentle smile.

Ashton shifted in his seat before speaking up. "I don’t like mango."

Lydia blinked, looking surprised. "Oh."

He turned his gaze to Delphinia, a silent question in his eyes. Without missing a beat, she smiled at the waiter. "Could we change that to kiwi instead?"

The waiter nodded. "Of course."

As soon as he walked away, Lydia let out a small sigh and turned to Ashton. "I’m sorry, I didn’t know you didn’t like mango."

Ashton shrugged. "It’s fine."

Delphinia, sensing the tension, quickly added, "I get things wrong sometimes too." She offered Lydia a reassuring look, hoping to ease whatever guilt she was feeling.

But Ashton, ever so blunt, shook his head. "No, you don’t. You always know what I like and don’t."

Delphinia inhaled sharply, her throat suddenly dry. She hadn’t meant to put Lydia in a worse spot, just to make her feel less bad about the mistake.

Lydia’s expression faltered, though she quickly masked it with a small nod.

Delphinia forced a smile, ignoring the heavy weight in her chest. She wasn’t trying to take Lydia’s place. But moments like these made it painfully clear how deep Ashton’s attachment to her had become.

Then, Delphinia excused herself, pushing her chair back softly. "I’ll just use the restroom for a moment."

Ashton looked up at her, his fingers twitching slightly against his lap, but he simply nodded. "Okay."

Lydia watched Delphinia leave before shifting her attention back to Ashton. She adjusted her position, leaning slightly forward with an almost eager expression.

"So, Ashton," Lydia started, her voice soft yet inquisitive, "how was school today?"

Ashton, who had been absentmindedly tracing patterns on the tablecloth, glanced up at her. "It was fine."

Lydia chuckled lightly at his short response. "Just fine? No favorite subjects or anything interesting?"

"I like science," Ashton admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Lydia’s eyes lit up. "Science! That’s a great subject. You must be really smart. What did you learn today?"

Ashton shrugged. "Stuff about planets."

Lydia rested her chin on her palm, smiling. "Planets? That’s amazing! Did you know when I was a kid, I used to love looking at the stars? I even wanted to be an astronaut at some point."

Ashton’s fingers momentarily stopped moving, his gaze flickering to her with slight curiosity. "Really?"

Lydia nodded. "Yes! I even had a telescope in my room. But I guess life had other plans for me." She let out a small laugh. "Do you like looking at the stars?"

Ashton hesitated before giving a small nod. "Yeah."

Lydia beamed. "Maybe one day, we can go stargazing together. I know a great place away from the city lights where the stars look so clear, it’s almost magical."

Ashton didn’t respond immediately, his small hands fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. Lydia noticed but didn’t push further. Instead, she softened her approach, lowering her voice to something almost affectionate.

"You know, Ashton, I really want to get to know you better," she said sincerely. "I know things haven’t been easy for you, but I hope we can be friends."

Ashton stared at her for a moment before looking away. "I don’t know."

Lydia didn’t seem discouraged. Instead, she chuckled softly. "That’s fair. You can take your time." She reached out hesitantly, her fingers brushing against his dark locks before gently ruffling his hair.

Ashton stiffened slightly at the contact but didn’t pull away immediately. Instead, he simply let out a soft breath and remained still, his mind processing the unfamiliar gesture.

Lydia smiled at him, a warm, hopeful look in her eyes. "I’ll keep trying, okay?"

Before Ashton could respond, the sound of the door opening signaled Delphinia’s return. Lydia quickly withdrew her hand, her expression shifting into something more composed. Delphinia took her seat again, casting a glance between the two of them.

"Did I miss anything?" she asked, her tone light.

Lydia merely smiled. "Just getting to know each other a little better."

Delphinia looked at Ashton, who gave a small, unreadable nod. She let out a quiet breath, thinking to herself that she would do her best to help them. Because, no matter what, she wanted Ashton to have every chance at happiness—even if that meant helping him reconnect with Lydia.

The conversation soon drifted to other topics, but in the back of Delphinia’s mind, a resolution formed.

She would do her best—for Ashton’s sake.