Inside the car, Kade adjusted his baseball cap and kept his eyes glued to the taillights of the Mercedes.

His phone was already synced with his earpiece, just waiting for him to check in.

The drive took about twenty-five minutes, winding through the city.

Emma was chatting about her classes, Ayla’s recovery, and this new coffee shop that popped up near campus.

Alexander listened, responding at appropriate moments, but part of him was always working, analyzing everything.

When they got to La Virelli, the valet was already on his way over.

The place looked classy without being over the top, with warm lights shining from big windows and the fancy "V" logo hanging above the entrance.

As Alexander handed over his keys and helped Emma out of the car, Kade parked half a block away. He picked up his phone and quickly shot off a text.

"Following them. They stopped at La Virelli."

The reply didn’t come right away.

Zayden got the notification first while he was chilling in his home office. He read the message, took it in, and then opened another chat.

"Zayn. Alexander and his daughter Emma are at your restaurant."

Meanwhile, in the penthouse across town, Zayn was lounging on the couch, aimlessly scrolling through his phone.

When he saw his brother’s message, he shot up so fast he almost dropped his phone.

His fingers flew over the screen. "Seriously? Emma there? I’m home. I’m heading to the restaurant now."

He was already up and moving toward his bedroom even as he hit send.

Zayden replied quickly. "Didn’t I tell you not to catch feelings for her?"

Zayn read the message while he was in his closet, pulling out a fresh white dress shirt. He smirked, part amused and part rebellious, and completely ignored the question.

Bro, he muttered to his empty room, even though Zayden couldn’t hear him, this isn’t just about ’catching feelings’ anymore. I’ve totally fallen for her. The only thing left is to confess.

He caught his reflection in the full-length mirror and paused. Your problem is with Alexander. I’m not leaving Emma.

Zayn showered quickly and slipped into a tailored navy suit that fit him perfectly. He spent extra time on his hair, making sure it was styled just right.

A light spritz of cologne, just enough. A final glance in the mirror.

His phone buzzed again. Zayden was probably pushing the issue.

Zayn grabbed his keys and ignored the message.

He had more important things to deal with, like a certain blonde who’d called him an idiot and had been living rent-free in his head ever since. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The drive to La Virelli took twelve minutes — and he might have sped more than he usually did.

When he pulled into the private parking lot behind the restaurant, he felt his heart racing. It was kind of silly, he was Zayn Cole Virelli, after all. Women didn’t usually make him feel nervous.

Except, apparently, Emma Kane did.

He made his way in through the back entrance, giving a nod to the kitchen staff who acknowledged him. In the main dining area, he spotted them right away.

Emma and Alexander were waiting out near the host station, chatting with Manager Marco.

Emma was fidgeting, playing with her fingers and shifting her weight back and forth. Even from across the room, Zayn could see that her cheeks were flushed.

She looked gorgeous. The lilac dress, her curly hair, and her nervous vibe all added up to something that made Zayn’s chest tighten.

He took a breath, steadied his expression into something friendly, and walked over.

"Mr. Kane," he said, extending his hand to Alexander. "Good to see you again."

Alexander shook his hand firmly. "Zayn. Thanks for fitting us in on such short notice."

"Of course. La Virelli always makes room for valued guests." Zayn’s gaze darted to Emma, who was deliberately focused on the floor. "Miss Kane."

Emma’s head jerked up a bit, but she didn’t really meet his eyes. "Hi," she said, her voice softer than usual.

Marco, the manager, was watching their interaction with obvious interest, but Zayn ignored him.

"How have you been?" Zayn asked Alexander, making small talk while keeping an eye on Emma. She was still twirling her fingers nervously. "I hope the dinner the other night was good?"

"Excellent, as always," Alexander replied. "Your chef really nailed it with the sea bass."

"I’ll let him know you said that." Zayn smiled. "We actually have it as a special again tonight if you’re interested."

They chatted for another minute, tossing around some polite comments about the food and service, while Emma stood there looking like she wanted to just disappear.

Zayn had to hold back a grin at how adorably flustered she seemed.

Finally, he turned to Marco. "Is Mr. Kane’s usual VIP room free?"

"Yeah, everything’s all set."

"Awesome." Zayn looked back at Alexander. "Your table’s ready whenever you are."

"Actually," Alexander said with a slight smile, "my daughter wanted to chat with you for a sec, if you have a moment?" Zayn’s brows lifted slightly. Interesting.

Emma’s eyes went wide with panic, and the pink on her cheeks turned to a deep red.

"Of course," Zayn said smoothly. "I’ve always got time for our guests."

Alexander nodded and turned to his daughter. "I’ll see you at the table, sweetheart. No rush."

As Marco led Alexander toward the VIP area, Emma looked like she was thinking about making a quick escape. Zayn found her internal struggle pretty amusing.

When they were finally alone in the small nook by the host station, Emma took a deep breath.

"Sorry," she said quietly. Her eyes were still fixed on the floor.

Zayn blinked, a bit surprised. He had expected her to apologize, but not so directly. "For what?"

Emma’s fingers were fidgeting nervously. "I, um... I messed up that day."

"Oh." Zayn decided to play clueless, even though he knew exactly what she meant. He was enjoying her discomfort just a little too much. "That day? I’m not sure I—"