The man glanced at his watch, his brow furrowed. With a grim expression, he walked toward the top of the stairs.

By Archie Lockwood’s deliberate arrangement, Aria Joyce’s private room was right next to theirs. Seeing that it was about time, Archie brought Louise Jordan over to say hello.

When Mika Summers entered the room, she found it empty. Frowning, she backed out, confirming that this was indeed the room the waitress had led her to.

She was pulling out her phone to make a call when the door to the adjacent private room opened from within. Louise Jordan stepped out, followed closely by her brother and another woman.

A flash of amazement crossed Mika Summers’s eyes when she saw the other woman.

’She was a truly beautiful woman, a hundred times more stunning than anyone I have ever seen.’

The woman was dressed in a red suit and ten-centimeter black high heels. Her straight black hair fell over her shoulders, giving her an air that was at once capable and beautiful, confident and elegant.

She had a pleasant aura, completely lacking the affectation and arrogance often found in other beautiful women.

The woman, naturally sensing she was being stared at, looked up at Mika Summers. A similar flash of amazement crossed her eyes, but her gaze didn’t linger on Mika’s face, for she had spotted the man appearing at the top of the stairs.

Her lips curved into a smile as she raised a hand and called out, "Tristan Grayson, over here!"

Tristan Grayson looked up and nodded at Aria Joyce, but his gaze fell upon the woman in the hallway whose back was turned to him. An inexplicable sense of familiarity sent his heart into a panic, and each step he took felt incredibly heavy.

Upon hearing the name Tristan Grayson, Archie Lockwood’s expression darkened. He spun around, but the sight of Mika Summers made him freeze on the spot.

He was stunned for a full three seconds before crying out, "Mika!"

Mika Summers had been desperately suppressing her emotions. Only she knew what an immense internal battle she had just fought to remain standing here, steady and firm, after hearing that woman call Tristan Grayson’s name.

’I had considered seeing Tristan Grayson after returning to the country. I had even accepted that we were destined to become mortal enemies. But I had never, ever imagined I would run into him so soon.’

"Archie, it’s been two years. You’ve gotten even more charming." Mika Summers’s lips curved into a smile as she greeted him.

All of Archie Lockwood’s pent-up longing erupted in that instant. He strode forward and pulled Mika Summers into his embrace, his voice trembling as he spoke. "Mika, where have you been these past two years? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been about you?"

Mika Summers said nothing, her eyes welling up as she raised her arms to hug Archie Lockwood tightly in return.

Watching the jarring scene unfold not far away, Tristan Grayson clenched his fists so tightly that his entire body trembled. ’He had imagined their reunion countless times, but he’d never thought that when he finally saw her, he... wouldn’t even dare to approach her, let alone speak a single word.’

’Even something as simple as what Archie Lockwood had just done—walking right up, pulling her into an embrace, and holding her tight—had become an impossible luxury...’

Aria Joyce was a shrewd woman. Noticing that Tristan Grayson’s eyes were fixed on Mika Summers, she let out two cool-toned coughs and said, "Mr. Lockwood? Aren’t you going to introduce us to this young lady?"

At her words, Archie Lockwood reined in his emotions, his eyes turning grim. He slowly released Mika Summers, pulling her protectively behind him. Turning back, he shot a fierce glare at Tristan Grayson and threatened in a harsh voice, "Tristan Grayson, if you have a shred of conscience, then stay the hell away from us!"