Back to Love: A New Beginning
Chapter 512

Chapter 512:

It was almost time to leave work. I pulled out my toiletry bag and fixed my makeup. Derek had formally invited me to dinner for the first time. I had a vague idea of what he had planned to do.

Although I was a little nervous, I was looking forward to it.

After work, I went straight to the restaurant and followed a waiter to the private room I had reserved. The floor of the room was covered with rose petals. On the long table were candles, wine and champagne, and a soothing, romantic song was playing in the background. But Derek hadn’t arrived yet.

My stomach churned. I felt stupid for having arrived before him.

“Should I leave and wait for him to come first? God, why do I analyze everything? We’re husband and wife. I could wait for him and he could wait for me,” I muttered to myself.

After thinking about it, I pulled out a chair and sat down. The candlelight cast a soft glow on my face. Even though the candles were placed at the opposite end of the room, I felt as if they were burning me, making my blood gush through my veins. Was he going to ask me to marry him?

He had told me he owed me a wedding. I was a young girl on her first date again, excited and nervous at the same time. I looked at the clock for the first time: it was six forty-five. Derek had arranged to meet me at the restaurant at seven. I figured it wouldn’t be long before he arrived. My palms were sweating. I noticed that some of the candles were crooked, so I got up and moved them carefully.

It was seven o’clock, but I still hadn’t arrived. The clock was ticking. I had been waiting for half an hour, but it wasn’t coming. Every moment of delay made me uncomfortable. A waiter came in and asked me if he could serve dinner. I told him I was waiting for someone and he left. I unlocked my phone to call Derek.

However, my finger froze on his name in my contact list. I couldn’t make up my mind to call him. I decided to wait longer. Derek was a punctual man. He wouldn’t be late unless he had no choice. Maybe he was busy. He must have put a lot of effort into decorating the room.

Therefore, I was sure he would come. And even if he couldn’t come, I knew he would call me and let me know. I found several reasons to convince myself, but the uneasiness in my heart seemed to increase with each passing minute.

I felt like I was on tenterhooks, but he hadn’t arrived yet. Panic was getting on my nerves. At last I called him, but no one answered.

“Why isn’t he answering my calls, is he in a meeting or has something happened to him?

I could no longer keep my cool. Just as I was getting up to go look for him at the company, the door burst open and he walked into the room.

gα ℓ ησ ν𝓮 𝓁s․com has it all

It was late fall and the onset of winter. It was cold. He wore only a thin white shirt; his coat rested over his arm.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” He came in.

I breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of him. My racing brain finally calmed down.

“It’s all right. I didn’t wait long.” Surely he had warned the waiter before he came in. Soon, the waiter entered the room with the dishes.

He sat down across from me and hung his coat on the chair. “Are you hungry?” he asked without explaining why he had been delayed. “Eat something first.”

He filled the glass with wine and drank it. Then he poured another glass. The candlelight cast long shadows on our faces, so I couldn’t read his expression in the gloom. But something seemed wrong.

“Why don’t you eat something? Don’t you like food?” he asked, examining my face.

I shook my head. “It’s delicious.”

“Good.” Derek drained the second glass of wine as well. He continued drinking without eating anything.

“That’s enough. Stop drinking too much. Your stomach hasn’t healed yet,” I said.

Derek smiled at me. Seeing his unfocused eyes, I could tell he was a little tipsy.

“My stomach is fine now. I’ve recovered.”

He picked up the bottle again and realized it was empty. So, he opened the second bottle.

“What’s wrong, are you upset, has something happened in the company?” He didn’t answer my questions. Instead, he refilled his glass.

After drinking it all in one gulp, he set the glass down and leaned back in his chair. Despite the cold, I could see beads of sweat on his forehead. He unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt and opened his collar.

“Are you happy with today’s decorations?” he asked suddenly.

There was a strange gleam in his eyes, as if he was hiding something from me. But I didn’t know what it was.

“Good,” I nodded thoughtfully. “I’m glad you like it. I want a good ending.”

.

.

.