“How did you two end up together?” Ethan asked.
To him, Clara and Jason seemed like they had nothing in common. How did they end up having a meal together?
Could they have known each other before?
“Ethan, this is my girlfriend,” Jason said, holding Ella’s hand and smiling at Ethan. “Ella, I only found out today when I went to pick her up that she and Clara are dorm mates.”
Ethan glanced at Ella.
He vaguely remembered her.
Ella blushed when she saw Ethan looking at her. She raised a smile to greet him, but Ethan looked away.
Ella’s smile froze on her face, but she quickly recovered.
Clara didn’t notice this.
Jason glanced at Ella, feeling angry.
Ella was his woman, but she had just tried to flirt with Ethan.
Although she hadn’t done anything outrageous, he knew the look in a woman’s eyes when she was interested in another man. He wasn’t naive; he had been around the block enough to recognize it.
He didn’t care much about Ella. She was easily obtainable. What angered him was her attempt to flirt with Ethan, which hurt his male pride.
Jason suppressed his emotions and sat opposite Ethan, engaging in small talk with a smile.
Ethan remained aloof, responding only occasionally and with simple answers.
Clara glanced at Ethan. Although he was generally a cold person, she felt he was being overly indifferent to Jason.
Did he dislike Jason?
But why?
According to Jason, they seemed to have a good relationship. Jason could even call Ethan out for a meal.
Why would Ethan dislike Jason?
If he really disliked him, he wouldn’t have come.
Clara couldn’t figure it out.
However, she didn’t have much time to think about it because Ella, Zoe, and Ava kept chatting with her.
Was the cold shoulder she felt in the dorm this afternoon just her imagination?
Soon, the dishes were served, and the group chatted while eating.
As they ate, Jason received a call. He smiled at Ethan and said, “Ethan, Belle is here.”
Clara was startled and looked at Jason in surprise.
Jason knew Belle?
Ethan seemed to sense something and turned to look at Clara.
Clara felt his gaze and turned to look at him.
Why was he looking at her?
Ethan smiled as he watched Clara’s confused expression.
This girl had cried and fussed over Belle last night.
Now that Belle was coming, this was her reaction?
Clara found his smile baffling. What was he smiling about?
Was he happy that Belle was coming?
Men!
“What’s wrong? Clara, don’t you like Belle?” Jason asked Clara with a smile.
Clara looked at Jason without speaking.
Jason continued to smile. “If you don’t like Belle, I’ll tell her not to come.”
Clara looked at Jason.
Was he pretending to compromise to get ahead?
She admitted she might be young and inexperienced in relationships, but she wasn’t stupid. She had read enough romance novels and watched enough dramas to recognize basic manipulative behavior.
He was deliberately making her look petty and jealous in front of Ethan by pretending to be considerate.
Did he think she was easy to bully?
“Okay,” Clara nodded. “Tell her not to come.”
Jason’s smile stiffened. He looked at Clara, then at Ethan.
Ethan said nothing.
“Why?” Jason asked curiously. “Belle and Ethan are good friends. Why don’t you like her?”
Clara replied, “Because she’s close to my husband.”
She countered, “Would you like it if your girlfriend were close to another man? Would you accept her having a so-called male best friend?”
Of course, he wouldn’t accept it.
Male and female best friends? Pure friendship between men and women? Impossible.
But he couldn’t admit that now.
“Clara, you’re mistaken. Belle and Ethan have known each other for years. If there were something between them, it would have happened already,” Jason said with a smile. “They’re just friends. Clara, you can’t be so domineering that you don’t allow Ethan to have female friends.”
Clara looked at Jason.
She had already established herself as domineering last night by not allowing Ethan to meet other women.
Today, she would stick to that role.
“Yes,” Clara nodded. “I am that unreasonable.”
Jason found Clara difficult to handle.
She wasn’t playing by the usual rules.
Normally, women would try to show their tolerance and understanding in such situations.
But she…
Jason glanced at Ethan. His expression remained indifferent, making it hard to tell if he was angry or not.
Jason couldn’t figure out Ethan’s attitude towards Clara.
The Everett family and the Logan family marriage switch on the wedding day wasn’t publicly explained, but those in the circle knew it was because Iris had cheated on Ethan, leading to Clara replacing her.
They had speculated that Ethan agreed to marry Clara to get back at the Everett family and Iris.
If that were true, his attitude towards Clara should be terrible.
Yet today, he used Clara to get Ethan out for dinner.
Jason knew Ethan wasn’t close to him; they only greeted each other at social events but never met privately for meals.
He hadn’t expected Ethan to come tonight.
It wasn’t because of his own face but because of Clara’s presence.
If Ethan wanted to retaliate against Clara, he would despise her and wouldn’t come tonight just for her sake.
But Ethan came anyway.
So Jason was unsure about Ethan’s true feelings towards Clara.
“Ethan, what do you think…” Jason looked at Ethan for help.
Ethan glanced at him and said calmly, “Tell her not to come.”
Everyone present knew who “her” referred to.
Clara looked at Ethan in surprise.
Ethan told Belle not to come?
Wasn’t Belle his good friend? Weren’t they close enough to have romantic candlelight dinners together?
Yet now he told Belle not to come…
What did this mean?
Was he standing up for her?
Or was he feeling guilty and didn’t want Belle here? Afraid she’d find out about their affair?
Regardless of why Ethan didn’t want Belle here, Clara felt a strange satisfaction. She glanced at Jason with a bit of smugness.
Jason’s expression was complicated beyond words.
Serves you right. What a hypocritical man!
Jason suddenly looked towards the door and said to Ethan, “Ethan, it might be too late… Belle is here.”
Clara turned her head and saw Belle walking over.
Belle still had short hair today, looking sharp and stylish as always.
Belle walked over casually and pulled out a chair next to Ethan.
They were seated at a round table.
To Ethan’s right was Clara, then Ella, then Jason, then Zoe, then Ava. There were two empty seats between Ava and Ethan.
“Belle,” Jason greeted with a smile.
Belle nodded in acknowledgment.
“Belle,” Ella, Ava, and Zoe also greeted her with smiles.