Chapter 3 Dinner and a side dish of tension (1)

Landon Wellesley stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, gazing out at the city skyline. His mind wandered, thoughts drifting to the upcoming wedding and Aurora, his fiancée. He couldn't help but feel a sense of detachment, as if he was going through the motions, and that worried him to some extent.

This wasn't just any woman; it was Aurora, a dear friend who had always been there for him despite his repeated attempts to push her away. From ensuring he didn't overwork to supervising his meals and even running to his apartment in the dead of night whenever his housekeeper required her help when he had a relapse and had shut everyone out, she had always been there, silently looking after him without asking for anything in return. But here he was, thinking about that woman when he should have been thinking of Aurora: the future he'd chosen.

After a long day of back-to-back meetings, his office had become a revolving door of suits and briefcases, all seeking his signature or approval. Yet, despite the chaos, he felt strangely energized.

As he glanced at his watch, he realized it was already 4:30pm. His stomach growled, reminding him he hadn't eaten all day. He walked over to his sleek, mahogany desk, where his computer and a few neatly arranged files sat. A small, silver pen holder and a framed photo of Aurora and him sat beside a crystal paperweight.

He reclined in his chair, running a hand through his hair, and pressed the intercom button. "Emily, could you please order me some dinner? I don't think I'll be heading home tonight."

Just as he was about to send the message, the door to his office opened, and Emily walked in. "You have a visitor... It's Miss Wynter," she reported, to which he sighed as exhaustion suddenly washed over him once he thought of how he was going to explain his emotional withdrawal for the past month. "Send her in."

Shortly afterward, the door opened, Aurora walked in, carrying a bag of takeout from his favorite Italian restaurant, Bella Vita. "I thought you might be hungry at this time, so I brought dinner, hoping we could eat together if you don't mind," she said, her bright smile unwavering despite Landon's reserved demeanor, which only made him feel more guilty. Sometimes he couldn't help but wish she was not so understanding and would actually throw a tantrum, but he knew better than anyone that Aurora Wynter would never.

Landon gave her a small, appreciative smile. "You didn't have to, Rory." He gestured to the bag. "But thank you." That earned him a brighter smile, so she handed him the bag, and he headed to the comfortable long couch by the side, where he began to unpack the containers. "I figured you could use a break and have a healthy meal at the same time... otherwise, you may fall sick from overworking yourself," she added while she grabbed the cutlery needed from his bottom drawer before joining him on the couch.

"Thanks," Landon said, his eyes meeting hers. "I'm sorry for being a jerk this past month. Ever since the engagement party, I've been... distant, and I..." He trailed off, and Aurora's smile faltered for a moment before she quickly recovered. "It's fine, Landon," she said, giving him a small encouraging smile and placing a hand on his arm. "I know this must be hard for you, but I'm glad you're giving us a chance. That alone is more than I could ask for."

Landon nodded, deciding to focus on their surprisingly generous spread on the small table. Aurora was about to begin dishing out their meal when his phone buzzed with an incoming message. He glanced at the screen, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Something wrong?" Aurora asked, noticing the glare directed at his phone.

"Not really, but a pest is headed this way," Landon responded, massaging his temple, for he felt a headache coming as his glass door opened for what felt like the zillionth time. The visitor's arrival was met with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. Aurora's eyes widened as she took in Ethan Blackwood's presence, while Landon's expression remained aloof.

Landon reclined deeper into his chair, choosing to get comfortable for whatever his lunatic of a friend had in store for him. Crossing his leg, he asked with a poker face, "What brings you here?"

Ethan flashed a disarming smile. "Just thought I'd drop by and say hello." He placed his hands in his pockets, strolling towards them with a relaxed, charismatic air.

Aurora's eyes darted between the two men, a nervous laugh escaping her lips, as she wished she were anywhere but here. After all, this would be the first time she would be assuming the status of Landon's fiancée before Ethan, and she didn't know how he'd react to her keeping it from him for the past month.

"Senior, you're here," Aurora said, trying to sound casual. Ethan's gaze flicked to Aurora, his smile softening. He became playful, his tone teasing. "Why, should I not be here? Did I interrupt something?" Aurora's cheeks flushed deeper, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Of course, you can visit, Senior," she said, pushing back a loose strand of hair behind her ear, exposing how red her cheeks had gotten. Her words tumbled out in a rush and she bit her lower lip shyly. Ethan chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Good, cuz that's exactly what I think."

Aurora looked between Landon and Ethan, pondering why Landon looked so calm at his sudden appearance. As far as she could remember, Landon had said nothing noteworthy happened recently when she asked but then again Landon wouldn't really deem Ethan's return as noteworthy.

Since she was unable to come to a conclusion thus causing her curiosity to get the better of her, she decided to ask instead of mulling over it.

"It seems like you already knew Senior was back," Aurora said, raising an eyebrow. Landon's expression remained neutral. "Yes, he called me before boarding the plane." Aurora's face fell, her brow furrowed in a mixture of confusion and annoyance.

Why did he tell Landon about his return before telling her? "I'm supposed to be his favorite, so why did I learn about it so late?" she thought to herself, feeling a pang of petty jealousy. "If I knew, I wouldn't have let him into my door," she whispered under her breath.

Unfortunately for her, Ethan heard it. He chuckled to himself, a knowing glint in his eye. "What did you say little one?" he asked, pretending not to have heard. Aurora's eyes widened, realizing she'd spoken out loud, her face flushing deeper.

"Oh, no, nothing," she said quickly. Ethan smiled to himself, knowing exactly what she said. He reached out, ruffled her hair gently with a playful gesture, then plopped down on the couch, bouncing slightly as he settled between Landon and Aurora.

Aurora's frown returned and deepened, her arms refolding across her chest. A pout made its way to her lips, and it took all her willpower not to harumph like a toddler. Ethan's expression remained neutral as he pretended not to notice his intrusion between the new couple."What?"

Aurora didn't respond, her silence speaking volumes, while Landon ignored his presence altogether. "Let's eat, I'm starving," Ethan said, undeterred, thus he earned a sigh from Aurora, whose arms were still crossed.

"Fine," she said and began to open the dishes, the aroma of food filling the air. She then started serving the food, carefully portioning out small servings of Landon's favorite dish - grilled veal with roasted vegetables, comprising of zucchini, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes. She had bought just enough for the two of them, not expecting Ethan to join them, so she hoped the amount she brought would suffice.

As she dished out the food, she made sure to give Landon a generous serving, while Ethan's plate had slightly less. Her own plate had the smallest portion of all, as she tried to make do with the limited food she had brought.

Time passed by quietly as Aurora grabbed another set of cutlery from Landon's desk she then turned to face them once she was done, a smile on her lips. "All set," she said, but her voice trailed off as she took in the sight of the two men sitting next to each other. This was going to be a long meal.