Chapter 9 Dinner At Vespertine

The moment Kyra stepped outside, the sports car had already caught her eye, though she couldn't be certain whether it was Conor's or not.

As the car neared, her excitement surged.

Was this Conor arriving?

Next to her, the young man's eyes went wide as he took in the sports car.

He recognized its brand - a high-end Aston Martin D1311, retailing for about four hundred thousand, perhaps more with upgrades.

In comparison, his own car paled significantly.

The impressive rumble of the sports car captured the attention of everyone nearby, turning heads as it approached.

... Shortly, Conor swung open the car door and greeted Kyra with a warm smile.

"Apologies for the delay. I hope you haven't been waiting long."

Kyra, visibly taken aback by Conor's charming smile, reminiscent of a crisp, spring morning, found herself momentarily lost for words.

He looked markedly different from the man she had seen shopping earlier, now giving off the vibe of a confident CEO.

"I... I just arrived," Kyra stammered, her heart skipping a beat.

"Hop in the car," Conor suggested, eyeing the young man beside Kyra with a hint of interest. "Kyra, is this someone you know?"

Conor had spotted the young man and his attempt to impress earlier.

Had the situation been different, Conor might have approached sooner.

The young man, feeling his cheeks heat up, hurriedly excused himself, saying, "Oh, I was just looking for some directions. Sorry for the bother."

He was deeply embarrassed. This beauty's boyfriend showed up in a four-hundred-thousand-dollar sports car, making his own seventy-thousand ride look laughable - like bringing a toy sword to a cannon fight.

He silently climbed into his Mercedes, ready to drive away.

Rushing off in a panic, he ended up crashing into a vegetable vendor's tricycle, only to get an earful from the irritated seller.

All the young man could do was mutter to himself, "Today just wasn't my day at all."

...

Inside the Aston Martin, Kyra's excitement was evident.

She and Conor were both raised in the countryside, where talk of luxury cars never came up, much less the chance to actually see one, let alone ride in it.

"Conor, just how much money did you pour into a car like this?"

"Just a shade under four hundred thousand," Conor answered casually, gripping the steering wheel.

"Oh... wait, what? Four hundred thousand?" Kyra froze for a second, then blurted out, "You're telling me this thing costs four hundred thousand?!"

"Yes, is there any issue?" Conor responded with a laugh, aware that the price tag of such a vehicle was astonishing.

"Conor, seriously, did you hit the jackpot or something?" Kyra asked, unable to hold back her curiosity.

"Not exactly. I've just been making some timely, wise decisions," Conor explained with ease.

He was being truthful.

It was all about choices.

However, to Kyra, Conor's explanation seemed to hint at something deeper.

Making decisions? Could it really be something like investments?

Unbelievable - Conor had turned into someone seriously impressive!

Kyra's gaze sparkled with gratitude as she turned to Conor. "How about dinner at Vespertine tonight? You've really boosted my earnings today, and I owe you a big thank you."

She awaited his response with hopeful eyes.

Actually, Kyra had picked this restaurant with a lot of thought. Since Conor clearly had the money for the finer things, she figured that he was probably used to dining at fancy places. Taking him somewhere small and ordinary would've been downright embarrassing. As much as she might have wanted to, there was no way she could keep up with the prices at those high-end restaurants.

She had made more than ten thousand dollars in commission today, but the payout wouldn't come through until next month, and for now, she was down to just a few thousand in her account.

If things really didn't go her way, she'd have no choice but to borrow some money just to settle the bill.

"Sure, Vespertine sounds perfect."

Though not the pinnacle of luxury compared to some elite resorts, Vespertine was still a prestigious five-star venue nestled on a hill, perfect for sunset views, which inspired its name.

Even though it wasn't in the heart of the city, the restaurant was nestled among busy commercial zones, which kept its business thriving.

The moment they pulled up to Vespertine and stepped out, a waiter came hurrying over.

Conor handed off the keys with a relaxed flick of his wrist, then walked alongside Kyra as they headed inside.

Once seated in a private room, Kyra passed the menu to Conor.

"Conor, you're in charge of ordering tonight. No matter what you pick, it's my treat."

When Conor saw the fierce look on Kyra's face, a quiet smile spread across his lips.

"Alright."

Conor looked over at Kyra, and while she kept a calm front, he could see in her eyes that she was anxious about how much this was going to cost her.

He figured that she was probably low on cash at the moment. Even if she'd made a decent commission, it wouldn't hit her account right away - it would most likely come bundled with next month's paycheck.

Even though he knew that she was probably running low on money, there was something amusing about watching her get flustered.

Maybe this was the kind of amusement wealthy people indulged in.

"It's decided then. I'll go light: Caesar salad, grilled chicken with herbs, classic tomato basil soup, roasted vegetables, beef stew, and to finish, honey-glazed carrots."

Conor scanned the menu and picked out dishes he knew that they both enjoyed, making sure not to select anything with an outrageous price tag.

Kyra's tension eased, grateful that the selections avoided high-ticket items like truffles and wagyu beef.

She calculated the cost in her head, figuring the meal would likely stay within a thousand dollars - something she felt comfortable managing.

Her confidence restored, she looked forward to a pleasant evening.

"Would you care for a drink?" the waiter asked.

"Yes," Conor replied, indicating a bottle of red wine depicted in the menu.

The waiter raised his eyebrows, asking, "Is this your choice?"

"Yes, please serve it promptly."

The wine and meals arrived soon after.

The enticing smells prompted both Kyra and Conor to start eating immediately.

Throughout dinner, they engaged in lively conversation, reminiscing about their school days.

As the evening progressed, Kyra found herself enjoying most of the wine, while Conor, mindful of his driving, mostly abstained.

When they finished, Kyra rose and said, "I'll take care of the bill, Conor."

Conor smiled and followed her to the cashier.

"Good evening, the total is fifteen thousand one hundred and fifty-eight."