Chapter 5 Dinner Served Hot

The soft hum of the office had dulled into silence. Most desks were empty now, lights flicked off, computers asleep. The only sound was the distant buzz of the air conditioner and the soft clicks of Evelyn's keyboard as she finished her final note.

A glance at the corner of her screen.

3:39 PM.

Her brows lifted slightly.

The dinner.

She had forgotten - or maybe she hadn't. Maybe she'd just buried it beneath more important thoughts. After all, what was a dinner compared to everything else on her mind?

She leaned back in her chair for a moment, eyes fixed on nothing, letting the silence wash over her.

Her phone buzzed on the desk. A text.

Cathy:

Where are you? Everyone's already here.

Evelyn stared at it. The three words blinked at her, full of expectation. She didn't reply.

Instead, she stood, slow, unbothered, and reached for her bag.

She walked to the elevator and pressed the button.

The doors slid open with a ding.

Inside, she didn't rush. She didn't tap her foot or check her makeup. She just stood there, arms crossed loosely, eyes watching her reflection in the metal walls.

When the elevator opened to the lobby, she stepped out calmly, like this was any other evening.

Outside, the heat of the late afternoon pressed against her skin as she pulled out her phone and opened her ride app.

Destination: Golden Seoul Restaurant.

The company's favourite Korean spot - loud, fragrant, always buzzing with chatter and spice.

A cab arrived within five minutes. She slid into the backseat, letting her body relax into the worn leather.

As the car pulled off, she looked out the window.

They were all already there.

Eating. Laughing. Toasting her name without ever knowing what she was becoming.

And tonight... they'd think they were the ones in control.

She didn't text Cathy back.

She didn't need to.

They'd feel her presence when she walked in.

And more importantly -

They'd feel the storm she carried.

The restaurant was alive with laughter and clinking glasses. The scent of grilled meat and sesame oil floated through the air, mixing with the low hum of K-pop in the background.

The company team filled a long table near the centre, half already eating, the rest sipping from small glasses of soju and iced tea. At the head of the table, Zarien sat with Sandra curled close to his side, chatting with another manager. Malik and Cathy sat farther down, laughing over some private joke, their shoulders too close.

Then the glass doors of the restaurant slid open, and Evelyn walked in.

Slow. Composed. Every step unhurried, but deliberate. Her heels clicked softly against the tile floor, her hair framed neatly over one shoulder, her eyes scanning the room like someone surveying a stage.

The moment people noticed, the chatter dipped slightly. Heads turned. Cathy nudged Malik. Sandra stopped mid-sentence.

And then..

Zarien's voice cut through the tension.

"Why are you late?"

His tone was sharp, tinged with expectation. It held the edge of someone used to power. Used to her apologising.

But Evelyn didn't blink.

She met his eyes, calm as ever, and said smoothly,

"I had things to finish up at the office."

She walked past him toward an empty seat across the table, straight-backed and graceful.

"But now that I'm here..." she added, sitting gently, lifting her napkin onto her lap,

"Let's eat."

Silence hung for a beat longer than it should have.

Then the room exhaled.

Someone raised a glass. The conversation resumed.

But not a single eye missed how the air around Evelyn had changed. She didn't come in as the promoted girl they once teased in the hallway.

She came in like she already knew the ending of the story.

And that terrified them without knowing why.

Dinner was in full swing. Plates sizzled on the tabletop grill, steam rising with bursts of garlic and soy. Laughter echoed, drinks poured, and stories flowed as the team settled deeper into comfort.

But not Sandra.

She watched Evelyn across the table with thinly veiled irritation. Her smile was tight, her laughter a little too loud. Every time Zarien looked at Evelyn - even briefly - Sandra's fingers curled just slightly around her chopsticks.

Finally, she struck.

"Evelyn," she called sweetly across the table, loud enough to hush nearby chatter, "since this is your big night, I was wondering if we should do a toast?"

All eyes turned.

Evelyn looked up from her plate slowly. "If you'd like."

"Oh, I insist." Sandra stood, lifting her glass. "To Evelyn... the quiet, loyal, always-in-the-background girl who finally got noticed."

A few polite chuckles. Cathy's smile faltered. Malik looked confused.

Evelyn blinked once.

Then rose from her seat with her glass, poised and still.

She lifted it toward Sandra, locking eyes.

"To Sandra," she said, voice soft but piercing,

"Who still believes the spotlight is a threat... instead of a mirror?"

The table froze. Even Zarien shifted slightly.

Sandra's smile cracked - just for a second.

Evelyn clinked her glass gently against hers and sipped.

Then she sat, calm as ever, resuming her meal like nothing had happened.

Ten minutes later, as the conversation returned and new dishes were served, Zarien stood quietly and walked behind Evelyn. He leaned close enough that only she could hear.

"Step outside with me. Five minutes."

He didn't wait for her to agree. He just walked out.

Evelyn waited. Slowly wiped her hands. Then followed.

Outside, the air was cooler, a soft breeze brushing across the pavement. Streetlights cast a glow over the sidewalk, and muted city sounds hummed in the distance.

Zarien stood with his back to her, one hand in his pocket, the other rubbing the edge of his jaw.

When she approached, he spoke without looking at her.

"You've changed."

Evelyn crossed her arms. "People do that when they're disappointed enough."

He turned, eyes sharp. "That wasn't necessary in there. Sandra was trying to celebrate you."

Evelyn gave a soft, bitter laugh. "Sandra doesn't know how to celebrate anyone but herself."

He stepped closer. "Why are you doing this?"

"What am I doing?"

"This thing," he said, voice low. "Acting like you're above it all. Like nothing touches you anymore. Like..." He paused. "Like I never mattered."

Evelyn's expression didn't shift.

"You didn't," she said. Calm. Crisp. "Not in the way I thought."

That hit him. His jaw clenched.

She looked up at him, face unreadable. "You chose your side. I've simply stopped pretending I didn't notice."

A long silence stretched between them.

Finally, Zarien exhaled and stepped back. "You think you know everything, don't you?"

Evelyn gave the faintest smile.

"I know enough."

Then she turned and walked back into the restaurant.

Zarien stayed behind, watching her go, for the first time unsure of what he had lost, and what she had now become.

Evelyn walked back into the restaurant, her steps measured, calm, but something behind her eyes had changed. Her heart was still pounding from the encounter outside with Zarien - the coldness in his voice, the restraint in his stare, like he was holding something back. She didn't know what unsettled her more: the words he said or the ones he left unspoken.

As she took her seat beside Ama, the younger woman leaned in with soft curiosity. "You okay?" she asked again, voice quiet under the growing chatter of the group.

Evelyn managed a half-smile. "I'm fine. Just needed some air."

She reached for the glass of water in front of her but didn't drink. Across the table, Cathy was watching her-eyes narrowed slightly, lips curled into a tight smile that didn't reach her cheeks. Malik sat beside her, laughing too loudly at something a colleague said, pretending not to notice Evelyn at all.

Evelyn noticed everything.

Seconds later, the restaurant doors opened again. Zarien stepped inside, a flicker of discomfort passing over his face before his features went blank. He returned to his seat beside Sandra, who immediately looped her hand through his arm, her laugh pitched higher than necessary.

"Darling," Sandra said, beaming, "let's not let the night go dull. It's our anniversary, remember?" She raised her glass, already tipsy, and shouted toward the table. "Let's do a soju bomb! One for love! And one for Evelyn's big win!"

Some of the team clapped politely. Others cheered, already feeling the effect of alcohol. Glasses clinked. The waitress brought more bottles.

Evelyn didn't move. Her hand rested on the rim of her glass, untouched. Her eyes lingered on Zarien, who still hadn't looked her way since returning.

Sandra leaned across him with a performative smile. "Come on, Evelyn. Don't be a spoilsport. You're the guest of honour tonight!"

Evelyn looked at her coolly. "I didn't know this dinner was about your anniversary, too. Congratulations," she said, voice smooth but distant.

Sandra blinked. The room seemed to pause for a moment.

"Thank you," she replied, a bit slower now.

Ama shifted beside Evelyn. "Want to leave?" she whispered.

Evelyn smiled faintly. "No. I want to stay and watch."

And just like that, the power shifted.

Soon enough, the night wound down. The laughter thinned, plates were cleared, and the clink of glasses gave way to half-hearted goodbyes. One by one, colleagues left in pairs or alone, slipping into waiting cabs or hailing rides. The air outside was cool and a little humid, as if the city itself was exhaling.

                         

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