Laura's gaze lifted in tandem with the silence, and suddenly, the air seemed to tighten. There, at a table, was Nelson.

He was in the company of what appeared to be a well-appointed couple, and opposite them, a family trio including a young woman. She was confident, striking, seemingly his contemporary.

He was there for a blind date.

Just three days after parting ways with Laura, he had already arranged to meet someone new.

The truth became painfully clear: not only did he lack affection for her, but he also never regarded her as his partner.

Yet, what truly paled Laura's complexion wasn't just Nelson's swift move on...

It was the company he was in.

Beside him, the man she knew as Nelson Steve all along, sat Mark and Cecilia.

Laura's pallor deepened, her lips quivering with the revelation. He was actually Edwin.

It all clicked into place.

Their chance meeting, his relentless pursuit, those sweet nothings whispered under the cloak of night- they were all a charade, tinged with a darker motive.

He had never harbored any affection for her, perhaps even bore animosity.

Laura felt paralyzed.

This heartache eclipsed the moment he had coldly dismissed her from his life.

Edwin's eyes met Laura's.

His gaze was dispassionate, his eyes betraying no recognition, no hint of their once-intimate bond.

The air thickened with tension.

Mark, sensing the change, traced Edwin's line of sight to Laura.

Shock etched onto his features.

It had been years since he last saw Laura, whom he only knew of through Peter's proud updates.