Bettie took another swig of wine and tossed the bottle in the trash, asking, "Who was that man then? Why did he want you to go with him? Why didn't you give me a heads-up?"

"Well... It was kind of a pact. His successor wasn't promising, but he saw potential in me. My education and business savvy were thanks to his guidance."

As they walked, their hands brushed. Lance seized Bettie's and admitted, "I could have reached out to you, but I was under strict surveillance. It would've only put you in danger. And... I wasn't even sure if I could return. How could I offer you false hope?"

Back then, Lance felt his future hung in uncertainty, so he had visited Bettie in secret, relieved to find her well.

Bettie nodded. “I think I get it... He groomed you to be a tool, a tool for his successor."

Lance was like a tool to pave the path for the heir. Plucked from poverty, Lance's intelligence and living with his ailing father had caught the man's eye.

"Yes."

"Then... Sounds like it was tough for you, huh?"

"As long as I could make it back to see you, all that suffering meant nothing.”

Seeing the sadness in Bettie's eyes, Lance gazed at her and leaned in for a kiss out of the blue. As long as he had her, those tough times didn't matter. She was like honey, quietly sustaining him, as sweet as her lips now. She was like the sun, silently comforting him, as warm as her body in his embrace.

The fruit wine wasn't too strong. Normally speaking, people wouldn't get drunk.

But Bettie felt woozy and tipsy, falling for Lance's tenderness without even realizing it.

Unable to resist, Bettie savored the kiss she had missed for so long.

Her hands gently pressed against his chest as she melted into his embrace. Yet, she longed to remove his glasses.

Occasional onlookers stole glances at the couple lost in their embrace.

After what seemed like forever, Lance finally let go of Bettie.

They strolled toward the hotel as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. It was as if they were still the same as ever.

But Bettie sensed a silent shift. An unspoken understanding lingered between them like an invisible current charging the air.

Bettie stole a glance at Lance. He returned the gaze. Their eyes locked.

Bettie quickly looked away, feigning composure as she smoothed her hair.