“Let’s go, Ms. Luca, let’s go,” Tommy said coyly. “I haven’t eaten dinner with you for a long time, Ms.


    Luca, and I don’t have an appetite when I’m not eating with you. See? I’ve already lost weight.”


    While he said that, he pinched his cheeks to show that they were not as bouncy as they used to be.


    Luca thought that his face was indeed slimmer. It did not seem as chubby as before.


    Tommy was still a child. There should have not been any restrictions to his diet as long as it did not


    negatively affect his health.


    As Tommy’s mother, Luca felt sorry for him but could not say it.


    Tommy was a good reader of character. He noticed that he had managed to evoke pity in Luca, and he


    continued to work his charm. “You won’t want me to lose more weight, right? Please, can we have


    dinner together just this once?”


    “Alright then.” Luca’s heart softened from Tommy’s repeated pleadings and agreed to it.


    “Yay! What do you want to eat, Ms. Luca?” Tommy continued asking questions after seeing that Luca


    agreed to his invitation. He even let Luca decide what to eat while Luke was neglected to the sidelines.


    Luca had not thought about that question. In any case, she did not have the appetite to eat.


    “What do you want to eat?” She let the child make the decision.


    Tommy looked at Luca and smiled. “I’ll eat anything you want to eat!”


    Luca turned to look at Luke. “How about you, Mr. Crawford? What do you want to eat?”


    “There’s a vegan restaurant nearby that just opened recently. Let’s go there,” Luke said decisively. He


    was not surprised that Tommy gave Luca the prerogative to decide, but he was surprised that Luca


    asked himself to decide instead.


    Luca seemed not to care about anything, even what she ate.


    Was her real personality like that though?


    Luke began to wonder what would be something that she cared about.


    He led the two other people out of the apartment. On their way out, Luca bent over, picked up the slip


    of paper on the floor, and clutched it in her hand.


    Luke noticed Luca doing that. If she had not done that, he would not have realized Luca slit a slip of


    paper between the door and the frame.


    It seemed that she had be a lot more cautious after that incident in her apartment.


    The restaurant was not far away from the neighborhood. However, it was the evening rush hour, and


    the streets were congested.


    Luke decided not to drive. Instead, the three people walked there.


    Tommy was holding Luca’s hand. He turned his head to look at Luke next to him, thought for a bit, and


    took his father’s hand with his other hand.


    Luke lowered his head to look at Tommy. He noticed that his son was holding Luca’s hand with his


    other hand.


    Tommy exined, “Ms. Lina told us that there are many bad people on the hand. What if a kidnapper


    grabs me from the other side? It’s much safer to hold the hands of both adults.”


    Luca turned her head to look at the other side.


    The three people were walking side by side as though they were a family of three.


    Luca clenched Tommy’s hand tightly. She was not afraid that someone would kidnap Tommy, but she


    wanted to treasure the rare opportunity.


    Her only wish was to live a peaceful life with Luke.


    It did not matter if he were not the CEO of T Corporation. She would want to live with him even if he did


    not have a penny to his name.


    However, that dream was an unattainable luxury to her.


    Now that she had the chance to pretend that they were a family, Luca would treat it as a dream. She


    did not know when the next chance would present itself.


    Luke did not pull away. He allowed his son to take his hand.


    The two adults brought Tommy to the restaurant.


    A waitress smiled at them and greeted them, “Wee, Sir, Madam.”


    When Luca heard that, she wanted to exin that she was not the man’s wife.


    She was satisfied enough that she got to walk with Luke and Tommy as a family.


    She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Luke said, “Do you have a secluded table?”


    It was rare that such an attractive family went to dine there, so the waitress was exceptionally eager to


    please them. “If you wish for some privacy, we have private rooms avable at an additional charge.


    Fortunately, they’re not reserved at the moment. Would you like a room?”


    “Mm,” Luke said and nodded.


    The waitress grinned and led the way.


    The three people went into the private room.


    It was a new restaurant, and the furnishings were new. Tommy was delighted by the interior that looked


    like a cottage. “Look, Daddy! Tortoises!” He cheered.


    There was a pool with a fountain in the room in which were two tortoises.


    “Are you satisfied with this room, Sir?” The waitress asked.


    “This is good,” Luke said.


    The waitress hurried off to prepare the cutlery.


    Luke and Luca sat on opposite sides of the table. He handed a menu to her. “See if there’s anything


    you want to eat.”


    Luca did not take the menu. “I don’t mind anything. I’ll let you and Tommy decide.”


    Luke looked at her for a few seconds. Even though they were sitting at the same table, Luca remained


    so distant.


    He ordered something for everyone. After that, the waitress said, “Sir, Madam, our dessert of the day is


    homemade vegan truffle ice cream. Would you like to try some?”


    “One for her, please,” Luke said.


    Luca was shocked when she heard that.


    The waitress had addressed the two of them in the same sentence as though they were a married


    couple, and Luke did not correct her.


    Did he not care, or was it deliberate?


    Luca dared not look at Luke, though she could not stop guessing.


    ‘Just what does he know?’


    After Luke made the order, the waitress walked out of the room with the menu. Tommy happily went


    over to the edge of the pool and looked at the two tortoises swimmingzily in the water.


    “What tortoises are those, Daddy?” He asked.


    “Brazilian tortoises,” Luke replied.


    Tommy nodded. He spoke to the tortoises, “Nice to meet you, tortoises! My name is Tommy. What


    about yours?”


    Luca did not pay attention to Tommy. Instead, she could not stop thinking about that detail from earlier.


    Did Luke already know?


    A minuteter, the waitress returned with a tray of fruit juice. “Sir, Madam, have someplimentary


    fresh-pressed orange juice.”


    “Thank you.” Luca looked at the waitress and took a ss.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    The waitress put another ss in front of Luke.