Chapter 318


    When Mirabe stepped out of Nikl’s shop, Nature’s Apothecary, she decided to pick up some


    spices to round off her shopping spree. Just as she dropped thest packet into her tote, her cell


    buzzed in her pocket. It was James on the line.


    “Alright, I’m at the corner. I’ll be out in a sec.” Mirabe slipped her phone back into her bag and soon


    left the bustling farmers‘ market. She spotted the sleek ck sedan waiting at the curb almost


    immediately. Striding over, she pulled open the back door and gracefully slid into the


    seal.


    Wyatt, the driver, greeted her with increasing deference, “Good afternoon, Ms. Mirabe.”


    “Hello, Wyatt,” she replied with a polite nod.


    Turning to James, Mirabe noticed he seemed back to his usual self. A yful squint crossed her


    eyes as she teased, “You mentioned a tightness in your chest yesterday?”


    Tightness in the chest? Wyatt nced at them, puzzled. He hadn’t heard James mention anything of


    the sort.


    James, unflustered, gave a nonchnt hum and even feigned a cough while pressing his chest. “Just


    give me your hand,” Mirabe instructed.


    James extended his arm toward her. Mirabe shifted slightly toward the center seat and expertly


    ced her fingers on his pulse, her gaze softening.


    James watched Mirabe’s seriousness, a tranquil contrast to her easygoing demeanor. The cool touch


    on his wrist vanished, and her calm voice followed, “It’s nothing serious.”


    He withdrew his hand. “Yeah, I thought it wasn’t much. Sorry for the concern.”


    Mirabe settled back into her seat, waving off the matter. “No worries.”


    His gaze fell on the paper bag beside her. Feigning casual interest, he asked, “Whipping up some


    medicine again?”


    “Something like that,” Mirabe yawned, leaning against the car door. “Wake me up when we get to the


    diner.”


    “Sure thing.”


    Wyatt, upfront, instinctively eased off the elerator. To him, Mirabe was now a figure of even


    greater importance than James. Her title as a top–tier apothecary would have the prominent families of


    Riverdale vying for her attention.


    Rubbing his nose, he nced in the rearview mirror, marveling at how James had the fortune to be


    acquainted with someone like Ms. Mirabe.


    Half an hourter, they pulled up to the entrance of the diner. James turned to Mirabe, about


    1/2


    11:30


    to wake her, but she was already stirring, her eyes still misty with sleep.


    Rubbing her eyes, her voice raspy, she asked, “We there?”


    “Yeah.”


    Mirabe nced out the window and stepped out of the car. Soon, the trio made their way to a private


    booth on the second floor.


    After ordering, the waiter left them to their privacy.


    James poured a cup of tea for Mirabe with a deliberate slowness, noting the lingering signs of fatigue


    on her face. “Rough night?”


    Propping her head on the table, she drawled, “It’s okay, just adjusting my sleep schedule.”


    ‘Ms. Mirabe, I’ve been following yourpetitions. You’re incredible,” Wyatt couldn’t help but


    interject, seizing the opportunity to butter her. up


    Mirabe rolled her head toward him. “It was no biggie.”


    Wyatt’s eyebrows twitched. He thought. ‘Scoring perfect marks was no biggie? If she ever got serious,


    she’d obliterate every other high–achiever out there.”


    At that moment, Mirabe’s phone rang. She fished it out and stood up, walking to the doorway. before


    answering. “Hey, Dad…”


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    James‘ eyes followed her briefly before he returned to his cup, sipping the water quietly.


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