Chapter 436


    Leaving Valerio’s school, Leandro had nned to take Seraphina to a cozy little bistro for lunch, but his


    ns were interrupted by a call from Herman. “Leandro, you’re in Summitville too?” Herman’s voice


    came through the phone. “Let’s grab some lunch together.”


    “With you?” Leandro responded bluntly, “No time for that.”


    He didn’t visit Summitville often and certainly didn’t want to waste his time with Herman.


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    Seraphina could hear Herman’s whining through the phone and couldn’t help but lean in close, cheek


    to cheek with Leandro, to listen in.


    “Come on, don’t be like that,” Herman pleaded from the other end. “I know you’re here to see


    Seraphina and Valerio, but we haven’t caught up in ages. A quick bite won’t kill you, will it?”


    It would waste a lot of time.


    Leandro was about to say just that when Seraphina snatched the phone from his hand and chuckled


    softly, “Tell me, are you looking to have lunch with Leandro or someone else? Because there’s no one


    else with us.”


    “I know that,” Herman responded, sounding like he was grinding his teeth.


    Seraphina couldn’t help butugh, then said, “Well, since you’re so pitiful, we’ll ept your lunch


    invitation. Send over the address.”


    After hanging up, Seraphina handed the phone back to Leandro, who finally spoke up, “I don’t recall


    agreeing to lunch with him.”


    “But I did,” Seraphina nced at him. “If you don’t want to see him, we can go our separate ways. I


    don’t mind at all.”


    Leandro remained silent, just pocketing his phone. Then Seraphina leaned in closer to him and added,


    “The reason I agreed is that I know he’s been feeling downtely. We should cheer him up.”


    “Him? Feeling down?” Leandro echoed thoughtfully.


    “Yeah,” Seraphina confirmed. “He’s had a breakup.”


    She proceeded to tell Leandro about the vague and elusive tangle between Herman and Andrea.


    “You call that a breakup?”


    Seraphina replied, “Herman has been carrying a torch for that girl for seven years, turned her ringtone


    into his favorite song. Was that all just out of guilt? Over these years, she became a part of his life. He


    spent seven years fantasizing about her, falling for this imagined girl. But now, this girl has be


    real. Maybe Andrea doesn’t match his dreams, and to him, that feels like a breakup. Or maybe he


    could ept Andrea as she is, but if she outright denies it, that’s a breakup to him too. So either way,


    he’s heartbroken.”


    Leandro looked at her with a slightly furrowed brow, “Since when did you be a rtionship


    expert?”


    “I’ve always been like this,” Seraphina imed. “I’m always logical and clear-headed when it’s


    someone else’s love life.”


    “And when are you not logical or clear-headed?” Leandro pressed in a deeper tone.


    Seraphina turned her head to gaze out the window, “I hope I never have to be like that again. So no


    matter what, I try to avoid it.”


    Leandro didn’t respond, just reached out and quietly held her hand.


    As a civil servant, Herman chose a modest diner for their lunch, but thankfully they had a private booth,


    which offered some peace and quiet. Upon entering, Seraphina noticed Herman looking behind her


    and couldn’t help but chuckle.


    At herugh, Herman quickly averted his gaze, ring at her uncontrobly.


    “You really are heartless,” Seraphina teased. “Here I am, bringing Leandro tofort you, and you


    re at me? You weren’t like this when you were begging me yesterday! Talk about a fair-weather


    friend.”


    Herman was taken aback and turned to Leandro, who had taken a seat beside him, “Comfort me about


    what?”


    “Word is you’ve had a breakup,” Leandro stated inly.


    Herman looked at Seraphina, baffled, “What breakup?”


    Seraphina shrugged, “Why do you looking behind me, do you want to see her again?”


    Herman’s face darkened for a moment before he said, “That’s not it. I said what needed to be said to


    her yesterday. Whether that girl is her or not, I apologized… I’ve let go of that matter.”


    Seraphina raised an eyebrow nonchntly, “Well, that’s good.”


    “I mean it,” Herman insisted, seeing her dismissive attitude.


    Seraphina threw up her hands in surrender, “I believe you, why keep stressing it?”


    At that moment, Leandro chuckled quietly, covering his lips with his hand.


    Herman’s face stiffened, and he fell silent, focusing on his meal.


    Seraphina nced triumphantly at Leandro, who met her gaze with an even broader smile.


    Herman realized inviting these two out had been a mistake, but what was done was done. He decided


    to just go with the flow and eventually asked Seraphina, “Did she… say anything to you afterward?”


    “No,” Seraphina answered truthfully. “Andrea is clear-headed, independent, and far more resilient than


    you’d imagine. I can assure you, she’s not as hung up as you are.”


    09:37


    Hearing this, Herman quietly bowed his head and asked no more questions.


    For a guy like Herman, nearly thirty years into life with almost zero romantic experiences-save for the


    girl of his fantasies-it was normal for him to struggle with this situation. Seraphina imed she came to


    comfort him, but she wasn’t really worried about him spiraling.


    Herman was pushing his food around the te with a fork, his appetite lost somewhere between the


    tension and Seraphina’s sharp tongue. Leandro, on the other hand, was barely nibbling at his food, but


    every time he nced at Seraphina, who seemed genuinely delighted by the meal, a subtle smile


    graced his lips.


    As soon as dinner wrapped up, Herman was itching to leave, to avoid further verbal sparring with


    Seraphina. But just as they were about to leave, his phone rang.


    After hanging up, Herman turned to Leandro and Seraphina, looking almost sheepish. “My


    grandparents found out you were in town, so they want us toe over for dinner tonight.”


    Seraphina expected Leandro to decline, but after a moment’s contemtion, he said, “It has been a


    while since I’ve seen them. Let’s take Valerio and pay them a visit this evening.”


    That’ll be nice,” Herman replied. “Last time they saw you, you were a single dad… Now you’ve got a


    wife, and Valerio has a mom. They’ll be over the moon for you.”


    Seraphina had always known that the Garcia family had deep military and political roots, with a roster


    of influential figures. But it wasn’t until Leandro’s car pulled into Herman’s grandparents’ estate that she


    realized the true stature of his family.


    The house looked like any other stately home, but the presence of sentries standing guard at the


    entrance and security patrols within the grounds spoke volumes. For Seraphina, this was whole new


    and fancy.