Chapter 9


    Hannah


    I can’t fight the feeling of not belonging when I sit next to Tobias around an oval-shaped table. I’m


    wearing his much-toorge suit, and the other people here, board members, partners, and other


    important people, are all staring at me.


    “Tobias, you have forgotten the most important part! She isn’t wearing a ring.” someone points out. It’s an


    older man whose smile is friendly when I look at him. His eyes crinkle. “You must be Hannah.”


    My nerves make me blush, but still, I find my voice. “Yes, I’m Hannah, now Mrs. Ford, it’s a pleasure to


    meet you, Mr-”


    “Ford,” he says andughs at the shock on my face. He then further exins. “I’m the funny uncle, Elias.


    Tobias’s father, Paul, who is no longer with us, was my brother. I’m sitting on the board as Tobias’s


    advisor. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Oh, and wee to the family.”


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    “Thank you!”


    We shake our paws over the table, and I immediately rx. Elias seems nice, and the elderlydy at his


    side, dressed in a white dress, smiles sweetly at me before reaching out her hand.


    “I’m Joana Ford, Elias’s wife,” her smile is all fake teeth, but she seems really sweet. “I’m so happy that


    Tobias has found someone he loves so much that he couldn’t help but marry her immediately! You two


    must like each other a lot!”


    I inwardly grimace at that but keep the smile on my face. “Yes, we love each other very much.”


    When I say that, I notice that a gorgeous woman, not much older than me, sneers. Gorgeous brown hair


    cascades from her head, and her eyes are surrounded by thick, darkshes.


    Could it be Sarah, Tobias’s ex-wife? I nce her way and smile, and she immediately averts her eyes


    with fire in her gaze. So yes, it must be the ex-wife, based on her behavior.


    As if reading my mind, Tobias leans forward to whisper in my ear while everyone else isughing at


    some. joke around the table. “Joana and Elias are good people. They already like you, but the scowling


    brte is Sarah-she hates you already. I love it and will make things worse for her by kissing you.”


    I shudder when Tobias lips my chin and moves my head to look deeply into his emerald green eyes. His


    lips curl, and my pulse quickens when he leans in to kiss me in front of everyone.


    It’s a quick taste, but I’m tingling all over when he leans back. The worst part is that my chest is filled with


    longing. Tobias is beautiful, and his lips have awakened something within me.


    I try telling myself that Tobias’s kiss was only for the point of revenge and held no emotion, but it doesn’t


    quench my thirst for him. I’m burning even as the waitresses ask us what we want to order.


    It’s so bad that I can’t focus. The waitress is speaking to me, but I can’t hear her. It forces Tobias to order


    for me. I don’t have to lift a finger. Soon there is a starter dish on my te.


    Tobias chuckles above me, whispering, “You’re wee.”


    I blush at that and eat the chicken sd on my te. At least, I think that’s what it is. There is probably a


    fancier name for the dish, but I will call it a chicken sd with garlic bread.


    The buffet continues. I eat a delicious filet mignon for the main dish, and since I don’t like vegetables,


    Tobias fixes me a side of french fries. Some of the wealthy guests look at me weirdly, but to make me


    feel better, Elias and his wife aiso order french fries.


    Everything is perfect, except for the fact that I now have Tobias stealing french fries from me. I send him


    an offended re when he nips another from my little basket.


    “Get your own fries!” I growl at Tobias and try to stop his third advance with my fork.


    “But they are so good!” Tobias argues with his mouth filled with french fries. “Give me a few more, then |


    will be settled!”


    “A few more?!” I question. “There are barely any left! You even stole the entire dip sauce that I


    specifically asked for! My ranch dip is gone, you monster!”


    He snorts in amusement but still tries to sweet-talk me into giving him more of my food. Persistent


    bastard. “Come on, Hannah. I’m starving, and you won’t finish all of your french fries anyway.”


    “Oh, I most definitely will!” I narrow my eyes. It doesn’t matter that Tobias is pouting. I’m fierce when it


    comes to my food. “And there is nothing worse than a french fry thief!”


    “Amen to that!’ Joana says and swats at her husband’s fingers when he tries to reach for hers. She also


    gives him a yful re. “If you want more fries, you have to order more!”


    Eliasughs. “I might just do that.”


    “Same here,” I say, and continue to dig my eyes into Tobias. “Because SOMEONE has eaten all of


    mine…”


    Tobias perks up. “Great! You should definitely order more! Then I can steal more fries from your basket!”


    I gasp at him. “No way! Order your own!”


    “But it’s funnier to steal them from you,” he teases. “I’ve never seen you this fierce before. I expected


    you. to be all nice and kind and hand over all of your french fries willingly. I was wrong.”


    My face scalds. “When ites to things that are mine, like food, I be a warrior to protect what is


    mine…”


    “I see,” Tobias leans in close, and it speeds up my heartbeat. I don’t know what he is doing. I freeze into


    an ice cube, waiting until I feel his warm breath on my ear. “How about a trade then? You give me more


    of your french fries, and I give you something elseter?”


    By now, I’m close to passing out. What does something else mean? And is he serious or just putting on


    at show?


    I secretly nce at Sarah and find her fuming in her seat. She is beyond jealous. Fury is written all over


    her pretty face. She is pretending to talk to who I’m assuming is her husband, though.


    I look up at Tobias, and my heart falters when I see him looking at Sarah. He isn’t obvious about it. It’s


    just. a quick stolen nce, but it’s not enough to make me realize none of this is real.


    It hurts.


    It hurts so much that I want to cry, but… I got into this willingly. I knew what I was getting into. And I won’t


    let this revenge game break me, so I ster on a smile and be a yer.


    “Sure,” I say and wink at Tobias before whispering. “I will definitely trade you some french fries for some


    funter.”


    His lips slightly curl by the corners. “Looking forward to it,” he steals another french fry from my basket.


    Delicious.”


    I smile, but on the inside, I’m breaking apart. I’m too weak for this revenge game; I know that now. Tobias


    is… Unique, and it’s unrea! how much I already like him.


    I cut up another piece of my filet mignon and notice that Sarah is ring daggers at me. I almostugh at


    the visible hatred in her eyes.


    Ironically, Sarah is jealous of me when I’m jealous of her. She has something I want-Tobias’s heart, but


    she isn’t aware of that. She thinks Tobias is in love with me.


    Oh, how I wish that would be the truth…


    I stare down at my te, and once the desertes, Tobias lifts himself from his seat.


    “I will be right back,” he says. “I have to visit the bathroom.”


    I pass him a smile. “Of course,”


    Tobias smiles back and leaves. I look after him when he disappears around the corner, and then I pick up


    my water ss to drink. It’s then I notice that Elias is looking at me with curious eyes.


    I inwardly grimace. I like Elias, but his eyes have a glimmer that frightens me. Is he onto us already?


    Does he know our marriage isn’t based on true love?


    I smile at Elias, and that’s when he breaks the silence. “Do you mind if I ask you a personal question,


    Hannah?”


    Before I can answer him, Joana res at her husband. “Elias! Tobias left the table three seconds ago,


    and you’re already nning on grilling the poor woman?!”


    Joana is sweet. I like her a lot and smile despite my unease. “It’s okay. I expect questions from Tobias’s


    family. Ask away.”


    For some reason, Elias’s lips curl into mischief, and he leans forward a little, lowering his tone to a


    private one. “What is your favorite thing about my nephew?”


    Oh, is this a test?


    I inwardlyugh because the joke is on Elias-I already like plenty of things about Tobias. We might not


    have spent that much time together, but I’m good at reading people.


    “Tobias is quite possibly the grumpiest man that I’ve ever met. He has trouble stepping out of hisfort


    zone, and he is also a french fry thief. But if you can ignore that, then Tobias is one of the kindest people


    I’ve ever met,” I think back to him helping me with all the items I dropped on the floor yesterday and then.


    how Tobias swiped my face with a tissue before the brunch, and my smile grows into a genuine one. “He


    looks intimidating, but… He has a good heart-that’s my favorite thing about him, and it makes everything


    else.”


    up for


    Silence falls after I’ve spoken. I look up to see Elias and Joana smiling at me, and then I blush when I


    notice that Tobias is back. He is sitting beside me, blinking at me with an expression I can’t read. Shit,


    how much of that did he hear?