Chapter 178
Chapter 178:
Watching Yelena put those troublemakers in their place had been a pure pleasure.
He’d always had to tiptoe around those jerks, so seeing someone like Yelena handle them so effortlessly was a bit of a catharsis.
“But still, make sure to charge me for the damage. It’s on me,” Yelena insisted, recognizing that the vendor was an honest man.
Running a small business was no easy task.
The vendor didn’t push back. In fact, he was already planning to slip a little discount her way when it came time to settle the tab. With that, he headed off to prepare his best dishes, a smile still on his face.
Just then, Austin and John strolled over, their eyes locking with Yelena’s.
“Well, fancy seeing you here,” Austin said, his tone light but with a hint of curiosity.
Yelena glanced up, slightly surprised. Was this destiny at play?
It felt like they couldn’t escape each other.
John flashed her a grin, his voice warm. “Yelena, nice to see you again. Mind if we join you? The more, the merrier after all p>
The ever-social John didn’t wait for an answer. Before Yelena could protest, he was already pulling Austin into the seat next to her.
With a sigh, Yelena resigned herself. She could hardly say no.
She waved over to Brody, gesturing for him to let the vendor know they needed more food.
“Wow, those moves of yours were incredible! Have you had formal training?” John, never one to shy away from a conversation, immediately jumped in.
Yelena shrugged slightly. “Just picked up a few moves here and there p>
But as the conversation flowed, Yelena couldn’t shake the feeling that Austin’s eyes were still on her, studying her in a way that made her wonder. What was it about her that held his attention?
𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖈𝖐𝖊𝖉 𝖘𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖈𝖊: ⳑ𝖺𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝗍𝖊𝗅𝘀․𝗰𝗈𝗺
Yelena shifted uncomfortably under Austin’s intense gaze, her usual composure momentarily shaken. Thankfully, the food arrived, sparing her from further scrutiny.
She quickly redirected her attention, her hunger taking over as she began eating with quiet enthusiasm.
The others followed suit.
Austin hesitated at first, his initial concerns about the cleanliness of the place holding him back. But as he watched Yelena dig in so effortlessly, he relented, picking up a fork and sampling the food. To his surprise, it was good—really good.
The unexpected flavor had him taking another bite before he could stop himself.
John, catching this, couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “See? I told you this place was great. Isn’t it delicious p>
Austin gave a nonchalant nod, his tone neutral. “Yeah, it’s alright. I actually don’t mind having it once in a while p>
Yelena rolled her eyes discreetly. “Oh, please. Drop the act,” she thought.
But then she couldn’t help but think how out of place these wealthy types looked in a spot like this. Their attempts to blend in were borderline amusing.
Meanwhile, John was enjoying himself thoroughly, having already developed a taste for the food on his second visit.
Once they’d finished eating, Austin insisted on driving Yelena home.
Despite her initial protests, his resolve left little room for argument. Brody, noticing that Yelena’s route didn’t align with his, took the hint and decided to head out on his own.
John, however, lingered for a moment, watching Austin as he stood next to Yelena. His expression was difficult to read, but his mind was buzzing with curiosity. Was there something going on between those two?