Chapter 273
Chapter 273:
Dorian, anxious not to alarm Valeria with his agitation, quickly stood and left the restaurant.
“Dorian, wait!” Eleanino called out.
She grabbed his forgotten jacket and chased after him.
In the parking lot, she handed him the jacket, catching her breath. “Isn’t that woman a friend of Helena? I’ve seen her in photos with Helena online.” When Dorian remained silent, Eleanino chuckled sarcastically and said, “What’s her deal? Is she trying to seduce Leonino and break your heart simultaneously?” Without waiting for his response, Eleanino made her own assumption, saying, “If Helena associates with someone so deceitful, she’s no better herself p>
Suddenly, Dorian addressed her formally. “Eleanino Haynes p>
Taken aback by his formal tone, Eleanino listened as he sternly said, “Stay out of Helena’s business, or you’ll jeopardize your friendship with Alden p>
“Oh, how long have they been together? And how long have I known Alden?” After a brief pause, she added disdainfully, “Besides, I’m useful to Alden at work. What could Helena, just a minor reporter, possibly offer him? I know I hold a special place in Alden’s life, regardless p>
Dorian sighed at her confidence. He then reflected on his own experiences. He used to think he was special to Valeria as well.
What was the reality, though?
Understanding their mutual disappointment, he looked at Eleanino and offered one more piece of advice. “In Alden’s life, Helena is the woman who truly matters p>
His earnest tone made it hard for Eleanino to dismiss his words completely. Yet, deep inside, resentment brewed as she clenched her teeth.
Meanwhile, inside the restaurant, Valeria sat motionless, the memory of that kiss looping in her mind like a stuck record.
When Leonino’s lips met hers, all she wanted was to resist. However, before that, there was the night she spent with Dorian.
It had happened so suddenly. She kept insisting it was nothing serious—just helping him because he needed it. He’d been drugged, and she had stepped in. That was the story she told herself.
These days, a one-night stand between two adults shouldn’t matter that much—or at least that was what she kept trying to believe.
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But now, Valeria finally saw just how different Dorian was from the rest. What caught her off guard the most was that she hadn’t pulled away from him—not even a little.
As a psychologist, she understood exactly what that meant.
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to push the thought aside. When Leonino’s quiet apology broke the silence, she opened them again, meeting his gaze. “It’s okay. You surprised me, but… in a strange way, it helped me figure things out p>
Leonino’s handsome features tensed, as though he already knew what was coming. And he did. Because she added, her voice soft but steady, “You were right. I have been thinking about Dorian. He means something to me p>
“Care to tell me why p>