Yara Finch: "It can't be that much of a coincidence, can it?"
Arya Thorne: "Then explain this. Back when he wasn't even in Aethelburg and my dad's company was having trouble with investors, I mentioned I needed help, and he came straight to Aethelburg from Southaven. Now he's already here in the city, and all I want is to ask him out for a meal, but he insists he doesn't have time? What other reason could there be, except that Jessie Sterling is with him?"
Arya Thorne couldn't forget Julian Grant.
If she hadn't been in such a rush to return home and inherit the family business—which forced her into a temporary relationship with the youngest son of an MCN incubator company her father approved of—she would have never broken up with Julian Grant.
Arya still remembered the look on Julian's face as she explained her reasons. The man sitting across from her had a fleeting, casual indifference in his eyes, but it was coupled with a solemn gravity that seemed entirely out of place.
"Fine. I agree." Julian hadn't tried to stop her at all; he just agreed to her request to break up.
"However, I'm not really interested in your reasons for breaking up."
That was the second thing Julian said.
She hadn't understood the meaning behind his words at the time. It was only after she returned to the country, sorted out her family's affairs—successfully preventing her father's mistress from usurping her mother's position—and stabilized the situation at home that she went looking for Julian.
No one knew about this, not even Yara Finch.
She had specifically flown to Leeds. Julian was playing baseball with friends at the time, and she went to watch his game.
"Congratulations." After she told Julian about her recent situation, that single word was all she received from him.
Arya Thorne stood frozen. She couldn't help but be more direct. "Julian, I'm single now. We can get back to—"
Before she could finish, Julian cut her off.
The young man took off his helmet. His black hair was damp from the intense game, a detail that only enhanced his youthful aura.
"Arya, we already broke up. A year ago," Julian stressed. "As a friend, I wish you a bright future. And congratulations on taking back what's yours and becoming the master of your own life."
But Julian's unspoken words were transmitted to her with perfect clarity.
Arya now understood what Julian had meant back then when he said he wasn't interested in her reasons for the breakup.
To Julian, the word "breakup" was final, regardless of the reason. It signified the absolute end of a relationship. He had no interest in getting back together, much less waiting for her to return to him.
Arya knew she should give up hope, but when she heard from an old classmate that Julian had remained single ever since their breakup, she couldn't help but feel she wasn't so insignificant to him after all.
'If I didn't hold a special place in his heart, different from everyone else, why would he have stayed single for so long?'
They had been each other's first love.
"So, what's your plan now?" Yara Finch asked. "Julian isn't actually going through with a marriage alliance with some young girl, is he? Wouldn't that mean you've lost your chance?"
Of course, Yara hoped Arya would get what she wanted.
Her company was counting on the Thorne family's media conglomerate to bring them business. If Arya really managed to ally herself with the powerhouse that was the Grant family, their own company would surely expand in the next few years.
Arya discreetly clenched her fists. A moment later, she looked up and spoke to Jessie Sterling, who had just finished choosing her meal and was about to return to her seat—
"Miss Sterling."
'If Arya Thorne hadn't greeted me first,' Jessie thought, 'I probably wouldn't have even noticed we were in the same restaurant tonight.'
Hearing the voice, Jessie Sterling subconsciously looked up toward the source. She was quite surprised to meet Arya Thorne's eyes.
A moment later, Jessie was sitting across from Arya.
"Miss Thorne." Jessie Sterling smiled and nodded. The two of them had no real relationship to speak of, but that didn't stop Jessie from feeling annoyed.
'How was I supposed to know I'd run into Arya Thorne? And I never would have guessed she'd be the one to greet me. I just came out for a casual dinner; I didn't even put on any makeup!'
Jessie couldn't help but curse inwardly. 'What is this mess!?'
Arya Thorne took the initiative to introduce Yara Finch, who was beside her. Jessie Sterling gave a slight nod but said little.
Seeing this, Arya felt a prickle of irritation.
From her time with Julian, she knew it was difficult for outsiders to break into the social circles of people from their background. But to actually feel it so acutely—to realize the person she introduced was being completely ignored—created a subtle gap in status that almost made Arya's polite expression crack.
"What a coincidence, Miss Sterling. You're eating here too?" Arya Thorne said, then looked at her probingly. "Isn't Julian with you?"
Jessie clicked her tongue internally. 'What's my relationship with Julian? Why should he be expected to be with me?'
Twirling the enormous yellow diamond ring on her finger, Jessie's lips curved into a slight, unreadable smile. "Why don't you give Julian a call and ask him, Miss Thorne? He can probably give you a better answer himself."
In truth, Jessie didn't feel any real animosity toward Arya. Even though Arya had once been with Julian, making her a "love rival" of sorts, Jessie wasn't the type to hate another woman over a man.
Still, Jessie had a bad feeling about Arya Thorne.
Because in her past life, Arya had known perfectly well that Julian was married. She had known it was inappropriate for a man with a family to be with a drunk, single woman late at night, yet she had deliberately made that "cry for help" call to Julian's phone. Jessie found it impossible to believe it hadn't been on purpose.
Even if this version of Arya hadn't done those infuriating things yet, Jessie wasn't about to force herself to be pleasant.
As soon as Jessie said this, the smile on Arya's face nearly faltered.
"Miss Sterling, do you have some sort of problem with me?" Arya asked with a sigh. "Julian and I may have a past, but we truly liked each other. We only broke up because I had to return to the country. Now that he's back too, we..."
Arya was convinced that Jessie was out to dinner with Julian tonight. Since she couldn't do anything about Julian, she had to start with Jessie.
Jessie had never directly confronted Arya in her past life, and she had no intention of wasting a single moment on someone so irrelevant in this one.
But Arya's current ploy was just so clumsy. Jessie may have been cherished and protected by her family, but she was no clueless idiot.
"So, let me get this straight. The reason you called me over, Miss Thorne, was to put me in my place? To tell me to know my limits and back off? So I can wish you and Julian well on getting back together?" Jessie stood up abruptly. She couldn't be bothered to tolerate the slightest bit of discomfort from anyone, and she dialed a number right in front of Arya.
"What are you doing—"
"Hello? Julian."
Not giving Arya a chance to speak, Jessie put the phone on speaker.