The waiter didn't return quietly.
He came with weight.
Plates one after another covered the table in a display that bordered on excessive. Rich sauces, carefully plated meats, sides arranged with precision, the faint steam rising from each dish carrying layered scents of butter, spice, and something deliberately refined. It was too much for a normal dinner. Too much for two people. Even too much for three.
Jay smiled.
He didn't hesitate. The moment the last plate settled, he picked up his fork like the entire setting existed for him alone. No pause. No performance. No waiting for anyone else to start.
He began eating.
Across from him, Daniel didn't interrupt.
