Chapter 165 Did I Cause You Trouble?
Mia’s question hung softly in the air. What changed?
Veyra remained completely silent for a quiet moment. She turned her head, looking over at Mia before glancing down at the half-empty plates scattered across the table.
Her mind drifted back into the past, remembering the frantic choices she had felt forced to make and the terrible mistakes she had almost walked into.
Back then, she had been utterly desperate. Caspian had been constantly putting pressure on her to produce a male heir to secure his standing, while the Solenne family made relentless demands for concrete results.
Under all that heavy pressure, she had eventually made up her mind to pursue IVF, opting for frozen sperm to guarantee a male child just to satisfy them.
Then came the shocking mix-up at the clinic where the doctor accidentally used the wrong sample.
She had been completely furious when she first found out about the error. But shortly after that, she uncovered Caspian’s secret affair, his endless lies, and his deep betrayal.
Looking back at it all now, a clear realization washed over her.
She was genuinely relieved that the clinic’s mistake had happened. She was truly thankful that she was carrying a child that had nothing to do with him.
She let out a long, quiet sigh. "I am honestly just thankful I didn’t get pregnant with his child."
Mia blinked in confusion. "Whose child?"
Veyra shook her head gently. "It is a very long, complicated story."
Mia studied her calm face for a second before giving a soft nod. "You don’t have to explain it to me if you aren’t ready."
"Maybe I will tell you the whole story some other time," Veyra promised.
"Take all the time you need," Mia replied without pushing her any further.
Veyra offered a soft smile. "Thank you, Mia."
"For what?"
"For simply understanding and not digging."
Mia gave a small shrug. "We all have painful things in our past that we would rather not talk about."
A comforting warmth spread through Veyra’s chest. She felt truly fortunate to have found such a genuine friend in Mia, someone who didn’t judge her, make assumptions, or force her into uncomfortable conversations.
She still remembered clearly how the two of them had first met just half a month ago. At the time, Veyra had been out of her mind with worry over Little Lily’s sudden disappearance, running around the streets posting missing child flyers everywhere she could reach.
Mia had been working her shift behind the counter at a local coffee shop. She had seen the sheer panic written across Veyra’s face and had immediately stepped in to help out.
They had hit it off right away, sharing the same practical sense of humor and a deep, hardworking drive. Veyra felt immensely grateful for that chance meeting every single day.
Mia glanced back over at the broad dining table. Most of the hot dishes were still sitting there virtually untouched.
"We really ought to call Megan right now," Mia suggested, checking her watch. "She is probably still waiting out in the car all by herself."
Veyra nodded in agreement. "Give her a quick call. Tell her to come straight up to the room."
Mia pulled her phone out of her bag, dialed the number, and spoke briefly into the receiver before hanging up with a smile. "She is heading up right now."
Veyra looked down at the spread of fresh food. "Xander already covered the full bill for this entire table, so we might as well enjoy the meal."
Mia let out a light laugh. "He ordered three massive specialty dishes and barely even touched one of them before walking out."
"That is entirely his loss," Veyra said with a smirk, picking up her pair of chopsticks. "We will make sure the rest doesn’t go to waste."
Mia sat back down properly, grabbed her own chopsticks, and began filling her plate.
The food was fantastic, and the heavy tension that had filled the room earlier completely melted away.
Veyra paused for a moment, setting her chopsticks back down on the rest.
"Mia," she said, her voice turning a bit more serious. "There is something small I need to ask of you."
Mia looked up from her plate. "What is it?"
"Please don’t mention anything to Megan about Dr. Harrison’s connection, or about the details of my marriage situation."
Mia blinked, slightly surprised by the request. "Why is that?"
"I am simply not ready to share all of those personal details with everyone just yet," Veyra explained honestly.
Mia hesitated for a quick second, then gave a firm nod of her head. "I completely understand. Your business stays yours."
"Thank you, I really appreciate it."
"Of course," Mia said, adding with a gentle smile, "But you will tell me more whenever you feel ready, right?"
Veyra returned the smile. "Eventually, yes."
Right then, the heavy door slid open, and Megan stepped into the private room.
Her eyes immediately took in the high-end decor, the silk wall hangings, and the elaborate spread of hot dishes.
"Wow," Megan gasped out, her eyes wide with wonder. "This place is incredibly fancy!"
Veyra laughed softly at her reaction. "Come take a seat and eat with us. There is plenty of food to go around."
Megan didn’t need to be told twice. She pulled out a chair, grabbed a clean pair of chopsticks, and happily joined in on the meal.
The rest of their lunch passed with easy, lighthearted conversation. The food tasted wonderful, and all the stress from their earlier encounters was completely gone.
Veyra felt thoroughly relaxed and happy. She had successfully secured a prime shop location, she had two great business partners by her side, and she was surrounded by good people she could trust.
All things considered, it was turning out to be a very good day.
Once they finished eating, Mia and Megan gathered their things to head back out to handle a few store errands.
The door slid shut behind them, leaving the quiet dining room completely still.
Only Veyra and Leon remained inside.
Leon had been standing quietly near the doorway through the entire meal, his broad arms crossed over his chest and his expression steady.
Yet, behind his calm demeanor, his eyes looked somewhat heavy and troubled.
He slowly walked across the room toward the table, coming to a stop a few feet away from where she sat.
"Mrs. Thorne," Leon spoke up softly, his voice dropping into a low, serious tone. "Did my actions cause you any unnecessary trouble today?"