It wasn't a press event. It wasn't a boardroom meeting. It wasn't a site inspection, summit, or groundbreaking.
It was just lunch.
And that—more than anything—made it strange for Angel.
She stood by the main fountain near the SM North EDSA Sky Dome, hands in the pockets of her slate-gray jacket, watching children toss coins into the water while an elderly couple took selfies under the paper lanterns still hanging from Chinese New Year. Around her, the city buzzed with weekend energy. Families filled the air with chatter, delivery riders clustered at the entrance, and the faint scent of fried chicken and freshly brewed milk tea drifted through the breeze.
Then came the familiar voice.
"You waited long?" Matthew asked as he appeared from the escalator crowd, dressed casually in a black polo and jeans—an odd contrast to his usual steel-gray slacks and collared power presence.