Castle Cottage

Castle Cottage was a charming outdoor restaurant, nestled on a quiet street corner, illuminated by the warm glow of hanging lanterns.

It was an affordable restaurant, with the sight of a small lake beside it and the night stars above.

It had wooden tables arranged neatly beneath a canopy of intertwined vines and soft fairy lights, pouring their golden shimmer across the space. A low stone wall, partially covered in ivy, enclosed the dining area, giving it a cozy, secluded feel, despite being in the heart of the city.

The air carried the scent of freshly baked bread and grilled meats, mingling with the faint aroma of wine from the nearby bar counter.

Even with an unpretentious atmosphere such as this, it was still a refined place where people gathered for quiet conversations over good food, rather than extravagant displays of wealth.

Just outside the entrance, Darren stood, hands tucked into his pockets, his posture relaxed and composed.

He had arrived some seconds ago and was trying to find Miss Meyers amongst the crowd of people.

He was putting on a blue, long-sleeved button-up shirt, neatly tucked into plain ash trousers that fit him just right — not too tight, not too loose. The subtle fabric folds shifted slightly in the evening breeze, adding to his effortless, put-together look.

His hair was combed backwards and he had taken a shower and put on some cologne just before coming out. He didn't want to feel like he was overdressed as he was merely coming out to see his former boss, so he decided not to wear a blazer and look as boy scout-ish as possible.

"Darren!" he suddenly heard his name being called.

He moved his gaze to the right end corner of the place, catching a waving hand and a smiling face. It was Miss Meyers.

A warm smile brightened her face as he met her gaze. Darren was surprised. He had never seen her like this before — outside the stiff walls of the company, free from the confines of business attire. It was… different.

She wore a casual but elegant cream-colored blouse tucked into high-waisted navy blue trousers, the fabric cinching neatly around her slim frame. Her long, golden-brown hair, usually tied back in a tight bun at work, now flowed past her shoulders in soft, wavy locks.

The ambient glow of the fairy lights above made her hazel eyes shimmer, her features softer, more radiant than he had ever noticed before.

The system chimed in his head.

┏Notice: Investor System has discerned a spike in host's emotional state.┛

Darren scoffed. 'Spike in my emotional state? There is no spike in my emotional state.'

┏Cause of spike has been identified as a romantic chemical reaction to the sight of Miss Meyers.┛

He instantly frowned. What? Romantic reaction? That was ridiculous. His expression darkened as he muttered under his breath, "Must be a malfunction." He had no reason to romantically react to Miss Meyers.

Sure, she looked good, but... she was Miss Meyers. She was his boss. Former boss at least.

Pushing the notification out of his mind, he made his way toward her, sliding his hands deeper into his pockets.

"Darren!" she called out again, grinning.

He reached the table and nodded. "Miss Meyers."

She pouted. "Oh, come on. I'm not your boss anymore. Just call me Sandy."

Before he could respond, she stepped forward and pulled him into a brief hug. He stiffened slightly, not out of discomfort, but out of sheer unfamiliarity.

Her breasts were basically squeezing his ribs as her hand locked around his back. Sandy had always been warm, but hugs? That was new.

As she pulled away, she gestured toward the seat opposite hers. "Sit, sit. Oh my, you look really good, by the way. And you... you smell good too."

Even after making deals with powerful men in the last few days, Darren — like many other men — still didn't know how to handle a compliment from an attractive woman.

"Thank you," he managed to utter as he sat down, adjusting his sleeves slightly. "You also look really good. I mean, casual suits you."

Sandy beamed. "Thank you! And for the record, I feel ten pounds lighter not having to wear a pencil skirt every day."

Darren broke a smile.

Ding!

┏This person is excited to see you┛

Darren frowned. What was that? After a quick thought, he realized that it was the Loyalty & Affection Reader feature he had unlocked.

'So that's how it works.'

After they ordered — a simple dish with wine — the conversation eased into a familiar rhythm as they settled in.

"So," Sandy began, resting her arms on the table. "Your resignation is still a surprise to us, everyone was shocked. Lily the most, but everyone also couldn't believe it. It came out of nowhere. We all remember how super excited you were to be working there. But I understand. Our boss was hell himself. So..." she smiled at him. "How have things been for you?"

"I get it," Darren replied. "But I realized Gareth didn't really care about me or have my best interest at heart. He was just using me for what I knew, so I had to leave. I'm doing fine now actually."

That brought a smile to Sandy's face. "I'm really happy to hear that. And how about your mother? Is she still...?"

"She's still in the hospital, yes." Darren hesitated for a second but then continued. "But my uncle finally has paid the bill."

A relieved smile crossed her face. "Oh, that's wonderful! I was really hoping things would work out. I had almost begun setting up a GoFundMe. I didn't want to tell you then, but I can now I guess."

Darren chuckled, taking a sip of his wine. Of course it was completely like Sandy to go out of her way to help someone. Especially him. She'd done it multiple times, especially in the former timeline and he couldn't be more grateful for her.

"But let's not talk about me," he said, placing the glass on the table. "What about you? Now that you're free from the clutches of Gareth Smithers, what's next?"

Sandy let out a chuckle. "Free from him, indeed." She leaned back slightly, crossing her arms. "Honestly, I still can't believe I lasted that long. The man was a menace."

Darren half-smirked. "That's putting it lightly."

She huffed. "He was awful. He'd ask me to do things that were completely inappropriate, and when I refused, he'd punish me by drowning me in workloads." Her expression hardened slightly. "I tried my best to stay away from him without being too disrespectful. I really did, Darren, but he just kept pushing and pushing. Asking me to do things..."

Darren's eyes darkened as he listened.

Of course. The scandal. It was supposed to happen in the next few years. Apparently, she couldn't hold back anymore and responded to Gareth's advances in a violent manner.

Then she filed a suit against him that ended up destroying her own career because of his powerful lawyers.

Sandy continued. "I can not forget how he deliberately lowered my pay once because of it. I wanted to sue him, but with the kind of lawyers he has on payroll? It wasn't worth it."

Ah, speaking of that. You did end up suing him. Although it was for something else. Thank God for this new timeline, eh?

Darren scoffed. "If you couldn't take him down, at least you escaped."

"I'm happy I did," she admitted, exhaling a deep breath. "But I still worry about Rachel. I hope she finds a way to quit soon."

Darren frowned in thought. 'Rachel.'

She was Gareth's secretary. The quiet, stern young woman. They had never really talked and had only crossed each other's paths once or twice, but she always carried the look of someone who had resigned herself to a cage she couldn't escape.

"Do you have a company in mind you want to join?" Darren asked, thinking no more of it. "Or did Smithers blacklist you?"