Chapter 2 The Blind Date

Diana's POV I arrived at the restaurant at exactly 11:05 a.m. Five minutes late. I glanced at my phone as I stepped inside and checked the message Lily had sent earlier. "Don't you dare run away. You promised me you'd go." I sighed. I had almost canceled the date after what happened at home. I still couldn't believe that Lewis and Vivienne had shamelessly asked me to carry their child. But I had made a promise to Lily. Besides, Lily had gone through too much trouble to arrange the date. And there was a bet. I touched the watch on my wrist. My late mother's watch. Lily knew how much it meant to me, which was exactly why she had used it to challenge me. If I refused to go on this date, she would get the watch for a month. I had reluctantly agreed, and now I was beginning to regret it. I gave the hostess the name of my reservation, and she led me to a table near the window. The man I was supposed to meet wasn't there yet. I sat down and ordered water. Five minutes passed. Then ten. I looked toward the entrance. He still hadn't arrived. I sighed again and leaned back in my chair. Apparently, I wasn't the only person who had trouble keeping time. At almost forty-five minutes past eleven, a man in an expensive shirt finally walked into the restaurant. He glanced around, then walked to my table and dropped into the seat without ceremony. He looked at his phone before looking at me. "Diana, right?" he said. "Daniel. Sorry I'm late. Traffic was a nightmare." He did not sound sorry at all. I met his eyes and offered a small, polite smile. "It's alright," I said softly. "But next time, a message would have been thoughtful. I nearly left." He raised an eyebrow in amusement. "You're strict. Most women just sit and wait." His words made me pause. Seriously? "I'm not most women," I replied evenly. "And waiting without a word isn't a courtesy. It's inconsiderate. When someone sets aside their day for you, the least you can do is respect their time." Though I knew he didn't have my number, he had Lily's. He could have simply told her that he would be running late. Lily would have informed me. He let out a short laugh and signaled the waiter for a drink. "You're already lecturing me? We just met." "I'm not lecturing," I said, staying calm, though all I wanted was to leave. He didn't seem like the type of man I wanted to have anything to do with. "I'm explaining basic manners. Arriving late is one thing. Arriving late and treating it like nothing is another. An apology should sound like an apology, not an afterthought." He studied me for a moment, then smirked. "You've got a sharp tongue for someone who's been single this long." My throat tightened slightly. I didn't need to ask how he knew. Lily must have told him. "My relationship status has nothing to do with expecting basic respect," I answered. "Whether a person is single or married, they still deserve the courtesy of a proper apology when someone wastes their time." He leaned back, clearly enjoying himself now. "You're very sure of yourself. Most women your age are a little more... flexible. Especially when they're the ones who haven't managed to keep a man." The shift in his tone was small, but I felt it. And it hurts. I realized that he knew more about me than I thought. Half of the city knew I had been abandoned on my wedding day. I kept my expression composed. "I didn't come here to discuss my past. I came because Lily insisted. If this is the direction the conversation is going, we can end it now." Daniel's smile turned sharper. "I'm just saying what everyone else is thinking. And from what I heard, there's a reason no man stayed." I frowned. "What do you mean?" His smile grew even sharper. "I heard something about you not being able to give a man a child." His words hit me like cold water. I froze. For a second, the restaurant noise disappeared. The soft music, the laughter from the next table, the clink of glasses... all of it faded. I stared at the man across from me, my mind scrambling to understand how a stranger I had met less than five minutes ago could know the one thing I had tried so hard to bury. Some months after the betrayal, I was diagnosed with premature ovarian insufficiency. I had kept it hidden, even from Lily. I never tried dating because of it. "Ho... how did you... know?" I stammered, trying to hide my discomfort. "Who told you?" "Does it matter?" He gave a dismissive wave. "Honestly, you shouldn't be acting so hard to get. You're thirty, unmarried, and you can't even have children. You should be more realistic about your chances of finding a husband." I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I wanted to say something. Anything. But my eyes suddenly caught someone watching me. A few tables away sat Theodore Calloway. I recognized him immediately. He was one of the most well-known men in the city, someone whose name frequently appeared in business news and social events. His eyes were fixed on me. My stomach twisted. Judging by his expression and the way he had been looking in my direction, he had heard everything Daniel had said. Shame burned through my heart. I quickly turned back to Daniel, fighting to keep my composure. "I think this date has gone on long enough." He shrugged. "Suit yourself." I picked up my handbag and stood. "And for the record, you aren't even my type. Monkey head." With that, I turned and walked away. I kept my head up as I left the restaurant, refusing to let anyone see how deeply his words had hurt me. But the moment I reached my car, I crumbled. I unlocked the door and got inside. I hadn't even closed it before the tears began to fall. I covered my face with both hands and broke down. It was too much. I was tired of being judged for something I couldn't control. Tired of the life I lived now. I knew very well that my life had never been the same since six years ago. A soft tap against the open car window made me lift my head. I looked up. Theodore Calloway was standing beside my car. "Are you all right?" he asked.