The Ex-Wife He Can’t Have novel Chapter 176

She threw her hand up enthusiastically, her face radiating a fiercely confident, vibrant smile.

Before anyone could chime in, she leaned over and hooked her arm through Killian's, playfully shaking it. "You have to come too. You totally humiliated me on the track last time, and I need a rematch."

Killian let out a low chuckle. "Alright," he agreed mildly.

With Killian on board, the rest of the group enthusiastically piled on, quickly electrifying the atmosphere.

Jasper waved them off, looking hopelessly exasperated. "Count me out. My family set me up on a blind date tomorrow."

The table immediately erupted into jeers and laughter. "No way! The notorious playboy is going on a blind date?"

"Looks like the family pressure finally broke you! Ready to settle down and play house?"

Jasper scoffed, looking utterly revolted. "Shut up, it's just a formality to keep my parents off my back. I heard she's some tech engineer. Sounds rigid and totally devoid of a personality. I can already picture how agonizing this dinner is going to be."

The moment the words left his mouth, Sylvia crossed her arms and cleared her throat, her expression souring.

Jasper instantly realized his blunder and scrambled to backtrack. "I wasn't talking about you, Sylvia! You're gorgeous, dynamic, and full of life. You're completely different from those basic nerds."

The following afternoon, Jillian cleared her schedule and arrived at the high-end steakhouse a few minutes early.

She had already made up her mind—she was giving this blind date exactly ten minutes.

She had even rehearsed her exit strategy: blatantly confess she was a divorcée with nine-year-old twins. Any elite bachelor would instantly sprint for the hills.

Before long, Jasper came rushing in.

He wore a loosely tailored suit jacket left unbuttoned, his dress shirt sloppily unfastened at the collar. His hair was slicked back in a deliberately messy, devil-may-care style. Slumping into his chair with his usual arrogant slouch, he tossed out a careless, "My bad. Running late."

But the moment he glanced up and registered who was sitting across from him, he froze solid, utter bewilderment hijacking his features.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify