The Ex-Wife He Can’t Have novel Chapter 177

"Whether there is a next time remains to be seen. But for today, I expect a genuine apology," Jillian stated flatly, refusing to yield an inch.

"It's entirely my fault, and I sincerely apologize." Jasper didn't skip a beat. He proactively grabbed the pitcher, carefully refilled her glass, and immediately launched into an enthusiastic pitch. "What are you in the mood for? The caviar here is phenomenal, the shark fin is incredibly fresh, and their foie gras melts right on your tongue..."

He rattled off a list of luxurious delicacies, desperate to flaunt his elite culinary palate.

Jillian shook her head slightly, her voice brutally honest. "I have no interest in any of that. Caviar is just an overly salted garnish. Shark fin fishing is an atrocious cruelty to wildlife, so I never touch it. And the force-feeding process for foie gras is barbaric. Apologies, Jasper, but I'm incredibly rigid about these things."

Jasper froze for half a second before immediately pivoting. "Oh, absolutely! I was just throwing out the specials. I honestly despise those pretentious fine-dining ingredients. Totally unsustainable and terrible for the environment."

Jillian stifled a sigh. The man was a world-class chameleon, effortlessly swallowing his pride to kiss up to her.

She dropped the pretenses and laid it out bare. "My schedule is packed. I can only spare ten minutes today, and then I have to leave."

She was dead certain that a man as notoriously arrogant as him would absolutely snap at the insult.

Yet Jasper didn't show a single ounce of annoyance. "Not a problem! Whatever works for you," he agreed brightly.

The ten minutes evaporated. When Jillian stood up to leave, Jasper played the ultimate gentleman, leaping up to hold the restaurant door open for her and personally opening her car door.

As soon as Jillian slipped into the driver's seat and he leaned down to say goodbye, she ruthlessly rolled the window up. Her red sports car roared to life and tore out of the parking lot without a backward glance.

Jasper stood rooted to the spot, watching the sports car disappear down the street. His eyes were lit with raw fascination. "God, she is breathtaking," he murmured under his breath.

Inside the car, Jillian gripped the steering wheel, thoroughly annoyed with herself.

Against all her better judgment, she had completely caved to his endless charm offensive and actually given him her phone number.

It was hard to blame her for slipping. The Jasper she just met was nothing like the vicious tyrant from her past. He was so impeccably polite and charmingly humble that bluntly shutting him down felt unnecessarily cruel.

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