Too Late Mr. White! I'm Married To Your Rival Now novel Chapter 343

Author's POV

The moment Aria and Aiden disappeared through the restaurant doors, Lillian's smile vanished like it had never existed. She slumped back in her chair, exhaling dramatically.

"Well, that was awkward," she muttered, taking a long sip of her wine. "Of all the restaurants in Manhattan..."

Ryan studied her reaction carefully, his jaw tightening. "You looked absolutely terrified when they spotted us. Are you really that worried about people finding out about us?"

Lillian met his gaze directly. "Do you honestly think what we have is something worth announcing to the world, Ryan?"

"What's that supposed to mean? Dating isn't exactly a crime last time I checked." His voice had an edge to it now.

"Dating?" Lillian repeated the word like it was foreign to her. "Is that what you think this is?"

Ryan's expression darkened as he watched her brow furrow in what looked disturbingly like disagreement. His fingers tightened around his glass. "What exactly would you call whatever we've been doing for the past month and a half, Lillian? Because from where I'm sitting, it looks a hell of a lot like dating."

"Sleeping together doesn't equal dating, Ryan." Lillian's laugh was hollow as she twirled her wine glass between her fingers. "I thought we were being... adult about this."

The words hit Ryan like a physical blow. "Adult about this? What does that even mean?"

"It means we're having fun without complications. Without..." she waved her hand vaguely, "expectations."

"You think that's all this is?" Ryan leaned forward, his voice dropping dangerously low. "Just fun? No complications?"

Lillian also leaned in, matching his intensity. "What else would it be? Let's be realistic here. You're Ryan Matthews, CEO of Matthews Media Group, Aiden's best friend since what, kindergarten? And I'm Aria's best friend. We move in the same circles. We were bound to hook up eventually."

"Hook up," Ryan repeated flatly. "Such a romantic term."

"Oh please," Lillian rolled her eyes, though something flickered across her face – too quick for Ryan to catch. "You've never struck me as the hearts and flowers type. Besides, let's say for argument's sake that we are 'dating'..." she made air quotes, "then what? Where exactly is this going? Marriage? Kids? White picket fence?"

Each question hit like a dart, precisely aimed. Ryan had no immediate answer, and his silence only fueled Lillian's point.

"That's what I thought," she said softly, no triumph in her voice.

Ryan's frustration was building by the second. "So to be perfectly clear, you consider us to be nothing more than fuck buddies? Is that it?"

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