It was indeed a fancy restaurant. There was a space for an aquarium with different kinds of aquatic animals in it.
'Carlos must've put in his best to impress me' Anne thought and she wasn't wrong.
Aside from the fact that Carlos loves Anne and would do anything for her, he felt guilty about his affair with Linda from last night and he wanted to get it off his chest once and for all by impressing Anne.
A waiter asked for their meal and Carlos ordered a chicken, salad, and apple juice and Anne asked for the same thing.
As much as Anne was happy about their date, she was a bit nervous because she wasn't used to fancy restaurants like this one.
Everything about the restaurant smelled expensive. If Carlos was jobless like before, Anne wouldn't have hesitated to ask him how he got the money to afford such an expensive restaurant for the both of them just to be sure.
Shortly, the waiter came with their food and dropped it at their table.
"Sweetheart, is everything okay?" Carlos asked Anne.
He could read her body language and tell that she was a little nervous.
"yes, everything is perfect," Anne smiled at him.
"Are you sure?" he asked again.
"Carlos, I have to be sincere with you I'm not used to this kind of fancy restaurant…"
"…you don't like it?" Carlos said, feeling a little disappointed.
"no, not at all. As a matter of fact, I love it here. I love that you're trying to make me happy and comfortable"
"hmm… so what is it?" Carlos asked.
"Carlos, you should know that when it comes to you, you really don't have to put in too much effort to impress me because I love you," Anne said
"Anastasia," He held her right hand that has the bracelet on.
"allow me to please you because I love you more than you can ever imagine and I can do anything for you" Carlos professed his love for her, with his eyes locked on hers, and Anne couldn't help but blush hard.
Carlos was really happy at the moment, spending quality time with the love of his life.
"mmm… can't wait to tear this chicken apart," Carlos said rubbing his palms together and Anne giggled softly.
He was just about to eat when his phone rang. Carlos checked it and saw that it was Linda calling him.
His eyes immediately met Anne and he gave a tight smile like everything was okay but the inside of him was screaming anxiety.
He ended the call and kept his phone on the table and started eating same with Anne.
Carlos's phone rang again and he ignored it this time. He knew it was Linda calling him. She wasn't going to give up.
From Anne's view opposite Carlos, his phone was far from her eyes so she couldn't tell who kept calling Carlos over and over again.
She wondered why he kept on ignoring the caller when he could just answer it but Carlos cared less. He was so nonchalant about his phone which was constantly ringing.
"Carlos, aren't you going to pick up your phone?" Anne curiously asked.
It was becoming disturbing and Anne needed to ask.
Carlos sighed and gently wiped his lips with a table napkin.
"Sweetheart, please excuse me I'll be right back," Carlos said and left with his phone outside the restaurant.
Linda has already given him more than ten missed calls.
..
"What's up Linda? Why are you disturbing my peace?" Carlos asked furiously on the phone.
He didn't want Anne to suspect something was off that was why he didn't switch off his phone when Linda was constantly calling him.
Anne is not that dumb, she would've asked him questions and he did not want to give her a chance to doubt him again.
"Why haven't you been picking up my calls? I miss you Carlos" Linda answered in a low tone that sounded seductive.
"Screw that!! I'm on a date with my girlfriend and you've already gotten what you wanted now leave me alone and never call me again!!!" he yelled on the phone.
"Carlos you better chill out okay? I'm not done with you 'cause you're still under my control… remember I know your dirty secret." Linda said.
"What are you talking about? I thought you already deleted that video?" he said massaging his temple.
"Do you think I'm some kind of 12-year-old?" Linda laughed on the phone
"I only deleted the video on my phone. I have your murder tape on a chip I carefully kept with me and I don't intend to lose it at all." She said and Carlos's eyes widened.
"So you better do as I say or Anastasia gets to find out you're a murderer," Linda said.
Carlos's shoulders dropped. He felt his chest being crushed after Linda made that statement.
"Linda, …Linda, please Just tell me how much money you want to keep your mouth shut, please!" Carlos pleaded in frustration.
"hmm… see who's begging, the Carlos Grey himself who isn't intimidated by anyone" Linda giggled.
Carlos's left hand was resting on his hip while his other hand was on the verge of breaking his phone into pieces, hearing Linda's voice.
"…Carlos honey, as I said, I don't want your money, your body is all I want," Linda said softly and Carlos shut his eyes tight.
"Linda…"
"…Shh" she interrupted him.
"...and as long as I got your secret, you'll keep on dancing to my tunes. Now hurry up and come see me. My body craves you … and you have ten minutes to get here," she said and hung up immediately.
"BITCH!!!" Carlos yelled at the top of his voice.
He took a deep breath to cool off his anger and got back inside the restaurant.
"Carlos, is everything alright? You look stressed up" Anne asked worriedly
She saw how gloomy Carlos looked and she was curious to know what was wrong.
Carlos exhaled.
"Sweetheart, I'm sorry but I'm afraid I have to leave right now," he said in a low tone.
"right now?" she was surprised and Carlos nodded.
"but… but… we just got here like 10 minutes ago."
"I know, something important came up," he said
"Carlos please don't leave yet.. please…" Anne pleaded with him, making cute faces.
"Anne, I have to,"
Anne sighed "You just told me you love me and you'll do anything to make me happy,"
"and I haven't gone back on my words," Carlos said.
"Okay then, I am going to get upset if you leave me here hanging by myself. This is supposed to be our special dinner date, you saw how excited I was. Please don't leave just like that" Anne pleaded, insisting he stays.
Her pleading like that was enough to make Carlos change his mind, but if he stays with her any longer, she'll get to find out he was a murderer.
Carlos heaved a long sigh.
"Anne I'm sorry but I... I just got a call from work and they need me"
"huh? At this time of the night?? Is it more important than both of us spending time together? Carlos, please don't do this" she held his hand and Carlos's heart melted.
He desperately wanted to stay back with Anne because Anne has never begged him like that before.
"Sweetheart, we're going to do this some other time," He let go of her and left the restaurant.
Anne felt her heart skip immediately after he let go of her. She wasn't expecting it at all while Carlos on the other hand, had to stand his ground by leaving her even if it hurts him.
It was better than her finding out that he was a murderer.
"This is so strange and unlike Carlos, what is happening??" Anne said to herself.
A few minutes later, It started raining.
"Now I'm stuck here all by myself and I can't go home," she said inwardly.
She looked around with her eyes and saw couples who were happily in love with themselves.
A table not too far from her was a gentleman man who was feeding his girlfriend in a teasing manner.
The girlfriend giggled as her man took the food back into his mouth and Anne who was watching from a distance, smiled at them subconsciously.
Anne thought about Carlos and bit down her bottom lip. She wished he was still here with her.
It was still raining heavily outside and she had to stay put at the restaurant.
Anne's eyes hovered around and to her surprise, she saw Carl coming downstairs with an old man inside the same restaurant.
The old man with Carl was slightly bald and he was quite chubby.
Carl didn't look like he came to the restaurant on a date. He was wearing casual fits consisting of black jeans and a gray big fur jacket, covering what he was wearing inside.
He looked smart with the white sneakers he was wearing.
"why do I always bump into him" she muttered.
She watched Carl and the old man talked for a while and saw as they both shook hands and the old man, climbed back upstairs.
Carl lifted his chin and caught Anne staring at him from a distance.
As soon as their eyes met, she looked away like she hasn't been staring at him.