As Lucas and David ate the food in front of them, William rushed in, looking flustered.
He spoke in a hushed voice. "Hey, guys, guess who I just saw outside."
Lucas and David frowned.
"Who?" Lucas asked.
"Don't tell me it's Olivia!" David added quickly.
Olivia was one of the actresses who starred alongside David in a TV show.
Despite their on-screen chemistry, they harbored a deep dislike for each other.
Many of Olivia's fans had attacked David online because they weren't fond of how close the two seemed on camera.
William shook his head. "Keep your voice down!"
The VIP room of the restaurant had a sliding door that opened directly to a dining table with two chairs in front of it.
When William entered the room, the person he mentioned, seated right in front of the door, didn't notice him.
She seemed too engrossed in her conversation with the man sitting across from her.
"No! It's Ms. Grace," William whispered, sliding the door just enough to leave a small gap.
Lucas and David squinted, trying to get a clearer view of who was sitting in front of their room.
David was about to stand and get a closer look, but Lucas pulled him back.
"Don't be stupid! You'll make it obvious. Will said she's with a man—couldn't that be her boyfriend?"
"Ms. Grace?" David said, startled. "Didn't she say she had work to finish? By 'work' she meant… a date?"
They fell silent, straining to catch the conversation between Grace and the man sitting across from her.
Grace sat with poise, taking a delicate sip from the drink in front of her.
The man spoke first, "You look tired. Didn't sleep well last night?"
"Yeah, I was on a night shift," she replied.
"That's what happens when you're a cop—too much work stress," the man commented casually, almost dismissively.
Grace smiled, though it was a bit strained.
Despite the tension, she maintained her graceful composure. "Ah, yes, I'm sorry. I've had to postpone this meeting three times, but at least we finally managed to meet today."
"It's fine. Honestly, I'm just doing what my family asked," the man said with a shrug. "I've already told them I'm not going to marry a cop, but they insisted I go on this blind date."
Hearing the man's explanation made Grace furious, but she held it in.
Under the table, her hands clenched into fists, though she kept her smile intact.
The man continued, "Ms. Grace, I have to admit, you are very beautiful."
"Jerk," David muttered under his breath.
Lucas, David, and William were all thrown into their own thoughts, trying to process the situation.
"I didn't expect this to be a blind date," Lucas said, surprised.
It wasn't just Grace who was irritated.
The three of them felt the same frustration, as if the man's words made all the time spent with her seem like a waste.
Grace remained silent for a moment, and the man asked, "Ms. Grace, did I say something wrong?"
"Oh, haha, no," she replied, her smile wavering. "I'm just at a loss for words. It's just that I don't see what being a beautiful woman has to do with being a cop."
Watching from behind the door, David's anger bubbled over. "Damn, I really want to punch that idiot."
But Lucas held him back.
The man still seemed oblivious to his condescending remarks about Grace's profession.
He continued, "Ms. Grace, I've been on many blind dates at my family's urging. But honestly, out of all the women, you're the most beautiful. If it weren't for your profession, I might not reject this match."
Grace's anger simmered beneath the surface.
She was furious that her family had pushed her into a blind date with such a jerk.
Still, she maintained her smile, refusing to let her irritation show.
She wasn't about to let this guy provoke her and ruin her image as a police officer.
"Regardless, I didn't come here to ask for your opinion on my job. I'm here because my family insisted, not because I wanted to be. I don't really care whether I meet your standards or not," she said, her voice firm but polite.
"Yes! That's the way to go, Ms. Grace!" William whispered, barely containing his excitement.
The three of them, watching from inside the VIP room, were growing more frustrated by the minute.
But the man, still clueless to her sarcasm, pressed on. "Ms. Grace, if I agree to marry you, would you be willing to quit your job as a cop? Don't worry about money—my income is more than enough to support a family. You won't need to worry about finances. Surely, your family knows I have several businesses and companies with assets worth hundreds, nearly a million dollars."
Grace straightened up, brushing her hair back and tucking it neatly behind her ear.
With a soft but firm tone, she said, "Mr. Bob, working isn't just about money. As you pointed out, if I were after a high income, why would I choose to be a police officer? There's no need for us to force something that clearly doesn't fit—for either of us."
She was reaching the end of her patience.
Bob, completely missing the point, continued, "Ms. Grace, I think I know what every woman wants. Come on, life means nothing without plenty of money, and I can provide that. You wouldn't have to work hard at all. I'd take care of everything."
Grace clenched her teeth behind her strained smile. It took everything in her to keep from snapping.
"Is that so?" she replied, her voice laced with restrained frustration. "Unfortunately, you can't assume all women think alike. I have my own values that I hold dear. If that's how you see me, then you've misunderstood me entirely."
Bob laughed, brushing her words aside. "Oh, Ms. Grace, don't be so serious. I'm just saying, a job can really shape someone's personality, right?"
His dismissive tone made it clear he still wasn't taking her seriously.
Just as Grace was about to rise, her frustration boiling over, a burst of laughter echoed from the VIP room nearby.
The voices were familiar, and she quickly recognized them.
"Hahaha, only tens of millions? That's hilarious," David said loudly, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Imagine bragging about such a small fortune. How does someone expect to support a family with just a few hundred dollars? Too bad they don't have kids like me. They'd be bankrupt within a year."
"Ugh, it's infuriating when someone can only boast. How can people be so naive at their age? They just run their mouths without a care for anyone else," Lucas chimed in.
"Hey, lower your voices," William added, joining in. "Just because I'm brainless doesn't mean I'm deaf."
They were clearly speaking loudly on purpose, hoping Bob would hear every word from outside the door.
Hearing their playful jabs, Grace couldn't help but smile.
Her anger melted away for a moment, her lips curving upward as the tension began to ease.
Bob, hearing the conversation from the VIP room, felt the sting of their remarks. He stood up, visibly irritated. "Hey, you in there! Who do you think you're talking about?"
David replied coolly, "Oh, did someone feel targeted?"
"Come out here, or I'll come in there myself! You need to be taught a lesson," Bob shouted angrily.
Grace, still smiling as she sat back calmly, began tapping her index finger on the table.
Bob turned to look at her, and the shift in her demeanor was instant.
Her elegant, soft expression was replaced with a serious, authoritative glare.
"Are you really planning to assault someone in front of me, Mr. Bob? Because I have no problem escorting you to the police station after," she said, her voice firm.
Bob glared at her, his anger mixing with confusion. "What did you just say?"
By now, the commotion had drawn the attention of people around them.
Bob, realizing he couldn't act on his threats in this situation, clenched his jaw.
With a cold, frustrated expression, he grabbed his coat and barked toward the VIP room, "You got lucky this time!"
He stormed out of the restaurant, leaving Grace sitting alone, her composure fully intact.
Grace felt a wave of relief wash over her, satisfied that she had put Bob in his place.
As she collected herself, the sliding door opened, and David leaned out with a grin. "Ms. Grace, care to join us?"
Grace accepted and took a seat next to Lucas, with David and William across the table.
"So, have you wrapped up your 'work' now, Ms. Grace?" David asked teasingly.
"You really should've joined us from the start," William added with a smirk.
"You're not planning to make fun of me, are you?" Grace replied, raising an eyebrow.
"That guy was awful," Lucas chimed in, shaking his head.
"Ms. Grace, you're lucky you ran into us," David said with mock seriousness.
Grace couldn't help but smile at their lighthearted teasing, though she knew it was all in good fun. "Let's just forget about it. I'm going to order my food."
"Of course, I'll treat you!" David said eagerly.
"No, thanks. I'll pay for my own meal," Grace insisted.