As Zara and Liam moved toward the center of the ballroom, laughing and reminiscing, Liam leaned in slightly, his voice low but excited.
"Zara, there's someone I want you to meet," he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
She raised an eyebrow, curious. "Oh? Who's the lucky person?"
"My grandfather," Liam said proudly.
Zara blinked, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. "Wait, your grandfather? Why does this sound suspiciously like a matchmaking attempt?"
Liam chuckled. "It's not, I promise. But I think you'll love him."
"Alright," Zara said with a playful shrug. "Lead the way."
As they approached the table where Grandpa Lu sat, sipping his drink and engaging in polite conversation with a few guests, Zara stopped in her tracks. Her jaw dropped as realization dawned.
"Grandpa Lu?" she exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief and amusement.
Grandpa Lu looked up at the sound of her voice, his expression softening instantly. "Ah, Zara, I see you've met my grandson."
"Grandpa Lu is your grandfather?" Zara asked, turning to Liam, her tone equal parts astonished and amused.
Liam grinned, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Guilty as charged. I take it you already know each other?"
"Know each other?" Zara repeated, laughing. "Grandpa Lu is practically family! I've known him my entire life. We go way back—like candy-stealing-from-his-office-desk back."
Grandpa Lu chuckled, setting his glass down. "She's not exaggerating. This little troublemaker used to hide under my desk during meetings. I've always thought of her as my honorary granddaughter."
Zara smiled fondly. "And you've always been my honorary grandfather."
Liam looked between the two, his smile widening. "Well, this makes things easier. I was planning to introduce you two, but I guess that's unnecessary."
Grandpa Lu leaned back in his chair, his gaze warm as he looked at Zara. "Fate always has a way of amusing me. I was just telling her earlier that I had someone in mind for her to meet. Little did I know, she's already close friends with my grandson."
Zara turned to Liam, her eyes sparkling with laughter. "You're the mystery grandson Grandpa Lu was talking about?"
"I guess I am," Liam said, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.
Zara shook her head, grinning. "We've known each other since we were kids. We went to the same schools, shared the same classes, and probably argued over the same snacks."
Grandpa Lu looked delighted. "Then my instincts were right. I always thought you two would make a good team."
Liam leaned toward Zara, lowering his voice to a playful whisper. "Translation: he's been scheming to set us up since forever."
Zara giggled, shaking her head. "Typical Grandpa Lu."
As they stood chatting, other guests began to notice the dynamic between the trio. Whispers spread across the room as people speculated about the connection. It wasn't every day that Grandpa Lu showed such warmth and familiarity, and Zara's ease with him only added to her growing mystique.
Xavier, standing off to the side, watched the interaction with narrowed eyes. He couldn't quite put his finger on why it irritated him so much, but seeing Zara light up around Liam and Grandpa Lu made his chest tighten.
"Zara," Grandpa Lu said, cutting through Xavier's thoughts, "you must promise to visit me soon. It's been far too long since we've shared a proper conversation."
Zara smiled warmly. "Of course, Grandpa Lu. I'll come by this weekend, just like we agreed."
"And you," Grandpa Lu added, turning to Liam, "make sure you're free. I have a feeling Zara will need someone to carry all the desserts I plan to send her home with."
Liam groaned dramatically. "I see how it is. Zara gets the desserts, and I get the manual labor."
Zara laughed, playfully elbowing him. "You'll survive."
As the group dissolved into laughter, Xavier finally approached, his expression composed but his eyes sharp. "Zara," he said smoothly, "the next dance is about to start. Shouldn't we take our place?"
Zara blinked up at him, momentarily caught off guard by his sudden appearance. "Oh, right. Grandpa Lu, Liam, I'll see you both later!"
Liam gave her a quick hug. "Don't forget about me when you're dancing with Mr. Serious over here."
Zara rolled her eyes but smiled as she let Xavier lead her away. As they walked toward the dance floor, Xavier leaned in slightly, his voice low.
"Interesting reunion," he remarked.
"You have no idea," Zara replied, her tone light but her mind racing with thoughts of how unexpectedly the evening had unfolded.