Chapter 9 Just Passing By

"I was handling some business nearby and happened to see you at the office," Tobias said, his voice calm and effortlessly smooth. "Oh, I see," Cordelia replied, trying to ignore the flutter in her chest. She focused on her plate, eating in silence. The dinner was pleasant enough, but as he called for the check, his phone suddenly rang. Before Cordelia could even catch a glimpse of the caller ID, he had already answered it, his brow furrowing slightly as he read the screen. "Take the call. I'll wait here," Cordelia mentioned quickly, not wanting to interrupt his conversation. Tobias glanced at her briefly. She gave him a knowing smile, and he nodded in response, his voice a simple "Hmm." Just before he stood up, he paused, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a brown leather wallet and slid it across to her. "I never let a woman pay," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "There are a few cards in there and a thousand in cash. Handle the check while I take this call." Before Cordelia could process what was happening, Tobias had already walked off, his phone pressed to his ear. He pushed open the restaurant's main door and turned right, stopping just outside, in front of a set of gleaming floor-to-ceiling windows. The busy street was alive with motion as he faced it, his attention fully on the call. Meanwhile, Cordelia's eyes fell on the wallet Tobias had left behind. After a brief moment of hesitation, she picked it up. The crocodile leather felt incredibly soft—this was no ordinary wallet. It was a luxury piece, meticulously crafted. She opened it. Inside were several crisp hundred-dollar bills, just as he had said. But what really caught her eye was a card—sleek, dark, and embossed in silver. It was a Black Platinum Card, the kind of status symbol few could ever dream of holding. But that wasn't all. As she continued to scan the contents, her pink-painted nail accidentally brushed against the bottom of a leather fold, revealing something hidden beneath. She couldn't help herself. Despite the guilt that tightened in her chest, she carefully pulled it out—a photo, yellowed with age. Her breath hitched as she examined the image. The woman in the photo was stunning—radiantly beautiful, with striking features that seemed almost too familiar. For a moment, Cordelia felt a strange, unsettling sensation. The woman's face was so similar to hers, it was almost as though she was staring at her own reflection. The only difference was the heavy makeup, something Cordelia had always avoided, preferring to keep her face naturally bare. A memory flashed in her mind. Grace had once said to her, "There's no way you two aren't related by blood!" Blood relations… How could that possibly be true? Aurelia was the daughter of a powerful political dynasty, while Cordelia… Well, she was just a girl struggling to get by, dependent on Tobias' money to save her dying adoptive mother. The distance between their lives was as vast as the ocean. As her fingertips traced the edge of the photo, Cordelia's heart began to race. This was the first time she'd ever snooped through Tobias' belongings, and she suddenly felt an eerie sensation of being watched. She quickly glanced outside, but he was no longer where he had been standing. Cordelia's heart skipped a beat. Desperate to avoid the confrontation, she stuffed the photo back into the wallet and stood up, moving toward the front desk. She pulled a few bills from her own purse, trying to maintain her composure as she addressed the server. "I'll take care of the check," she responded, her voice steady. "Of course, miss." The waitress offered a professional smile, her fingers flying over the keyboard. After a moment, she announced, "That'll be five hundred and eighty dollars." Nearly six hundred dollars? For one meal? Cordelia glanced down at the money in her hand—only three hundred dollars. It wasn't even half the bill. No wonder Tobias had left his wallet with her. He must have known she couldn't cover it herself. After all, she was just a poor girl with little to her name, completely dependent on him for survival. Frustration bubbled inside her, but she had no choice but to open the wallet again. She pulled out three more hundred-dollar bills. "Here." It was pathetic. She couldn't even pay for a single meal without depending on him. The server smiled again, taking the money. "Thank you, miss. Here's your twenty-dollar change." By the time the server handed her the receipt, Tobias still hadn't returned. Cordelia held his wallet in her warm palm, her heels clicking against the tile floor as she walked out. The cool night air hit her face, sharp and cold. She stopped in her tracks. Among the neon lights and the bustling crowd of strangers, there was no sign of Tobias anywhere. Her heart sank. Has he really left me behind? For a moment, indignation surged inside her, but then she sighed. I suppose it's normal. Tobias is always all business. He takes his work seriously, but was it really necessary to rush off before finishing dinner? Well, she thought, even CEOs have their struggles. Her contemplation was interrupted by her phone's sudden ring, making her jump. Just then, her phone rang, making her jump in surprise. The night's cold had already numbed her fingers, and it took her a moment to fumble it out of her bag. Without checking the caller ID, she answered. "Hello?" "It's me, Tobias," came his deep voice through the speaker, warm and smooth. Cordelia froze, standing still on the stairs, her hand trembling slightly as she held the phone. She hadn't expected to hear from him so soon. "Y-Yes?" "Something urgent came up," he explained, his voice laced with genuine regret. "I had to leave without saying anything. I'm sorry."