Lance studied Addison for a moment before pulling out a chair and sitting across from her. Knowing she was still handling work, he didn't interrupt and simply waited for her to finish the call. His gaze landed on the folder Addison had placed on the table. The words weren't entirely clear, but he could vaguely make out "collaboration." As a businessman, he had never been one to pry into others' documents. Lance shifted his gaze from the folder and looked up, fixing his eyes on Addison. This was the first time he had seen her at work—calm and composed, speaking softly while jotting things down on paper. She was nothing like how she had been at the Johnston Residence. At that moment, it became glaringly clear—Addison was no longer the girl who had once devoted herself entirely to him and the Johnston Residence, prioritizing him and the Johnston family above all else. She no longer spent hours cooking for him or stayed up through the night knitting scarves just so he wouldn't get cold while working. Now, she was radiant, full of life, with a career of her own, thriving in her field that had nothing to do with him. She was Dr. Nancy's assistant now. That was a title he could never reach. His gaze darkened at the thought. He stared at her with such unwavering intensity, emotions layered and deep. It was as though he wanted to drown her in his eyes, consume her completely. Addison had yet to finish her call, but the weight of his stare unsettled her. Was he getting impatient because she had kept him waiting? That was the only explanation she could think of. So she quickened her pace, wrapping up the conversation. "Let's continue this tomorrow. I have something to take care of right now, sorry." The person on the other end was understanding and promptly bid her goodbye. Once the call ended, Addison set her phone down. "Sorry, I was handling something and couldn't hang up right away."But Lance only raised a brow. He wasn't irritated like she had expected—his expression was perfectly calm. "It's fine. I don't mind." Lance ... wasn't mad? He had always been strict about his time and hated waiting. On any other day, he would have been fuming by now. Yet he wasn't angry? That was strange. Addison was surprised, but she didn't show it. Instead, she smiled. "Shall we order?" "Mm." Lance nodded. "You decide." Addison called the waiter over and placed their order. This time, she was careful—not wanting to make him suspicious, she deliberately avoided ordering anything that Harvey used to like, choosing only neutral, common dishes Once the order was placed, she noticed Lance was still staring at her, his gaze filled with an emotion she couldn't decipher. Do you have something to say to me? she finally asked.She hated when people bottled things up—it made both parties uncomfortable.