Cindy choked on her water, a sudden surge of guilt making her sputter. "N-no, of course not." Okay, so there's definitely something going on. Darcy thought calmly, taking a sip of her coffee. The question was, what? Man trouble, or the sudden reappearance of Jasper? The extra-spicy dishes arrived quickly. Cindy dug in with gusto, finding some catharsis in the burn. Darcy managed to keep pace, though it was a struggle. Gwen, after a few brave bites, had to wave the white flag and order a sweet, milky dessert soup to soothe her palate. Once the heat had subsided a bit, Gwen spoke up, "My graduation ceremony is this Saturday. Do you guys think you can make it?" Cindy remembered the mandatory family dinner her grandfather had scheduled. "Sorry, kiddo. Family thing on Saturday. But I'll make it up to you with an awesome gift later, promise!" Darcy thought for a moment. "I'm free. I'll be there." She smiled warmly. "Any specific gift you'd like me to bring?" Gwen shook her head, her expression sincere. "No gift needed. You being there is the best present." Cindy snorted, "You little flatterer. Who taught you to lay it on so thick? Your cousin?" Gwen pouted. "No one! I'm naturally sweet and charming, thank you very much. Although my cousin is pretty great too." She finished with a hopeful, starry-eyed glance at Darcy. Darcy pretended not to notice, focusing on her plate. Cindy narrowed her eyes, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Tell your cousin to give it up. Darcy is already—" Her words were cut off by a sharp, sudden pain in her shin. "Ow!" she yelped. Darcy reacted instantly, bending down as if to check Cindy's leg. "What's wrong? A cramp?" Cindy ducked under the table as well. Their eyes met in the shadowy space beneath. Darcy glared and made a sharp "X" with her fingers. Cindy got the message immediately and clamped a hand over her mouth. That was close! Almost spilled the beans! They both straightened up. Only Gwen blinked in confusion. "Cindy? What were you saying Darcy already is?" Cindy looked up at the ceiling, feigning innocence. "Did I say anything? You must be hearing things. Tsk, tinnitus at such a young age. Poor thing." Gwen blinked again. Torn between suspicion and self-doubt, Gwen finished the meal in a state of mild bewilderment. Leaving the private booth, the trio headed for the exit. Just as they reached the restaurant's main doors, they ran straight into Zephyr. Darcy and Gwen greeted him politely.When it was Cindy's turn, she froze, awkwardness washing over her. She had lied first, after all. She turned her face away, pretending not to see him. Zephyr couldn't help but smile at her blatant attempt to ignore his existence. Darcy, sharp as ever, immediately picked up on the strange tension between them and guessed that Zephyr was likely the root of Cindy's bad mood. She nudged Gwen's arm, and the two of them tactfully excused themselves, walking ahead. Cindy was left standing there. Snapping out of it, she made to leave, but Zephyr's voice stopped her. He pulled two movie tickets from his pocket. "Free tonight? There's a new film that's getting great reviews. Thought we could check it out?" He paused, his expression turning serious. "Also... there's something I need to talk to you about."Cindy remained unmoved, her gaze steady and resolute. "Can't," she said, her voice leaving no room for argument. "Busy." Zephyr's face fell. He stood there for a long moment after she walked away, his fist slowly clenching around the tickets. When Jethro finished a phone call and walked over, Zephyr offered a bitter smile and shoved the tickets into his hand. "Here. You take them." Jethro looked down at the tickets, then at Zephyr's retreating, solitary figure, a thoughtful look in his eyes. That evening, Darcy drove to the cinema entrance. She pulled out her phone to text Jethro, "Here. Heading up in a sec. Need to hit the restroom first." After touching up her makeup, she took the elevator to the top-floor cinema lobby. "Hold the door, please."The elevator doors were blocked by a couple stepping in. Recognizing Darcy, the woman smirked and pulled down her mask. It was Zora. A mocking smile played on her lips. "Well, look who it is. Going to see a movie? Where are all your admirers tonight? Must be lonely, going alone." Beside her, Zane frowned instinctively, shooting Zora a warning look. Zora ignored him. These past few weeks, because of the online rumors, she'd mostly been hiding at home, too afraid to go out. She'd even handed over most of her work responsibilities to Lucian. Finally unable to stand the confinement any longer, she'd begged Zane to take her out. He'd agreed, but only on the condition she wear a mask and hat the entire time. Zora seethed internally. Even though they'd pinned the whole mess on Darcy, Zane was still bothered by the gossip. More than that, he hated the judgmental looks from strangers. After some shopping and dinner, Zora didn't want the night to end so soon. They decided to catch a late movie. Running into Darcy in the elevator felt like a stroke of luck. Seeing Darcy alone filled Zora with a deep sense of satisfaction. So much for all those men buzzing around her. Guess the novelty wore off and they found out how boring she really is.