Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth!-Chapter 120: A Business Meeting With A Personal Touch

"Claire?"

Claire turned, her eyes narrowing as she spotted Ivy approaching from behind. Ivy wore her usual friendly smile, a cloth napkin tucked into her hand as if she'd just been tending to one of her tables.

Ivy's face brightened. "It's such a pleasant surprise seeing you here. What brings you to my restaurant today?" She asked wondering why it seemed like Claire was about to turn back.

Before Claire could answer, a smooth voice cut in from behind.

"We're here for a business meeting," Christopher said, stepping up beside Claire with that irritating, ever-present smirk of his.

Claire shot him a warning look, her lips pressing into a thin line. But she held back from contradicting him. She wasn't about to make a scene in front of Ivy, not when the girl was just being polite.

Ivy looked at them and she could tell there was more but what could she do? Although Christopher and Emma had told her over the past week how Chris felt about Claire, she couldn't act like she knew.

"Oh," Ivy said, nodding as her gaze flicked between them. "Well, you're both welcome here. It's really an honor to have you, and—" her voice dropped into a conspiratorial whisper, "lunch is on the house today."

Claire shook her head immediately, lips parting in protest. "No, Ivy. Absolutely not. You need every cent to keep this place running. I'll pay for our food, and that's final," Claire said knowing there was no way she'd leave if Ivy offered them free food.

Ivy's smile didn't waver. "It's okay, really. Besides, it's nice to see familiar faces here. Please, let me do this," Ivy pressed, subtly giving Chris a wink who in turn gave her a thumbs up.

Claire hesitated. She wasn't one to accept favors, but Ivy's sincerity left her with little room to argue without sounding rude.

"Fine," she muttered after a moment, "but just this once."

"Great! I'll have my staff send over the menus in a moment. Enjoy yourselves." Ivy gave them both one last cheerful smile before turning back toward the counter.

Claire remained standing, arms crossed, staring at the door Ivy had just disappeared through. She could feel Christopher watching her, that unbothered amusement lingering in his expression.

"Well?" Chris finally said, gesturing toward the table. "Ivy's already comped our meal. Wouldn't it be a shame to waste a free lunch?"

Claire exhaled sharply, her heels clicking against the tiled floor as she reluctantly followed him to a cozy corner table near the window. She sat across from him, folding her hands in her lap while Chris waved off George, with a casual nod.

"You can head back to the office, George. She can take it from here."

George hesitated, glancing at Claire as if waiting for her approval, but she just nodded. He left quickly, the door chiming softly behind him.

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The silence between them stretched, broken only by the rustling of the menu as Chris picked his up.

"So," Claire said coolly, arching a brow. "Care to explain why you had to pull a stunt like this just to get me here? Was all this really necessary?" She asked, half amused and half curious.

Chris set the menu down, leaning back in his chair as he met her gaze directly. "Yes, it was. Because if I'd asked you on a date, you would have turned me down immediately."

Her eyes narrowed further. "A date? Is that what this is?" She asked with a raised brow.

Chris shrugged, his grin widening. "Consider it... a business lunch with a personal touch."

Claire shook her head in exasperation. "What do you want, Chris? Really."

He tilted his head, expression thoughtful for a moment. "For starters, I want to know you and why you're single."

Claire blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Excuse me?" She asked, trying not to look as startled as she had been.

Why would he ask that all of a sudden? Hadn't they agreed to be just friends?

"You heard me." His gaze was steady, unflinching. "Why aren't you in a relationship, Claire? And I'm asking as your friend. I want to know."

She straightened, folding her arms across her chest. "Because I'm not dating anyone," she said flatly.

Chris chuckled, his voice low and full of amusement. "Obviously. But there has to be a reason. You're successful, smart, beautiful—"

Claire cut him off with a sharp look. "Don't patronize me. There's no reason. I'm just... not interested. End of story."

Chris arched a brow but didn't push further. Instead, he tilted his menu toward her. "Fine. Should we order? I'm thinking something simple. Pasta, maybe?"

Claire nodded, grateful for the shift in topic. "Sure. I'll have the grilled chicken salad. Light dressing."

A server arrived just in time, a young woman with a professional smile. Chris placed both their orders, making sure to add a glass of sparkling water for Claire, which earned him another suspicious glance.

Once the server left, Claire leaned back in her chair, her mind still circling back to his earlier question.

"So," she said carefully, "why aren't you in a relationship then? Since we're asking personal questions now," she asked, looking directly into his chocolate brown eyes.

Chris's lips twitched with another smirk. "Although I'm not in any relationship now but I plan to be, soon."

Claire rolled her eyes. "You really are delusional. If you're referring to me, let me make this perfectly clear—nothing is ever going to happen between us, Christopher Jacobs."

Chris leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table. "It's a little early to say that, don't you think? We just became friends a week ago," he said and Claire huffed but didn't respond.

The server returned with their meals, setting down Claire's salad and Chris's plate of pasta. The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the space, momentarily softening the tension between them.

They ate in silence at first, Claire focusing on her salad while Chris twirled his fork through his pasta with lazy elegance. But gradually, the conversation shifted.

Chris started talking about the restaurant itself, complimenting the cozy ambiance and how Ivy seemed to have built a successful business.

Claire found herself nodding, even offering a few insights about running a company and the pressure it brought.

As the meal progressed, Claire noticed herself relaxing—just a little.

The conversation shifted to other topics as they ate—discussions about work, travel, and small anecdotes from Chris's, Ivy's and Emma's college days.

Claire found herself relaxing, the tension gradually ebbing away. Chris was surprisingly easy to talk to. His charm, though infuriating, wasn't entirely unpleasant.

By the time they finished their meal, Claire caught herself almost smiling. But she quickly reined it in. She couldn't trust men who were too smooth with words.

Chris noticed her guarded expression returning and set his glass down. "You know, you can relax around me, Claire. I'm not trying to play games."

She raised a brow. "Aren't you? Because this whole fake meeting felt pretty manipulative to me," she said looking at him.

Chris sighed but didn't deny it. "I get it. You're careful. That's fine. But I'm patient."

Claire's gaze narrowed. "Well, don't wait too long. I don't fall for sweet words, Chris. Especially not from men like you."

Chris simply smiled, raising his glass in a silent toast. "Challenge accepted," he said, his mind replaying her words.

What did she mean by men like him and what had she been through to keep her this guarded? He'd find out soon enough.