Their Villain, The Mogul's Beloved

Chapter 268

Chapter 268

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The group finally left the school. They followed Ethan through a maze of twists and turns until they arrived at a narrow alley. At the end of the alley stood a quaint, timeworn shop, its faded sign barely visible in the dim light.

Ethan led them inside, his enthusiasm evident as he began introducing the place.

He said, “Don’t let the shabby look fool you. This place is a hidden gem. Whenever Brian and I can’t figure out what to eat, we always come here. Trust me, even if you’re not hungry, you’ll find something you can’t resist.”

The dim glow of a distant streetlamp barely lit the narrow alley, where shadows danced across the cracked pavement. Zinnia glanced back at Lydia. She noticed that Lydia’s bangs covered most of her eyes, and she was also wearing glasses.

Concerned that Lydia might have trouble seeing, Zinnia offered, “Lydia, can you see alright? Watch your step. If it’s too dark, just grab my arm or something.”

“I’m fine,” Lydia said briskly.

Hearing this, Zinnia turned her focus back to the uneven path, completely missing the fleeting frustration in Lydia’s eyes.

Lydia clutched her books tightly, quickening her pace to keep up, her eyes fixed on the figures ahead.

“Hey, Alfred, Tessa!” Ethan called out as they stepped into the bustling restaurant.

The place was small, just about 215 to 323 square feet, but owning a spot like this in the prime real estate of Jinston was no small accomplishment.

“Ethan, you’re here! Go ahead and find a seat. The menu’s on the table; you can order directly from there,” Tessa’s voice rang out from the kitchen.

“Got it. You do your thing; we’ll find a spot,” Ethan replied with a nod, scanning the room for available seats.

It was peak lunchtime, and most of the tables were already taken. Eventually, Ethan led them to a window-side table, a spot Tessa and Alfred had thoughtfully reserved for them.

“You get them seated; I’ll grab the chairs,” Brian said to Ethan.

“Alright, we’ll sit over there,” Ethan said, guiding the group. He grabbed a chair and set it down, making sure the three girls had enough seats. Then he said, “If you want to order, just scan the QR code on the table. It’s super easy.”

The table was square-shaped. Zinnia and Maisie sat together on one side, while Lydia sat on Zinnia’s other side. Soon, Brian returned with two more chairs, and he and Ethan took the remaining seats on the opposite side.

“Zinnia, what looks good to you?” Maisie asked, holding up her phone.

pumpkin pies on the screen. When Zinnia and

He said, “Zinnia, you’ve got an eye for good food. These pumpkin pies are the real deal.

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crispy shell and a soft, fluffy center that melts in your mouth. They’re so popular that they’re always in

the picture of the pumpkin pies and quietly snapped a photo with

popular the pumpkin pies were, Tessa had thoughtfully included

Maisie said, placing

among the first customers at the shop and managed to snag

you all want to drink?

handled everything,

Maisue

Zinnia said

water,

hadn’t known each other for long, their conversations were relaxed

tight. I’ll be right back,”

Ethan couldn’t carry all

first, carrying the coconut milk and water. He handed the coconut milk to

your coconut milk.”

Zinnia said, accepting the drink with both

and I’ll pour you another,” Ethan

different drinks. Some were kept in insulated containers, so one

here’s your water,” Ethan said, placing a glass of warm

then, Brian came back. He handed the orange juice to Maisie. Then he tossed a can of cola

He had a bottle of milk tucked

to catch the can, nearly dropping it in the process. He said, “Take it easy, Brian. You

out?”

shot Ethan a glance and sat down without a

long, Tessa arrived with the first dish. She was a kind-looking woman with a gentle

plate of golden pumpkin pies. The golden pumpkin pies were arranged on a white porcelain plate. The warm, sweet aroma of fresh pumpkin filled the air, a comforting scent that was worlds

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Chapter 268

artificial flavors.