Stella found the conversation between the two men amusing, their banter light-hearted and entertaining. Her laughter bubbled up, a genuine response to the fun exchange. There was nothing more to it—just a moment of amusement.
However, when the man in front of her caught sight of her laughing, he suddenly lost his composure, his eyes locking onto her. Even Roger, sitting beside him, noticed the shift in the air.
“Professor Hall,” Roger said with a frown, his tone slightly accusing. “Why are you staring at my sister?”
The man quickly snapped out of his trance and looked at Stella, an apologetic look in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said, the apology genuine but awkward.
Stella’s smile faded. She shot her brother a look and snapped, “Don’t be rude!”
Straightening up, she turned her attention back to Justin Hall. “Thank you for looking out for us, Professor Hall,” she said politely. “Please, allow me to pay for this meal.”
She had initially planned to take a walk with Roger after dinner, but they had unexpectedly run into Roger’s college professor. Roger had taken some semesters off due to his illness, and Justin had been instrumental in helping him catch up. Through this, Stella had gotten to know Justin well enough and formed a favorable impression of him. Justin had always been kind, checking in on Roger’s well-being both academically and personally. His attentiveness had earned Stella’s respect, but the strange incident earlier made her feel a little uneasy. She now wondered if Justin had any other intentions.
Justin, however, smiled, refusing her offer. “No, I insist,” he said, his smile warm and sincere. “I’m your brother’s professor! How could I let my own student pay for my meal?”
“But it’s just a simple meal,” Stella protested again.
“No,” Justin insisted, his tone firm but friendly. With practiced ease, he donned a fresh pair of disposable gloves and, with a casual motion, peeled the shell off a shrimp before placing it on Stella’s plate. “It’s still early,” he continued. “Why don’t we take a walk by the river after we eat?”
Stella exchanged a glance with Roger, both silently debating what to do. Stella shook her head politely. “I’m sorry, Professor Hall…”
Justin’s smile faltered slightly as he seemed to realize something. “Ah, it seems I’ve misunderstood the situation,” he said, chuckling lightly. “I was staring at you earlier simply because I thought you looked really pretty in that brief moment. It was just an appreciation of your beauty—nothing more. I have no other intentions, and I apologize if I made you uncomfortable. I won’t do it again.”
His explanation left Stella momentarily speechless. She hadn’t expected him to clarify so openly, and his sincerity made her hesitate. The tension that had been hanging in the air began to dissipate, and Stella wasn’t sure what to say. Justin, sensing the awkwardness, quickly tried to smooth things over.
“I just remembered that I have some work to do,” he said with a sheepish smile. “I’ll have to send you home after the meal.”
Though he had originally intended to take them to a fancier restaurant, Justin knew better than to expect them to agree to that. He had learned over time that Roger and Stella preferred places like this, more humble and down-to-earth.
Roger suddenly put down his utensils, his voice subdued. “I’m full,” he muttered, clearly less enthusiastic about the evening than before.
It was clear that Roger wasn’t fond of how things had unfolded, especially given that Justin had shown an interest in his sister. What had once been a pleasant encounter now left a sour taste in his mouth. With that, the meal came to an end.
Justin saw the two siblings off to their apartment building, walking them to the entrance. After they had gone up to their rooms, Justin lingered for a moment downstairs before getting into his car and driving off.
None of them noticed the expensive luxury car parked under the tree across the street. It remained there even after Justin left, a small cluster of cigarette butts scattered on the ground near it.
Inside the car, Weston leaned against the door, his mind swirling with conflicting emotions. His gaze was fixed on the man who had walked Stella and Roger to their building but hadn’t gone up with them. The discomfort in Weston’s chest grew as he tugged at his collar, trying to breathe more easily.
When he saw the lights flicker on in the room upstairs, he flicked his cigarette away, his thoughts becoming clearer. Without hesitation, he climbed into his car and immediately picked up his phone.
“I need the background information on a man,” Weston ordered, his voice calm but laced with an edge.
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