She spoke calmly, and Timothy York simply listened in silence.
Just as she finished, a sudden BEEP came from the main entrance.
The power was back on.
A staff member hurried in. "Miss Thorne, I'm so sorry. We just realized there was an issue with the power in this area. Are you two alright?"
"Getting to taste so many different wines at once could be considered a blessing in disguise." Summer Thorne slowly straightened up and smiled at Timothy York. "Wouldn't you agree, Mr. York?"
"It was all just happenstance." Timothy York slowly rose to his feet, giving her another glance. "Don't worry about it."
The two of them took the elevator back to their private room. Timothy York had several missed calls on his phone.
Summer Thorne gave him space to return the calls, heading downstairs on her own to pay the bill.
She had just paid at the front desk when she turned and saw Charles—her professor's husband and the owner of the wine cellar—walking in from outside.
The ever-enthusiastic man came forward and gave her a hug. "Long time no see!"
It really had been a long time.
This was the first time Summer Thorne had been back since graduating from college.
So she warmly returned the hug, laughing softly. "Thank you for letting us use your wine cellar."
Just as Timothy York stepped out of the elevator, he saw the scene unfold.
Summer Thorne's smile was radiant.
As Timothy York's indifferent gaze swept over them, Summer Thorne saw him too.
She released her embrace with Charles and was about to say something to Timothy when his phone rang again.
He answered the call and started walking out of the lobby.
Outside was a meticulously arranged art wall, where a man was holding up his phone to take a picture of his wife and daughter.
Timothy York stopped walking and ended his call.
The man glanced back, his face lighting up with surprise the moment he saw Timothy. "Mr. York, what a coincidence. Are you having dinner here as well?"
It was Shane Walsh, the vice president of York Group.
Timothy York acknowledged him with a brief sound.
Shane Walsh glanced behind him. "Are you alone?"
Just as he said that, Summer Thorne walked out.
For a second, a clear flicker of shock crossed Shane Walsh's eyes. He looked from Summer Thorne to Timothy York, but he quickly regained his composure and greeted her with a smile. "Mrs. Crawford, hello."
Summer Thorne smiled faintly. "Mr. Walsh, hello."
Alarm bells screamed in Shane Walsh's mind. He looked at Timothy York and asked, almost unconsciously, "Mr. York, were you having dinner with Mrs. Crawford?"
It was a perfectly ordinary question, yet neither Timothy York nor Summer Thorne answered right away.
Just then, a young man walked over from the direction of the parking lot, breaking the strange silence. "Mr. Walsh, what a coincidence!"
His voice was clear and bright. Summer Thorne recognized him as Timothy York's assistant, Ivan Gray.
"Ivan, you're here too?" Shane Walsh asked with a laugh.
"I am." Ivan Gray, holding a bag, replied, "Mr. York is having dinner with a friend from Eurenia, and I forgot the gift he'd prepared. I had to rush over to deliver it."
Shane Walsh seemed to relax upon hearing this. He gave Summer Thorne a slightly embarrassed glance before turning back to Timothy York. "Well, I won't keep you then, Mr. York. We'll be on our way."
With that, he led his wife and daughter toward the parking lot.
Ivan Gray shoved the bag into Timothy York's hands. "I actually have something to ask Mr. Walsh, so I'll go catch up with him."
After saying this, he shot a quick glance at Summer Thorne before turning and hurrying off.
Summer Thorne stood in silence for another moment before slowly walking forward. Watching Ivan Gray's retreating figure, she said in a low voice, "Your assistant is certainly clever and quick-witted, Mr. York. It's a good thing he showed up when he did. Otherwise, that could have been difficult to explain."
Timothy York casually placed the bag on a nearby ledge and asked nonchalantly, "What would have been difficult to explain?"
Summer Thorne was silent for a moment before saying slowly, "It's my fault. I was so focused on thanking you, Mr. York, that I didn't consider I might be damaging your reputation."
"The innocent have nothing to hide," Timothy York said.
Summer Thorne lowered her gaze and let out a small laugh. "If the innocent had nothing to hide, Mr. Gray wouldn't have shown up so opportunely just now. I'm sorry. I was being thoughtless."
After a moment, she looked up with a smile. "Regardless, thank you. I really mean it."
Timothy York's gaze was deep as he simply watched her.
"Ever since my family's troubles began, I've been hitting dead ends everywhere. You're the only one, Mr. York, who has helped me again and again."
"It's only natural for people to look out for themselves. It's a testament to your grace and character that you even came to this dinner. But I forgot about my own awkward position, my terrible reputation... I'm so sorry for getting you mixed up in this."
She looked at him calmly, her gaze shimmering as she desperately tried to hide the dejection and brokenness deep within her eyes.
"I'll be more careful from now on. I'll do my best not to cause you any more trouble, Mr. York. Thank you. I had a wonderful time tonight. Goodbye."
Without another word, Summer Thorne turned and walked away.
As she cut through the parking lot, Ivan Gray was watching Shane Walsh's car drive away. He saw her figure in the distance and glanced back, puzzled, only to see Timothy York already getting into his own car.
Ivan Gray quickly got in as well. The moment he shut the door, he could feel the heavy atmosphere in the car.
"Why did Miss Thorne leave on her own?" Ivan Gray couldn't help but ask. "She didn't drive here. We could have given her a ride."
Timothy York stared out the window, lost in thought.
Ivan Gray tried again. "Was it because of Shane Walsh? I watched his car leave. I don't think he was suspicious."
Timothy York still didn't respond.
"And another thing about Miss Thorne... I even told her you don't like eating out, so why did she still pick a restaurant? And then we just had to run into Shane Walsh."
"What did he say?" Timothy York finally pulled his gaze from the window and asked.
Shane Walsh, though not yet forty, was rigid and old-fashioned. His only saving grace was his unwavering loyalty.
Ivan Gray hesitated before speaking. "He said that even though running into Miss Thorne was probably an accident, he had to remind you not to get involved in the Sutton Family's mess. That's the Carrington Family's business, and the Carringtons and the Yorks have always been on the same side. He also said the old man has high hopes for you, and your every move represents the York Group, so you have to act with discretion. He pointed out that public opinion is very hostile toward Miss Thorne, so you must avoid her when necessary. You can't give anyone leverage to use against you or start rumors."
After relaying the message faithfully, Ivan Gray clamped his mouth shut.
After a long moment, a faint laugh came from the back seat.
Low and disdainful.
Utterly dismissive.