Back in the dining room.
Nearly twenty minutes had passed, and Serena still hadn't returned. Christan was already growing impatient.
Lounging in his chair with one leg crossed over the other, he scoffed, "Grandpa, your esteemed guest has been in there forever. Maybe she got embarrassed and slipped away."
Grandpa Bryan shot him a glare. "What did I just tell you? Did you forget already?"
"I didn't forget," Christan drawled. "Be polite to Miss Knowles. Respect her. And if I can't manage that, keep my mouth shut."
He leaned forward, glancing in the direction of the restroom. "I can behave, but let's be honest here. She's the one keeping us waiting. Isn't that a bit rude on her part?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the restroom door clicked open.
Serena stepped out.
She returned to the dining room and offered Grandpa Bryan an apologetic nod. "Sorry to have kept you waiting. I was held up a bit."
Grandpa Bryan stared at her, completely speechless.
Christan turned to his assistant, who was gaping with his mouth wide open. The assistant elbowed him hard.
Snapping out of it, the assistant quickly averted his gaze, no longer daring to look at Serena.
Serena, calm as ever, took her seat, picked up her knife and fork, and smiled at the two men. "Shall we begin? I'm a little hungry."
"Uh... yes, please, Miss Knowles. Enjoy your meal!" Grandpa Bryan stammered, still clearly stunned.
Christan didn't pick up his utensils. He just smiled coldly and looked at Serena. "Miss Knowles, care to explain this?"
Serena turned to him, puzzled. "Hmm? I'm afraid I don't follow. What's there to explain? I'm here to eat."
"Eat? You smeared coal dust all over your face-what is this, a cry for attention or some kind of statement?"
Before she could reply, he continued, "If it's the former-congrats. Your look really redefined the word 'ugly.' If it's the latter-well, you wasted your time. I don't spare even a second of attention for unsightly things."
Serena clenched her knife and fork so hard they creaked. If she used a little more strength, she could probably snap them.
But she kept her smile. "You've misunderstood, Mr. Ryder. I have a skin allergy, so I applied some soothing ointment."
"Ointment?" Christan eyed her darkened face suspiciously. "What kind of ointment looks that awful?"
"It's a secret formula. Forgive me, but I can't share it with someone irrelevant."
She stressed the word irrelevant-the same label he'd given her earlier. Now she was simply returning the favor.
Christan blinked, clearly taken aback. He hadn't expected this 'ugly woman' to have such a sharp tongue.
Serena ignored him and turned to Grandpa Bryan. "Apologies, Grandpa Bryan. My allergy makes my skin itch terribly. I hope you don't mind me dining like this?"
Grandpa Bryan smiled awkwardly. "Of course not! But... Miss Knowles, since you only had some water after arriving and didn't eat anything, how did you have an allergic reaction?"
Realizing his question might seem suspicious, he quickly added, "I'm only asking out of concern. No offense meant."
Serena glanced at Christan. "True, I didn't eat much. But I have a very sensitive constitution. One of my worst allergens is... bad air."
"Bad air?" everyone echoed in unison, instinctively sniffing the air.
It smelled faintly of flowers-nothing odd or offensive.
Serena calmly sliced into her steak. "Oh, I didn't mean the air itself. Sometimes, it's the presence of certain negative factors that taint the atmosphere."
She popped a bite of steak into her mouth. "Mmm... delicious. Even cold, it's still tender and flavorful."
Christan's face darkened even more.
He sat silently, eyes locked on the table in front of him, gaze sharp as blades.
His assistant inched backward, holding his breath, deeply impressed by this 'ugly woman.'
Up until now, there were only two people who dared challenge Christan the Superstar-Xavier, the young master of the Blaze family, and now this woman, Miss Knowles, with her charcoal-covered face.
The tension in the room became palpable. Even Grandpa Bryan sensed something was off.
He glanced from Serena to Christan, lips parting as if to say something to ease the awkwardness... but in the end, he said nothing.
Meanwhile, Serena continued eating her steak leisurely, sipping her fine wine as though none of this concerned her.
A few minutes later, full and satisfied, she dabbed her lips with her napkin.
With a sigh of contentment, she said, "The flavor really lives up to the reputation. Your chef is excellent, Grandpa Bryan."
Grandpa Bryan, who had barely eaten a few bites himself, nodded awkwardly. "As long as you enjoyed it!"
"Enjoyed it? I loved it!" she beamed, then turned to Christan.
His steak was untouched, though his wine glass was nearly empty.
Pointing at his plate, she smiled brightly. "Mr. Ryder, are you going to eat that? If not, I could help you finish it."
His already dark expression soured further.
Seeing he didn't respond, Serena waved a hand. "If you're that attached to it, never mind."
Then she stood up and turned to Grandpa Bryan. "Thank you so much for hosting me tonight. I had a wonderful meal. Next time, it's my treat!"
As she stepped away from the table, she added, "I have something else to attend to, so I won't take up more of your time. Goodbye!"
And as she passed Christan, she didn't forget to offer a cheerful parting, "Mr. Ryder, until we meet again."
With that, she strutted out in her heels, hips swaying like a willow branch, leaving Christan seething behind her, practically breathing fire.
***