Chapter 0082
Judy’s POV
“Judy?” Irene’s voice cut through my thoughts just as we were passing their table.
I forced a smile, trying to ignore the burning gaze of Ethan, who was staring at me from across the table.
“Hello, Irene,” I said politely.
“It is you!” Irene said, her voice sounding strained, as if she couldn’t believe her eyes. “What are you doing here? I didn’t know you liked places like this.”
Walter’s arm draped around my shoulders possessively, and suddenly, Irene seemed to perk up, as if noticing him for the first time.
“Wallie, are you two on a date?” She asked him, her tone shifting to one of sudden interest.
Walter grinned at his cousin, completely unfazed.
“We are,” he answered smoothly.
My cheeks burned. I didn’t expect him to be so open about it. What if Irene told Gavin that she saw us here together? The thought made my stomach twist.
Irene turned to look at me, her eyes narrowing slightly but with an odd glint of approval.
“You’re a lucky lady,” she said, her voice strangely layered with something that felt like both admiration and suspicion. “My cousin is very picky when it comes to women he dates. You must be very special. Especially to go against father’s wishes.”
I awkwardly laughed. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
Walter smirked beside me.
“I would,” he said, his words making me blush even harder.
“If you’ll excuse us, Rena, our table is waiting.”
Irene nodded, waving us off with a gracious gesture.
I glanced at Ethan just before we turned away, and though he didn’t say anything, his eyes were filled with such animosity that it felt like daggers being thrown at my back. I swallowed hard, trying to push the unsettling feeling away, and followed Walter and the hostess to our table.
Though we were seated at a distance from Irene and Ethan, I couldn’t shake the feeling that they were still watching us. I sat down across from Walter, glancing at the menu the waitress handed to me.
“Your waitress will be right with you,” she said, her eyes never leaving Walter. When he gave her a polite nod, she blushed, a small smile playing at her lips. She then winked at him as she walked away, her hips swaying with each step.
I pressed my lips together, trying to hide the knot of irritation in my stomach. It wasn’t that I was jealous—well, maybe I was a little—but it was more about the disrespect.
Walter noticed my shift in mood and cleared his throat, bringing me back to the moment.
“Get anything you want,” he told me, his voice warm. “Don’t worry about the prices.”
I smiled and nodded, scanning the menu. It was no surprise that everything was ridiculously expensive.
The waitress returned a moment later, and just like the hostess, her attention was solely focused on Walter.
“Hello, Mr. Landry,” she said, batting her long lashes at him. “It’s such an honor to serve you.” She placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it a little too familiarly and leaving it there just a beat too long. “You are even more handsome in person. I’m such a huge fan of yours.”
Walter frowned up at her, but surprisingly, he didn’t move her hand off his shoulder. The gesture bothered me more than I wanted to admit, and I couldn’t understand why he didn’t react to it.
“I appreciate that,” he said, forcing a smile, but his voice had an edge to it now. “Can you bring us your best bottle of wine? And what’s the specials for tonight?”
“The special is Ora King salmon on green tea soba noodles. Highly recommended. And our soup of the day is Mushroom Agnolotti with sweet potatoes and Kohlrabi.”
“Perfect. I’ll have them both,” he replied, glancing in my direction. “And for my date?”
The waitress barely spared me a glance, her eyes quickly turning to disdain, as though she just now noticed I was there. The thought stung, but I quickly pushed it aside, forcing a smile.
“I’ll have the soft-shell crab tempura ravioli,” I said softly, trying to focus on anything but the way she was treating me.
She wrote it down without a word and then ran her long fingers up the back of Walter’s neck, leaning in far too close.
“I’ll be back with your order, handsome,” she purred, before winking at him and walking away.
I frowned, my gaze lingering on her retreating back. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my chest.
Turning my attention back to Walter, I couldn’t help but ask, “Are you accustomed to women flirting with you like that?”
He frowned, clearly confused.
“Yes,” he said, as though it was an unavoidable reality. “I don’t really notice it anymore. Was she that bad?”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Her hands were all over you,” I said, my tone more biting than I intended, whispering harshly.
Walter’s face fell as he processed my words.
“I guess I just ignore it,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, a frown deepening. “Did it bother you?”
“I felt a little disrespected, to be honest,” I said, staring down at my empty plate.
Walter’s expression softened immediately. He reached out, gently taking my hand in his, his thumb brushing across my knuckles. I lifted my gaze to meet his, and in his eyes, I saw nothing but sincerity.
“I’m so sorry, Judy. I never meant to make you feel like that—especially tonight. When she comes back, I’ll make it clear she needs to keep her hands to herself. I never want you to feel uncomfortable.”
I could tell he genuinely meant it. The fact that he hadn’t even noticed the flirting made me realize that perhaps it wasn’t his fault—it was just a part of his life. I took a deep breath, feeling my attitude and expression soften.
“You’re a good-looking guy, Walter. Women are bound to flirt with you. I can’t fault you for that.” I paused. “I just wasn’t a fan of the way they looked at me.”
He nodded in understanding.
“I get that,” he said quietly. “And I’ll make it clear to them that you’re with me, and they need to show you respect.”
I blushed at his words, shaking my head.
“You don’t need to make a scene,” I said, squeezing his hand in return. “Thank you for listening to me.”
He smiled gently, his eyes warm with affection.
“I’ll always listen to you,” he promised, his voice soft. “And I’ll do my best to fix any concerns you have. That’s the kind of man I am.”
