Chapter 618 - 614: The Carefully Selected Restaurant

Zelda Warner was surprised to run into Emeric Grant here of all places. "Are you here to visit someone, too?"

This was a prison, after all. There was usually only one reason for outsiders to come here: to visit an inmate.

Emeric Grant looked taken aback for a moment, then shook his head with a smile. "No, I’m with Cecilia."

A surprised look crossed Zelda Warner’s face as she turned to Cecilia, who simply nodded. "I brought him."

Duane observed their expressions from the side, silently enjoying the unfolding drama.

It was Zelda Warner who reacted first. She was well past the age of being naive and clueless about the world. Looking at the pair in front of her, she knew at once that their relationship was clearly no longer what it once was.

A knowing smile appeared on her face. Zelda looked at Cecilia and said, "You should have told me! If I’d known you two had plans today, I wouldn’t have asked you to come over."

"Seeing my brother is important, too."

Zelda Warner sighed softly, then glanced at the time. "The timing is actually perfect. If you head back Downtown now, you can make it for lunch. Duane and I won’t get in your way."

"Alright. Duane, please take Zelda, Alex, and Phoebe home."

Cecilia didn’t say anything more. After all, this was the start of her date with Emeric Grant.

Zelda Warner reached out and gently squeezed Cecilia’s arm, her eyes filled with warm approval as she urged, "Go on, have fun."

She had long considered herself part of Cecilia’s family, looking out for her. In Zelda’s eyes, Emeric Grant was a great guy and a perfect match for Cecilia.

Back in the car, Cecilia looked at Emeric and asked, "So, for our first date... did you make any plans ahead of time?"

"Of course," Emeric said softly. "I don’t have much experience with this, but I wanted to plan it out. I hope you’ll like it."

"So, where are we off to now?"

"Back Downtown for lunch. I remember you said you like Chinese food, and there’s a restaurant there that’s supposed to be excellent. I’ve already booked a table."

Since their destination was different, they took another route back.

This route, however, was one Cecilia knew well.

She had invested heavily in Sunstone District, acquiring dozens of companies and factories, most of which were concentrated in this very area.

As they drove, she saw the hotel she had bought from Julian Summers, now undergoing renovations that were in full swing.

She also passed the stalled construction project she had taken over as a joint venture with Mr. Young, which was now finally being completed.

"I grew up in Sunstone District."

Emeric suddenly said, looking out the window, "Lorcain was already prosperous back then, but I feel like the gap between the districts wasn’t as obvious. Now, it’s clear Sunstone District’s development has really stagnated. It’s been the same for years, with no real changes."

"Then again, Sunstone District used to have a lot of factories, providing hundreds of thousands of jobs for the city. But that’s also precisely why the district itself couldn’t develop."

"Now a lot of those factories have shut down, which just makes the area feel even more desolate and run-down."

Hearing the hint of melancholy in Emeric’s voice, Cecilia remarked, "You’re quite the nostalgic."

"Not really nostalgic. I guess the old scenery is just stirring up some feelings. I’m usually so busy, it’s been a long time since I’ve been to Sunstone District."

Cecilia took out her phone and opened her calendar. ’Her memories of her past life were already getting hazy, and since her return, the timing and trajectory of many events had diverged from what she remembered.’

’She had a hunch that a major transformation was coming to Sunstone District very soon.’

「Aetherium」

As Emeric’s car pulled into a parking spot in front of Aetherium, it dawned on Cecilia that the excellent Chinese restaurant he’d mentioned was the one right here.

And as one of its shareholders and owners, she knew the restaurant quite well.

The Chinese restaurant here was a "Black Pearl Double Diamond" establishment, with a very high price per person.

"Have you been here before?" Emeric suddenly asked, looking at Cecilia.

Cecilia looked at him and nodded truthfully. "A few times. The food here really is excellent."

"Oh, really? This is actually my first time!" Emeric said, naturally taking her hand. "In that case, you can play host, and I’ll pay."

Cecilia smiled without a word, letting him lead her through the doors of Aetherium.

They took the elevator straight up to the Chinese restaurant. It was just before the main lunch rush, and a few tables in the main dining hall were already occupied.

The staff members were certainly no strangers to Cecilia, but they didn’t rashly expose her identity. Instead, they tactfully waited for her to speak first.

Cecilia remained silent, so Emeric spoke up. "I have a reservation. Mr. Grant, for two."

"One moment, please." The host found Emeric’s reservation in the system and looked up. "Mr. Grant, we have a window seat reserved for you today."

As he spoke, his eyes instinctively flickered toward Cecilia. Seeing that Miss Sterling remained silent, he asked tentatively, "Would you two prefer a private room for more privacy?"

Private rooms came with a minimum charge, and a very high one at that.

But the host cleverly added, "There’s no minimum charge for private rooms during weekday lunches."

Hearing this, Emeric glanced at Cecilia for her opinion.

Cecilia gave the host a small smile and said, "No, that’s alright. The original window seat in the main hall is perfect."

The host said no more and gestured for them to follow. "Mr. Grant, Miss Sterling, this way, please. Watch your step."

Emeric frowned slightly, looking at Cecilia in confusion. "How did he know your last name is Sterling?"

"I’ve been here a few times. Is it really that surprising that someone so beautiful would be remembered?"

"Fair point."

Emeric didn’t give it much more thought and followed along, holding Cecilia’s hand.

After they were seated, Emeric took in the restaurant’s ambiance and the excellent view from their table. Only then did he relax, satisfied with his choice.

Observing his reaction, Cecilia couldn’t help but tease, "What? Feeling good about your choice of restaurant?"

Emeric smiled and nodded candidly. "This really isn’t my forte. I looked at online reviews, compared the average cost, and finally picked this one since it was a bit pricier. I figured that would lower the chances of things going wrong."

"You don’t have to be so careful. I agreed to go on a date with you simply because I wanted to go on a date with you."

"I know, but since it’s our first date, I wanted to do it right."

He handed the menu to Cecilia, gallantly letting her do the ordering.

When they were a "couple for a day," they had shared their likes and dislikes. Cecilia remembered everything perfectly, so she avoided anything Emeric didn’t eat, disliked, or was allergic to. She carefully chose four dishes and a soup that would suit both of their tastes.

"Emeric?"

Just then, two young, fashionable women suddenly approached their table. One of them, a woman with long hair, stared at Emeric in shock, her eyes wide. "It really is you!"

As she spoke, her gaze instinctively fell upon Cecilia, who was sitting across from him.

Emeric was clearly surprised to see her as well, but he maintained a calm expression as he replied, "Fiona!"