The IVF Secret That Shook a Dynasty novel Chapter 286

Joseph expertly navigated through the crowd to an empty table, pulling out a chair for her.

“This place is famous for its seafood soup,” he said, handing her a menu. “We can share a pot, and you can see what other dishes you’d like.”

Vivica opened the menu and her eyes widened slightly. She should have known; prices in Sydville were steep. A single pot of seafood soup started at a few hundred, and the other dishes, while exquisitely presented, were easily two or three hundred each. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford it, but it was still a bit of a shock.

“You must come here often, so you probably know what’s good. Why don’t you order? It’s on me,” she said with a smile, handing the menu back to him.

Joseph grinned. “Listen to you, talking like a woman of means. ‘It’s on me.’”

Vivica pouted slightly. “Well, you came all this way to see me late at night. The least I can do is buy you a late-night snack.”

His smile deepened. “From the moment we met tonight, that’s the first sensible thing you’ve said.”

Vivica was speechless. “And you’re still not saying anything nice,” she muttered.

Joseph looked up from the menu. “What do you want to hear? Tell me, and I’ll say it right now.”

“No, that’s okay,” she replied with a touch of defiance.

Joseph flagged down a waiter and ordered four dishes. Vivica stopped him. “That’s enough. We can’t eat too much this late, or we won’t be able to sleep. Even with Roderic joining us, this is plenty.”

“Alright.” Joseph closed the menu, handed it to the waiter, and then picked up the pot to refill her empty cup. “As if he’d be clueless enough to crash our party,” he remarked casually.

Vivica froze. So, this was a date? A late-night rendezvous in a city where no one knew them, with nothing to worry about.

The thought was actually quite appealing. Vivica began to relax. Thinking back to their chaotic meeting at the hotel, she couldn’t help but suppress a laugh.

Joseph noticed her trying to hide her smile and immediately knew what she was thinking. “You know, that was the first time I’ve ever been shoved back into a car,” he said coolly.

“That’s not true,” Vivica corrected him immediately. “I didn’t push your head, I pushed your shoulder.”

“Same difference.”

She bit her lip, the image of that moment still making her want to laugh. “Okay, I was a little impulsive. I’m sorry.”

“So, does this mean you have no intention of making our relationship public?” Joseph asked, smoothly transitioning to the heart of the matter.

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