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Audrey blinked in surprise, her eyes shifting between Triston and Branden. The implication of his words seemed to hang in the air, thick and mysterious. She frowned slightly, not sure if Triston was speaking seriously or just teasing.
“Related?” Audrey repeated, still processing the comment. “What do you mean, Triston?” She looked between him and Branden, who remained unbothered, his expression unreadable.
Triston leaned back casually in his seat, but there was a playful gleam in his eyes. “Well, it’s just a thought,” he said with a knowing smirk. “I’m sure you and Branden have a lot to talk about these days, with your family being so… connected. Don’t you think?”
Audrey’s confusion deepened, and she glanced at Branden, trying to gauge his reaction. But Branden didn’t seem to care for the conversation, his gaze far away, almost detached. Audrey didn’t know what to make of Triston’s words.
Her mind quickly returned to her initial thought—was Triston hinting at something more? Something she wasn’t aware of? A connection between her family and Branden’s? Audrey’s heart skipped a beat at the possibility, but she quickly dismissed the idea. It was more likely Triston was just playing around, as usual.
“Triston, stop joking around,” Audrey said lightly, trying to shake off the tension in the air. “You know, with the way you talk, you could easily start rumors.” She gave him a playful shove, but inside, she felt a mix of curiosity and uncertainty.
Catherine, who had been quietly watching the exchange, couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. She had already sensed the subtle tension between the people around her. Audrey seemed genuinely confused, but Branden… Branden, however, appeared unfazed, as if he had no interest in engaging with any of the dynamics unfolding. The air between them had a strange, unspoken quality to it.
But it was Catherine’s moment of quiet observation that caught Branden’s attention. He had noticed her glance, a fleeting moment that seemed too calculated to ignore. She was more than just a silent participant at the table—she was someone who took everything in, processed it with sharp precision, and responded only when necessary.
Catherine’s cold, composed demeanor made her an enigma, one that intrigued Branden far more than the playful banter Triston and Audrey were engaged in. The way Catherine moved, the way she interacted, or rather didn’t interact, with the world—it was all different. She wasn’t easily swayed, and that alone made her stand out in a way that Branden found… compelling.
“Do you enjoy eating in silence?” Triston joked, trying to break the tension again. He was starting to feel the weight of the silence between Branden and Catherine, and he could sense that Audrey was growing a little uncomfortable too.
Catherine merely shrugged in response, her expression neutral. “I don’t mind. The food speaks for itself.”
“Is that so?” Triston smiled, clearly entertained by her bluntness. “Well, I suppose we can all enjoy this silence together.” He looked over at Audrey, silently suggesting that they let the food do the talking.
Audrey, trying to keep the atmosphere light, nodded in agreement. “Let’s just enjoy the meal, then.”
Branden finally broke his silence, his voice low and steady. “I didn’t expect this place to be so… lively.”
He had a way of speaking that made every word feel important, even when it was something as simple as a comment on the ambiance of a restaurant. Audrey smiled at the way he spoke, but Catherine wasn’t fooled. She could feel the tension still lingering in the air, an invisible thread binding the group, pulling them closer into something unspoken.
As the conversation drifted back to mundane topics, Catherine couldn’t help but wonder what Branden was really thinking. He had a quiet confidence that made him hard to read, but there was something about him—something in the way he watched her—that made her uneasy. Was it curiosity? Or something more?
For now, all she could do was eat and keep her thoughts to herself. She wasn’t here to get entangled in their personal lives, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that her arrival in this city, and in their lives, had stirred up more than just a few ripples. And she wasn’t sure yet whether that was a good thing or not.
But as Triston continued to chat, and Audrey tried to ease the silence with more enthusiastic conversation, Catherine knew one thing for certain—things were definitely going to get more complicated.