âI donât know why youâve got such a bee in your bonnet about her. Sheâs interviewed your and hung out with you. Shouldnât you have a better read on who she is than I do?â
âYeah, precisely because she interviewed me, I know how unreliable she is. Weâve been working together for nearly half a month, and she hasnât even handed in a first draft. Do you really think that makes her a dependable journalist?
Look Nolan, I have my reasons for what I said about Regina. If she were as great as you claim, wouldnât she take her job more seriously? Turns out, sheâs just a trust fund baby living off daddyâs dime.
And now that youâre in the picture, of course, sheâs going to sweet-talk you for her fatherâs sake.â
Nolan instinctively wanted to defend Regina. Sheâd been so diligent, chasing interviews and gathering material; it was impossible she hadnât submitted her piece yet.
Maybe there was a mix-up with the workload. But as he met Dahliaâs gaze, he lost his urge. to argue.
He knew heâd only dig himself deeper. If Dahlia had already planted seeds of doubt about Regina, nothing he said would make a difference.
And he wasnât even interested in the movie anymore. If he could, heâd extricate himself from this situation entirely.
Dahlia, her eyes brimming like twin pools, tried another tactic. âDo you remember how she lied to you about getting that seat I saved for you? How can someone who lies like that be straightforward?â
âLetâs drop it, okay? Didnât we come to watch a movie? Why keep talking about someone else?â
Nolanâs tone was indifferent, showing no desire to continue discussing Regina. Seeing Dahliaâs persistence, his voice took on a stern edge. âWeâre here to watch a film, not to talk about her.â
âYou⦠Fine, fine, we wonât talk about it. Letâs just go upstairs.â Dahlia sensed Nolanâs impatience and softened her approach. But behind his back, she bit her lip in frustration.
How had that woman caught his eye? Why was he looking at her differently?
She had always assumed that, good or bad, whatever happened between them was their business alone.
Nolan had always seemed untouchable, and she firmly believed that one day, she would regain her place by his side..
But now she felt a sense of crisis; he was capable of taking a liking to another woman.
It looked like she needed to get the scoop on this Regina. For now, sheâd set her worries aside, quickening her pace to loop her arm through Nolanâs.
Dahliaâs voice was sugary sweet. âI heard about this movie a few months back when I was abroad. It was all the rage, but I was too busy to see it. Now that itâs out here, Iâve finally found the time.â
Regina intentionally stretched out her time at home, wanting to suss out Imogenâs attitude. a bit more.
The Tanner family always maintained a âno talk at the dinner tableâ rule, but with Reginal home for a rare meal, Francis was more than happy to chat with his daughter.
âDad, have you ever heard of a guy named Domingo?â
Imogenâs grip on her fork paused, her body giving a shiver, and the spoon clattered onto the table with a sharp ring.
Francis turned his head, a curious look on his face.
âOops, accidentally dropped my spoon. Winnie, could you grab me another?â