Chapter 63

Aria

“Want to have lunch with me?”

Tracy offered me a kind, warm smile as I looked up at her. Honestly, I was a bit surprised that she was asking me out to lunch today. After what happened yesterday, I sort of assumed that she was mad at me or disappointed with me.

“Are you sure?” I asked, half-expecting her to take it back or reveal that it was a cruel joke—that she hated me just as much as Arthur did.

But she raised her dark, perfectly manicured eyebrows and gestured toward the door. “Of course. It’s just lunch, Aria. Come on.”

I paused for a moment, still a bit shocked. But despite my reservations, I nodded. “Alright. Let me grab my things.”

A few minutes later, we were walking briskly through the city. Tracy chatted my ear off the whole time, talking about needing to stretch her legs; “I’m new to the city,” she said as we walked. “Not exactly used to feeling so… cramped.”

I knew that she was likely from their pack lands, of course—which meant that she was probably used to forests or sprawling hills or whatever their homeland looked like. But I couldn’t let her know that, so I just smiled and told her that she would get used to the concrete jungle eventually.

I was expecting to go to a cafe or a diner for lunch, but Tracy chose a restaurant that was much fancier than the ones I usually went to on my own. The moment we walked in, I felt a little out of place, but Tracy just moved through the room with a confidence and grace that I couldn’t help but be envious of. She fit in here effortlessly, like she belonged.

The hostess led us to a table by the window, and as soon as we sat down, Tracy wasted no time ordering a $10 bottle of sparkling water. She insisted that I try it, already pouring some into my glass. “Their water is better than some wines I’ve had,” she claimed with a chuckle.

When the waiter came by to take our orders, I tried to be subtle and look at the prices on the menu to find something cheap. Everything was way out of my budget, but before I could even decide, Tracy ordered for us both.

“Two club sandwiches, please,” she said. “Oh, and cups of soup with each.”

The waiter nodded as he jotted down our order, then glanced up at her. “Those come with fries, but the soup is extra…”

Tracy giggled. “Ah, what the hell. Let’s have the fries and the soup! I’m hungry today.”

As the waiter walked away, I couldn’t believe what had just happened. The bill was already racking up, and Tracy was even picking up the dessert menu to give it a scan before our food had arrived.

“Lunch is on me, by the way,” Tracy said without even looking at me. It was as if she read my mind.

“Are you sure?” I asked, feeling a little tightness in my chest.

“Absolutely. You can get the next one.”

I blushed a little, nodding. The next one. Meaning: we’ll go out again. Also meaning: I don’t hate you. Maybe my assumption that she had been upset with me after yesterday was unfounded.

As we waited for our food, Tracy settled into an easy conversation with me about work. Her smile was gentle and kind, her dark eyes soft and sparkling. No wonder Darren trusted her so much, when she looked like that. Hell, even if he was secretly madly in love with her, I couldn’t really blame him. I was a straight woman and even I couldn’t help but feel shy around her.

In fact, I even began to forget about what had happened yesterday. Surely she didn’t mean to—

“Aria, I wanted to apologize,” she said suddenly.

I blinked, caught off guard. “Apologize? For what?”

“For yesterday. I feel terrible if I made you feel small in front of everyone. I honestly thought you could handle that paperwork. It’s just… you seem so sharp and capable that I thought it would be a breeze for you.”

“Oh,” I said. Her words caught me off guard. “Well… thank you.” I glanced down, then looked back up at her with a small smile. “I appreciate that. I probably should’ve said something sooner if I needed help, anyway. I feel like I wasted everyone’s time by not being honest about my abilities.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “We all make mistakes.”

I felt a small weight lift from my shoulders. Tracy’s smile was warm, and I couldn’t help but feel… comforted. Maybe she really hadn’t meant to make me feel out of place after all.

Our food arrived shortly after, and Tracy kept the conversation light, asking about my role in the company and how I was settling in. She listened intently, nodding along as I spoke, her dark eyes rarely leaving mine.

But then, her gaze grew a little more serious. “You know,” she started, “I didn’t realize that no one knew about the degree thing. I assumed… well, I just assumed Darren would’ve mentioned it at some point.”

I felt myself tense up a little, but I forced a smile. “No, he… never mentioned it to anyone. Not as far as I’m aware, at least.” Maybe he should have. Maybe I should have.

Tracy’s lips pressed together, and she nodded thoughtfully. “Well, he must have his reasons,” she murmured, almost to herself. “I wouldn’t worry too much about what everyone else thinks, though. I’m sure they’re just jealous.”

“Jealous?” I repeated, trying not to sound too incredulous. “Of what, exactly?”

She shrugged. “You’re close to Darren. You’re competent. And even if you don’t have a degree, you obviously have his trust,” she said smoothly. “It’s a rare combination. And sometimes, people just like to find faults in others when they feel threatened.”

I let her words sink in, feeling a strange warmth bloom in my chest. It was hard to believe that anyone would be jealous of me, the human with no degree and a shitty upbringing, but Tracy made it sound so… simple.

Maybe she was right. Although I didn’t like the thought of my peers being jealous of me, and I hoped she was wrong.

When we finished our meal, Tracy insisted on picking up the check, brushing off my offer to contribute with a casual wave of her hand. We left the restaurant, laughing and talking like old friends as we made our way back to the office. A weight felt like it had been lifted off my shoulders.

But the moment we stepped through the doors, the atmosphere shifted again. I felt the familiar stares on me, the subtle looks that people tried to disguise as they whispered behind their hands.

I shot a glance over at Lily as I made my way back to my desk, hoping for some form of acknowledgment, a smile, anything. And she did acknowledge me.

But not in the way I had hoped.

As I passed, she glanced up from her computer screen for the briefest of moments. Her eyes flicked to me, then to Tracy, then to me again.

I could practically feel the judgment radiating off of her in waves. But whatever it was that she was thinking, she didn’t say it out loud—just huffed and returned to her work. And I didn’t have the heart to ask.

As the day wound to a close, I began gathering my things, casting one last hopeful glance over at Lily. Maybe she had relaxed a little by now, or maybe she would even walk out with me like she used to.

I took a deep breath, putting on a smile. “Bye, Lily,” I called softly.

She didn’t even look up. She simply grabbed her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and walked away without a word.