Chapter 390 No Holds Barred
Dalton had reserved the entirety of the restaurant for the evening. His initial plan had been to send a car to collect Mia, but she had declined his offer. He didn't press the matter, content with the prospect of seeing her in person.
Arriving early, he took a seat and waited patiently until he spotted Mia and Ava coming into view. Upon their arrival, he immediately rose from his seat, waving in their direction. "I'm here."
Mia's gaze met his, her eyes pausing on his figure, a myriad of complex emotions flickering within them. It was as if she had been caught off guard, but she quickly regained her composure.
With confident strides, she advanced towards him, the click of her high heels echoing in the silence. Ava trailed behind her, a hint of nervousness evident in her demeanor.
As Mia and Dalton came face to face, an intense aura enveloped them. It was as if they were on the brink of a confrontation, the tension palpable in the air. Mia's demeanor was icy, while Ava stood behind her, resembling a timid lamb.
Dalton's gaze remained fixed on Mia, a faint smile playing on his lips, his eyes filled with unspoken sentiments. "Ms. Mia, hello. Finally, we meet," he extended his hand for a handshake.
Mia's icy gaze flickered to his outstretched hand, but she didn't reciprocate immediately. Dalton's hand lingered in the air for an awkward ten seconds before Mia finally extended hers, giving it a brief shake before swiftly withdrawing it.
Her actions were laced with a hint of deliberate rudeness, seemingly expressing her displeasure. Dalton, observing Mia's attitude, surmised that she was probably aware of his threat to Ava.
"Ms. Mia, please have a seat," Dalton courteously pulled out a chair for her. His bodyguard did the same for Ava. Once they were seated, Dalton gestured for the others in the room to leave, only summoning the waiter over.
"Let's order first. Feel free to choose whatever you like, no need to be polite with me. The food here is quite good."
The waiter distributed three menus. Mia barely glanced at hers before closing it and handing it back. "Ava, you can order. I'll have whatever you choose."
Ava nodded in agreement. "Alright."
Dalton also closed his menu, a faint smile gracing his lips as he spoke, "Then let Ms. Anderson decide. I'm still unsure about the relationship between you two. You look like mother and daughter."
"You're right," Mia said, "Ava is indeed my daughter."
Dalton's smile faltered for a moment. "Is that so? That's wonderful. You have a thoughtful daughter. Ms. Anderson appears gentle, much more so than my own daughter. It seems she inherited Ms. Mia's genes."
"That's probably not something she inherited," Mia replied, her tone assertive. "Ava is not my biological daughter; she is my son's ex-wife. However, even after their divorce, we consider her family. She is like a daughter to me."
"Your son's ex-wife?" Dalton seemed taken aback.
"That's correct," Mia confirmed. "But even after the divorce, she remains a part of the Mitchell family, with no change. She has everything that the Mitchell family possesses."
Mia's words were a clear assertion of Ava's status, a warning against any who might look down on her. Dalton nodded in understanding.
"I see, Ms. Anderson has been married before." He surmised that William must have known about this too.
Ava gave a faint smile, choosing to remain silent. Mia noticed Ava's discomfort and addressed Dalton, "Mr. Bennett, aren't you here to meet with me? Why do you keep staring at my daughter? Tell me, what's on your mind?"
