Have Lunch
Rowan’s eyes shifted again, from me to Larry, and then back to me.
His gaze on me made my skin crawl, but before I could make any sort of escape, he spoke again.
“So,” Rowan started, his tone measured, “about the money.”
My heart sank, and I instinctively tightened my grip on Larry’s hand.
Of course. The money.
He hadn’t come here just to see who was behind the strange messages—he was here for that hundred million dollars my children had swiped from his family’s account.
“I—” I started, my throat dry, but Rowan raised a hand to stop me.
“No need to explain now,” he said coolly, though his eyes were sharp. “We’ll figure it out. But... I’d prefer if we discussed this over lunch.”
I blinked, caught off guard. Lunch? Rowan Vaughn wanted to sit down for a meal with me? The woman he barely remembered but still considered nothing more than his surgeon?
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” I began, shaking my head. “I’ll make sure the money is returned, and then we can—”
“Mummy!” Larry’s voice cut through mine, and I turned to look down at him. His face was bright, smiling up at Rowan like this was the best idea in the world. “That would be great! We should have lunch!”
I stared at him, my mind racing. “Larry, no, we don’t—”
“Come on, Mummy,” Larry insisted, tugging at my hand. “You’re always telling me it’s polite to have meals with people when they invite you. Right?”
I shot him a look that was half-scolding, half-pleading, but he only grinned back. There was no getting out of this, not without causing a scene. And, to my horror, Rowan was now watching this interaction with mild amusement, like he was trying to figure me out. Like I was some puzzle that didn’t quite fit.
“Well,” Rowan said, raising an eyebrow, “it seems like Larry’s all for it. What do you say, Remi?”
I felt trapped. Every instinct in me screamed to decline, to make some excuse and get out of this. But Larry’s hopeful eyes and Rowan’s lingering suspicion left me with no choice. I sighed, forcing a smile that felt like it was breaking my face.
“Fine,” I muttered. “Lunch.”
Rowan’s lips curled into a small, satisfied smile. “Great. Let’s head to the restaurant. I have a reservation.”
---
The restaurant was beautiful, the kind of place I would’ve never set foot in if not for Rowan. Elegant chandeliers hung overhead, casting a soft glow over white-clothed tables and polished silverware. The atmosphere was calm, luxurious... and suffocating.
I sat across from Rowan, with Larry to my left. Rowan looked perfectly at ease, like this was just another business lunch to him. Meanwhile, I felt like I was sitting on a ticking bomb, every second waiting for the inevitable explosion.
As the waiter poured wine into Rowan’s glass—of course Rowan drank wine at lunch—he glanced at Larry, his expression thoughtful.
“Larry,” he started, swirling the wine in his glass, “I must say, I’m impressed. Not many people—let alone children—could have done what you did with the money.”
I stiffened, feeling a wave of anxiety surge through me. But Larry, undeterred, puffed out his chest with a grin. “Well, don’t underestimate me. I’ve got a lot of skills.”
Rowan chuckled, and the sound grated on my nerves. “Clearly. Hacking into my family’s account and moving that kind of money... You’re not exactly ordinary.”
Larry beamed, clearly proud of himself, but all I wanted was to melt into the floor. This wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have. Not here, not with Rowan sitting across from me, praising my son for something that could land us all in serious trouble.
“Still,” Rowan continued, leaning back in his chair, “I’d love to know how you did it.”
Larry grinned, about to launch into some explanation of his tech genius, but I quickly cut in.
“Rowan, I’m sure you don’t want to spend lunch talking about... hacking.” I forced a smile, trying to steer the conversation away from disaster. “Let’s not encourage him too much.”
But Rowan smirked, clearly amused by the whole situation. “I’m just saying, Remi, you’ve got quite the talented kid here.”
“Yeah!” Larry piped up, practically glowing under Rowan’s attention. “It wasn’t that hard, actually. I could teach you, if you want.”
Rowan laughed—a genuine, deep laugh that echoed through the elegant dining room. The sound of it made my skin crawl. I hated how easy this was for him, how comfortable he seemed. Meanwhile, I was drowning in discomfort, every second of this meal dragging me deeper into the pit of unease.
“That might be useful one day, Larry,” Rowan said, taking a sip of his wine. “I might take you up on that offer.”
I forced myself to laugh along with them, even though inside I was screaming. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. I wasn’t supposed to be here, sitting across from the man who didn’t remember me, while my son basked in his praise. It felt like a twisted joke, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that Rowan was toying with me.
Throughout the meal, Rowan and Larry chatted easily, laughing, trading stories, and making conversation. Larry, of course, was more than happy to boast about his “skills,” and Rowan listened with genuine interest. The two of them seemed to get along effortlessly.
And I hated it.
I sat there, smiling when necessary, laughing when prompted, but the entire time I felt trapped. Like I was sitting in a room where the walls were slowly closing in. My heart raced, my thoughts spinning in a thousand different directions. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want Rowan bonding with Larry, not when he didn’t even know the truth.
Not when he didn’t know Larry was his.
The tension between the reality of the situation and the lie I was living felt unbearable. And yet, I couldn’t do anything. Not with Rowan sitting right there, laughing with my son like they’d known each other for years.
Suddenly, Rowan turned to me, his eyes locking with mine. For a second, the laughter between him and Larry stopped, and the air around us thickened.
Then he smiled at me. I did not return the favor.
“Can we talk about the money now?”
“Oh that,” Larry interrupted, “Mr. Vaughn already reversed it back to his account.”
My brows deepened. “I…don't understand.”
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