CHAPTER 165: WANTING MORE

Lyle stared at her for a while, and Ephyra, for the first time in her two lifetimes, began feeling self-conscious. So she glanced down at her dress.

Just then, Lyle walked over to her, stopped by her side, and held out his forearm, silently inviting her to take it. A small smile formed on her lips as Ephyra slowly took his arm, allowing him to guide her to her chair. He pulled it out for her and gestured for her to sit.

Ephyra glanced at the chair and her surroundings, unable to suppress a chuckle as she shook her head, reflecting on how much he had changed since the first time they met. Still smiling, she sat down, and Lyle took his seat in front of her.

Moments later, a waiter approached and handed them both menus. Ephira looked over the menu, noting that the first half consisted entirely of appetizers.

She glanced at Lyle, but he only nodded at her, so she skimmed through the list and settled on the third option. Looking up at the waiter, she smiled and said, "We’ll take the bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese."

The waiter smiled softly, nodding. "And what drink would you like with it?"

This time, Lyle was the one who replied, "Gelson’s Cabernet Sauvignon."

"Alright, sir, ma’am. I’ll be back soon with your appetizer and drink."

They watched him leave, and Ephyra turned to better take in the view from the rooftop. The Empire State Building loomed proudly across from them, framed by the shimmering lights of the New York City skyline. Soft jazz music played in the background, and strings of fairy lights added warmth to the night air. The breeze carried just a hint of coming spring.

In front of her, Lyle finally spoke up. "Enjoying the view?" he asked.

Ephyra turned to face him, her smile widening and her eyes glinting, as if expressing the happiness she couldn’t put into words. "Hmm, I’m enjoying it. Lyle, thank you. This... is beautiful."

Lyle’s face softened, the indifference that usually clung to his features replaced by a faint curve of his lips. His hand, resting on the table, flexed slightly, as if wanting to reach for something—but couldn’t. Or wouldn’t. And in this case, that something seemed to be Ephyra, whom he was staring at intensely.

The waiter finally arrived, serving their appetizers. Immediately, they both dug in—especially Ephyra—and in no time, they were done with the five pieces of bacon-wrapped dates with goat cheese, though neither of them had touched the wine.

When the waiter came back, Ephyra, still in high spirits, complimented the food and asked why the appetizer was so small—smaller than normal.

The waiter smiled and explained, "Aside from stimulating the appetite and introducing the meal’s style, it’s best to enjoy it in smaller portions. Too much of something can lead to undesirable effects—that’s why it was so little."

She then handed them another menu for the main meal. This time, Ephyra didn’t wait for Lyle to prompt her.

She smiled at him and said, "You choose too."

Lyle, who had been quietly watching her, skimmed his eyes over the menu and picked the last option on the first page without giving it much thought.

He didn’t state the name of the meal, so the waiter had to ask, "Sir, please, can you tell me the name of the meal you want?"

Lyle looked down at the menu and said, "Grilled chicken and roasted vegetables."

"Sure. And what drink would you like to have with it?" the waiter asked.

"Unoaked Chardonnay," Lyle answered.

"I’ll be back shortly with your main dish. Please excuse me."

...

The sound of clinking forks filled the air as they both ate, accompanied by the hum of nightlife beneath them, the cars on the highway, and the gentle breeze blowing by.

Suddenly, Lyle called her name, and Ephyra looked up to meet his intense gaze.

His voice was low as he asked, "Is there anything you want to inform me?"

Ephyra’s brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking—"

"Do you have an issue that you need help with? Like your meeting with Rylie."

She paused and stared straight at him. "An issue? I do have one, but I’m sure you already know everything I do—except the things I don’t tell Jania. So there’s no need to tell you anything, is there?" she said lightly.

Lyle looked down at his plate, then back up at her. "Jania doesn’t tell me everything. I want to... hear it from you, Ephyra," he said quietly.

Ephyra blinked. "Why? What difference would it make?" she asked.

"It would make a lot of difference," he replied. He placed the cutlery down and leaned forward. "I know we only married due to a deal. I know there are secrets that you have that you can’t tell me. I also have secrets... not because I don’t want to tell you, but because knowing would put you in harm’s way. And I don’t ever want you getting hurt—especially after everything you went through in the Allen family.

But I’m not telling you to tell me those secrets. I want you to tell me anything that happens to you—the issues you have, whether you can solve them or not. I still want you to tell me, Ephyra."

Ephyra turned her head to the side and looked back at him. Sighing, she said, "Why? Why do you want me to share all these things with you? As you mentioned, our marriage is just a result of a deal we made. After that, we will go our separate ways. So, what is it that you want from me? I don’t understand. There’s no reason for me to disclose anything else. Everything you’ve done to help me goes beyond what you promised in our agreement. I can’t ask for more. We don’t—" She sighed and smiled wryly. "We don’t have that kind of relationship, do we? Ours is purely transactional."

"We don’t," Lyle said, his voice hardening. "We don’t—but I suddenly want more than that, Ephyra."

Ephyra swallowed, opening her mouth and closing it again. "I..." she began, but trailed off.

Lyle shook his head, stopping her. Then he chuckled, his voice slow and smooth as he leaned back with his right arm stretched on the table. "I know you won’t be able to give more than this, Ephyra. And I’m not asking you to. I only said it. I won’t ask," he said, his tone almost teasing but laced with something rawer.

Ephyra’s heart pounded, and she couldn’t stop herself. "Why? Why won’t you ask?" she asked breathlessly.

"Because it’s pointless. I only know that I want more from you—but I haven’t decided what exactly it is I want yet," Lyle replied quietly.

Her breath caught in her throat as she whispered, "Lyle..."

"Ephyra," he said, meeting her gaze. "I want to ask—if we only have a transactional relationship, then what is this? Why are we on vacation? Why are we having dinner on a rooftop? Why? Is this something people who make deals do? Or are we different? Special?"

"Yes," she said, closing her eyes briefly and then opening them to meet his gaze. "Yes, we’re different. Because aside from the contract between us, I’ve also taken you as a friend. And we’re married. Even if it’s just a fluke to both of us, to others, we are a couple. So this vacation is a gift I’m giving you. Because of the ring you gave me when we came back from the marriage bureau. I told you I would give you a gift, right? This vacation is the gift. I wanted to surprise you tomorrow, but I guess I’ll just—"

"You don’t have to give me a gift in return for the ring I gave you a few years ago," Lyle interrupted, his voice soft. "I gave it to you because... it was invaluable. And so are you."

"Lyle..." Ephyra breathed.

"Let’s eat," he said, picking up his fork.

’I’m sorry,’ Ephyra thought. ’I also want more.’

___•___

{A/N – Author Ramblings Incoming 💌

Bonjour! Hola! Hallo, everyone!

So, full transparency: writing this Chapter was not a walk in the park. I hit a solid wall of writer’s block while working on the first half—I had to walk away from it and come back later. I actually started it last night and only managed to finish it this morning. And guess what? It’s just 1.3k words. ONE. POINT. THREE. K. Can you believe that? 😩 Honestly, I feel like I could win a world record for the slowest writer alive. And no, I’m not proud of that.

When I don’t rush, the Chapters turn out better. When I rush, it’s like a tornado of filler words and clunky descriptions, and I end up hating it. You’ve probably noticed the difference—some Chapters feel super polished, and others are like, "Ma’am, did you see what you wrote?" 😭 I see it too. I’m not happy about it, but I’m working through it.

Also: YES, I’m 1000% finishing this story. Rain or shine. Writer’s block or emotional chaos. I’m. Finishing. It. I was down with something for the past two days, which is why there was no update. Tbh, I get sick way more than I’d like, so please send good vibes and immune system prayers my way.

We still have over 150 Chapters to go (!!!), so buckle in. And if you’re feeling the angst in Ephyra and Lyle’s relationship right now... don’t worry. I repeat: DO 👏 NOT 👏 WORRY 👏. The sweetness is coming—just wait for the next two Chapters. You’re about to meet a jelly, jelly Ephyra and you’re gonna love her.

Thanks for sticking with me. You’re the best. 💖}