Babel Novel
Richest Mogul 1160
Richest Mogul 1160
As Skylar looked up, she spotted Annie. Upon seeing Annie, she subtly furrowed her brows. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the timing seemed oddly coincidental.
Stevan and Mona turned their heads almost simultaneously to look at Annie. Steven’s expression darkened.
On the other hand, Mona seemed taken aback for a moment when she saw Annie but quickly regained her composure. It struck her that she had seen Annie before. Annie used to host a show and was now quite popular online. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
“I’m here shooting some videos. I didn’t expect to run into you guys. Am I interrupting anything?”
Annie directed this question toward Steven while her peripheral vision was clearly assessing
Mona.
“You are Annie Silver, right? I’ve seen your show and some of your videos before. I really like your work,” Mona said, her excitement evident.
Skylar watched Mona with her naïve and romantic demeanor, shaking her head internally. If Mona knew that Annie was Steven’s ex–girlfriend, she might not be so eager to express her admiration.
Skylar could tell that Annie was scrutinizing Mona. The way Annie observed her revealed an ‘element of comparison mixed with a hint of self–satisfaction. It was clear that Annie had
intentionally come over to greet them.
She wouldn’t have approached them if she was truly concerned about interrupting. “Yes, I’m indeed Annie Silver,” she replied.
Ever since that night, she had been curious about who Steven was dating now. She had imagined that someone who could capture Steven’s interest less than a year after their breakup would be stunning. Instead, she was surprised to find it was a young woman.
In every way, Mona fell short in comparison to her. Mona was indeed a simple person who neither cared for competition nor liked to vie with others.
However, at that moment, she could feel Annie’s gaze on her, filled with comparison and a hint of scrutiny. It felt as if Annie were evaluating her like a product, assessing her worth with a critical eye.
Mona didn’t like the way she was being scrutinized. She could also feel Annie’s gaze lingering
on Steven. It was clear that Annie liked him.
Thinking of this made her smile fade. After murmuring a quick “Oh,” she turned her attention seriously to the menu.
Skylar looked at Mona and said, “This place has great lamb skewers. Do you like lamb?”
Mona was a food enthusiast and didn’t hide her enthusiasm. She nodded eagerly. “I love it. And the grilled lamb chops are amazing. I come here often.”
“Really? That’s a coincidence. I love lamb chops too. How about spicy chicken wings? Are you interested?” Skylar asked.
Mona nodded again, her eyes sparkling. “Finally, someone who can join me in a spicy challenge. Let’s do it together.”
The two of them chatted animatedly about their meal, seemingly oblivious to Annie standing nearby.
Steven watched Mona with a smile. “Didn’t you say you also like grilled briskets?”
“Oh, right. Yes, I want those too.”
Seeing Mona’s excitement over the barbecue options, Steven suggested, “Let’s get six skewers, two for each of us.”
“Sounds good.”
The trio enthusiastically discussed their meal, temporarily ignoring Annie. Her smile began to falter, turning awkward. Her face paled slightly as a wave of humiliation washed over her.
She glanced at Steven, feeling a mix of bitterness and disbelief. They had once shared a passionate love, and he had embraced various challenges for her. Now, less than a year later, he seemed to genuinely like this woman who clearly couldn’t compare to her.
It felt as if she were being completely ignored, and an indescribable ache settled in her chest. The pain of rejection throbbed within her.
Suddenly, she found herself regretting everything.
Taking a deep breath, she decided not to make a scene. Instead, she slipped away quietly without saying another word.