When Quinn saw the approaching pair, she smiled warmly."Hey! Alex, Madison! What a coincidence—out shopping too?"
Madison Hale returned a gentle smile, but Alex Hale's eyes were already fixed on the young man beside Quinn, his gaze sharp and laced with hostility.
Madison noticed it immediately and gave Jason a small apologetic glance. But to her surprise, Jason merely smiled back with an air of composure and warmth. No annoyance, no flinch. Just calm, unbothered confidence.
Quinn blinked in surprise.So emotionally steady... this guy's really something.[Quinn's Favorability +4]
Of course Jason was calm. He had only recently met Quinn and had no intention of playing the jealous boyfriend card this early. He wasn't some hormone-fueled college sophomore with possessive tendencies.
Spending time with Quinn was enjoyable, and if he could quietly boost his favorability with her using the system, then that was more than enough. The rest didn't matter.
Madison, ever perceptive, caught her younger brother Alex's jealous glare and subtly tugged at the hem of his jacket.
Then she turned with a polite smile and said,"Yeah, we just felt like getting out of the house for a bit. You two here to shop too? And—who's this?"Her eyes landed on Jason, though the question was clearly aimed for Alex's benefit. She knew her brother liked Quinn—obviously.
Quinn cheerfully introduced him."This is Jason. He's a student at my university. He came to my dealership to buy a car today. He's new to driving, so Courtney and I escorted him to the mall afterward. Figured we'd shop a bit."
Hearing that, Alex's clenched shoulders relaxed a little. He nodded slowly, though the sourness in his heart remained.
Madison smiled."Got it. Well, we haven't eaten yet. We were just about to grab lunch. Why don't we all go together?"
Alex immediately jumped in."Yeah, there's a really great place upstairs—a fancy steakhouse. I've been meaning to take you, Quinn. You've been so busy lately, but now's the perfect time."
As he spoke, he deliberately glanced at Jason, like a dog marking its territory.
Quinn saw the look in his eyes and politely declined."Thanks, but we came with Jason, so it's not the best time. Maybe another day."
Truth was, Quinn had known the Hale siblings for a while—both families ran auto dealerships, so they'd crossed paths often. But she and Alex never had much to talk about. And honestly, the possessiveness he sometimes showed made her uncomfortable.
Now that he was openly hostile toward Jason? If she accepted the lunch invite, she had no doubt Alex would either ignore Jason or subtly try to embarrass him. She didn't want to make the situation worse.
Alex's smile stiffened at her refusal.
Madison, ever the diplomat, immediately smoothed things over."Come on, it's just lunch. Of course Jason should join us. He's your friend, and that means he's our friend too."
She turned to Jason and smiled."You're welcome to join. No need to be shy. You're part of the group."
Her tone was miles more graceful and inclusive than Alex's. And her phrasing cleverly reframed the dynamic: Quinn and Alex were on the same side, Jason was the outsider.
Seeing that even Madison was extending the invite, Quinn hesitated for a moment, then turned to Jason for his opinion.
Jason smiled."Sure. Thanks for the invitation. I'll treat you all next time."
His relaxed demeanor hadn't changed in the slightest.
Upstairs, in the steakhouse—Monarch Prime—Alex made sure to order the most expensive items on the menu: dry-aged tomahawk steak, imported caviar, a bottle of top-shelf red. The works.
His goal was simple: intimidate Jason.
In the past, Alex had used this move on other guys who dared get close to Quinn. One poor student nearly choked on a $50 side salad. Another didn't even know how to hold a wine glass properly and embarrassed himself trying to uncork a bottle.
Those guys? Gone the next day.
Alex stole glances at Jason, waiting for signs of panic—awkward fidgeting, checking the prices, wrong silverware, anything.
And yes, Jason clearly wasn't familiar with five-star dining.
He awkwardly used the wrong fork at first, had to copy how Quinn ate her caviar, and even drank his soup a little too fast. It was obvious he'd never been to a place like this.
But what bothered Alex most… was that Jason didn't care.
There was no awkwardness. No shame. No self-consciousness. Jason acted as though he were eating street tacos on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Completely relaxed.
Alex clenched his jaw.Is he ignorant, or just thick-skinned?!
Madison, meanwhile, was observing quietly. But unlike her brother, she noticed the finer details.
Sure, Jason was inexperienced with high-end etiquette, but he wasn't insecure. He didn't flinch at a $300 steak. His demeanor was composed. More importantly, the watch peeking from under his sleeve?
It looked like a Rolex.
She couldn't confirm the model, but Rolexes weren't cheap—and no one who wore one casually was just a broke student.
Her intuition told her that Jason wasn't simple. He was playing low-key, not clueless.
She turned toward him with interest."So, Jason—what kind of car did you buy from Quinn's dealership? Just curious. My family's in the auto business too. If you ever want another vehicle, hit me up."
Jason answered casually."Nothing fancy. Just a daily driver. Spent most of my savings on it, so I won't be getting another one anytime soon."
Across the table, Courtney nearly choked on her ribeye.
A $250,000 Mercedes G-Class is "nothing fancy"?
Alex, hearing "daily driver" and "savings," smirked slightly.Figures. Probably bought a used Civic.
But Madison wasn't convinced. Jason's composure, the watch, his body language—it all said otherwise.
She shot Alex a sharp look under the table, signaling him to stop gloating. But he misunderstood her gesture completely, thinking she meant "don't push the poor guy too far."
He grinned smugly and leaned back, thinking victory was already his.
Jason?
He took another bite of steak like it was just another Tuesday.