Chapter 380: Staying Out All Night

The food was served just as she returned from washing her hands, and Amina’s pride took an even greater blow.

She didn’t know Western dining etiquette, couldn’t handle a knife and fork, struggled with her pasta, failed to shell her lobster, and couldn’t stomach the borscht... she was practically a walking punchline for Zeke’s mother and Yvonne Thorne.

Halfway through the meal, she couldn’t take it anymore.

Thankfully, a customer she knew happened to call right then.

She used the call as an excuse and fled without a backward glance.

Watching her panicked retreat, Yvonne Thorne asked Zeke’s mother.

"Ma’am, I was embarrassed to ask earlier, but I’m really curious... who is she to you? Why on earth were you with her...?"

"I was just showing her a bit of the world, that’s all. Pay her no mind. Let’s eat."

For the rest of the day, Amina was on edge.

For the first time ever, she found herself desperately waiting for the workday to end so Zeke would come home.

But of all days, Zeke, who was always punctual, was late. It was past seven, and he still hadn’t come home for dinner.

She assumed he was working overtime and asked the housekeeper to save his dinner.

But as it neared eleven o’clock, the housekeeper couldn’t stay awake any longer. Still, he hadn’t returned.

"Amina, is Zeke coming home tonight? It’s getting so late. Should I put his dinner in the refrigerator?"

Amina, still waiting on the sofa, replied, "It’s okay, you can go to bed. I’ll heat it up for him when he gets back."

The housekeeper felt awkward. She couldn’t very well take her pay without doing her job, so she feigned cleaning around the house. She managed to drag it out until past midnight, but Zeke was still not back.

"Alright, you can heat it up for him when he gets here, then. I’m off to bed."

She didn’t know if it was because she’d grown used to sleeping next to him or because of the day’s events, but with Zeke still gone, Amina couldn’t fall asleep.

She sat on the sofa, checking her phone over and over, but a call from Zeke never came.

Amina was always preoccupied with her job. She never called him during work hours and had never made such a fuss over him. But today, for the first time, she couldn’t stop herself from calling.

But Zeke’s phone was turned off.

Hearing the automated voice on the other end—"The number you have dialed is currently unavailable"—any hope of sleep vanished completely.

Amina realized that even though they woke up in the same bed every morning, their only link was a phone number. If he turned off his phone or changed his number, she would have no way of ever finding him again.

She had never felt so insecure. Amina wanted to cry, but she couldn’t. It wouldn’t do for her grandmother to see her like this.

She tossed and turned in bed, only managing to drift into a hazy sleep as dawn approached.

The alarm went off all too soon, and it was time to get up for work.

She dragged herself out of bed. The spot beside her was empty and cold. Zeke still wasn’t back.

’Did something happen to him?’ she thought. ’He wouldn’t just disappear like this if everything was okay.’

Amina tried calling him again, but his phone was still off.

Recalling the scene at the restaurant, it suddenly dawned on her. The reason he hadn’t come home last night—he must have gone on that blind date.

Zeke’s mother had said she was going to introduce him to that beautiful restaurant owner, Yvonne Thorne. He must have been on a date with her last night. No wonder he didn’t come home or answer his phone.

’Does that mean he’s going to leave me soon?’

Amina’s panic intensified.

’I’m living in his house, eating his food... I’ve saved a lot of money lately, but my grandmother’s medical bills have also cost a fortune.’

’I don’t have much in savings, and soon I’ll have to stop working to go to school. I guess I just have to work even harder for now.’

Swallowing her anxiety, Amina got out of bed. She planned to heat up last night’s leftovers for a quick meal before rushing off to work.

But just as her hand touched the plate, the lock on the door clicked.

She looked up, and Zeke’s familiar, exhausted face appeared in the doorway.

Yesterday, his mother was waiting for him at his office when he got off work. It was true that he hadn’t been home in a while and hadn’t spent much time with his parents. When his mother asked him to have dinner with her, he couldn’t refuse.

He hadn’t expected it to be a setup.

A woman named Yvonne Thorne, whom he barely remembered, had somehow managed to win his mother’s approval.

He was bored to tears throughout the meal. His mother and Yvonne Thorne kept insisting he drink with them, and not wanting to make a scene, Zeke had a few glasses.

He wasn’t drunk, but his mother was. He had no choice but to take her home.

But once they got home, his mother threw a rare drunken tantrum. She insisted on telling stories about his childhood and demanded that Zeke stay by her side. The fuss lasted for half the night. Utterly exhausted, Zeke ended up dozing for a few hours, slumped over his mother’s bedside.

He didn’t wake up until his leg went numb in the early morning, and only then could he finally head back.

He hadn’t seen Amina all night, and he’d missed her like crazy. The first thing Zeke did was pull her into a hug.

"You’re up early. Good thing I got back when I did, or I would’ve missed you today. I’m sorry, something came up last night and I couldn’t make it back. Why didn’t you give me a call?"

’If she had called, I could have used it as an excuse to leave.’ he thought.

’But Amina works late every night. She probably didn’t even realize I wasn’t home for dinner.’

Zeke often hugged her, draping an arm over her shoulder. Amina was used to it and never thought anything of it.

But today, as his familiar arms tightened around her and his chin brushed against her ear, Amina’s heart suddenly began to race.

It felt so comfortable, so warm. The entire night of emptiness and unhappiness vanished in an instant.

Smelling his familiar scent and hearing his familiar voice, her eyes began to sting, and she felt the sudden urge to cry.

Amina told him the truth. "But your phone was off. I thought something had happened to you."

"Off? No way. I didn’t turn it off."

Zeke quickly pulled out his phone to check. He pressed the button, and sure enough, it was off.

"The battery must have died. I didn’t even notice. I missed you so much after just one night away. Did you miss me?"

Zeke took her by the waist and turned her around to face him.

Morning light streamed through the window, illuminating the floor in front of them. They were both so young, so beautiful. Their gazes were soft, the moment was perfect. Zeke desperately wanted to kiss her.

Amina’s heart felt like it was going to leap out of her throat.

’She’d never felt so flustered just from meeting his gaze before. Why was he looking at her like that?’

She was so shy she didn’t know where to look.

"Don’t," she whispered. "What if someone sees..."

"Let them see. They all know about us. What’s there to be afraid of?"

They had known each other for so long, yet Zeke had never kissed her.

’Maybe it was the lingering effects of the alcohol, but he really, really wanted to kiss her.’

With that, he cupped Amina’s chin and lowered his head to kiss her.

Though shy, Amina subconsciously closed her eyes, ready for whatever he might do.

But just then, the housekeeper pushed her door open and walked out.

"I seem to have overslept... Amina... oh! My apologies! Zeke, you’re back! You two... uh, I’ll just go make breakfast. What would you like to eat today?"

The housekeeper hadn’t expected Zeke to be back, let alone to find the two of them being so intimate in the living room. She was instantly so embarrassed she didn’t know where to look.

She decided the kitchen was the safest place to be.

As she made a beeline for the kitchen, Amina hastily pushed Zeke away and scurried after her.

"It’s not late at all! It’s still early. Let’s just heat up last night’s leftovers."