Rivertown was truly a small place. No matter how much Tessa tried to avoid him, she never expected to run into Stephen here.

She was momentarily stunned before Lester suddenly spoke from behind her. “Mr. Jacobson, what a coincidence. Are you dining here as well?”

Stephen’s voice was indifferent, his expression calm on the surface. “Yes.”

Tessa did not know what to say, so she simply remained silent. Instead, she walked past Stephen and headed straight into the restaurant.

A server came over to greet them. “Good afternoon. How many guests? Do you have a reservation?”

Tessa responded with composure. “Two. The reservation is under the name, Tessa.”

“Please follow me.”

Seeing that Tessa had already walked in with the server, Lester smiled and glanced at Stephen. “Mr. Jacobson, I will take my leave.”

Stephen stood still, his eyes lowering slightly.

Today was Valentine’s Day. On such a special day, why was Tess having dinner alone with Lester? Could this be… a date?

A tightness formed in Stephen’s throat. He remained rooted in place, his body stiff as if turned to stone. Even his legs felt numb.

When Stephen didn’t respond, Lester’s gaze drifted over him briefly.

The dim lighting in the restaurant created a romantic atmosphere, but the soft glow could not brighten the loneliness and bitterness in Stephen’s expression.

The corners of Lester’s lips curved slightly in an almost imperceptible smile. He knew Stephen had misunderstood.

On a day like this, a man and a woman dining alone would naturally seem to be on a date. But Lester had no intention of explaining himself.

With a composed stride, he walked past Stephen and caught up with Tessa.

Inside the private dining room, Tessa sat in her chair, staring blankly ahead, lost in thought. When Lester pushed open the door and entered, she didn’t react at all.

“Ms. Yates,” he called out as he pulled out his chair and sat down.

Tessa snapped out of her daze, still not quite herself. “The menu is over there. You can go ahead and order.”

The corners of Lester’s lips lifted slightly in a warm smile. “Alright.”

He did not ask any unnecessary questions, nor did he mention any unnecessary people.

Tessa quickly adjusted her emotions, brushing aside the unexpected encounter from earlier.

As they waited for the food, they started discussing their partnership again.

Lester said, “I have a friend who specializes in criminal defense. Like me, he has three years of practice experience. If you’re open to it, I can bring him in as well.”

Tessa’s eyes lit up slightly. “That would be great. Let’s arrange a meeting sometime to discuss it in detail.”

Lester nodded. “Sure.”

“He was my classmate in university. His professional skills are solid, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

Tessa smiled. “Of course. If he comes recommended by you, I’m sure he’s outstanding.”

It was just polite small talk, but in truth, Tessa remained cautious. After all, once they became partners, they would be in the same boat, sharing both risks and rewards. She needed to fully understand his background and capabilities before making a final decision.

Lester’s gaze remained warm. “For now, I to invest 30 million and

register my practice under the firm.

sign the contract at any

time.” .

UM

Tessa extended her hand with a smile. “I like how straightforward you are, Mr.

Cooper. Looking forward to working together.”

Lester reached out and shook her hand. “Looking forward to it.”

After dinner, Lester asked politely, “Today is a meaningful day. May I take a photo

with my business partner to commemorate it?”

It was common for business partners to take photos together to mark the

occasion. As such, Tessa didn’t overthink it and smiled. “Of course.”

Lester asked a server to take their photo.

In the picture, they stood side by side. Tessa looked directly at the camera, a soft, gentle smile on her lips.

Lester’s eyes carried a trace of warmth.

It was meant to be a formal full-body shot, with a proper amount of distance

between them, nothing that could be mistaken for anything romantic.