No Divorce? The Billionaire's Love Chase! novel Chapter 736

York glanced behind Claudia. “Your fiancé didn’t come with you?”

“Gideon has a very important surgery,” Claudia explained. “He couldn’t get away.”

Forty minutes later, they were seated at a nearby Western restaurant.

“It’s okay if you have a drink,” Claudia told him. “You can just get a designated driver.”

York’s fingers tightened on the menu.

Claudia’s eyes held a gentle smile, but the affection he once knew was gone. She seemed so at ease with him now, just like she was with Peter—her smile was sweet, and she could be both well-behaved and playful. In her eyes, he was just a ‘brother,’ nothing more.

A dull ache throbbed in his chest. The corners of York’s eyes reddened slightly as he forced a stiff curve onto his lips.

He had dreamed countless times of getting back together with Claudia, of bringing her home. But every time he woke up, the emotions would surge back, tormenting him with a pain like a knife to the heart.

He had never, ever imagined that one day he and Claudia would simply be ‘brother and sister.’

Her expression turned serious. “York, thank you for speaking up for Gideon in front of Eddy.”

York struggled to maintain his composure. “Eddy’s just biased. Give him some time.”

Claudia raised her glass and gently clinked it against his. “Either way, thank you.”

She knew that if York hadn't said anything, her brother would never have accepted Gideon so quickly. The fact that York could defend Gideon must mean he had truly let go. This was the outcome she had hoped for.

Everyone deserved to be happy in this life.

York took out a pre-prepared gift and presented it to her. “An engagement present.”

Claudia opened the jewelry box to reveal a pink diamond bracelet.

Her eyes lit up. “You have such good taste, York. This bracelet is beautiful.”

Since he called it an engagement gift, refusing it would seem petty.

York found himself captivated by her face. “Let me help you put it on,” he said.

A short while later, the waiter brought a matcha truffle to the table.

Claudia couldn’t help but frown at the dessert.

Seeing it, York’s face instinctively darkened.

Gideon sensed something was wrong.

“I heard from your parents that you like this, so I ordered one for you,” he explained to Claudia. “If you don’t like it, I can have them take it away.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Claudia saw the stiffness in York’s features.

“Thank you, I love it,” she said to Gideon.

In her past life, York had been tormented to death by regret and guilt. The score between them had been settled then. The York of this life had changed so much for her sake, and he had kept his promises. It was time for her to pull out the thorns that still pricked her heart and truly let go.

As York watched Claudia eat the matcha truffle Gideon had ordered, his back went rigid. It wasn’t that she wouldn’t eat matcha truffles—it was that the one he had given her had been unbearably ‘bitter,’ and she hadn’t been able to swallow it.