Chapter 328: Chapter 328 Zeke Sinclair Scarlett tilted her head. Bella blinked at him in surprise. Alexa, meanwhile, straightened in her seat, her eyes darting instantly to his wrist, where she spotted the faint shimmer of a luxury watch she could recognize anywhere.
Limited edition Sinclair piece. Her breath caught. That was not something just anyone could afford.
The man stopped near their table, lowering his tablet onto the counter with a gentle click. His voice was deep, smooth, and confident when he finally spoke.
"Hey," he said casually, that faint smile never leaving his lips. "I’m Zeke Sinclair."
Alexa’s eyes instantly lit up, her posture straightening as excitement flickered across her face. "Sinclair? As in the Sinclair Tech Company?"
He nodded lightly, slipping his hands into his pockets. "The same."
Bella’s eyes widened a little. She’d heard of that name; it was one of the major firms in cybersecurity and AI systems. "You’re... that Sinclair?" she asked softly.
Zeke turned to her, his gaze softening immediately. "Only on weekdays," he said with an easy grin that made Scarlett snort into her drink.
Alexa, however, forced a smile, crossing her legs and adjusting her hair with exaggerated grace. "Oh my, that Sinclair. I’ve met your father once at a gala," she said sweetly, pretending familiarity.
Zeke’s face didn’t change a bit. He gave a polite nod to Alexa but didn’t bother replying. Instead, his eyes slid toward Scarlett, and he winked. Scarlett smirked, amused, while Bella blinked in surprise when Zeke turned to her, his expression shifting completely.
"H-hi," he said in a tone far too shy for someone who looked like a runway model who owned the runway itself. His dimples appeared again as he scratched the back of his neck.
Bella blinked and gave a small nod. "Hi..." she said softly, unsure how to react.
In the next second, Zeke walked straight to them and sat beside Bella, his earlier timid expression replaced by a quiet, bright excitement that made him look boyishly charming.
Alexa, watching all this, adjusted her hair and smiled, eager to draw his attention. "Zeke, I know your father," she said sweetly. "He’s such a great man! I’ve heard he has ties with—"
Zeke didn’t even let her finish. His head turned, his expression flattening into pure disinterest as he interrupted her coldly.
"Who are you?" he asked in a low, smooth voice.
Alexa froze for a second, startled. "I—I’m Alexa Wyatt," she said quickly, forcing a bright smile. "I’m a famous influencer and model. I’ve studied—"
Zeke raised his hand lazily, cutting her off again. "Wait." His lips curved into a faint smirk, eyes glinting with cruel amusement. "I think I’ve heard your name before."
Alexa’s eyes widened. "Really?" she asked, her smile returning, voice sugary with pride.
"Yeah," Zeke said, resting his chin on his hand, his tone casual but his words sharp enough to cut glass. "I heard a lot of brands talk about you. Something like, ’Alexa should be blacklisted,’ right?" His tone turned colder, the smirk deepening. "Greediest influencer they’ve met. Takes sponsorships and never promotes the product."
Scarlett almost choked on her drink, while Bella covered her mouth in shock, eyes round as saucers.
Zeke tilted his head slightly, pretending to think. "But that’s not you, right? That was Alexa... DeLuna?" He let the name hang in the air for a moment, then looked her dead in the eyes, smiling faintly. "Oh wait. You’re Alexa Wyatt."
"I-I... maybe," Alexa stammered, color draining from her face as cold sweat gathered on her forehead.
"Hmm." Zeke sat back, his gaze bored again. "Right. My mistake." Then, with a small, dark smile, he added, "Hard to keep track of names that come up for the wrong reasons."
Scarlett let out a low whistle. "Oof. Burn level: billionaire savage."
Bella, trying not to laugh, bit her lip and looked at Zeke. "That was... mean," she whispered softly.
Zeke turned to her, his coldness melting instantly into playful warmth. "Was it?" he asked innocently. "I thought I was being honest."
Scarlett clapped her hands once. "Honest and entertaining. You’re invited to all future gatherings, Zeke."
Alexa’s forced smile was long gone; her jaw was tight, her hand gripping her glass as she tried to control her temper.
Zeke, completely unaffected, glanced back at Bella and said with his signature deadpan calm, "You might want to move a little. I have a bad habit of making toxic people sneeze."
Scarlett snorted so hard she nearly spilled her drink, while Bella turned red from holding in her laughter.
And Alexa? She was one glare away from throwing her glass straight at his pretty face.
Her fingers tightened around her glass, the tension in her hand visible. For a second, it really looked like she might throw it right at his annoyingly handsome face. But then the reminder hit her; he was a Sinclair, the son of the Sinclair Tech empire. If she offended him publicly, her career, what was left of it, could turn to dust overnight.
So instead, she forced a smile, her lips twitching painfully as she tried to mask her anger. The expression she wore wasn’t a smile anymore; it looked like she was fighting the urge to scream while pretending to be polite.
Zeke tilted his head slightly, watching her with that lazy amusement of someone who already knew he’d won. Then he turned his attention to Scarlett with mock disappointment.
"Oh, by the way," he said in an exaggeratedly calm voice, crossing one leg over the other, "I remember this was supposed to be a friend gathering, wasn’t it?"
Scarlett blinked, her brow arching. "Uh-huh?"
Zeke leaned closer, his tone suddenly sharp with fake scolding. "Then why didn’t you tell me you’d changed the rules and started letting uninvited guests waltz in?" He gestured pointedly toward Alexa with a flick of his fingers, then glanced at Alan, who had been quietly sipping his drink in the corner like he wished the ground would swallow him.
Alan froze mid-sip, eyes darting nervously between them. "Uh... I just came to say hi," he mumbled.
Scarlett smirked, swirling her drink. "Don’t look at me, Zeke. The door was open. I can’t help it if the flies invited themselves in."
Alexa’s fake smile faltered again, but she held it, barely.