Out Of The Shadows: Tilda’s Brilliant Second Life
Chapter 28: A Special Gift
Jude sat down but kept stealing glances at Tilda when he thought no one would notice.
Maurice didn’t try to butt in. He could tell Jude had found someone who caught his attention, so he stayed quiet and watched things unfold from the sidelines. It was pretty entertaining, actually.
“Tilda, didn’t you think what Mr. Woodward said just now was kind of weird?”
Now that Una had calmed down, she thought back on what Alfie had said. Something just didn’t sit right. “I mean, he’s just a restaurant manager, yet he wasn’t afraid to go against Blair and Daphne. And he acts super friendly with Jude. That’s not how a regular manager behaves.”
Sensing where the conversation was heading, Tilda quickly changed the topic. She didn’t bring up the fact that Alfie had mentioned she already owned a VIP card to Sky Dining. She didn’t want Una dwelling on it.
“Oh my god! That’s him! That guy… that’s the famous Jude?” Una kept sneaking looks at the nearby table. Maurice noticed her peeking and smiled, waving in her direction.
Caught off guard, Una turned away in a panic. She grabbed her chest, biting her lip. “Oh my god, and the guy with him is Maurice! The legitimate heir of the Rowse Group!” She had only caught a glimpse of him once at a party. At the time, Maurice had shown up like some kind of celebrity, and everyone couldn’t stop staring. He was confident, charming, and way too good-looking.
Una had only dared to admire him from a distance. Sure, her family was well-off, but in Slosa, tons of families had money. Compared to the Rowses, hers was nothing.
She stuck out her tongue. “We’re totally out of our league, huh? That restaurant manager must come from a powerful family, too.”
“Definitely,” Tilda replied. She knew exactly who Alfie really was.
Woodward Group actually owned Sky Dining. Alfie was next in line to take over the company. He’d been overseas for the past three years and had only come back a month ago.
Surprisingly, he kept his return quiet. Woodward Group didn’t announce anything or reveal who he was. Instead, they placed him here at Sky Dining as a manager to get some work experience. And on top of that, he was close friends with guys like Jude…
So he’s another monster.
Right then, Una reached out and held Tilda’s hand.
Tilda met her gaze and offered a small smile. “I’m okay, Una. Really.”
“How can you be okay? I was struggling to breathe when Mrs. Jenson talked like that earlier.” Una’s grip on her hand tightened.
She couldn’t forget the horrible things Blair had said. Tears began to fill her eyes. It’s ridiculous! What kind of mom treats her daughter like that? "If you hadn’t been here, I think I would’ve completely fallen apart. But even if I lost my family, I still have my most important best friend with me. Thinking about it, life isn’t so unfair after all.”
Tilda leaned over and gently brushed away Una’s tears. “Come on now, pretty girl. Crying’s not your style. I like you better when you’re glowing and gorgeous, okay?”
Una nodded quickly, trying hard to hold back more tears. “I’m not crying. If the Jensons don’t want you, Tilda, I do! We’re sticking together no matter what!”
“Sorry to break up this touching moment, ladies.” Alfie walked over, holding something. “Here’s a VIP card from Sky Dining. Just scan it with your phone, and it’s ready to use. No reservations needed, and you’ll get 30% off every visit. Also, here’s a bottle of ’82 Lafite, my special gift to both of you.”
Una immediately shook her head. “Wait, that’s too much! We can’t take that!”
She knew that wine was worth a fortune—she’d heard her parents talk about it before. They already got their meal free, plus the VIP card. That was more than enough.
“Sky Dining has spent years building its name. We can’t afford bad press. If you don’t want the wine, just throw it away. I’m not taking it back.”
Alfie gave Tilda a look that clearly meant more than his words, then turned and walked away. Tilda was dumbfounded. It was obvious—he wasn’t just being polite.
Alfie knew about her connection to Jude. This was his way of trying to win her over.
“Tilda, what should we do?” Una looked at her, completely unsure.
“Well, it’s already here. Let’s drink it. You keep the card—it might come in handy someday.” If someone gives you something valuable, it’s silly to say no. Tilda picked up the corkscrew, popped the bottle open, and poured wine into two glasses.
“Cheers! Screw the Jensons,” she said as she lifted her glass. She took a sip.
Una blinked, then gave her a big grin. “Screw the Jensons!” “Oh, and didn’t we plan to spend all that dirty money Howard gave you? Guess tonight kinda ruined that plan.”