Oakhaven is still too small. Talia never expected to bump into Adrian Jennings here. Lost in thought, she suddenly heard Samuel Langdon speak behind her, "President Jennings, what a coincidence. Are you here to dine as well?" Adrian Jennings’ voice was indifferent, seemingly calm on the surface, "Yes." Talia didn’t know what to say, so she simply didn’t speak, walking straight past Adrian Jennings into the restaurant. A server came over to greet them, "Hello, how many of you? Do you have a reservation?" Talia replied calmly, "Two people, we have a reservation, the mobile number ending in 0725." Seeing Talia Rhodes already following the server, Samuel Langdon smiled and met Adrian Jennings’ gaze, "President Jennings, I’ll excuse myself now." Adrian Jennings stood in place, lowering his gaze. Today is Valentine’s Day. On such a special day, why is Talia dining alone with Samuel Langdon? A pang of jealousy grew stronger and stronger in his heart. Adrian Jennings’ throat tightened, standing motionless like a statue, as if even his legs had lost sensation. Seeing Adrian Jennings not respond. Samuel Langdon’s gaze slowly slid from Adrian Jennings. The restaurant’s dim lights created a romantic atmosphere, but the dull light didn’t illuminate the man’s lonely, bitter expression. Samuel Langdon’s lips curved into a faint smile, knowing Adrian Jennings had misunderstood. On this special day, a man and a woman dining alone indeed resembled a romantic date. Samuel Langdon didn’t plan to explain. He walked past Adrian Jennings with calm steps to catch up with Talia Rhodes ahead. Inside the private room. Talia Rhodes sat on a chair, staring blankly into space. When Samuel Langdon came in through the door, she didn’t react at all. "Lawyer Rhodes." Samuel Langdon pulled out a chair and sat down, calling out. Talia Rhodes snapped back to reality, seeming a bit out of it, "The menu is over there, go ahead and order." Samuel Langdon smiled, his eyes gentle, "Alright." He didn’t ask inappropriate questions, nor did he mention inappropriate people. Talia quickly adjusted her mood, putting the earlier encounter behind her. While waiting for the dishes after ordering, Talia talked with Samuel Langdon about the partnership. Samuel Langdon said, "I have a friend who specializes in criminal defense, has three years of practice experience like me. If you’re interested, I can bring him into the partnership." Talia Rhodes’ eyes lit up, "Great, let’s set up a meeting someday for a detailed discussion." Samuel Langdon nodded slightly, "Alright." "He’s a college classmate, you don’t need to worry about his professional abilities." Talia Rhodes laughed, "Of course, anyone Lawyer Langdon recommends is sure to be reliable." Polite words are necessary, but Talia remained cautious inside. After partnering, they would be in the same boat, sharing risks and profits, so she had to be clear about her partner’s background and professional abilities. Samuel Langdon’s eyes remained gentle, "I’m planning to contribute 30 million, meanwhile registering my practice at the law firm. The contract can be signed anytime." Talia smiled and extended her hand to Samuel Langdon, "I like straightforward people like Lawyer Langdon. Looking forward to working together." Samuel Langdon extended his hand to shake hers, "Looking forward to working together." After the meal, Samuel Langdon politely inquired, "Today is a memorable day, can we take a photo together, my partner?" Taking a commemorative photo between partners is normal, and Talia didn’t think much about it, smiling back, "Sure." Samuel Langdon asked the server to help them take a photo. In the photo, the two of them stood together, Talia looking at the camera with a gentle, soft smile. Samuel Langdon’s eyes held a hint of laughter. Originally, it was a full-length photo, both maintaining normal social distance, without evoking any romantic association. But Samuel Langdon cropped out the lower half, showing only their upper bodies, changing the look to somewhat resemble a marriage certificate photo when not considering the background. Samuel Langdon posted it on his social media that afternoon. The caption read, "A very special day." Samuel Langdon used this caption with a bit of scheming. Today was Valentine’s Day, and to avoid misunderstanding, he didn’t write "Happy Holidays" or "Happy Valentine’s Day," which could irritate Talia. But he also didn’t straightforwardly write "Happy Collaboration" which wouldn’t cause misunderstanding. The ambiguous "A very special day" was just right. It wouldn’t upset Talia, but would certainly lead Adrian Jennings to misunderstand. He was friends with Andrew Donovan on social media; Andrew Donovan’s company had several cases handled by him. Andrew Donovan was sure to see this post. Considering Andrew Donovan’s relationship with Adrian Jennings, Adrian Jennings would inevitably see this social media post. After posting, Samuel Langdon put away his phone, leaned back on the couch, and savored a glass of red wine, feeling quite pleased. Seeing Samuel Langdon’s social media post, Talia casually gave it a like and moved on. Andrew Donovan saw the post next, along with Talia’s like, and screenshotted it to send to Adrian Jennings. "Why does this photo look like a wedding photo, they do make quite a pair." Adrian Jennings saw the message, his eyes darkening. The bright smile on the girl in the photo stung him. He silently stared at the photo for a long time. Then made a phone call. "How’s Vincent Fletcher doing?" In the evening, Talia returned home, just having finished her bath and opened the tablet to catch up on some shows, when she received a call. Google seaʀᴄh novel✶fire.net "Hello, delivery service, are you currently at home?" "I am, but I didn’t order anything, mind telling me what the delivery is?" "Looks like someone bought it for you, it’s sent from a jewelry store, local express." "Huh?" Talia wondered, "I’m at home, you can just leave it at my door." Ten minutes later, the delivery person placed the package at Talia’s door and knocked, "Hello, I’ve left the package at your door." Talia rose from the couch, slipped into her slippers, and opened the door. A delivery box lay quietly at her doorstep. She picked it up, puzzled, examining it. The sender’s address showed the name of a high-end jewelry store in Oakhaven. Talia brought the package inside and dialed the number of the sender listed on the delivery slip. It was after eight in the evening, but the jewelry store was still open. The shop assistant quickly answered, going through a series of standard greetings. Talia politely spoke, "Hello, I’ve just received a delivery from your store. Could I ask what’s inside? Who bought it?" The shop assistant asked, "May I have your phone number to assist with tracking the order?" Talia provided her phone number. The shop assistant, "Alright, please hold on, let me check for you." Soon, the shop assistant had a reply. "Miss Rhodes, correct?" "Hello Miss Rhodes, I found that this package is a necklace selected by a gentleman for you this afternoon. He left your address and phone number, instructing us to deliver it by today."