Beyond the Divorce

Atlas pinched my nose playfully. He didn't answer my question and instead asked, "What do you want to eat?"

"What can we eat here?" I asked skeptically.

But when the dishes arrived, I couldn't help but smile. It was all seafood dishes I loved, and although they were prepared in a different style here, they looked very tempting.

I reached for a dish eagerly, and he indulgently reminded me, "Take it easy, we have plenty of time."

"Why did you bring us here for dinner?" I asked, knowing that he must have had a reason.

Sure enough, Atlas smiled and replied, "We need to put on a show and make Navi nervous. Otherwise, he'll come up with too many tricks. If he wants to challenge me, he must be able to do so."

"So you wanted him to feel like you were going to a more important appointment to make him uncertain," I said, "Especially when you brought the notebook with you?"

"Exactly," he replied, feeding me some lobster meat.

It was tender, succulent, and slightly tangy. The lobster was fresh.

"Why does it have a hint of sourness?" I asked.

he replied, looking at me,

fresh and tender!" I praised, then asked seriously,

afraid?"

Navi's people. They were desperate for that notebook. I was almost a

their attitude," he said dismissively, "Besides, when am I ever reckless? I always have a strategy, and I always leave

familiar with all of Cirencester," Atlas

raised an

you have any questions." Atlas was like a

laugh. "I was just wondering when you learned to speak

glanced at

int

a required course for me. After all, our business is globaby don't like someone else expressing my ideas. They

me. It showed that success wasn't pure

learned how the people talked. And I hired locals to teach me, so..." He shrugged and fed me a delicious piece

hand froze for a moment. That was what he meant when he said he was familiar with

Atlas say we had

mines does our