Jane watched Gregory step outside to take the call, his expression serious. Sitting alone at the table, she replayed their conversation in her mind. His admission that he missed her stirred emotions she had long buried. Yet, the reminder of his marriage brought her crashing back to reality.

She chugged her beer, the bitter taste on her tongue as she contemplated their situation. Gregory was a dutiful person, and that was one of the things that attracted her to him. His loyalty and devotion to his responsibilities bound him to his vows, leaving little room for their past to resurface. She knew he was conflicted, torn between his past with her and his present life. It hurt to see him struggling, knowing she was the cause of his inner turmoil. She tried to understand, or at least she convinced herself she did. But deep down, the longing for what could have been gnawed at her heart.

Perhaps she had hoped for too much by reaching out to him. Maybe she had expected him to sweep her off her feet, whisk her away, and tell her he had been waiting for her return since they parted. But life was never that simple, and reality had a cruel way of shattering illusions.

"Are you guys done for the night, or do you want another round?" asked the waitress from earlier, her eyes scanning the room for Gregory.

"He stepped outside for a minute," Jane said, her annoyance barely concealed.

"Oh..."

"But, yeah, we'll have another order of the same thing," Jane motioned to her beer and pointed at Gregory's half-finished whiskey.

"Alright. You got it!" the waitress said, oblivious to Jane's irritation.

Jane had a lot on her mind. Initially, she wanted to meet Gregory because he was the first person she wanted to see since her return. However, it seemed Marianne had a hold on him, which infuriated her. She should have been the one married into the Lawson family, not that orphan goody-two-shoes girl.

She had hoped that her charms and seeing her would have been enough to make Gregory want to throw away his marriage sham. But it looked like he needed a nudge in the right direction—a nudge towards her.

"Here you go," the waitress chirped. She returned, placed the fresh drinks on the table, and quickly glanced at Gregory's empty seat.

Jane nodded, barely acknowledging her as she continued to get lost in her thoughts.

A few minutes later, Gregory returned to the bar, his demeanor increasingly relaxed as the night continued. Despite the weight of their conversation, there was a sense of catharsis in the air, a fleeting escape from the complexities of their lives. As the evening progressed, his laughter became more carefree, his guard slowly lowering with each drink. Jane watched him, her heart heavy with conflicting emotions.

Eventually, the night began to wind down, and his driver arrived as planned. Feeling the effects of the alcohol, he leaned heavily on her as they made their way outside.

"Thanks for tonight," he slurred, his words barely audible.

She nodded, helping him toward the waiting car. His movements were unstable from the alcohol, so she reached out to steady him. In a moment of raw emotion, their eyes locked, and without a word, they leaned into each other, their lips meeting in a bittersweet kiss.

It was a fleeting moment of vulnerability, a culmination of years of longing and regret. For a brief instant, the weight of their past melted away, leaving only the warmth of their connection. But as quickly as it had begun, the kiss ended. Jane stared deeply into Gregory's blue eyes, her heart pounding with anticipation. This was her moment!

"Greg, I—" she began, hoping to sway him.

"Please allow me," said the driver, taking Gregory's arm and placing it around his neck.

"Wait!" Jane took a deep breath, her frustration boiling over. The driver's eyebrow arched, but he didn't move. She clasped Gregory's free hand and squeezed it tightly, a hint of desperation in her grip.

"Gregory, stay with me. We can talk, sort things out," she pleaded, her voice shaking slightly.

"Su—"

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Mr. Lawson instructed me to take him straight home," the driver interrupted, shaking his head firmly.

Jane shot him a piercing glare, full of disgust, as if she had just set her sight on a cockroach.

"Gregory. Can. Speak. For. Himself," she emphasized each syllable, her temper rising.

"Do what you want," Gregory mumbled inaudibly.

"I'm afraid he can't, ma'am. My orders were clear." The driver remained resolute, his expression unwavering.

They stared off for a few seconds, and Jane realized she wouldn't get through this stubborn driver.

"Fine," she said, gritting her teeth, defeated. She leaned forward and kissed Gregory again. "Take him home."

She turned and walked away, mentally cursing the driver for being so stubborn. She watched as the car pulled away into the night, carrying Gregory further and further from her grasp. Alone on the sidewalk, she wrapped her arms around herself, a solitary figure in the darkness, wondering what might have been.