He Wouldn't Claim Me — Another Man Did-Chapter 67 - 60: Emptiness

After being sick for a few days, Shane Sterling returned to work and then went on a business trip abroad.

Isla Prescott was busy too. She and Annabelle Leighton had signed up for the Taoli Cup dance competition. They both registered independently, and not long after submitting their video entries, they each received a notification. They had both passed the preliminary and secondary rounds, making it to the list of finalists.

The Taoli Cup finals were being held in Nordenburg.

Isla Prescott and Annabelle Leighton started filming a vlog the day before their departure, gathering footage for their channel.

They both hoped to do well. Winning an award would be a great boost for them personally, for their dance studio’s enrollment, and for their social media presence.

On the day of their departure to Nordenburg, Isla Prescott messaged Shane Sterling from the plane, telling him she was about to head to Nordenburg for the Taoli Cup finals.

Perhaps due to the time difference, Shane Sterling hadn’t replied by the time she had to turn on airplane mode.

By the time Isla Prescott and Annabelle Leighton landed in Nordenburg, it was already evening.

"Isla, I heard there’s a fantastic restaurant in Nordenburg. Tourists say your trip isn’t complete until you’ve eaten there at least once. We should go check it out."

"Okay."

"I’ll look up the restaurant’s number."

Annabelle Leighton found the restaurant’s number online and called to make a reservation, but she was told they were fully booked for that night and the next day’s lunch. The earliest available spot was for the following evening.

With no other choice, Annabelle Leighton booked a table for the next night.

"Good thing we left ourselves an extra day before the competition. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have had any time to just wander around and eat."

"Yeah. So, are we still going out tonight?"

"Let’s not go out tonight. Traveling was exhausting. Let’s just get some takeout."

"Okay."

The two of them unpacked a bit, then ordered a few dishes and had dinner in their hotel room.

As they were eating, Shane Sterling called. He asked a few questions about the finals and wished Isla Prescott good luck, but didn’t say much else.

When Isla Prescott hung up, she looked up to find Annabelle Leighton had put down her chopsticks and was watching her.

"What is it?"

"You’ve got something on your face," Annabelle Leighton said.

Isla Prescott immediately grabbed a napkin to wipe her face. "What is it?"

"Something sweet."

Isla Prescott’s face immediately turned red.

"Why are you getting shy in front of me?" Annabelle Leighton laughed. "But I really do want to know, why the sudden change of heart about Shane Sterling?"

After all, Isla Prescott had initially said they were from different worlds.

"We... I don’t really know how to explain it." ’She couldn’t very well tell her that Shane Sterling had set a trap for her, could she?’

"Come on, tell me. I desperately need to understand your thought process so I can copy your strategy and win over Morgan Hayes."

’Copy my strategy, huh.’

’That trick probably wouldn’t work on Morgan Hayes.’

"It’s nothing, really." Isla Prescott chose a more tactful explanation. "You know how my mom was hospitalized a while back? He helped out a lot, so I... I just sort of softened up."

Annabelle Leighton sighed after hearing this. "Too bad. Morgan Hayes is like a rock in a cesspit—stubborn and foul. Getting him to soften up is harder than climbing to heaven."

"Where there’s a will, there’s a way," Isla Prescott said, though it was unclear if she was talking about Morgan Hayes or herself. "Even the firmest principles can’t stand up against sincere affection."

--

The next day, Isla Prescott and Annabelle Leighton slept in until noon.

After putting on their makeup, they went out for a stroll. In the evening, they headed to the restaurant early for their reservation.

The restaurant was already crowded with people waiting. A server guided them to a window-side table.

"So many people. It must be really good," Annabelle Leighton said expectantly.

"I can’t eat too much today. I’m worried I won’t be able to zip up my dress tomorrow."

"Right. Today really isn’t a good day to pig out. But it’s our own fault for booking so late."

As the two were laughing and talking, Annabelle Leighton suddenly made a fist and lightly tapped the table.

"Isla! Isla!"

"What is it?" Isla Prescott asked.

"Look behind you, by the stairs!"

Isla Prescott turned to look.

A man and a woman were descending the stairs side by side.

The man was Silas Lockwood. The woman was unfamiliar, but she had an elegant air about her, looking as if she came from wealth and status.

Isla Prescott looked away, feeling completely unfazed.

"That woman is Luna Langley, the eldest daughter of the Langley Family. She’s a big deal—took over their family business last year. A total powerhouse." Annabelle Leighton whispered, "I wonder if she and Silas Lockwood are talking business or pleasure."

Isla Prescott said nothing. Whether they were talking business or pleasure, she had absolutely no interest in Silas Lockwood’s affairs anymore.

Seeing Isla Prescott’s lack of interest, Annabelle Leighton didn’t say any more.

The dishes arrived one by one. The food was decent, but not amazing. Ultimately, its immense popularity was all thanks to brilliant marketing.

Neither Isla Prescott nor Annabelle Leighton ate very much.

"I feel like it wasn’t worth waiting since yesterday for this," Annabelle Leighton said.

"Oh well, at least we got to eat here," Isla Prescott consoled her. "Think of all the people who couldn’t get a table. They’ll probably have to leave Nordenburg with regrets."

"That’s true. At least we won’t have any regrets."

The two of them walked out of the restaurant arm in arm.

Nordenburg had a lot of traditional architecture, and its nighttime atmosphere had a different charm compared to Meritopia.

Isla Prescott was just about to ask Annabelle Leighton if she wanted to walk around a bit more to digest when she looked up and saw Silas Lockwood under a streetlight, leaning against his car and watching her from a distance.

"Isla." He walked toward them.

Annabelle Leighton glanced at Isla Prescott and tactfully said, "I’m going to grab a couple of fruit teas for us to drink back at the hotel."

Isla Prescott nodded.

Annabelle Leighton crossed the street to a tea shop, and in a few strides, Silas Lockwood was standing in front of Isla Prescott.

"Isla, what a coincidence. You’re in Nordenburg too."

"Mhm."

"I’m here on a business trip. What about you? Here for work?"

"For a competition."

Seeing her cold and distant—her gaze fixed on his shoulder, never meeting his eyes as she spoke—Silas Lockwood’s heart began to feel hollow again.

Ever since he and Isla Prescott broke up, it felt like a piece of his heart was missing. It was manageable when he didn’t see her, but the moment he did, the emptiness became overwhelmingly intense.

"Isla, the woman I was having dinner with just now... she’s just a regular friend. We both happened to be in Nordenburg on business, so we arranged to meet up."

"You don’t have to explain to me."

"You were looking at us earlier. I thought you might be a little bothered." Silas Lockwood had spotted Isla Prescott the moment he came downstairs. When he saw her glance toward him and Luna Langley, a sliver of hope had sparked within him—the hope that she might still get jealous over him.

"We’ve already broken up. Who you date is your own business."

"I’m not going to date anyone. You’re the only one in my heart."

Isla Prescott lifted her eyes and looked at him calmly.

’How strange. No matter how this person she once adored professed his devotion, her heart no longer stirred in the slightest.’

’So this is what the end of love feels like. Not hate, but calm acceptance.’

Just as they stood in a standoff, Isla Prescott’s phone suddenly rang.

She glanced at the screen. Shane Sterling’s name was flashing there, impossible to ignore.