Before he could finish his sentence, Marcus and his friends were unceremoniously thrown out of the restaurant by the staff. The scene ended with a flurry of indignant shouts and frustrated gestures.
"I am sorry for the wait, please this way," the woman at the reception desk said, regaining her composure. Anastasia smiled; she knew it! The female lead was here! It seemed like she was letting Serena in.
"Haha! Host, host, host! Keep this up, the female lead could protect you in the future!" Casper squealed excitedly from her head.
Anastasia rolled her eyes but didn't mind being protected. When Vladimir and Anastasia were led to a table, they found Serena already seated. She was wearing a light blue outfit, her hair styled halfup and halfdown, radiating an air of refined elegance.
Anastasia looked at the man with glasses, studying him intently.
"His name is James Yale," Casper supplied helpfully. Anastasia nodded, recognizing him as Serena's underling – a hacker, if she remembered correctly.
Serena smiled gently at Anastasia.
"So, what are you hungry for?" she asked, tapping the menu in front of Anastasia. Serena regarded her with a thoughtful expression, clearly curious about how she had managed to find this exclusive establishment and what her intentions were.
"Sis, Vladimir, and I can eat about anything!" Anastasia said sweetly, scoring a point. One won't become a villain while the other won't ruin her life.
"Right, Vladimir?" Anastasia turned to Vladimir, her gaze lingering on him for a moment longer than necessary.
This guy was so handsome, radiating an aura of quiet power yet somehow managing to appear unassuming. The system was so wrong; there was no way this guy was the twisted villain who killed without mercy.
"I will, my usual," Serena said to the waiter. Anastasia looked at Vladimir for a long time before placing her order.
"Can you add fried pork liver, and with rice wine, please warm it up? I will have a cheeseburger, with French fries, a soft drink, no ketchup, I would like everything on it, add some spicy to my burger please," Anastasia said.
"What?" the waiter stammered, clearly taken aback by the unusual request.
"What? You don't have that?" Anastasia asked innocently.
"Miss, this is Sevilla Restaurant; everything here is topnotch," the waiter protested weakly.
Anastasia pressed her lips together, a subtle flash of annoyance crossing her face.
"Just get it done," Serena said to the waiter, her voice firm and authoritative. The waiter, clearly intimidated by Serena's presence, quickly scurried off to fulfill the order.
Thirty minutes later, a veritable parade of food arrived on the table. Anastasia's eyes widened as she surveyed the spread – an impressive array of gourmet dishes. She spotted her cheeseburger and fries and her stomach rumbled with anticipation. She took a large bite of the burger, and for a moment, everything seemed to fade away.
But then, something was off. This didn't taste like it should. It wasn't the same as the burgers Pops made at his diner.
Anastasia didn't notice her aura subtly shifting as she looked at the food, a pang of longing hitting her. She felt a sudden, intense craving for Pops Diner's burger the one he made exactly the way she liked it. But she was no longer in that world. The familiar, comforting taste was gone.
Would my younger sister and brother be alright? The thought struck her with unexpected force, and a wave of worry washed over her. The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became.
"If you don't like it, we can keep ordering until you find something you like," Vladimir said, his voice low and concerned as he observed Anastasia's thoughtful expression.
"Didn't you say you would eat anything?" Serena asked, tilting her head slightly, her eyes filled with a gentle curiosity. Anastasia forced a smile.
"No, no, I love it! I was just in a moment," Anastasia said, quickly resuming her eating, determined to appear as though everything was perfectly fine. Man, Serena was so perceptive. Anastasia finished her food and patted her stomach contentedly.
"Oh yes, Vladimir; this is for you," she said, pushing a plate of fries towards him and offering him a glass of wine.
"And drink this; it's good for your body; it will give you energy."
Vladimir was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected gesture before a slow smirk spread across his lips as he accepted the food and drink.
This guy should truly be a model, Casper thought approvingly.
"Haha! Boss! Look at this! I heard about how Thousand Face Man was beat by a rookie – it was so funny! Anyway, for the eighth time, the Marcani Family has tried to bury the trend about the fake daughter news down."
"But every time it drops, I bring it back up," James continued, brimming with enthusiasm.
"Boss, aren't I getting patted on the back?" James asked, looking expectantly at Anastasia.
Anastasia smiled as she put her hands together.
"Oh and…?" Anastasia prompted.
"She is a scheming person who wears goth clothes, tsk tsk; she is not worthy to be my boss's sister! But anyway, other artists want to make up their own things, but I am making sure that fake daughter is still on top by the way my name is James Yale," he said proudly.
"Anastasia Marcani," she replied, meeting James's gaze directly.
"WOW, you have the same name as that fake daughter," James exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise. He looked at Anastasia again, and for the first time, truly saw her. Despite her predominantly black attire and the subtle traces of dark makeup, she possessed an undeniable beauty—a captivating aura that transcended mere aesthetics.
"I am that daughter you all love to talk about it, James," Anastasia said, a hint of weariness creeping into her voice. She felt a strange mix of amusement and annoyance at being reduced to a label—the fake daughter. The weight of that title, the constant scrutiny and judgment it brought, settled heavily on her shoulders. It was a constant reminder that she was an outsider, an imposter in this world.
Vladimir watched Anastasia with quiet intensity, his expression unreadable.
James looked at Serena.
"Boss, are you serious? Is this really your fake sister? She is like a beautiful yang! No way I don't believe it!" James said. Serena crossed her arms and she sighed.
"That is right, she is my little sister," Serena said. Anastasia was shocked – did she just call her sister? Finally, the female lead saw her as a sister. A genuine warmth spread through Anastasia's chest, chasing away the lingering chill of loneliness and doubt.
James looked at Anastasia, studying her intently. She seemed like someone easy to get along with, though she possessed a serene indifference similar to Serena's own. Was the news all fake? Both Serena and Anastasia seemed to be getting along.
"Both I am sorry! That stupid Austin Smith lied said… forget it,"