Life Sucks If You're Married To A Billionaire

17 | Lunch Date

JACE'S POV

"Bonjour, mon frère! Are you busy?"

I groaned when Ralph's obnoxiously cheery voice disturbed my thoughts. I slammed the papers I was signing on the table and glared at him as he made himself at home in my office. He ignored my look and just flopped down on the black chair in front of my desk.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at your hospital in Strasbourg? Get out of here. I'm busy." I grumbled.

Honestly, I don't have time for him. I have a lot of signing important paperworks to do, and worse, Diana is always on my tail about informing of our stockholders the next major investment to another company. Which, to my chagrin, must be done within this day. But how in the world can I do that when I'm not yet even half done of what I was doing? Diana could sometimes get a little overboard of being my secratary.

Ralph laughed. "As what the Americans say, chill. Get a day off. Relax. Or better yet, take a vacation."

"I don't have time for that. Now, please leave. Tu me prends la tête." I shooed him off impatiently.

Ralph sighed. "Suit yourself. I guess Kei and I will have fun by ourselves today."

My eyes widened at that. "Que'est ce que vous avez dit?"

Ralph smirked cockily. "I invited Kei for a lunch date today, and oh... look at that! It's almost time for me to pick him up. Au revoir!"

Since when did he and Kei got friendly together? And how come I didn't know this up until now? This is absurd. I've known Ralph for a very long time and I'm not liking what's going to happen if this lunch date continues.

"Attendez! I'll come with you." I didn't think twice and stood up, grabbing my suit jacket from the rack and putting it on. I didn't even spare a second glance to the unfinished paperworks that are waiting for me to be signed scattered on the office desk.

"Well, well... look who's coming out of his shell. I'm proud of you, mon frêre!" Ralph teased loudly.

I ignored him and silently followed him to the elevators. Once we stepped in and got down to the ground lobby, we walked together to his car.

"Where is your car?" Ralph asked curiously.

"Ça ne vous concerne pas." I grumbled before hopping inside the passenger seat.

Not long after, we finally arrived at Kei's college where most of the students were already coming out of the buildings for their lunch break. I got outside the car before Ralph can do so, which made him roll his eyes at me. I scanned the bustling students and searched for Kei.

"Oh, there he is! Mon minou!" Ralph shouted unashamedly.

I followed his gaze and sure enough, I found Kei walking towards our direction with a backpack hung loosely over his right shoulder. I couldn't help but stare at his eyes long and hard until he finally stopped walking and stood awkwardly in front of Ralph and I.

"Uh, why is Jace here?" He asked to Ralph, completely ignoring me.

I crossed my arms across my chest. "Now, that really hurt my feelings mon beau."

"My baby brother here was being a... well, a baby. He insisted he come with us for lunch." Ralph explained.

Kei just hummed in response, but still gave me a suspicious look. I frowned at him as I hopped inside the car, same with Ralph and Kei. Once we buckled up, Ralph started to drive off towards wherever he wants to take us for lunch. But unfortunately for him, I don't like his choice of restaurants. Instead of fine dining restaurants, he always preferred fastfood chains or a pastry shop. It's not that I don't have a liking to sweet foods. I just simply dislike the taste after eating even one candy. I prefer caviar than sweets.

"Here we are. The Pittoresque Bristo." Ralph said as he parked the car just in front of the restaurant.

I faintly heard Kei gasp in amazement. I couldn't blame him. The French restaurant was quaint and old-fashioned, but in an appealing way. The word pittoresque means quaint in French. The restaurant really lived up to its name. It's not too extravagant and eye-catching, but once you got inside, you'll be seeing yourself coming back again and again for more. I've been here a few times, either with Ralph or my business clients.

After the three of us got inside and settled ourselves on a vacant table far away from the door and noisy people, Kei decided to look at the menu and scrunched up his eyebrows curiously. I smiled at his look.

"Ugh, French words again. Seriously, why can't you guys drag me to places without an alien language?" He complained, putting the menu back on the table.

"Take a French class, then." I said bluntly.

Ralph snorted. "Now, that will be hard for Kei here. He's literally a beginner. Right, mon minou?"

Kei nodded in agreement, making me clench my fists under the table. This can't be good. If Ralph and Kei will get more comfortable with each other, then I don't think I would like what's going to happen next.

Just then, the waiter arrived at our table, holding a small notepad and a pen, waiting for us to give our orders. I glanced at the menu, and decided to just order the usual one.

"I'll have the le parmentier. With white cheese." I said, looking at Kei who was sitting next to me. He looked like he's having a hard time trying to decipher what's on the menu, so I leaned closer to him and held the other end of the menu, making him flinch a bit before composing himself.

"What do you want to eat?" I asked gently.

Kei stared at me for a short while before looking back down on the menu. "Uh, I don't know. Can you order for me?"

I nodded in response and pointed a finger to one of the dishes on the lunch section of the menu. I am sure Kei would like this one.

"Does aligot sound good to you?"

He frowned. "What's that?"

"It's a fondue-like mix of mashed potatoes and sharp cheese. It comes with fries and aïoli, a mayonnaise made of garlic."

"Sounds delicious to me. I'll have that one."

I was about to tell Kei's order to the waiter when I noticed the waiter's eyes looking very intently... and maliciously at Kei. A strange and unfamiliar feeling coursed through me and before I knew it, I cleared my throat angrily at the waiter. He jolted and feeling embarrassed for being caught, he hurriedly focused on his notepad. And I don't know what came over me, but something inside me encouraged me to just blurt out the next words out of my mouth.

"My husband would like to have the aligot. With garlic mayonnaise please." I said, trying to sound intimidating to scare the waiter away.

He gulped. "Y-yes, sir. Right away."

Ralph whistled. "Hey, I want only pasta and some chicken with red wine sauce."

The waiter nodded frantically, then ran off with our orders. Feeling satisfied, I casually leaned back on my chair and looked at Ralph. He smirked at me knowingly.

"Well done, brother. Well done."

Kei scoffed. "Am I missing something? Because I hate when I'm left out of things."

"Nothing to worry about, mon minou." Ralph said with a wave of his hand.

Kei was about to say something when someone came up to our table. And when I saw that familiar face, I knew this lunch date is gonna be harder than I thought it was.

"Whoa, Kei! Nice to see you here!"

I tried not to grimace when Kei abruptly stood up and greeted the one guy who stood in front of us with a big smile.

"Hey, Ryan!"

***
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