Chapter 216

It was Saturday night when Ruby Henderson met up with Ethan Kim for their blind date. Just the two of them. They picked a cozy Italian restaurant with great ambiance—candles, soft lighting, super romantic. Ethan looked even better in person than in photos, kind of that old-school intellectual vibe. Both were adults, mature and easygoing, and the conversation flowed effortlessly. Ruby shared some funny stories from her work in business, while Ethan talked about his research job—he mainly works with new energy technologies, often working overtime or traveling up north for projects. As Ruby cut into her steak, she smiled and teased, "Then I need to hook you up with a really good face mask." Ethan didn’t reply right away but gave her a look that was calm and intrigued. Over the course of dinner, he’d gotten quite a good impression of Ruby. She seemed emotionally intelligent, self-sufficient—qualities he really valued. His last marriage fell apart mostly because of long-distance strains. Hi