Varya was taken aback when she spotted Roger at the airport. She quickly stood up from her chair, her brows furrowing in surprise.
Without preamble, Roger extended a paper bag toward her. "Here, this is for you."
She looked at him, bewildered. "What's this?"
"A small gift," he said with a casual shrug. "It's your first time in Italy, right? A souvenir is a must."
Varya hesitated for a moment before accepting the bag. "Thank you. This means a lot," she admitted before narrowing her eyes at him. "But don't get any ideas—I'm not giving you any kind of signal by accepting this."
Roger nodded. "Don't worry. I don't chase after women who reject me."
Varya felt a pang of guilt, wondering if she had hurt his feelings. "I'm sorry, Roger," she said softly. "But I think our worlds are just too different."
