Chapter 85
Chapter 85
The other party said, "Okay, boss, I'll reply to that customer like this."
"Okay!" Alita was about to hang up but put the receiver back to her ear. "By the way, what's the name of that customer? It would be convenient for me to greet him later."
The other party said, "I asked, but he didn't say."
"Alright then, no problem. I'll ask when he comes in the afternoon. Let's get back to work." Alita dismissed the concern, hung up the phone, and leaned back. With many years of experience in the workplace, she had encountered all sorts of people, and eccentric personalities were not uncommon.
The secretary brought in coffee for Alita and reported on today's work. With a mischievous smile, she added, "That chubby guy from the 12th floor sent flowers again today, a hundred roses. Should I arrange them in your office?"
"Karen, do you want to turn my office into a flower shop? Divide the flowers into ten parts and give them to our female colleagues." Alita sipped her coffee, smiling subtly. Her company had more female employees, and male employees were a minority, not by design but simply by coincidence.
The secretary said, "Really? Then, I thank you on everyone's behalf, boss. Our company's benefits are really the best in the industry. We can get fresh flowers for free every day."
"Too much talk. How about I deduct half of your monthly bonus?" Alita's smile took on a deeper meaning.
"Boss, I'll get back to work." The secretary covered her mouth and hurriedly left.
Watching her secretary leave, Alita shook her head. She had neither time nor inclination for romantic entanglements. Her focus was solely on running her company. She was immune to all
men.
Opening her computer, she began tackling today's tasks.
At 10 am, a meeting was held to discuss the progress of ongoing projects. The planning company Alita led undertook a wide range of business, including advertising planning, wedding planning, birthdays, and events that required professional organization. She chose this field because it was the only one untouched by the Lewis Group.
When the meeting ended, Alita turned to the girl with black hair sitting on her right and said, "Crystal, later this afternoon, you'll accompany me to receive the customer who called this morning."
"Okay, boss. I've already confirmed with that customer. He'll be here at 2 pm," Crystal Blunt from the business department responded with a smile.
"Okay!" Alita stood up. "Meeting dismissed!"
She was the first to leave the meeting room. The employees who were still in the meeting room began to quietly discuss her gossip.
"Hey, do you think our boss might be into women? She's so beautiful, with such a good temperament. Many men pursue her, and there's no shortage of handsome and wealthy ones. They send her flowers and gifts every day, but she remains indifferent."
"And she's also quite fierce. I heard that a rich guy was obsessed with her. He used luxury cars to intercept her every day. Guess what? She directly called the police."
"Isn't there a single man she fancies?"
A member from the planning department gestured to others with her fingers and said quietly, "I heard a little gossip. Our boss used to be the wife of a wealthy scion, so ordinary rich guys and
managers don't catch her eye at all."
"Is it true? How wealthy of a scion are we talking about?"
Everyone looked skeptical.
At lunch, Alita drove alone to the restaurant she visited every day. Sitting in a quiet corner, she ate spaghetti, watched the bustling crowd outside the window, and found tranquility in her own world. This feeling made her feel at ease.
The city was vast from all directions. Staying in any corner turned one into a speck of dust.
At 1:50 pm, Alita organized her desk, preparing to welcome the client scheduled for 2 pm. While reaching for a cup, her ring finger was accidentally pricked by a cactus, causing an immediate sharp pain.
A drop of bright red blood emerged on her fingertip as if foreshadowing an impending misfortune.
Then, the sound of a knock on the door suddenly echoed.
Alita snapped back to reality, wiped the blood from her finger with a tissue, crumpled the tissue, and tossed it into the trash can. With a stable demeanor, she calmly said, "Come in!"
The door opened, and Crystal walked in first, followed by a man and a woman. The man was incredibly handsome, with his mesmerizing green eyes effortlessly capturing the attention of every woman. The woman was gorgeously beautiful, a blonde and blue-eyed beauty from Yaton. She was young, with a perfect appearance and flawless skin. Holding hands with the man, the woman exuded sweetness mixed with arrogance.
Alita's eyes were fixed on the man, and she was utterly shocked. Her body became rigid, unable to move.
It was Jaydon. But how? How could it be him?
This man was hidden in her memories, a man she was trying to forget completely. Now, he suddenly appeared so vivid before her again, overturning her peaceful world.
The spring sunlight was warm, but Alita felt increasingly cold. It was like she was in a chilly cellar.
Brightness, freedom, tranquility, and comfort were all shattered by his arrival. Her ring finger still ached as if a needle had pierced it, subtly trembling.
Jaydon's gaze was deep as he looked at Alita, and he put on a brilliant smile.
How long had it been since he last saw Alita? He remembered every minute and every second as he hated her to the bone.
"This is our boss, Miss Alita Thompson." Unaware of Alita's unusual state, Crystal enthusiastically introduced them. When this couple entered earlier, they stunned everyone in the company. They were far more good-looking than regular people.
Alita was supposed to stand up and greet them warmly. However, she remained seated, motionless.
"Boss," Crystal called out when she saw no response from Alita. Seeing Alita's continued lack of reaction, Crystal smiled apologetically at the guests, walked over, and tugged at Alita's hand. "Boss."
"Uh..." Alita stiffly stood up and adjusted her composure. She greeted them with a friendly and polite smile, waving her hand. "Hello, please have a seat!"
Jaydon didn't sit down. Instead, he extended his hand. "Miss Thompson, shall we shake hands first?"
Alita cursed him in her heart but maintained a smiling expression. 'Fine, I'll shake your filthy hand!'
She reached out her hand, and their palms met. He secretly rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand. "Miss Thompson, I'm Jaydon Lewis. Do you remember me? Do you still recall?"
Alita, almost struggling, forcefully withdrew her hand, answering calmly, "I've seen you in financial magazines. Mr. Lewis, you look better in person than in photos. Please, have a seat."
"Jaydon, do you know her?" The beautiful woman asked Jaydon in Theisian.
Jaydon blinked his green eyes slowly, answering intriguingly, "Maybe."
He carefully pulled out a chair for the beautiful woman. "Have a seat, Evelyn."
"Thank you. You should also sit, Jaydon." Evelyn Jenner affectionately pulled Jaydon down to sit, their expressions showing a hint of intimacy.
Alita also sat down while Crystal remained standing on the side.
Alita exclaimed in her heart, 'Is he getting married?'
Alita never expected it to be Jaydon. She thought he had long married Cecilia. What surprised her even more was that the person he was marrying now was someone else. Thinking about this, she couldn't help but want to laugh. Life was truly unpredictable, especially when it came to men's hearts.
Cecilia and Jaydon were childhood sweethearts, but Jaydon still left her and married another woman. Cecilia was so arrogant back then, but she was still abandoned by Jaydon.
Mocking silently in her heart, Alita thought she should face Jaydon indifferently. They were strangers now. Being overly nervous would only make it seem like she cared. Even if Jaydon came
here intentionally, she would treat it as an unintentional, ordinary wedding planning.
Outside the door, the secretary brought in coffee and placed it in front of the guests.
"I heard that you two are getting married. Congratulations to you two. You truly make a perfect couple." Alita displayed her signature smile, squinting her eyes warmly, showing genuine sincerity.
Evelyn leaned toward Jaydon, offering a sweet smile. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome! Now, tell us about your ideas for the wedding. We'll create the most perfect and romantic ceremony according to your desires. I assure you it will be beyond your expectations," Alita smoothly stated.
Jaydon lifted the coffee cup, elegantly taking a sip. "Is that so, Miss Thompson? Are you perhaps too confident? What if we're not satisfied?"
"In that case, we will make adjustments until you're satisfied, Mr. Lewis. You can participate in every detail, and if there's anything you're not happy with, we can replace it immediately with what you want. So, no need to worry at all," Alita said, gazing into his eyes with a charming smile.
"Sounding very professional," Jaydon said lightly, his expression somewhat less enthusiastic.
"Of course! However, if you don't trust us, I won't force it. You can choose another planning company, many of which are larger than us." Alita hoped to dismiss this troublemaker.
Crystal tugged at Alita's sleeve again, reminding her that this was a significant contract. Why was she behaving so unusually today?
Jaydon laughed and said, "It's not that I don't trust you, Miss Thompson. Here's the deal. If you handle this planning personally, then we'll choose your company, no more negotiations with others.
Of course, if you're not confident, you can choose to give up. But in that case, no one will come to your company for business in the future."
This was both a threat and a provocation.
Alita understood Jaydon wouldn't let her off so easily today. If she didn't take this contract and didn't meet his requirements, he would undoubtedly ruin her company effortlessly. However, this company was the result of her hard work and dedication.
Alita had no choice. She could kick him out in a fit of anger and offend him, even if it meant closing down her company. Or, she could agree to his demands and let him nitpick at every detail of this wedding.
She had to choose one of these two options.
"Alright, I agree. I'll personally handle the wedding planning. I hope to make you both satisfied. Let's have a pleasant cooperation!" Alita's gaze was filled with determination.
Jaydon looked at her with a smirk and said, "I'm looking forward to it!"
Alita felt a bit suffocated. Pretending to check the time, she said, "It's settled then. We can discuss the details and your vision for the wedding in the next few days. I have something to attend to right now."
"No problem! We'll see each other often in the future," Jaydon said casually, picking up a business card from the table. "I'll give you a call."
He stood up, arm in arm with Evelyn, and left.
Jaydon thought, 'Alita, rest assured. I'll torment you well. I've hated you for far too long. Now, I've finally found you.'
Seeing the two of them leave, Alita slowly relaxed her tense nerves.
"Boss, that's great! We've got this deal. Mr. Lewis seems to have a significant background, and the wedding is bound to be grand. A lot of celebrities will attend. Let's take advantage of this opportunity to boost our company's reputation," Crystal exclaimed with excitement.
"Crystal, you can go back first." Alita's head was already throbbing, and Crystal's constant chatter only made it worse.
"Okay," Crystal responded in puzzlement. She did not understand why Alita was not happy even though they just landed such a big contract.
Leaning back in her chair, Alita let out a deep sigh. However, the pressure on her chest was still suffocating.
For the past year, she had been careful to stay in Southernwood City while Jaydon remained in Northernwood City. She thought they could both free themselves from the remnants of their past marriage and when they met again, it would be on peaceful terms. But he was still the same.
From 2 pm until the end of the workday, Alita felt trapped again, unable to move. She closed her eyes to escape it all, but when she opened them, she still had to face reality.
It was 5 pm. People in the company had already left one after another. After lingering for an additional 10 minutes, Alita grabbed her bag and left the office.
In the elevator, she ran into Ivan Hampton, a manager from the 12th floor. He was a plump man, so the girls in the office joked about his chubbiness.
"Ms. Thompson, it's time to get off work!" Ivan stared at Alita every time he saw her.
"Yeah," Alita responded absentmindedly.
After hesitating for a while, the elevator arrived. Alita walked in by herself. Ivan caught up and asked, "Did you like the flowers this morning?"
"Mr. Hampton, you don't have to spend money like that. I don't like flowers," Alita responded with a faint smile, but her words were firm.
Ivan suddenly felt dispirited, but this kind of setback wasn't a big deal. If he didn't work hard, how could he win the beauty over?
He chuckled amiably. "It's okay if you don't like them. Ms. Thompson, I'd like to invite you to dinner. Do you have time?"
"No! I'm going home to rest. Mr. Hampton, please don't waste any more time. Goodbye!" Alita walked towards her car without looking back.
Before reaching her car, another young man approached her. He looked very young, dressed in a trendy manner, resembling the pretty boys from TV shows.
"Mr. Sharpe, do you need something?" Alita asked with patience.
The young man replied, "Alita, I want to take you somewhere. Don't ask where, but I promise you'll be pleasantly surprised."
"Lad, I don't like romance, don't like money, and definitely don't like younger boys. Come back when you've grown into a real man." Alita dismissed the young man, opened the car door, and got in. But her hand was grabbed again.
The young man said hurriedly, "Alita, I'm already 22 years old. I'm an adult and a man now. Please accept me, okay?"
"No! Because I'm already old." Alita shook off his hand, started the car, and drove away.
What a day. She felt extremely unlucky as she drove, feeling upset.
Behind her, a black sports car followed slowly. Through the window, the man in the sports car observed everything that had just happened. He pondered why did Alita engage with these weird guys.
Alita returned to her high-end apartment building, where entry required a card, and additional security checks were needed to reach her unit.
The black sports car couldn't enter, so it parked outside. That man observed the apartment where Alita lived.
At home, Alita collapsed onto the soft sofa and surprisingly fell asleep just like that.
When she woke up, it was already 3 am, the quietest time in the world. She got up, took a shower, found some food in the fridge to cook, then brought it to the balcony. She ate while enjoying the cold breeze.
The night sky was a deep blue as it was illuminated by dim lights, resembling a vast sea. The clouds floated lightly over her head, like giant sharks swimming by, creating a silent and beautiful scene.
Alita chewed quietly, looking up at the sky, feeling the peaceful solitude.
Suddenly, the phone placed beside her rang, breaking the silence.
She looked at it, and it was a completely unfamiliar number. It was in the middle of the night. Who could it be? Did the caller call the wrong number?
She didn't answer, but the phone kept ringing persistently. Finally, Alita had to pick up. "Hello."
There was no sound from the other end, just silence, as silent as where she was. The caller didn't speak and didn't hang up.
"Hello, may I ask who you are?" Alita asked again.
There was still no response, not even the sound of breathing. It was like a ghost was calling her, a silent call with an eerie and disturbing feeling.
Alita moved the phone away, ready to end the call. Suddenly, a piece of melodic music started playing. Without realizing it, she brought the phone back to her ear. It was a beautiful classical piece, one she liked very much.
Listening to it, she got lost in the music, momentarily forgetting that this was a call from a stranger. Then, the music ended.
"Nice, isn't it?" A man's voice abruptly entered her ears.
Alita jumped, her mind instantly awake. She thought the voice sounded familiar and then realized it was Jaydon's.
She covered her chest, calming her startled heart. "Is this Mr. Lewis? I didn't expect you to call so early. What's the matter?"
"I called to let you listen to the music. How do you feel about using this piece for the wedding banquet?" Jaydon asked seriously.
"Mr. Lewis, are you in the right state of mind?" Alita sarcastically remarked.
"Maybe it's because I'm excited. You haven't answered. How do you feel about the music? I need the advice of a professional." Jaydon was in his sleepwear. He leaned against the balcony, sipping red wine.
"I think it doesn't matter which piece you use. The key is whether you like it or not. So, if you want to use it, I will arrange it for you." Alita knew he wanted to use a tune she liked to mock her, just like he insisted on having her plan the wedding for him.
"Is it good or not? Miss Thompson, I spent a lot of money to have you plan my wedding. I don't want to hear this vague answer. I want to hear a definite one." Jaydon looked at the garden with cold eyes.
Alita took a deep breath. "It's excellent!"
"So, you think it's excellent too. Then, let's go with this piece. I believe in your judgment." Jaydon smiled brightly, finishing the red wine.
Alita said impatiently, "If there's nothing else, I'll hang up."
"I still have more to say," Jaydon said softly, not letting her hang up.
Alita held back her anger and switched the phone to her other hand. "Mr. Lewis, it's 3 am now, and I was in the middle of my sleep. Can't it wait until tomorrow?"
"No, I'm afraid the feeling will fade suddenly, so I have to tell you as soon as possible. I might do this often in the next month. Miss Thompson, you have to get used to it," Jaydon said. Seeing her about to get angry, he felt satisfied.
Alita was furious.
Then, a woman's voice suddenly came from the other end. "Darling, why aren't you sleeping? What are you doing making a call here?"
Jaydon replied, "I'm on the phone with Miss Thompson. I just thought of a piece of music and wanted to ask her opinion."
Evelyn said, "Why ask her? You could have asked me. Darling, let's go back to sleep. I can't sleep without you."
Jaydon chuckled. "You're such a little fool. Alright, I end the call now. Let's go to sleep and maybe have another round. How about that?"
Evelyn said, "You're so annoying."
The sound of kissing followed, then the woman's satisfied moans.
Alita held the phone, some damp strands of hair falling onto her face. She didn't bother to brush them away. Her food had cooled, and the strong wind had dispersed the clouds in the sky.
After some time, Jaydon picked up his phone, thinking Alita had already hung up. To his surprise, the call was still connected, and a sharp pain pierced his heart.
He picked up the phone and said, "Sorry, Miss Thompson, I forgot to hang up."
"It's okay. The customer is everything to us. I can't be so impolite to hang up without saying goodbye. I wish you and your future wife a wonderful and lingering morning. Goodbye!" Alita placed the phone gently on the table, her hand lingering on it.
A minute later, she pursed her lips and continued to eat. The food was cold, but she finished every bite. She washed the bowl, closed the balcony door, turned off the lights, and crawled into bed.
The dark room was so silent that a pin dropping could make a loud noise. Alita closed her eyes, breathing steadily, seemingly sound asleep.
The only thing in turmoil was her heart. Beneath the seemingly strong and indifferent exterior, there was a kind of pain, a quiet sorrow.
Meanwhile, Jaydon looked at his phone with a sour face. He pulled Evelyn away, who was clinging to him. All his excitement and pleasure were gone.
Evelyn was still infatuated and unable to extricate herself from the sensual pleasure, yet it hadn't even started, and Jaydon was gone.
*****
"Boss, your eye bags are quite swollen today. Didn't you sleep well last night?" The secretary handed the coffee to Alita, pointing at her pale face with swollen eye bags. Alita took out a mirror to check, and it was quite terrible. How could she meet clients like this?
"Karen, do you have any facial masks?" she asked the secretary.
"Yes! I'll go get one for you right away." Karen rushed out and returned a facial mask quickly. "Boss, this facial mask is amazing. I rely on it after staying up late. After you use it, put on some makeup, and I guarantee you'll look radiant immediately."
Karen's vitality infected Alita, and she couldn't help but smile. "Is it really that magical?"
"You won't know until you try. Once you put it on, you'll be amazed. Come, let me help you." Karen enthusiastically ran over, tied Alita's hair, clipped her bangs back, and then applied the facial mask. "15 minutes, and you'll have the face of an 18-year-old."
"You're making me ten years younger in an instant." Alita wanted to laugh but had to suppress it. She touched the corners of her eyes, afraid that laughing might cause wrinkles.
Alita was already 28 years old. The best years for a woman were drawing to a close. However, her youth had been spent in such pain. She hadn't felt the sweetness and happiness of love, only sorrow and sadness.
But what about Jaydon? He was over 30. Yet, he still managed to find a woman in her early twenties to be his wife.
"Boss, boss!" The secretary noticed Alita lost in thought and called out to her.
"Oh." Alita snapped out of her reverie. "You can go prepare the materials for the morning meeting."
The secretary left, and Alita leaned back in her chair. She felt dispirited. Although she acted indifferent and unaffected on the surface, she knew her true feelings. Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
Which woman would feel ecstatic or indifferent when her ex-husband remarried and came asking her to organize the wedding? No woman would be comfortable with it. It was just that those who experienced divorce were even more concerned about their pride, and they liked to appear invincible and indestructible.
In essence, Jaydon came to Alita to show off his current happiness, hoping she would regret leaving him.
If Alita refused to engage in his confrontation, it meant she surrendered. If she were to confront it, it would be like inviting trouble to herself, like she did now.
Not even ten minutes later, she took off the facial mask. Checking herself in the mirror, her eye bags had indeed improved.
After touching up her makeup, her phone rang. Seeing that it was the number from last night, she cleared her throat and took a deep breath before answering with a sweet voice, "Mr. Lewis, hello."
Jaydon asked, "Miss Thompson, my fiancée and I would like to invite you to lunch today. Afterward, we can discuss the wedding plans. What do you think?"
"Um... that's a bit tricky. I already have plans at noon. How about we meet in the afternoon directly to discuss this? Is that okay?" Alita politely declined the lunch invitation.
"Plans? Is it a date with the bald fatty or the young lad?" Jaydon sneered.
Alita paused, then smiled and replied, "Neither. But you don't have to trouble yourself for me. I apologize, but I have a meeting to attend now. Let's meet at 1 pm at the outdoor cafe. Does that work for you?"
"To save everyone's time, let's have a double date with four people. Where would you like to eat? We can coordinate," Jaydon suggested, curious to see the kind of man she had found.
Alita felt a headache coming on. "It's not convenient."
"The person helping me design the wedding should have good taste, Miss Thompson. I want to see your judgment in choosing people," Jaydon calmly stated.
Alita cursed inwardly, 'What the heck! What a lame excuse!'
Alita wanted to curse him out loud, but after calming down, she realized arguing further would be pointless. She reluctantly said, "Fine! No problem. See you at noon. Text me the time and place. Goodbye!"
She forcefully hung up the phone, tossed it onto the table, and wondered where to find a man more handsome and wealthy than Jaydon.
That childish idiot forced her to act like a fool as well.
Then, the secretary knocked on the door. "Boss, the meeting is starting."
"Oh, I'm coming." Alita felt overwhelmed. She stood up and headed to the meeting room.
Coincidentally, the topic of today's meeting was about Jaydon's wedding.
The manager of the business department presented a laptop and newspapers. "This is today's newspaper and the video of the press conference taken by various media outlets. The couple who visited us yesterday is no small figures. The man is a top-tier tycoon in the Meria region and even globally. He's married once before." He continued, "As for the woman, her status is also significant. She's the daughter of an esteemed earl in Yaton, highly regarded by the Queen. Rumor has it that even the Queen might attend the wedding."
"Wow, they're like prince and princess. No wonder they had an overwhelming noble aura when they walked in yesterday."
"But since they are such big shots, why did they choose our company?"
Crystal raised her hand. "I don't think it's because they're interested in our company but because they appreciate our boss's capabilities. Mr. Lewis insisted that our boss personally plans the wedding, and that's his only requirement. It shows how discerning he is."
"By the way, who was the ex-wife of this big shot? She must have been a stunning beauty, right?"
Alita held the newspaper and watched the video. In her limpid eyes, a hint of melancholy involuntarily appeared.
Prince and princess? Yes, that prince should have chosen his princess from the beginning. It was a waste of time for him to be entangled with a peasant woman for so long. What a waste of everyone's time.
Alita tapped the table with her fingers, composing herself. "Enough with the gossip. Let's focus on business."
The others saw their boss's stern expression and immediately quieted down.
"Boss, I think this wedding must take the luxurious and elegant route."
"We've already drafted three preliminary plans."
*****
Dispersing from the meeting, it was already 11:30 am. The employees paired up and left for lunch.
Jaydon had already sent Alita a message. She stood in the elevator, biting her lip. Should she ignore it and claim her phone had no battery? However, this excuse was not only weak but also lacked creativity.
If she attended the appointment, where could she find a boyfriend on short notice? Moreover, if she admitted she didn't have a boyfriend, it would be embarrassing.
In a state of dilemma, Alita leaned against the elevator door, not wanting to decide.
"Hey, miss, you can't damage public facilities." A hand blocked her way.
Only then did Alita realize there was someone else in the elevator. She awkwardly smoothed her hair, saying, "Sorry."
"No problem. I was worried your head might hit something and cause the elevator to stop, which would affect me too," he replied with a chuckle.
Alita's mouth twitched slightly.
When the elevator door opened with a ding, the man stepped out. Seeing Alita was still inside and the doors were about to close, he stepped back to pull her out.
Alita was taken aback when suddenly being pulled out by the man. Instinctively, she raised her head to see the man before her. He had a delicate yet stunning face, lips as red as a girl's, and a great
figure. His simple and stylish attire was not extravagant, and his youthful face didn't make him appear childish. He was refreshing to the eyes.
Alita exclaimed in her heart, 'He's the one!' She grabbed his hand and asked, "How old are you?"
"Miss, I sell my skills, not my body." Clement recoiled his hand hurriedly.
"I'm not a bad person. I just want to ask for a favor. It will only take an hour. I'm not after your body," Alita said, still holding onto his arm.
"An hour? Do you know how much money I'd lose? Miss, your pick-up skills need improvement." Clement was accustomed to the tactics of mature women like her.
"I'm not picking you up. How about this, 10 thousand dollars for an hour." Alita guessed he might be a model based on his appearance and demeanor.
Clement thought for a moment and smiled. "Make it 20 thousand dollars!"
"Deal! Come with me." Alita boldly pulled him out.
"But let me make it clear first. I sell my skills, not my body. You can't harass me," Clement warned.
"Don't worry, I don't even want your body," Alita replied with frustration.
She swore that today was the most embarrassing and unusual day for her, all because of that damn Jaydon.
In the car, Clement Lindo sat in the front passenger seat, observing Alita's car. It was clean and neat, without fancy car decorations or overpowering perfume scents.
"How old are you, and what's your name?" Alita asked, wanting to know some basic information.
Clement replied, "I'm Clement Lindo, 20 years old."
"20?" Alita was quite surprised. "You really are a kiddo. I'm already 28. My name is Alita Thompson. Today, I'm going to do something sinful."
Clement covered his body. "I said I don't sell my body."
Alita replied helplessly, "I didn't ask you to sell your body. The thing is, my ex-husband invited me to dinner with his young wife, but I don't have a boyfriend, so..."
Clement chuckled. "I get it now. So, you also want to find a young, handsome guy to show off, right? Honestly, it's quite childish."
"It's indeed childish, but I have no choice. Thanks for your help, kiddo." Alita smiled lightly at him.
"Just call my name. 'Kiddo' sounds quite rude." Clement was not happy being called 'kiddo.'
Alita glanced at him and smiled awkwardly.
*****
Upon reaching the restaurant, Alita purposely held Clement's hand before entering the entrance. She said, "If you perform well, I will give you extra money." Clement exuded an easygoing and handsome demeanor and replied, "No problem at all!"
"Great, you have potential." Alita laughed, feeling more cheerful being with this sunny young man.
However, as soon as they stepped inside and saw Jaydon's face, her heart naturally sank a bit.
Jaydon sized up the young man beside Alita. He was indeed quite handsome but perhaps a bit too young.
Approaching them, Alita greeted them with a smile. "Mr. Lewis, Miss Jenner, hello!"
Evelyn smiled at Alita and then at Clement.
"Aren't you going to introduce us? Who is this?" Jaydon, wearing a finely crafted light blue pinstripe suit, looked elegant and sophisticated. He gazed at Alita with a meaningful smile.
Alita knew that no man could compete with Jaydon, but so what? She leaned her face on Clement's shoulder, smiling. "This is my boyfriend, Clement."
"He's a nice lad!" Jaydon smiled, his sarcasm heavy.
"He is indeed very nice, very handsome," Evelyn praised, completely oblivious to Jaydon's undertones.
This kind of Eskan-style sarcasm and scheming was entirely foreign to an outspoken lady from Yaton like Evelyn, but Alita understood it.
"Thank you!" Alita took his sarcasm as a compliment and led Clement to sit down.
Observing the strange atmosphere between Jaydon and Alita, Clement found it amusing.
As the food arrived, Jaydon attentively cut the meat into small pieces for Evelyn.
"Darling, I want you to feed me," Clement playfully said to Alita, blinking his eyes flirtatiously.
His charming appearance left the women at the nearby table entranced.
Alita had layers of goosebumps, thinking, 'Lad, aren't you going a bit too far!'
Feeling embarrassed, she chuckled and said, "Clement, this is a public place. Can we not do this?"
"Oh, don't be shy, Alita. Just treat it like we usually do at home," Clement said, grabbing her hand, eating the beef from her fork, and giving her a seductive look.
He even blinked his eyes flirtatiously. How skillful he was! Alita was stunned. This young man was something else.
Jaydon, noticing her dazed expression as she looked at Clement, tightened his grip on the cutlery. Was she really captivated by this young man?
What a joke. Alita left him, rejected Kim, and refused to be with Samuel, only to end up with this young lad.
Jaydon cleared his throat intentionally to divert her attention. "Miss Thompson, your boyfriend is quite cute, more clingy than a puppy." In other words, she might as well have gotten a little dog.
Although Clement was young, he was not stupid.
"Alita, he mocked me. It hurts my self-esteem. But if you love me, I'm willing to be your clingy puppy for a lifetime." Clement said affectionately, but he cursed inwardly, 'You bastard! How dare you call me a puppy!'
Alita was also angry, not tolerating such insults. She gently touched Clement's face, saying, "You're adorable and know how to comfort me. You're far better than some arrogant men. I like you the most, understand?"
"Alita, I am really moved. I have decided to be your lover for a lifetime," Clement said sweetly and kissed her.
Jaydon felt a surge of acidity, watching her being intimate with another guy. He wished he could stab them with the fork in his hand.
The restaurant's door was pushed open, and two men entered one after another. The one in front was exceptionally handsome. He casually glanced around, looking for an empty seat.
Suddenly, his gaze froze on Alita's face, and he couldn't move away.
"Alita," he called out dazedly, striding over.
The four people at Alita's table were simultaneously drawn to the sound.
"Uncle!" Clement was shocked and exclaimed upon seeing the newcomer. He wanted to run away immediately.