Ch. 1151..1160
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 1151
Made A Misjudgment
As Glenn had been busy in the kitchen the whole time, he had no idea how long the line outside had become.
For a moment, the manager was nonplussed by his question.
Before he could reply, Rayson came in with a box of things.
Glenn asked curiously, “What did you bring? Ingredients?”
“No, no.” Rayson waved his hands and explained, “Ms. Moore got me to buy sandwiches and isotonic drinks for everyone. That way, you will stay hydrated and not be drained by the heat.”
Glenn shook his hands in rejection. “People like us who work in the kitchen all year round won’t be drained by the heat. Therefore, there’s no need to worry. Besides, we will likely be finished in an hour or two.”
“An hour or two?” Rayson smiled awkwardly. “I’m afraid that’s not going to be possible.”
Puzzled, Glenn asked, “How long is the line? How many people are actually there?”
“How should I put this…” Rayson scratched his balding head. “From noon onward, the line didn’t shorten at all. In fact, it even grew longer.”
“W-What?” Glenn was dumbstruck. “Are you kidding me?”
Beside him, the manager smiled wryly. “Why would we joke at such a busy time? Even if no new customer joins the line from now on, we will need to work till five or six in the evening to serve all the customers. By then, it will, unfortunately, be dinner time. Chef Quigley, you had better be prepared not to have any rest today.”
Glenn stared at him in disbelief.
Seeing that he remained unconvinced, the manager suggested, “Why don’t you take a look for yourself?”
“Sure, I’ll do that!” After handing over his station to his apprentice, Glenn followed the manager out of the restaurant.
The moment he arrived at the entrance, he realized he could not even see the end of the line. Moreover, there seemed to be a continuous stream of people coming over from the parking lot to dine at the restaurant.
Looking at Glenn, the manager asked, “Do you believe us now?”
Glenn was stumped for a reaction.
It… It seems like I’ve underestimated Ms. Moore…
Even though he was confident in the dishes of Maureen’s Kitchen and expected a crowd on their opening day, it never crossed his mind that the restaurant would be swamped to such an extent.
After giving it some thought, he figured that it must have something to do with Arielle.
Staring at the long line, Glenn felt embarrassed for telling Arielle to purchase lesser ingredients in the morning, for he was worried about overbuying.
When the manager saw his conflicted expression, he chuckled and remarked, “Even I didn’t expect such a crowd. When Ms. Moore wanted to hire bodyguards, I still thought she was overreacting… But now, it’s obvious that the line would have degenerated into chaos without them. I have made a misjudgment.”
At that moment, Glenn felt the same way about himself.
Rayson, who had followed them out, raised his brows and asked, “Chef Quigley, do you need me to bring the box out from the kitchen?”
Glenn smiled awkwardly. “You can leave it there. I’ll get back to work now.”
I’ll probably need the sandwiches and drinks, as it’s going to be a long day. Better to be safe than sorry.
As time ticked by, customers who had finished their food were quickly replaced by new ones, forming an endless cycle.
When the other restaurant owners along the street saw how popular Maureen’s Kitchen was, they could not help but join the line.
After all, they, too, were curious about the quality of the dishes.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 1152
What Are You Lining Up For
As a result, the line grew even longer.
As of then, it was made up of fans, haters, agog netizens, curious passersby, nearby residents, and friends of those that had just eaten there.
The line was so long that the end was not even in sight.
At that moment, a group of people alighted from a few MPVs.
Judging from the video cameras they were holding, many of them were obviously cameramen.
The last person who got out of the vehicle was none other than Jason.
The project he was currently working on was on hold, as they had yet to find a suitable female lead. Since he was bound by the contract and could not take up another role until the film crew sorted things out, he participated in a variety show in the meantime.
The theme of the show, named Amazing Tastes, was to showcase traditional local cuisine.
As the permanent host of the show, Jason’s job was simple. All he needed to do was discover restaurants that served traditional local cuisine and try them out.
After he accepted the project, many owners of chain restaurants wanted to be featured on his show as a means to promote their brands. However, Jason was obstinate and refused to feature restaurants of that sort. In the end, the program slowly evolved into a travel show instead.
He would travel to all the big cities in the country and find the most popular local restaurants there.
For that particular episode, the filming location was set in Jadeborough.
“Today, we are here at Sunflower Street, a famous restaurant district among the locals. Almost all the shops here are at least a hundred years old. Let’s see if we can find anything delicious along this street.”
After Jason gestured at the camera, the cameraman stopped recording.
“Don’t follow me around yet in case a commotion arises. After all, this street should be thronged with people. I’ll wear a mask as I scout out the restaurants, and I’ll only need one cameraman to come with me.”
The director nodded. “In that case, we’ll wait for you here. We can begin the filming officially once you have decided on a restaurant.”
“Sure,” Jason replied. After ensuring his face was well covered and unrecognizable, he walked ahead with a cameraman following closely behind.
No sooner had he taken a few steps than he saw a long line right in front of him.
Why are there so many people here? What are they lining up for? Is one of the shops giving out freebies?
Intrigued, Jason stood at the back of the line and lowered his voice deliberately as he asked the person standing before him. “What are you lining up for?”
The latter was bored from waiting, so he related everything to Jason.
“I’m lining up to eat at this restaurant called Maureen’s Kitchen. It’s their grand opening today, and I heard it’s a branch restaurant. My friend told me that the food here is delicious. Coincidentally, I’m not working today, so I thought I’d drop by and try it out.”
Jason’s eyes popped in bewilderment.
“Are you telling me that all these people here are lining up just to have a meal?”
“Yeah.”
Jason furrowed his brows. “Can this be a publicity stunt to create an illusion that the restaurant is very popular?”
“No! Definitely not!” The man showed Jason the group chat he shared with his friends. “My friend came early and finished his meal. Here are the pictures he has taken.”
Looking at them intently, Jason saw an array of traditional local cuisine.
Even though they were only pictures, he could sense how delicious the dishes were by looking at them.
After keeping his phone away, the man pointed to the front. “If you don’t believe me, you can go to the booth in front and get a free sample.”
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 1153
Up To No Good
“A free sample?” Jason arched a brow. “There’s even a booth giving out free samples?”
Usually, only a supermarket would use such a marketing ploy to attract customers. Even then, the food might not be any good.
Therefore, it was the first time Jason heard of a restaurant that served local cuisine setting up a booth to give free samples.
“You should give it a try,” the person standing before him suggested. “When my friend shared the photos of the free samples, he claimed that it was absolutely divine and emphasized it a few times. That piqued my curiosity, so I went to try it, and I couldn’t agree more with his review!”
Suddenly, Jason was intrigued by the restaurant and its aggressive marketing tactics.
“All right, I’ll do that then.”
He then gave the man a slight nod before walking ahead.
Meanwhile, the cameraman, who had his video camera recording from a hole in his bag, caught up to Jason and asked softly, “Mr. Sleight, should I inform the director to begin the filming officially?”
Jason shook his head and replied, “Since the majority of those in the line skew toward the younger age group, it’s highly likely that many of them are my fans. Therefore, to prevent potential chaos, it’s better if we don’t get the others to come here. We’ll just do this undercover. Anyway, you should find a good angle and start rolling.”
“Sure, sure!” After adjusting the video camera in his bag, the cameraman began filming once he was sure he could get a clear shot of Jason.
Given how long the line was, Jason had to walk for a few minutes before reaching the front.
“Maureen’s Kitchen…” he muttered, knitting his brows.
“It has a good name. Now, I wonder if it deserves the long line it’s getting.”
He hid his microphone in his collar as he walked toward the restaurant.
When Jason arrived at the entrance, he saw the booth on the right. However, he was unable to determine what was being given out due to the overwhelming crowd.
At that moment, a girl squeezed out of the crowd with a plastic bowl in hand and a gleeful smile on her face. It felt like she was holding a cherished treasure.
At the sight of the people being packed like sardines, Jason realized there was no way he could afford to expend time standing in the line. If the food ended up tasting bad, the time he spent waiting would go to waste since the recorded content would not be used.
After a brief hesitation, he walked up to the girl holding the bowl.
“Hello.”
Much to his surprise, the girl immediately hid the bowl behind her back, as though she was worried that he would snatch it away.
Jason smiled wryly in response.
Was that necessary?
“What do you want?” The girl eyed him warily.
After all, he was all wrapped up in layers of clothing and had his entire face covered despite the hot weather. In fact, he was even wearing a pair of sunglasses.
In her opinion, he looked like someone who was up to no good.
In a resigned tone, Jason explained, “I just got here. Anyway, I’d like to ask you a question. What free samples are they giving out?”
Pursing her lips, the girl answered, “Ravioli!”
“Ravioli?” Jason asked in incredulity, “They are lining up just for ravioli?”
Have they gone mad?
Unable to see Jason’s expression due to his mask, the girl nodded matter-of-factly. “That’s right. They are all lining up for ravioli. It’s delicious!”
“But, no matter how good it is, how can it be worth lining up underneath the scorching sun?”
“What do you know?” The girl gave him the side-eye. “It’s obvious you haven’t tried them before. They are undoubtedly the best in the world!”
“The best in the world?”
Despite his reservations, Jason did not feel that the girl was exaggerating at all.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 1154
Getting Ravioli With Fame
Out of curiosity, Jason steeled himself to ask a shameless question. “May I try one from your bowl?”
The girl glared at him in return.
“What nonsense are you talking about? I spent half an hour jostling in the crowd to get this bowl. Why should I give you one piece?”
Evidently, she was not willing to share.
Left without a choice, he took out some bills. “Can I buy one piece of ravioli from you for two hundred?”
Two hundred was an exorbitant price to pay just for a piece of ravioli. In his opinion, it was the greatest deal in the world.
To his surprise, the girl rejected him outright.
“No! Two hundred for my ravioli? Stop daydreaming!”
Furrowing his brows, Jason assumed that the girl was seizing the opportunity to extort money from him.
In the interest of time, he took out all the cash he had in his wallet.
“Here’s a thousand. That’s all I have.”
“No! I won’t sell it even for a thousand!” the girl snapped as she attempted to leave with her bowl.
At that moment, he realized that the girl was genuinely reluctant to part with the ravioli and was not trying to pull a fast one on him.
Is it really that good?
The curiosity he felt toward the ravioli deepened.
Since money could not get the job done, he had no choice but to use his final tactic.
Jason clenched his teeth and went after the girl.
When the girl noticed that someone was following her, she turned around nervously. Realizing it was the man who offered to buy her ravioli, she snarled, “Why are you tailing me? Are you planning to snatch them in broad daylight?”
Despite having been rebuffed, Jason was determined to get his hands on the ravioli no matter what.
“That’s not it. The truth is,” he explained while taking off his mask, “I’m Jason Sleight.”
The girl could not believe her eyes.
“A-Are you really him?” she blurted out in shock.
Nodding, Jason quickly shushed her. “We’re filming Amazing Tastes right now. The cameraman is just behind me.”
The girl craned her neck and looked at the man carrying a bag behind Jason. She could spot a hole in the bag and barely recognized the camera lens beyond it.
Coincidentally, she was a fan of Jason’s. Blushing with embarrassment, she replied, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were Jason. I assumed you were trying to steal my ravioli.”
Jason’s lips twitched, and he explained, “I’m looking for a suitable restaurant to film my show. My interest was piqued when I saw the long line here. As I was worried that the restaurant wouldn’t live up to the hype, I decided to get a piece of ravioli from you to try.”
“I see!” The girl nodded before offering Jason the bowl reluctantly. “In that case, you can have this. I’ll go line up for another one.”
She did not mind lining up again since she got to interact with a celebrity.
“Thank you very much.” Jason flashed her a grateful smile, causing her to blush even harder.
“Don’t mention it. If I had known you were filming a show, I would have given it to you right away.”
After thanking her again, he put his mask back on. “We’re filming this in secret, so we’re trying not to attract attention. Could I trouble you to keep my appearance a secret?”
“Of course! No problem!” The girl responded with an “OK” sign and added, “Make sure you do a good job showcasing them, as this restaurant is run by my goddess. If you could help promote her business, I would’ve done my part to help her.”
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 1155
Conceited Megastar
Taken aback, Jason asked curiously, “Your goddess? Is this place owned by a female celebrity?”
If it were owned by a female celebrity, one would have reason to doubt the quality of the restaurant’s food.
After all, the influence of a celebrity was significant. Their fans would willingly exaggerate how good their performance was even if they could barely act, let alone the food in a restaurant they owned.
At that moment, Jason regretted shamelessly asking for the ravioli, as it was not necessary for him to have done so.
Just when he planned to return the bowl to the girl, she shook her head and replied, “My goddess isn’t a celebrity, but she’s more popular than one.”
Jason froze in response as a name popped up in his mind.
He asked at once, “What’s her name?”
“Arielle Moore! There’s a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Also, she looks gorgeous! Moreover, she cooks the ravioli herself, and people say that it’s her own recipe too.” The girl’s eyes began to sparkle as she spoke. Evidently, she was a hardcore fan of Arielle’s.
Her answer gave him a jolt, and he began to feel mixed emotions.
Arielle… I didn’t expect her to be the owner of this restaurant!
Tightening his grip on the bowl, Jason tried his best to stay calm. “Thank you; I’ll definitely do my best to promote the restaurant on the show.”
“In that case, I’ll return to the line now!” the girl chirped and waved her hands satisfactorily before rejoining the line for the free ravioli.
As her friend was lining up to enter the restaurant, all she needed to do was line up at the ravioli booth.
After watching the girl leave, Jason gestured for the cameraman to stop recording. He then passed the ravioli to the cameraman before finding a quiet corner in an alley where he gave Arielle a call.
Meanwhile, the line continued to grow in front of the ravioli booth. However, two refrigerators’ worth of ravioli was almost finished.
Sasha could not help but ask, “Ms. Moore, we’re about to run out of ravioli. What should we do?”
Arielle mulled over it and replied, “So be it. We’re shorthanded anyway, and there’s no way we can get the kitchen to prepare more, considering how swamped they are. As of now, you should count the number of people in line and inform those at the back that we’re out of ravioli. That way, they don’t have to waste time lining up.”
“Okay.” Sasha nodded before doing as she was told.
Soon, the line in front of the booth grew shorter as everyone joined the line to dine in the restaurant.
Just when the last batch of ravioli was put into the pot, Arielle’s phone suddenly rang.
When she saw the number, she found it familiar but could not remember who it belonged to.
Nevertheless, she answered it after a brief hesitation.
“Hello, who is this?”
“It’s me, Jason.” The other person went straight to the point.
“Jason…”
Arielle had not heard that name in a long time. Thus, she could not recall who it was until he declared confidently, “I can bring in much more customers to your restaurant as long as you agree to act as my female lead.”
The moment she heard the haughty tone, her memory was jogged.
It’s that conceited megastar. Why hasn’t he dropped the idea of getting me to be his female lead?
Arielle replied in exasperation, “Jason, if you have nothing better to do, go find some books to read. I’m really busy and have no time to talk to you. Bye.”
When she was about to end the call, Jason, who was surprised by her reaction, stopped her. “Wait! I’m not done talking!”
Having lost her patience, she pursed her lips and asked, “What else do you want to say?”
He quickly explained, “I’m filming a variety show called Amazing Tastes, which has ratings so high that they have broken many records. The content revolves around local cuisine. Anyway, didn’t you just open up a new restaurant? I’m nearby now and can help you promote your place for free.”
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 1156
Unexpected Turn Of Events
Jason’s tone started out fine but subconsciously developed a hint of arrogance toward the end. He made it sound as though he was doing her a favor.
“I don’t need it.” Arielle rejected him without a second thought. “I’m happy with the customer traffic I have now and don’t need you to promote it for me. Nonetheless, I appreciate the offer. Bye!”
Before Jason could reply, she ended the call at once.
“Let me do it.” Upon returning to her station, she scooped out the cooked ravioli.
Once the last bowls were served, she went into the restaurant to help the wait staff, not bothering to take a break.
In the alley, Jason scowled as he watched Arielle return to the restaurant after ending their call.
“Da*n!”
Just as he cursed, the cameraman ran toward him excitedly while waving the empty bowl in his hand. “Mr. Sleight, the ravioli was truly amazing. In fact, I felt like tearing up after eating them!”
Jason raised his brows. “Can you stop rubbing it in?”
Considering how long the line was and what the female fan said earlier, he obviously knew that the food was good.
Having been snarled at for no reason, the cameraman asked curiously, “Mr. Sleight, what happened?”
“Nothing! Let’s go!” After putting his mask back on, Jason stormed back to where they came from.
Puzzled, the cameraman inquired, “Don’t you want to film this restaurant anymore?”
Jason snapped, “No, I don’t!”
Tch! There’s no way I’m going to do it after how she treated me.
Soon, both of them returned to the crew.
The director immediately approached and asked, “How was it? Did you manage to find a suitable restaurant for filming?”
“No!” Jason’s expression could not be more sullen.
Baffled, the director pulled the cameraman aside and asked, “What happened? Who got on Jason’s nerves?”
The cameraman was young and did not know the relationship history between Jason and Arielle, so he shook his head to express his ignorance. “I don’t know either… Everything started out fine, then he got upset.”
Glancing at Jason, who had gone to rest in his MPV, the director felt even more curious.
“Give me the camera.”
The cameraman brought out the video camera from his bag and handed it over.
A few minutes later, Gracie brought them a message.
“Mr. Graham, Jason says that he’s not feeling well, so he’s not going to film the show today.”
The director, James Graham, widened in eyes in shock. “What? He’s not filming today? But this show will be broadcasted every week. Furthermore, Jason needs to attend an award ceremony over the next few days. If he doesn’t film it today, when will he have time to do it?”
Gracie suggested helplessly, “Perhaps, we can film it three days later and get the post-production team to work overtime?”
James’ expression grew solemn. “Three days later? We need one day to film and another day to edit. Even if the post-production team work round the clock, they still won’t make it in time.”
Gracie naturally knew that, but she was also aware of how stubborn Jason could be.
At that moment, James suddenly thought about the recording he had just watched.
His eyes lit up when an idea occurred to him.
“I understand.” Nodding at Gracie, he added, “In that case, we’ll skip filming for this week’s episode, as I already have the content.”
Gracie asked inquisitively, “I thought we hadn’t filmed it yet? Where did you get the content?”
James did not intend to explain. Hence, he merely answered, “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Even though Gracie had her suspicions, she did not question him further because Jason was already calling for her. Hence, she turned around and got on the MPV.
James’ face broke into a wide grin as he held the video camera.
Perhaps, this unexpected turn of events might boost our ratings even further.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 1157
Losing Confidence
While James had decided to use the secretly filmed content, Jason was staring at the call history on his phone with a glum expression.
Even though the call lasted less than a minute, it infuriated him and negatively affected his mood.
Can it be that she isn’t playing hard to get and really doesn’t have feelings for me?
“Gracie,” he asked, “how many fans do I have now?”
“Around eighty million. Why?”
After a brief hesitation, Jason continued, “Do you think girls generally like me?”
Even though Gracie did not know why he asked her such a question, she replied honestly, “All the girls that I know are your fans. All my relatives, from my mom to my niece in kindergarten, are also your fans.”
Having heard her words, Jason finally regained his confidence.
“Perhaps, I was just overthinking.”
Gracie sensed that something was amiss, so she asked curiously, “What’s wrong? You’re a megastar, so why do you doubt your own charm?”
A wry smile touched his lips. “Would you believe me if I told you that I have lost my confidence?”
Looking at Jason’s expression, she racked her brains and inquired, “Are you in a relationship? Or is it one-sided?”
Jason reclined his chair with a darkening expression and covered his face with a sleep mask. Evidently, he was no longer in the mood to talk.
The company doesn’t bar him from having a relationship. All he’s required to do is report it ahead of time. However, why does it seem like Jason has not successfully pursued this girl?
Just when Gracie was tempted to delve deeper into the matter, she bit her tongue after sensing that he was in a bad mood.
Back at Maureen’s kitchen, the line had not shortened in any way, even though they were approaching closing time.
“Should we extend the operating hours?” Glenn asked Arielle.
She waved the bills she was holding. “We have made enough for today, so we will not extend our operating hours, and neither will we do so in the future.”
In response, Glenn heaved a sigh of relief.
This old body of mine is already aching all over.
If it were any other employer, they would definitely insist on extending the business hours to rake in more money. Consequently, Glenn counted his blessings that Arielle was the one in charge.
After sending Rayson to tell those waiting in line to return the next day, Arielle pulled Glenn aside and remarked, “Chef Quigley, as you can see for yourself, business today was decent.”
Glenn nodded repeatedly. “Definitely beyond decent. Even though I’ve been working as a chef for years, I have never seen a restaurant as busy as ours before.”
Even the restaurants that were wildly popular online paled in comparison.
After grunting in acknowledgment, Arielle added, “If word of mouth about the restaurant continues to spread, I’m sure business will continue to pick up. Well, I was wondering if you want to stop working in the kitchen.”
Stunned, he asked, “What do you mean by that? Are you firing me?”
The woman chuckled and explained, “How can that be? My intention is for you to step down from cooking so that you can focus on training more chefs. Or else we won’t have enough hands in the kitchen at all. Furthermore, I’m aiming to open more branches and certainly won’t be stopping at just one. Who knows, we might actually get to a hundred branches. As a result, I want you to groom more chefs in line with our planned expansion.”
After a momentary silence, Glenn nodded in agreement. “Sure!”
Just when they finished their discussion, Vinson’s voice rang out from behind.
“Mrs. Nightshire, is the kitchen still open?”
Arielle turned around in delight and was greeted by the sight of Vinson holding a large cake. Given how exhausted he looked, it was apparent that he had rushed over from the airport.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 1158
Only Him
Arielle could not keep herself from smiling.
“Why didn’t you send a text to inform me that you’re back?”
After placing the cake on the table, Vinson replied, “Rayson told me you were busy, so I decided to come right over. How was it? Are you tired?”
She replied candidly, “A little.”
It was the truth, as the long day of work had her feeling utterly drained.
“I’ll bring you for a massage later.” After tousling her hair, he turned toward Glenn and exclaimed, “Happy birthday, Chef Quigley!”
Glenn widened his eyes in surprise. “H-How did you…”
Arielle, too, was taken aback.
Today’s Chef Quigley’s birthday?
Before she could say a word, Vinson added, “Arielle told me about it and even reminded me to bring a cake.”
A dozen of question marks appeared in her mind as she stiffened up.
After all, she did not even know it was Glenn’s birthday, let alone instruct Vinson to get a cake.
Nonetheless, it quickly dawned upon her what Vinson was trying to do.
He was trying to help her build a good rapport with Glenn.
Nevertheless, she was surprised by how attentive he was, to the extent of learning about her employee’s birthday.
Since he had painstakingly prepared everything, she obviously would not expose the truth.
In the event that the restaurant grew in popularity, there would naturally be many jealous competitors who would try to poach her staff away from her. As it was impossible for her to stay in the restaurant the whole time, Glenn would be the bedrock of the business. If he were to be headhunted by someone else, Maureen’s Kitchen would definitely not survive for long.
Even though she had given him a stake in the restaurant, there was always a risk of the competitors offering him more.
As a result, other than offering monetary incentives, she had to build a good relationship with her subordinates.
It was not considered Machiavellian; it was just how a businessperson should think.
That just went to show how much business acumen Vinson had.
Holding that thought, Arielle flashed a smile at Glenn. “Chef Quigley, happy birthday, and may all your wishes come true!”
Glenn was moved to tears.
While rubbing his hands in joy and embarrassment, he replied, “Thank you, both of you.”
When all the customers left an hour later, all the chefs, staff, and even the bodyguards celebrated Glenn’s birthday for him.
After Glenn had blown out the candles on his cake and was urged by the younger staff to make a wish, he could not help but tear up again.
“Even my son doesn’t remember my birthday, but all of you did… Thank you. I’m really touched.”
“Come on! We’re all family here,” Arielle replied. “Anyway, go ahead and cut the cake!”
With that, Glenn cut the cake into even portions.
Since the cake was big, everyone managed to get a slice.
When Vinson was not paying attention, Arielle dipped her fingers into her slice of cake and mischievously spread the cream on his face.
The man was briefly stunned before taking revenge on her the very next second.
After messing around for a while, everyone packed up and went home.
Inside the car, Arielle had drifted into a slumber from exhaustion.
By the time she opened her eyes, she was already lying on a bed.
However, she soon realized that she was in Vinson’s room and not her own.
Puzzled, she rubbed her eyes and quickly sat up after confirming that she was not mistaken.
The moment she did, she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom.
Vinson was clearly bathing inside.
He’s bathing…
Arielle could not help but blush.
Since their marriage was official, it was just a matter of time before they took their relationship to the next step.
Even though she wanted to use the opportunity to leave, she did not know why her legs stopped moving.
After hemming and hawing for a while, she gritted her teeth and lay back down on the bed.
Forget it! This is it! After all, I have chosen him as the man of my life.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 1159
Are You Shy
Having made up her mind, Arielle lay on the bed with her eyes wide open.
Despite feeling nervous, she was also filled with anticipation.
Finally, the bathroom door opened with a creak.
Even though it was soft, she heard it at once due to how quiet the room was.
For some unknown reason, she quickly closed her eyes and continued pretending to be asleep.
Somehow, her sense of hearing was sharper that way.
She could clearly hear Vinson’s every footstep as he approached the bed.
At that moment, Arielle’s heart began to race. Though she was still pretending to be asleep, her palms were all sweaty from the nervousness she felt.
However, the sound of footsteps stopped by her bed. No other movements came from Vinson, as if he had just disappeared.
The bewildered Arielle continued to listen intently with her eyes closed. Yet, she still did not hear a thing.
Two minutes later, she gradually opened her eyes as her curiosity got the better of her.
The moment she did, she saw Vinson standing by the bed. He was looking at her while trying to hold back a smile as though he had been waiting for her to open her eyes the whole time.
Arielle’s heart skipped a beat.
“You…”
Averting her gaze, she grumbled, “Why are you trying to scare me by standing there?”
Her angry yet shy expression tugged at Vinson’s heartstrings, and he could no longer maintain his composure.
With a slight quirk of his lips, he asked, “You’re awake?”
Arielle’s cheeks turned into a darker shade of red.
Why is he asking me that question when he obviously knows I was pretending to be asleep?
“Yes, I’m awake!”
Sitting up grumpily, she declared, “I’m going back to my room!”
Just when her feet touched the ground, Vinson scooped her up and placed her on his lap, putting her legs on each side of his waist.
“W-What are you doing?” By then, her face was as red as a tomato.
The man leaned over to press his body against hers and whispered to her ear, “Sannie, isn’t it time to do what couples do since we’ve been married for so long?”
At that moment, all of Arielle’s earlier established courage fled her mind.
Vinson’s words had caused her heart to flutter uncontrollably.
“W-We haven’t held our wedding yet, and your mom hasn’t accepted me too.”
Since their marriage certificates were obtained as a tactic, they were not actually married in the essence of the word.
“Oh?” He chuckled. “Are you angry at me for not preparing for our wedding? I didn’t realize you were looking forward to it that much. If that was the case, why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I’m not!” As Arielle averted her gaze, she could even feel her ears burning.
Vinson refused to let go of the chance to tease her. Tilting his head to regain eye contact with her, he asked cheekily, “Are you shy, or are you scared?”
“I-I’m not scared at all!”
His smiled broadened further.
“Really? Why is your hand shaking then?”
Stunned, Arielle clenched her fist at once.
Out of nowhere, she managed to muster the strength to push him away.
Nevertheless, Vinson’s eyes were filled with adoration.
Since Arielle was unwilling, he would continue to keep his urges in check, even though it was torturous to do so.
He then sat up by supporting himself with one hand. Just when he thought Arielle was not ready to give herself to him, she turned around and gave his shoulders a shove.
A Beauty With Multiple Masks Chapter 1160
Giving Herself To Him
Caught off guard by Arielle’s sudden motion, Vinson was pushed down onto the bed.
She then climbed onto him.
Riding on top of him, she cupped his face with both of her hands.
At that moment, her heart was pounding when she noticed the blush on his usually frosty countenance.
It’s really rare to see him being shy.
When she saw the look on his face, Arielle no longer felt nervous.
In fact, she even smiled mischievously. “Vinson, you seem to fall very easily after being pushed.”
Vinson’s eyes sparkled with affection.
Instead of rebutting, he nodded. “That’s the way I am. In fact, I hope that you’ll do this to me every day.”
Just as he spoke, he closed his eyes cooperatively.
“Go ahead, Darling.”
That time around, Arielle’s entire body had reddened in embarrassment.
Staring at Vinson, she suddenly did not know where to begin.
After all, she had neither the experience nor talent for it.
Moreover, she did not expect to end up being the one who needed to take the initiative.
“I-I’m not playing anymore!”
Right when Arielle raised her feet to leave in embarrassment, Vinson threw his arms around her waist.
Lowering her gaze in surprise, she noticed he had already opened his eyes.
“Isn’t it irresponsible for you to leave after seducing me?”
“I-I wasn’t seducing you!” Arielle denied as she looked away.
Grabbing Vinson’s wrist, she protested, “Let go of me! I’m tired.”
With no experience in the act of intimacy, she was naturally shy in that aspect. Hence, to have her muster the courage to take the initiative would surely be a rare occasion. As Vinson was already aroused from being teased by her, there was no way he was going to let the opportunity slip.
“Since you’re tired, you should go ahead and sleep. In the meantime, I’ll just help myself.”
While speaking, he flipped his body around to switch positions with Arielle.
With that, he had gained the initiative by being on top of her.
“Sannie… I have waited for this day for a very long time.”
Even though his voice was raspy, it was unbelievably gentle, causing her to stop struggling.
In truth, she, too, had long prepared for that day.
Vinson could tell that Arielle was ready to give herself to him from the look in her eyes.
Smiling, he cupped her face and gave her a passionate kiss.
That time, he no longer had to hold himself back.
Even though he was also inexperienced, he let his male instincts guide him.
He swiftly unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his well-defined pecs and abs.
Soon, both of them faced each other with nothing on.
Closing her eyes shyly, Arielle requested, “Turn off the lights.”
“No.” Vinson rejected her request firmly. “I want to remember what you look like tonight.”
At that moment, she blushed crimson.
He enjoyed watching her reaction, as only he had the privilege to do so.
Taking his time, he leaned into Arielle and kissed her on her lips, face, forehead, and the rest of her body.
Since it was her first time, he knew he had to be gentle with her, no matter how eager he was.
After all, she was the woman he loved the most, his only beloved.
Soon, both their bodies were entwined together on the bed.
The foreplay lasted for half an hour.