Ch. 201..210

Chapter 201 Returning to Him Personally

The rain was getting heavier, and the corridor was already half-soaked.

Eva tugged at the scarf around her neck.

She didn't expect the weather in America to be this cold.

Once she stood still, Eva's mind became somewhat absent, thinking about the sound of "Mr. Blackwood" tonight...

Indeed, as always, her emotions wouldn't fluctuate when she heard this surname.

But she knew that the "Mr. Blackwood" tonight was not the same "Mr. Blackwood" she had encountered during her previous job.

This was America, this was Chicago, and there was only one person who could afford six hundred million dollars so casually and be invited here. It's been five years since they last met.

Eva took a deep breath, then turned and walked in the opposite direction.

"Ms. Hansen."

After a few steps, a tall and handsome figure blocked her path.

Eva was momentarily stunned and looked at the person.

The man was wearing a blue suit, his tie neatly done. When he saw her looking up, he curled his lips and introduced himself directly.

"Hello, my name is Henry."

Henry? The heir of the Davis family that David and he were discussing just now?

Seeing her distracted, Henry raised an eyebrow. "Ms. Hansen, don't you recognize me? After all, I've sent you several job invitations. It would be quite hurtful if you don't know who I am, wouldn't it?"

"Not really." Eva shook his hand in return. "It's just curious to see Mr. Davis here."

Eva indeed didn't know what the new heir of the Davis Group looked like. She was too busy at the time and didn't have time to see.

But that didn't stop her from pretending to know the other person.

In the future, she would have to build good relationships with these companies when starting her own company in Chicago.

Henry hesitated for a moment when he felt the softness of her hand, then regained his composure.

Eva withdrew her hand.

After a few seconds of scanning her, Henry asked, "Why did Ms. Hansen come out?"

"I've been sitting for a while, so I came out to get some fresh air."

"I see." Henry raised an eyebrow. "Ms. Hansen, you've rejected my job invitations several times. May I ask why?"

"After all, the conditions I offer are much better than what you had in your previous company," said Eva, thinking for a moment and deciding not to mention her plan to start her own company at this time. She continued, "I'm sorry, my refusal is for personal reasons, unrelated to the terms." Henry, being a respectable person, didn't inquire further when she mentioned it was personal.

"Well, then I can only hope that Ms. Hansen resolves her personal matters soon, so that I can invite you to join the Davis Group," he said. Hearing this, Eva hesitated, about to say something, but then she saw Henry taking off his suit jacket and draping it over her shoulders.

"Ms. Hansen, you should dress warmly the next time you go out, so you don't catch a cold," he said. Eva replied, "I still have something to attend to, so I'll take my leave." Henry, with his assistant, walked away without saying much. Eva's lips trembled, thinking about calling him back, but Henry and her assistant returned. "Ms. Hansen, I forgot to ask for your contact information earlier," he said. After obtaining her contact details, Henry left contentedly, his lips curled high. The assistant followed behind cautiously and asked, "Mr. Davis, you gave your jacket to Ms. Hansen, aren't you cold?"

"What's cold?" Henry raised an eyebrow, joyfully. "My most important task at the moment is to win her heart. What's with that expression? Weren't you the one who suggested I use some romantic tactics before?" The assistant scratched his head, wondering how it became his fault and thinking that he was only joking.

After Henry left, Eva realized that she had taken his jacket and chased after him, but he was nowhere to be seen. She had no choice but to return and hand Henry's jacket to the staff at the entrance of the venue. "Hello, could you please return this jacket to Mr. Davis later?" she asked.

The staff had been present at the entrance, eavesdropping on their conversation. There were rumors about Henry being flirtatious, enjoying various romantic encounters, and not sticking to one person. But they didn't expect him to be so forward, giving his jacket to a beautiful woman he just met at the event.

As staff members, they didn't dare touch Eva's jacket since it was given to her by Henry, which signaled his intentions. "No, miss, if it was given to you by Mr. Davis, it's better that you return it to him personally," one of the staff members said. Eva responded, "But I don't know where he went."

The staff member said, "Didn't you exchange contact information with Mr. Davis?" It seemed like they were watching a play unfold before their eyes. Seeing Eva still standing there, another staff member explained, "Miss, it's not that we refuse to help you, but we are just event staff members and rarely have the opportunity to see Mr. Davis. Even if we take the jacket, it would be difficult for us to deliver it to him on your behalf."

After hearing this explanation, Eva realized it made sense. She said, "Okay, thank you." Once she had made up her mind, Eva decided not to wait anymore.

Make it difficult for them again.

Taking a glance at the interior and then at the hall, Eva asked them, "Can I take a break outside?"

In response to this, the staff immediately and enthusiastically said, "Of course, I'll take you there."

As they needed an umbrella to get across from here, the staff held one up and escorted her over.

After arriving at the destination, Eva smiled at the person and said, "Thank you for bringing me here."

Eva was beautiful, with fair skin, waist-length hair that hadn't been permed, a pure black color. When it was draped on either side, it made her look both pure and charming. Moreover, up close, there was a faint fragrance coming from her. It couldn't be identified as any specific perfume, but it felt very pleasant.

The staff blushed instantly when the beauty thanked him. "No, no need to be polite. I'll be on my way then."

After the staff left, Eva surveyed the hall and finally walked over to a corner.

Once she sat down, she finished sending a message to David and received a message from Lisa.

"Darling, has the auction ended? Will you accompany me to a bar tonight?"

Originally, Eva intended to refuse, but thinking about how Lisa had stayed at home to look after her two children for her, she softened.

"I'll find you after it's over."

Not knowing how long she waited, the crowd at the venue gradually dispersed. Eva saw people gradually walking towards her because of the heavy rain outside, causing many to gather in the hall.

As Eva stood up to search for David at the exit, her line of sight unexpectedly caught a familiar figure.

The man had a slender figure, wearing a white shirt and black suit, complemented by a sophisticated wristwatch. He walked through the checkerboard patterned area with a cold and detached expression, exuding a sharp and intense aura on his handsome face.

 

Chapter 202 Severing Thoughts

By his side trailed a slender figure, dressed in a floor-length watercolor pink gown. Although the rain had dampened the hem of her dress, it couldn't hide the gentle elegance exuding from her.

She leaned against the man, gently intertwining her fingers with his.

In the chaotic crowd, they were a perfect couple.

Never did I think I wouldn't see them again, but I never thought our reunion would be like this.

So many years have passed, surely they have long been together?

Are their children now as old as Ruby and Dylan?

Lost in thought, the man suddenly seemed to sense something and swiftly turned his gaze in our direction.

Eva's breath caught, and she quickly turned around.

Did he... see me just now?

In that moment, Eva stood frozen in place, as if someone had pinned her down.

"Ms. Hansen, Ms. Hansen?" David's voice called out from behind.

Eva's fingertips twitched, but she didn't dare turn around. David had to circle around to face her.

"Ms. Hansen, what's wrong?"

"David, you're here. Is it over?"

David nodded. "It's over. I've completed the handover."

"Did you manage to get everything?"

"Of course." David nodded and sighed. "It just cost a lot of money... the Blackwood family..."

Originally, he wanted to casually mention how extravagant the Blackwood family was, how much money he had spent to acquire that one-of-a-kind piece. But the words got stuck on his lips as he remembered something. Both of them knew the truth.

After a while, Eva finally said, "Since it's all taken care of, let's go back."

David nodded.

Eva observed David, seeing his relaxed and composed expression. She thought that Adrian must have left long ago, or else he would probably be more nervous than herself.

Once she had come to terms with this realization, Eva turned around slowly.

As expected, the previously bustling crowd had thinned out by now, and the conspicuous pair in the crowd had disappeared.

Eva's tense emotions relaxed.

When David learned that Eva and Lisa were going out late at night, he became instantly worried.

"Ms. Hansen, it's late. Isn't it dangerous to go out at this time?"

Before he could finish speaking, Lisa immediately retorted, "David, ten o'clock is already late. How old are you that you act like an old fuddy-duddy?" "No, it's just that both of you girls going out, I'm worried about your safety."

"What's there to worry about? Chicago is safe, so don't fret. Trust me."

Eva felt helpless with Lisa's response and could only say to David, "Please take care of Ruby and Dylan for now. I'll try to come back as soon as possible." "Ms. Hansen..." David frowned with concern.

But before he could say anything else, Lisa had already dragged Eva away.

After they left, David thought for a moment and decided to report the news to Michael using his phone.

"How is it? The ambiance is nice, right?"

Eva looked around and found that this bar was different from what she had imagined. It had a very elegant name, Rainbow. The music playing inside was not the type that pumped up the beats, but instead, it was gentle and melodious piano tunes. The lighting was just right, creating a great atmosphere for the bar.

"It's nice."

"Yeah, right? Plus, nobody dares to cause trouble in this place. The owner is well-connected and has influence in both legal and illegal circles. No one would dare to make a scene on his turf. People come here to drink and make friends. If someone doesn't want to be your friend, you still have to respect their wishes."

Eva smirked at these rules. She then looked at the time and asked Lisa, "Where's your crush?"

Bringing up the topic instantly changed Lisa's expression. "It's already this late, I don't know if he'll come anymore."

Eva could see her visibly deflating and reached out to pat her shoulder with a smile. "Don't feel down. Let's just consider it a stroke of luck. If he doesn't show up, I'll sit with you here for a while. The atmosphere is great, so it won't be a waste even if we stay for an hour or two."

Lisa immediately smiled and intimately linked her arm with Eva's. "Eva, you're so good to me. We sisters must always be together."

The two of them stayed in the bar. During that time, three or four men approached Eva with drinks, hoping to have a drink with her and make friends, but Eva politely declined all of them. After being rejected, the previous men all left gracefully.

When the last man, who had been refused by Eva, asked why, he didn't want to leave and just stood there, looking at her curiously. "Sorry, miss, can I ask why?"

"The reason for rejecting me," the man lightly smiled. "After all, I don't think making a friend would be a bad thing."

Eva seemed to understand what he was thinking. "Because I'm already married."

Upon hearing this, a brief flash of disappointment appeared in his eyes, but after a moment, he looked at her and shrugged. "Alright, since that's the case, I won't disturb you."

After he left, Lisa teased Eva, "You're so ruthless, rejecting younger men like that. In the past, you were a bit more considerate, but now you just directly crush their hopes."

Eva shrugged. "Don't you think this way of handling things is better? It saves a lot of trouble."

"Do you still want a boyfriend in the future?"

"What's a boyfriend? I have two adorable children. Aren't they just as good as a man?"

Hearing this, Lisa thought of the two cute little kids in Eva's house and instantly felt envious. "Damn it, if I had such adorable children, I feel like I could also do without a man. You think... should I just sleep with that handsome guy the next time I see him?"

Eva choked on her hot drink.

Lisa panicked, "Are you okay?" She quickly took out tissues to wipe Eva's mouth, inadvertently causing the hot drink to spill on Eva's white coat, leaving obvious stains.

"It won't come off. I'll go to the restroom and clean up," Eva blocked her movement.

"I'll go with you."

"No need, don't you still need to keep watch on your crush here?"

Lisa hesitated for a few seconds before saying, "Good friend, thank you for your sacrifice. When I get married, I'll make you my honored guest."

Eva smiled and left.

She went to the restroom to tidy her coat, but there wasn't anything special she could do. She could only use water to clean it. Thankfully, it was a coat; if it were the clothes inside, she would have frozen today.

By the time she finished cleaning and came out, a long time had passed.

Since the coat was still wet, Eva carried it with her as she walked back.

In the bar hall, Eva couldn't see Lisa at her previous spot, so she had to search around. Soon, she spotted her in another corner.

There was a man sitting across from her, his head bowed, drinking.

The man's knuckles holding the glass were slender and distinct, leading up to strong forearms. There was a delicate wristwatch on his wrist, the style of which...

At the moment she saw the style, Eva felt as if a string in her mind had instantly snapped.

This wristwatch....

 

Chapter 203 He's Drunk

As she saw the watch, an alarm in Eva's mind went off.

She almost turned and wanted to leave right away.

But she was too slow.

The man sitting across from Lisa suddenly looked over casually towards her location.

Their gazes collided in mid-air.

In that moment of eye contact, it was as if two trains derailed and created countless sparks, causing the sky to collapse and the earth to crack.

The man, holding the glass, who was initially noble and indifferent, froze instantly with an expression of nonchalance.

Lisa, sitting across from him, had no idea what had happened. She was a little shy as she wanted to get his contact information.

Being so close, Lisa didn't even dare to raise her head to look at Adrian. She could only steal glances at him.

"... I've been talking to you for so long, can we exchange contact information after all? Don't misunderstand, even though I'm interested in you, I won't bother you frequently." However, even after she spoke for a long time, the man across from her remained completely unresponsive.

Lisa could only lift her head to take a look at him.

"Is it okay...?

Before she could finish her sentence, the man suddenly stood up, his movements too fast for Lisa to react.

By the time she realized it, she turned around only to see the man hastily running outside.

A slender figure followed and disappeared around the corner.

Lisa stood there, a bit confused, not knowing what had just happened.

Why did her crush suddenly run out?

And that figure just now... was it Eva?

Eva's steps quickened, wishing she could grow wings and fly away from here.

She never expected that the man Lisa had taken a liking to would turn out to be him.

What has he become after five years? Doesn't he already have Vivian? How could he shamelessly come to the bar and deceive an innocent young girl?

Eva's mind was in such chaos that she ran and thought haphazardly.

She didn't even know why she had to run.

She hadn't done anything wrong.

The matter at hand was a peaceful divorce five years ago. Why would she need to run away? However, upon hearing the slightly chaotic footsteps behind her, Eva couldn't stop walking.

As she approached the girls' restroom ahead, Eva, in a state of panic, decided to hide inside. But before she could take a step, someone grabbed her shoulder. Immediately, she was pressed against the cold, hard wall, overwhelmed by the strong smell of alcohol. The man approached, gripping her hands tightly, his gaze locked on her in disbelief.

Eva was startled by him but quickly began to struggle vigorously. However, the more she struggled, the more agitated the man became, and he leaned in to kiss her as if he had been provoked. "What do you think you're doing? Let go of me!" Eva protested with all her might. Unfortunately, the power gap between them was too great, and Eva could only watch helplessly as he held her wrists and leaned closer with each passing moment.

The man got closer and closer, until Eva could see the fine pores on his face and smell the scent of cedarwood wrapped in alcohol.

With gritted teeth, Eva glared at him and said, "Adrian, if you dare to kiss me, I'll make sure to bite your mouth until it's bloody." However, it seemed that the man didn't hear her words at all, stubbornly persisting with his actions.

Just as Eva thought she couldn't escape, there was a loud thud. The man, who had been holding onto her wrists tightly, suddenly collapsed onto her, motionless.

The corridor fell silent, in stark contrast to the previous commotion. Eva continued to breathe heavily, her chest heaving up and down. The man lying on her shoulder remained still.

When Eva calmed down, she reached out to push the person leaning on her shoulder, but there was still no movement. What's going on?

"Eva," just as Eva was about to push him for the second time, the man leaning against her suddenly uttered a nearly incoherent murmur. His head was resting on her shoulder, and his words were right by her ear.

Eva stood frozen in place, looking down at the handsome and slender man who was so close to her. He was reeking of alcohol, clearly in a drunken stupor.

In that brief moment of confusion, Eva heard a distant voice.

"Eva?" It was Lisa's voice!

Eva's face changed, and she quickly pushed Adrian away. Already unconscious from alcohol, Adrian fell backward, seemingly about to hit the ground. In her haste, Eva instinctively grabbed his hand, but Adrian's weight was too much, causing Eva to fall onto him instead.

Just then, Lisa rushed over. Seeing Eva fall on top of Adrian, she widened her eyes in disbelief.

"Eva, what's going on?!" Eva took a deep breath, calmly placed her hand on Adrian's chest for support in front of Lisa, and then stood up.

Looking at the scene before her, Eva's eyes were still somewhat disoriented. Pointing at her and Adrian, she asked, "You two?"

After standing up, Eva calmly adjusted her clothes and tidied her hair before saying, "Lisa, you're here."

Confronted with Lisa's perplexed and inquisitive gaze, Eva calmly explained, "This person, I have no idea where he came from, not only tried to rush into the women's restroom, but also attempted to assault me."

Upon hearing this, Lisa was instantly shocked. "Assaulted you? No way."

After her initial disbelief, Lisa recalled that the person who said this was her friend. She should choose to believe her friend, but the person lying on the ground...

Taking this into consideration, Lisa immediately began explaining, "Eva, listen to me. He's the dream guy I told you about before. What you mentioned just now might be a misunderstanding. He had too much to drink and probably didn't know what he was doing."

Eva originally thought that attacking first would create a bad impression of Lisa, but she didn't expect Lisa to defend him. Even before Eva could respond, Lisa was already squatting beside Adrian, helping him up.

This scene suffocated Eva.

"Lisa, even if a decent person gets drunk, they still remain decent. They don't expose their true nature," Eva said.

Upon hearing this, Lisa froze for a moment. Then she looked up at Eva and said, "But... I've been with him for almost half a year and have never seen him lay a hand on a woman. When he suddenly ran out earlier, I was really confused about what happened. Although I'm not entirely sure what occurred, Eva, please believe me, he definitely didn't mean it."

Eva fell silent.

She didn't expect Lisa to continue defending him.

If Lisa knew that the man she helped up already had someone else, would she still do the same?

 

 

Chapter 204 I'm Willing

In an instant, things seemed to become complicated. Eva wanted Lisa to know that Adrian already had someone else in his life so she could completely give up on him. But she also didn't want to let Lisa know about her involvement with

Adrian. She was caught in a dilemma.

"Eva, I'm sorry today. Why don't you go back first?" suddenly, Lisa said while Eva was deep in thought.

Eva froze for a few seconds before asking, "You're not coming with me?"

Biting her lip, Lisa shook her head and replied, "I can't trust him in this state."

"And do you think I can trust you?" Upon hearing Eva's words, Lisa finally smiled and softly said, "Eva, I'm fine. And even if something does happen, it will be willingly chosen by me."

Having known Lisa for so many years, Eva had never realized she was this love-struck before. After a moment, Eva gritted her teeth and declared, "No, I can't let you stay here alone."

"Eva, please trust me! He's really not the person you imagine. Everything earlier was a misunderstanding, and he won't harm me!"

"How long have you known him?" Although feeling speechless, as a friend, Eva felt obliged to offer some advice since she had accompanied her tonight.

"Come on, half a year is a long time, right?"

Eva sneered, "Is it? Then do you know his last name, first name, his age, height, weight? What about his occupation, or even..." Pausing for a moment, Eva continued, "Do you even know if he's married or not?" "That's impossible!"

Lisa was at a loss for the previous questions because she couldn't answer any of them. But when she heard the last question, she instinctively refuted, "Why do you think it's impossible? You couldn't answer any of the previous questions, yet you're quick to react to the last one. Is it because he's impossible or because you can't accept it?"

Lisa wrinkled her nose, her delicate eyebrows furrowing along with it. "If he's married, then why would he come to the bar and get drunk like this?"

"How many people have you met that makes you dare to make such a judgment?"

Eva decided not to argue with her further and walked straight up to her. "Come with me."

Lisa protested, "Eva!"

"I really don't understand what's gotten into you today! Among the three of us, you were always the softest-hearted and the kindest. But today, with this person lying unconscious on the ground, and it being winter too, you're actually telling me not to care about him. That's not like you."

Lisa observed her and said, "What's gotten into you? Is it because of your menstrual cycle that your mood is not that great?"

Eva thought, so all those things she said earlier were in vain. After a while, she finally spoke. "It has nothing to do with my menstrual cycle."

However, Lisa had already decided not to communicate with her anymore. She helped Adrian up and said to Eva, "Regardless of what happens today, I won't abandon him. Eva, you should go back first."

Eva silently watched her for a while. It took her a long time before sighing.

"Okay, what do you plan to do with him?" she asked. Lisa glanced at Adrian, her feelings complicated. Clearly, she was already with Vivian, and they had looked glamorous together at the auction, so why was he now at the bar? What was he up to?

Lisa looked around before answering, "Usually, his friends would come and take care of him when he gets drunk, but for some reason, they haven't shown up tonight." Friends? "Is it a girl?" "How is that possible? It's a guy!" A guy, his friend by his side? Could it be John?

"With him in this state, it's not appropriate for him to stay at the bar any longer," Eva pondered. After thinking for a moment, she proposed, "If you're really concerned about him, we can hand him over to the manager and have them call his friends." It seemed like the best way to handle a stranger.

It was also the solution Eva had initially intended to suggest.

But Lisa had secretly admired Adrian for a long time and apparently wasn't keen on Eva's idea. After some consideration, she bit her lip and said, "Wouldn't it be too much trouble to find the manager? I'd rather just call a taxi and send him to a hotel myself."

Eva wasn't surprised by her response and asked, "And then what?" Lisa seemed a bit embarrassed but still replied, "I'll figure it out on my own. Don't worry about me, Eva." Eva took a deep breath, suppressing her temper, so her voice didn't sound any different.

"Alright, I'll accompany you. We'll drop him off at the hotel and make sure he's okay before we leave." Lisa had wanted to say something but seeing Eva's expression, she must have been angry, afraid that she would start a fight if she continued.

In the end, she could only nod and say, "Okay, let's go now."

The two of them then called a bartender to help carry Adrian to a taxi together and took him to a nearby hotel. The hotel required the person's ID to check-in.

"Eva, could you help me support him? I'll find my ID," Lisa said helplessly. Eva reluctantly stepped forward to assist Adrian. As soon as she took over, all of Adrian's weight pressed onto her, causing her to take two steps back before she regained her balance.

The smell of alcohol mixed with male hormones invaded her breath. This familiar feeling after five years made Eva feel suffocated. In a place where nobody could see, Eva bit her lower lip. If it weren't for Lisa's presence, she would have pushed Adrian away.

After the hotel staff took the ID, they asked, "How many people will be staying?"

Lisa had initially intended to say just herself but considering Eva was here, she had to change her answer. "Just him."

"Alright, miss. Could you please give me this gentleman's ID?"

"His ID?" Lisa blinked. "He's drunk, and I don't know where his ID is. Can I use mine instead?"

"I'm sorry, miss. According to the regulations, the ID of the person checking in is required."

Lisa tried to negotiate, hoping for some leniency.

With the approval of the front desk, "I promise there won't be any problems, okay?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, it's the hotel's policy, and we can't make exceptions," the front desk could only offer an apologetic smile to Lisa.

Lisa was suddenly caught in a dilemma.

At that moment, Eva, supporting Adrian, suddenly spoke up, "You come and support him."

Lisa didn't know what was happening, but when it came to helping the charming man, she immediately went over to do as she was told. After she had supported him, Eva reached into Adrian's pants pocket.

"What are you doing?" Lisa was startled by her actions.

Eva glanced at her and then skillfully pulled Adrian's wallet out of his pocket.

Then, she opened the wallet and took out his ID card, handing it to the hotel staff.

 

Chapter 205 He Loves You So Much

It took a great deal of effort for the two of them to get Adrian into the hotel.

After throwing him onto the bed, Eva stood still, panting heavily. Then, she turned her head to look at Lisa. Lisa immediately understood what she meant.

"Eva, can I...?"

"No," Eva decisively interrupted her words, "let's go, we have to go back, he'll be fine here."

"But... he's drunk, is it really okay for him to be alone in the hotel? What if something happens?"

"So what? Don't tell me you want to stay and keep him company," Eva said.

Lisa awkwardly smiled, "No, I mean, can we use his phone to call his friend?"

"Do you know his phone's lock screen password?"

"No."

"Then why make a call?"

"Yeah, you're right." Lisa hesitated and looked at her finger, "But he looks really worrying in this state."

"He's an adult, not a child. It's just being drunk. Weren't you often drunk before?" Eva helplessly said.

Although that was what she said, when it happened to someone else, Lisa realized that she really was worried. Now she finally understood how her mother and father used to worry about her when she got drunk.

But even though she was worried, after Eva's reminder, Lisa wasn't as worried anymore.

When she got drunk, she managed just fine.

He's a man, so what's the big deal?

"Well... alright." She hesitated and left with Eva.

After leaving the hotel, Lisa became curious.

"How did you know his wallet was in his pocket? I saw how familiar you were with your movements, and how did you know where his ID card was?"

Lisa recalled that Eva swiftly and accurately took the wallet out of the man's pants pocket. Most importantly, she immediately found the man's ID card in the second compartment of the wallet.

If Eva hadn't spent five years abroad, Lisa would have suspected that the two of them knew each other.

After all, finding a wallet in a pocket is a normal thing.

But after finding the wallet, being able to quickly avoid all kinds of bank cards and VIP cards inside...

I accurately obtained the documents.

This is very strange.

Upon hearing this, Eva paused and then said, "Do you believe me when I say that I guessed it?"

Lisa blinked her eyes and stared at her without moving.

"It's more outrageous than telling me that you and him were old acquaintances, and that you even dated before."

Eva thought to herself: Should I tell Lisa? It seems like I accidentally revealed the truth.

But before Eva could speak, Lisa found an excuse for her.

"However, I have always known about your ability, especially your skill in observing others' thoughts. Although I don't know how you developed this ability, could you teach me? Maybe with your guidance, I can win over my crush sooner than later."

Three sentences, always about Adrian.

After getting in the car, Eva received a text message from David inquiring about her return.

"Ms. Hansen, when will you be back? We are still quite unfamiliar with Chicago, and it's better for Miss Morrison not to stay out too late. Safety first."

"I understand. On my way back now."

After receiving the message, David did not reply again, seemingly relieved.

Putting away her phone, Eva thought of something and asked Lisa, "What did you put in his pocket just now?"

Upon hearing this, Lisa paused and then her gaze immediately became evasive.

"What did I put in there? I don't understand what you're talking about," Eva remained silent and just stared at her, creating pressure on Lisa even in this way.

"Alright, alright, I left him a note. His phone has a password lock, and I can't unlock it or add my contact information. So, leaving my contact information is the best I can do, right? After all, I helped him tonight. When he wakes up tomorrow morning, will he see me as someone who helped him?"

A certain special word instantly struck Eva's thoughts. She changed her expression, turned her head, and didn't say anything else.

After Lisa talked for a while, she realized that Eva wasn't paying attention to her and turned to look at her.

At some unknown point, Eva had already looked out the window. There was no expression on her face reflected in the window, giving off a feeling of desolation. What's wrong?

Did she say something wrong just now?

Lisa became somewhat conflicted for a moment, pinching her fingers and carefully pondering whether she inadvertently said something hurtful to Eva.

But no matter how much she thought, she couldn't figure out what she said wrong.

In the end, Lisa could only rely on this and asked softly, "Eva, did I say something wrong that made you upset just now?"

Her close voice brought Eva back to her senses.

"It's nothing." Seeing Lisa staring at her with a worried look, Eva realized that she had been absent-minded.

"Really?" Lisa looked skeptical. "But just now, you..."

"I thought of something just now, so I got distracted."

"Are you sure everything is alright? Did I say something that upset you?"

Eva reached out and pinched Lisa's cheek. "What can you say? You're always..."

"Why did you make me unhappy? Don't overthink it, we'll be there soon," Lisa said, noticing that Eva was in the mood to play around with her. Finally relieved, she added, "I'm glad you're not mad at me."

Because it was a special residential area, unregistered vehicles were not allowed to enter. In the end, Eva and Lisa had to walk in.

As they were getting closer, Lisa suddenly pointed ahead and asked, "There's someone at our doorstep."

Hearing this, Eva followed her gaze and saw a tall figure waiting at the entrance. Before Eva could get a good look, the person turned around, and their eyes met in the air.

Without waiting for Eva to say anything, Lisa excitedly screamed, "It's Michael! He's come to see you!"

Eva wanted to greet Michael, but Lisa's excitement prevented her from speaking. "Oh my, Eva, why would he suddenly come? Did he find out that you went to the bar with me and got worried, so he hurried over to find you?" Lisa chattered on, and Eva could only helplessly say, "Could you please be a little quieter?"

"Okay."

Before Eva could even walk over, Michael took the initiative to come towards her. As he approached, he took off his coat and, without saying a word, draped it over Eva's shoulders.

Lisa stifled a laugh from the side and said, "He really loves you."

 

 

Chapter 206 Some Changes

The warm coat instantly enveloped Eva, carrying Michael's body heat. His temperature was much higher than hers, and the warmth instantly dispelled the cold evening breeze. Eva smiled at him and said, "Thank you."

Michael looked at her with a helpless yet doting look in his eyes. "It's so cold outside, don't you know to dress warmer? Do you even realize how delicate you are?"

Before Eva could reply, Lisa interjected, "Michael, stop talking about Eva. If she dressed any warmer, would there be any chance for you to show your concern?" "Alright." Eva interrupted them and suggested, "It's cold outside, let's talk inside."

The three of them entered the house together. Once inside, Eva took off Michael's coat and returned it to him. "Put it on quickly, don't catch a cold."

Michael took the coat from her but didn't put it on. He just held it in his hands.

Lisa glanced at the two of them, her eyes rolling, and then said, "I'll disappear and give you two some alone time."

After saying that, Lisa walked towards the bedroom and coincidentally bumped into David coming out.

David saw that Eva had returned and was about to greet her, but before he could say anything, Lisa covered his mouth and dragged him away. "Can't you be more considerate? Give your boss and Eva some privacy." With the coat in his hands, Michael followed Eva into the living room, subtly observing her expressions all the while.

At first, Eva didn't notice and asked him what he wanted to drink. Michael said plain water. After Eva poured the water for him, she realized that his gaze had been fixed on her the whole time.

She placed the glass of water in front of him and raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter? Do I have a rare treasure on me that you've been staring at me all this time?"

Michael's thin lips curled slightly, and his gold-framed glasses reflected a faint glimmer under the living room light. His voice was gentle. "Long time no see, I missed you a little, so I couldn't help but take a few more glances."

His words were direct and straightforward. This caught Eva off guard. After a moment of hesitation, Eva raised an eyebrow. "Alright then, feel free to take a few more glances."

She quickly changed the subject. "Have you finished all your work?"

Michael nodded. "Yes, I came straight here as soon as I was done."

"Don't worry, David is here. He will take care of whatever you need."

Upon hearing that, Michael fell silent for two seconds before asking, "Do you think I'm worried about that?"

Eva quickly replied, "Then what else could it be?"

After responding, she realized something was off. When she looked up, she saw Michael smiling at her.

"Eva, what do you think?"

Eva couldn't tell if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Michael was somehow different this time compared to when he was abroad.

She had always known that he had feelings for her. Because she knew she would reject him, Michael never even hinted at it. But now, it seemed...

Eva's silence made Michael's eyes darken slightly. He pursed his thin lips and sat there quietly, waiting for her answer.

Unfortunately, after a long wait, all he got was Eva's question. "You must be exhausted from flying back. Did you book a hotel?"

With David here, how could the hotel not have been booked in advance? However, in the face of Eva's question, Michael suddenly wondered what she would do if he said no. One second he thought about it, the next second, Michael just did it.

"No," he denied.

Upon hearing this, Eva immediately furrowed her brows. Instinctively, she wanted to ask how David handled things and how he could mess up even booking a hotel.

But as the words were about to come out, Eva remembered that David was busy with the auction today and would come back to take care of their two children.

She instantly found it difficult to say anything else.

After all, she had her share of responsibilities.

Thinking of this, Eva took out her phone and said, "Then let me book it for you now. Where do you intend to stay?"

Michael continued to stare at her without moving. "The environment here is nice."

Eva paused.

In her bewildered eyes, Michael smiled and said, "Anyway, I'll be staying here for quite some time. David told me there are houses for rent here."

"Yes," Eva replied vaguely.

With a smile, Michael asked, "Great, do you have the contact information for their landlord?"

"There should be one, but it's already so late now. Even if we want to rent a house, we'll have to do it the day after tomorrow, right? After renting the house, we'll also need to clean it and buy bedding," Eva replied. "Yes, that makes sense. So I'm wondering if our Ms. Hansen will have time tomorrow to accompany me to the supermarket for shopping?" Michael asked.

Eva couldn't refuse such a request and had to agree. "Okay."

A few seconds later, Eva spoke again. "Should I book a hotel for you?"

"No need," Michael stood up. "Let David handle this. Let him come out. It's getting late, and we shouldn't disturb your rest."

In the end, Michael chose to give in.

I can't rush things, he thought.

Before leaving, Eva said to Michael, "After I get contact information from Lisa, I'll send it to you."

Michael nodded.

"Thank you for your help."

"Don't mention it. You've helped me a lot, so this is just a small matter."

After that, she stood at the door and watched the two of them leave. After they were gone, Lisa suddenly appeared behind her.

"David is quite capable. Ruby and Dylan have already fallen asleep."

Upon hearing this, Eva froze for a moment, then smiled and said, "Indeed, but it's already their bedtime."

"I heard David say that Dylan and Ruby wanted to wait for you to come back before going to sleep, but it got too late, and they couldn't hold on, so they fell asleep."

At this point, Lisa's face showed a guilty expression.

"I'm sorry. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have been delayed this late, and the two little ones wouldn't have had to wait for you for so long."

"It's nothing. Just a small matter." After comforting Lisa, Eva said, "I'll go check on them."

"Okay."

Eva returned to the room.

Usually, the two little ones sleep in separate rooms, but today they must have been waiting together, so now they were sleeping together.

Ruby was curled up with her love-shaped pillow, wrapped in a blanket, sleeping in the corner against the wall. Dylan, on the other hand, lay stiffly at the edge of the bed like an adult, guarding his sister, as if he was afraid she might roll off the bed.

As soon as Eva entered, Dylan woke up immediately.

He opened his eyes wide in the darkness, and cautiously got up.

"Mama."

Eva instinctively gestured to him and then walked over to turn on a small lamp for little Adrian. She also took a small blanket from the bed and covered Dylan's shoulders, lowering her voice, "Why are you awake? I thought you were asleep." Dylan burrowed into the blanket and snuggled into Eva's embrace, whispering, "Mama didn't come back, so I couldn't sleep."

 

Chapter 207 Hope That We Are Free

Eva's heart was warmed by the little one.

She reached out and rubbed Dylan's head, speaking softly, "Mama is back now. You can sleep peacefully, Dylan."

Dylan blinked in her embrace, "Can Dylan sleep with Mama tonight?"

Eva glanced at

That big bed had already won her heart, but she couldn't resist teasing her son a little.

"But our Dylan is already five years old, he should sleep on his own."

Upon hearing this, a hint of disappointment flashed across Dylan's little face. He probably thought Eva's answer was a no. After a moment, he lowered his head and nodded obediently. "Okay, Mommy, I'll sleep on my own."

Originally, she just wanted to tease him, but seeing his disappointed expression now, Eva felt like a bit of a villain.

Thinking this, Eva said, "Alright, Mommy was just teasing you. It's really cold tonight, so let's all sleep together."

Dylan immediately lit up with anticipation in his eyes.

"Mommy, really?"

"Really, you go on the bed first, Mommy will get the blankets."

Dylan pondered for a moment but didn't obediently climb onto the bed as she told him. Instead, he stared at her earnestly and said, "Mommy gets the blankets, then I'll go get the pillows for Mommy." "Let's go," Eva agreed.

Afterwards, Eva went to her own room to get the blankets, while Dylan fetched the pillows for her.

As they walked back in the direction they came from, Eva heard the sound of the door closing, but it sounded like it came from the entrance outside.

She felt slightly puzzled in her heart, but she didn't say anything on the surface. She calmly brought Dylan back to the room and then said to him, "Dylan, you go to sleep first, Mommy will go check if Aunt Lisa is asleep." Because Eva would be staying with them for the whole night today, Dylan wasn't worried anymore and obediently nodded.

"Okay, Mommy."

Eva placed him on the bed, in the middle. After tucking him and Ruby under the covers, she put on her shoes and walked out.

She first went to Lisa's room and knocked on the door, but there was no response.

"Lisa?"

Still no one answered, so Eva opened the door and walked in.

Sure enough, there was no one in the room. Lisa was not there.

Eva pursed her lips and had no choice but to turn and head to the entrance.

That's when she noticed Lisa's shoes were missing. Even her coat, which she left on the sofa when she came back, was now gone.

Eva knew exactly why she rushed out at this time, just after returning with her from the hotel.

She didn't expect Lisa to be so brave, sneaking out again after coming back with her.

Eva was a little angry, but also somewhat helpless.

Why did it have to be like this?

Eva had no choice but to call Lisa.

Lisa seemed guilty. She didn't pick up the call even after Eva called multiple times.

So Eva tried another approach and sent her a text.

"Do you want me to leave the two children alone and come find you in the middle of the night?"

This time, Lisa replied quickly.

"No, please don't come out. Ruby and Dylan need someone to take care of them. But don't worry about me either, I'll be careful on my own. I'm an adult now, Eva, you really don't need to worry about me." Perhaps afraid of Eva's persistence, Lisa didn't even wait for her reply and added, "Really, Eva, even though I

Together we live, but I hope our lives are free."

Although it was not explicitly stated afterwards, Eva could still see the meaning behind Lisa's words.

She pursed her lips and put away her phone.

As an adult, she shouldn't meddle in other people's affairs, but... since she knew Adrian and Vivian were together, she should have the responsibility to inform her friend.

Originally, she planned to talk to Lisa about it after waking up tomorrow.

But she didn't expect that Lisa couldn't wait and went out for the night.

After much consideration, Eva decided to send a message to Lisa.

"Lisa, I have something to tell you. Can we talk on the phone?"

However, after sending the message, Lisa did not reply.

Eva patiently waited for another two minutes, but still no response. She had no choice but to make the call.

"I'm sorry, the number you dialed is currently switched off. Please try again later."

The cold mechanical voice from the other end of the phone made Eva's heart sink.

Her phone was switched off?

Did something happen to her, or was she deliberately avoiding her?

Eva couldn't make up her mind for a moment. She knew that people needed their own space, and there should be some distance between individuals. But she couldn't just ignore everything and go to sleep. She couldn't do that.

However, considering what Lisa said before switching off her phone, Eva felt that if she were to do something at this moment, it might provoke Lisa's resentment. Although Eva and Lisa hadn't known each other for a long time, their relationship had been quite good. If possible, she really didn't want to hurt her friend. After thinking it through, Eva suppressed her impulse and returned to her room to lie down.

Dylan was still awake, waiting for her.

Seeing her come back, Dylan immediately scooted over to make room, lightly patting the spot beside him, "Mommy."

Feeling a mix of emotions, Eva took off her coat and lay down.

As soon as her head touched the pillow, the little one immediately crawled into her arms and hugged her, whispering softly, "Mommy, do you have something on your mind?" Upon hearing that, Eva snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Dylan apologetically.

She couldn't believe that her emotions were so quickly noticed by Dylan.

Dylan and Ruby were fraternal twins, the same age, but maybe because he had that additional moment before Ruby, he was especially thoughtful and understanding. Despite being only five years old, he seemed more perceptive than adults.

Eva dismissed her complex emotions and hugged him tightly, "No, Dylan, it's very late. Go to sleep."

Dylan blinked his eyes as if he understood, didn't say anything else, and obediently closed his eyes to sleep.

Before long, Dylan's breathing became long and even.

"Dylan?"

Eva softly called him twice, making sure Dylan didn't react and had fallen into a deep sleep. She slowly got up and went to the living room with her phone to make a call. About half an hour later...

Eva got up and opened the door, welcoming Michael into the house.

"What's going on?" Michael asked as soon as he stepped inside. He immediately noticed Eva standing there in just a thin nightgown, causing his expression to change.

"I'm sorry for calling you over so late, Michael. I just arrived in Chicago and I don't know many people here..." Eva began explaining but was interrupted when Michael suddenly grabbed her wrist. Eva was startled. "Your hands are so cold. Haven't you realized how lightly dressed you are?"

 

 

Chapter 208 Consider

Michael's warm touch, like fire, spread through Eva. Her first instinct was warmth. Then, she realized that she hadn't noticed her attire due to her haste.

"Let me tell you, Lisa went out. I just tried calling her, but no one answered. I'm a bit confused now, whether she turned off her phone to avoid being disturbed or..." Eva paused, leaving the rest unsaid, but Michael understood what she wanted to say.

Seeing Eva standing there freezing, Michael sighed. "I understand the situation. I'll call David and ask him to come over. We'll go out together to find her, alright?"

Go out with her to find Lisa? "No," Eva shook her head. "I won't go. If she sees me..."

By then, Lisa would surely feel that Eva was interfering too much. Michael understood her well and quickly grasped her meaning. "I understand. I'll send someone immediately to confirm her safety." Eva felt relieved. "Thank you."

"So, can you put on another piece of clothing now? If you keep like this, I'm afraid you'll catch a cold tomorrow."

With a solution in sight, Eva felt at ease and went back to her room to put on a sweater. After she had changed, Michael finished his call.

"Oh, by the way, does David ask if you know her exact location?"

Location? Eva thought for a moment. Since they had already sought help, there was no harm in directly revealing the name of the hotel where Lisa was staying.

"In the middle of the night, why would she go there?" Michael had come straight over as soon as he heard Eva needed help, without asking for the reason behind their situation.

Eva proceeded to tell Michael everything that had happened tonight. After listening, Michael fell into silence for a while.

"So, you encountered him?" The atmosphere between them seemed to have become mysterious.

After a long while, Eva nodded calmly. "Yes, I saw him."

Seeing her composed demeanor, as if nothing major had happened, Michael felt somewhat relieved. However, it seemed that he thought of something else. The eyes behind his glasses revealed a hint of conflict, and after a while, he asked: "I heard from David that you brought back a male garment from the venue?"

Upon hearing this, Eva instinctively denied, "You mean that blue garment? It's not his...

"The auction was organized by Mr. Davis and he lent it to me," Michael exclaimed, almost instantly pronouncing the name of the person. Eva nodded. She now realized why Michael had come running to her in the middle of the night and why something felt off when he spoke to her. It turned out that he knew about this matter all along but chose not to tell her. He simply gave her hints instead.

"How did you run into him?" Michael asked curiously. "Does he know you?"

Bringing up the topic made Eva feel awkward. "He wanted to invite me to work at his company before, but I refused, so I didn't tell you about it."

Upon hearing this, Michael raised an eyebrow. "Oh, he wanted to steal my personnel?"

Those three words made Eva pause for a few seconds. From a certain perspective, this sentence did not seem to have much ambiguity. After all, he was an employee of his company.

"So, you didn't meet him at the venue?" Eva shook her head and then asked, "Did David tell you?"

"He was also looking out for me, don't blame him," Michael smiled. "Maybe he was afraid of having another boss in the future."

This statement was also quite evident.

"So, now that you've seen him, how do you feel?" Michael asked straightforwardly.

Eva suddenly looked up at him. "I'm sorry if I asked inappropriately. I just thought that after five years, you probably have already let go."

Yes, it had been five years. What could she still hold onto from such a distant time? With this thought, Eva smiled faintly and said softly, "There's nothing inappropriate. Feel free to ask. He is a stranger to me now." If after all these years, she still had any emotional fluctuations towards him, then she would truly be beyond help.

"Really?" Michael wasn't sure whether to believe her or not. He reached out and ruffled her hair. "I'm glad you've let go. I thought you were stuck in the past."

"How could that be?" Eva smiled.

They didn't continue this topic any further. Both of them knew that it wasn't appropriate to discuss it anymore.

Michael looked around before pushing Eva by her shoulder. "Let's go. You should go to sleep. I'll stay here and let you know after ensuring she's alright." "But..." Eva hesitated. "It's not good for you to stay here alone. Shouldn't I..."

However, before she could finish her sentence, Michael had already pushed her into the room.

She wanted to say something else, but Michael pressed a finger to her lips.

In a low voice, Michael's deep and magnetic voice, like a melancholic cello being gently played, said, "Don't wake Ruby and Dylan. Just go inside."

The warmth of his fingertip on Eva's lips felt like fire. When she finally came to her senses, Eva almost...

It was almost in a panicked manner that she wanted to step back. However, Michael recovered quickly, his gaze clear, as if his previous actions were just to shut her up and held no ulterior motives.

It seemed that she was the only one with any ideas. Eva felt uneasy and watched as Michael closed the door for her. She had no choice but to return to bed and lie down again.

Eva took out her phone and glanced at it, but Lisa still hadn't replied to her message. She sighed with worry.

"Mummy."

Suddenly, a soft voice came from beside her. Eva was startled and turned her head to find Dylan looking at her with concern.

"Dylan? Weren't you asleep?"

Dylan didn't speak, only pursed his little lips.

"Are you worried about mummy? It's alright, Dylan. You're just a little kid, don't worry about mummy so much. Quickly go to sleep, mummy will go to sleep too."

But Dylan asked, "Is Uncle Michael guarding outside?"

"He's guarding outside. Be a good boy and go to sleep. Mummy won't go out tonight."

Perhaps knowing that she wouldn't leave, Dylan quickly fell asleep by her side.

Eva, however, had no sleepiness at all, but maybe because she caught a cold, her stomach felt a faint pain, making her feel exhausted. She covered herself with the blanket and fell into a drowsy sleep. When she woke up, it was already bright outside.

Eva glanced at the time and realized it was already past six o'clock. She quickly threw off the blanket and sat up.

There was only one thought in her mind.

Did Lisa come back last night?

 

 

Chapter 209 Never Dreamed of You

With that thought in mind, she opened the door and ran out barefoot.

As she prepared to rush straight to the living room, she unexpectedly jumped into Michael's arms, who was looking for her.

Michael, caught off guard, took two steps back before steadying himself and asked, "What's wrong?"

Holding onto Eva's waist, he prevented her from falling.

At this moment, Eva couldn't think of anything else and asked instinctively, "Did Lisa come back?"

Upon hearing her question, Michael couldn't help but let out a sigh. "Don't worry, I came to tell you about this."

Eva calmed down and took two steps back to look at him.

Michael noticed that she wasn't even wearing shoes and her clothes were the same as last night. Realizing that she probably wouldn't bother dressing until she heard the whole story, he quickly simplified the situation. "She's safe, nothing happened. Our people stayed at the hotel and just returned a moment ago."

"They stayed at the hotel? How? Where is she in the hotel? Did she go in?"

When she left, she didn't take her room key, so logically Lisa wouldn't have been able to enter.

Michael looked at her, seemingly observing the expression on her face. After a while, he chuckled lightly, "If I said she went in, how would you feel?"

Hearing his words, Eva paused.

Then, a serious expression appeared on her face.

"Is it fun for you to test me like this?"

Originally, a faint smile lingered on the face, but seeing her expression darken, the smile vanished.

"That's not what I meant."

"Since yesterday evening when you came back, you have been intentionally or unintentionally testing me."

Michael paused, then raised his gaze to look at her earnestly.

"Well, let's just say that I was testing you because I was nervous, because I care, because I feel helpless, so I can only use this method to see if you will change your mind about him, to see if I still have a chance." Eva was caught off guard.

"Okay, let's not talk about this for now. Since you already know she is safe, go inside and put on your coat."

Eva lowered her head and saw the pajamas she was wearing.

"It's cold outside, don't catch a cold," Michael said gently.

Hotel.

The sun was already up, and Lisa leaned against the wall, so tired that she could barely keep her eyes open.

She had been squatting here all night, without hearing any noise from inside. It seemed like nothing had happened to him.

I wonder if he woke up and saw the note I left for him?

After squatting for a while, Lisa felt her legs going numb.

When she tried to stand up and move, her phone fell with a snap.

She quickly picked it up to check if it was broken.

Once she confirmed that the phone was safe, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief, but then her expression turned unpleasant. Last night, because she was afraid Eva would call her, she had turned off her phone.

Who knows if Eva was worried about her all night.

Thinking of this, Lisa turned on her phone.

Sure enough, she saw countless missed calls from Eva, instantly filled with guilt.

If she didn't truly like this man, she wouldn't have abandoned her sister like this, but...

This opportunity only comes once, she truly cannot miss it.

After she settles things with this man, she will go back and make amends with Eva.

Lisa put the phone away, moved her body a bit, and then went to ring the doorbell of the hotel room.

Because Adrian was drunk last night, Lisa didn't know if he was awake yet, so it was a gamble.

She pressed the doorbell twice at first, but there was no response from inside, so Lisa patiently waited.

She didn't know how much time had passed, and she didn't know how many times she had pressed the doorbell when the door finally opened.

A handsome man stood by the door, exuding a chilling aura after being awakened, coldly gazing at her.

At first glance, Lisa felt the chill.

"Hello?"

The next second, the door was slammed shut.

Lisa almost had her nose hit by the door panel.

When she reacted again, she approached and pressed the doorbell once more.

After pressing it twice, the handsome man opened the door again.

"What's the matter?" Adrian did recognize the woman in front of him.

The woman who had pestered him at the bar for a long time.

He looked at her with cold indifference, never expecting that this woman who used to bother him at the bar would actually follow him to the hotel. Lisa nodded, afraid of being shut out again.

So, after nodding, she wanted to squeeze in. Surprisingly, the man raised his hand and blocked the door, looking at her with a cold expression, showing no intention of letting her in. "... Let me in first. I have something to say to you."

"Right here, one minute," Adrian replied coldly.

Lisa didn't expect him to be so unfriendly. But then she thought that maybe he didn't know what happened last night since he just woke up, and that's why he acted like this. With that in mind, she decisively spoke, "You got drunk last night, and I brought you to this hotel."

Hearing this, Adrian paused.

"And I also paid for your hotel room."

Lisa smiled awkwardly and explained, "Of course, I'm not saying this to ask you to pay me back. I just don't want you to misunderstand me."

When she mentioned helping him while drunk last night, Adrian fell silent for a moment, and a certain scene suddenly flashed through his mind.

In the chaos, he seemed to have caught a glimpse of a figure that haunted him in the bar.

But after waking up, he found this unfamiliar woman claiming that he got drunk, and she helped him.

Adrian squinted his eyes.

Could it be that he hallucinated last night when he was drunk?

No, something wasn't right.

Although he saw her figure every time he closed his eyes during these five years, she never appeared in his dreams.

Not even when he was drunk.

Last night was the first time he saw her.

It couldn't be a dream.

She was there.

Damn it!

With that in mind, Adrian's expression changed, and he immediately turned and walked inside.

Lisa didn't know what was going on, but seeing that he didn't lock the door, she quickly followed him inside.

"Well, I helped you last night, but you don't have to thank me too much. If you really want to thank me, how about we exchange contact information?" Lisa said as she took out her phone. Adrian glanced coldly at her.

After a moment, he recited a series of numbers to her.

Once Lisa finished inputting the numbers, he said, "It's my assistant's contact information. Regarding what happened last night, contact him, and he will compensate you accordingly." With that, Adrian put on his coat, grabbed his phone, and walked out without looking back.

 

 

Chapter 210 Unfamiliar with Her Former Husband

Lisa remembered the number and when the person revealed it was Adrian's assistant, she became anxious as he walked away. So, she instinctively followed him.

When they reached the elevator, she caught up and pleaded, "Wait, I want your contact information, not compensation. I just want to be friends. Can you give me your contact information?" Adrian stopped in front of the elevator doors with a blank expression.

Lisa bit her lower lip and looked at him with a conflicted expression.

"I really want your contact information. I promise I won't bother you."

Adrian coldly glanced at her before lifting

He buttoned the top button of his suit, his voice cold as he said, "Miss, it's best if you dismiss any thoughts about me right now. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what will happen later." The elevator arrived just then.

Adrian walked into it expressionless.

Lisa's face turned pale at his words, but after watching him enter the elevator, she couldn't control her own feet and slowly followed inside.

There were only the two of them in the elevator, and Lisa could almost feel the icy aura emanating from the man after she entered. Though she liked this man very much... She had never been rejected so harshly before.

His cold gaze and tone made her feel like a despised piece of garbage, instantly shattering her confidence.

She almost didn't have the courage to speak to him again, so she could only stand there numbly and wait for the elevator to descend. Each second felt like an eternity.

She didn't know how long it had been, but the elevator finally reached the first floor.

Lisa followed behind him as they stepped out.

Standing at the elevator entrance, Adrian hesitated for a moment before coldly saying, "I hope you won't follow me anymore."

Lisa bit her lip numbly, not looking up nor responding.

His phone rang, and the man in front of her walked away.

She glanced at the incoming call display, answered the phone, and weakly spoke, "Eva..."

Upon hearing Lisa's voice, Eva on the other end of the line breathed a sigh of relief.

"You finally answered my call, Lisa."

"I'm sorry..." Lisa bit her lip, feeling fine just a moment ago, but now she felt endlessly wronged upon hearing Eva's voice. She wanted to cry, "I didn't turn off my phone on purpose last night, I just... I just really like him." Eva stayed in the living room and felt uneasy upon hearing Lisa's distressed words and the slight choking in her throat.

"I know, you've been wronged. Where are you now? I'll have David come pick you up. After you come back, there are a few things I want to talk to you about."

"Okay, I'm currently..." Lisa had intended to say her location, but then the familiar pair of shoes appeared in her line of sight, and she looked up in astonishment. To her surprise, the man who should have left had actually returned.

"You..." Adrian furrowed his brow and looked at her with complex emotions.

"Lisa?"

Because of the man's return, Lisa suddenly caught a glimmer of hope and immediately told Eva on the phone, "I have something to do right now, I'll call you later." After speaking, Lisa hung up the phone.

She hung up too quickly for Adrian to stop her.

On the other side, Eva, who had her call ended, wondered: Why did she suddenly hang up? And her tone seemed to become more cheerful? Could it be that Adrian is with her?

With that thought, Eva suddenly had a foreboding feeling.

After disconnecting the call with Eva, Lisa wiped away the tears in the corner of her eyes in a fluster and looked at the man in front of her.

Actually, she wanted to ask why he had come back again. But when the words reached her lips, she felt too embarrassed to speak up. As she struggled with how to open the topic, the handsome man in front of her glanced at her phone, pursed his thin lips, and then said, "Were you on the phone just now?"

This question caught Lisa off guard, and she slowly nodded. "Yes." "Your friend?"

"Yes."

Adrian narrowed his eyes. "Last night... Did you help me?"

Lisa continued nodding. "Yes, you were drunk and passed out on the ground. I was afraid something might happen, so I thought of bringing you to a hotel to rest, but..." At this point, Lisa seemed to remember something, and her words faltered. "But what?"

Adrian's keen sixth sense told him that whatever came after "but" must be important information.

Lisa was originally quick-witted, and she didn't expect to reveal what happened next. Firstly, she didn't want to betray her friend, and secondly, she felt that it wasn't appropriate to say such things in front of Adrian. What if he got angry after hearing it?

But she didn't expect to blurt it out.

Lisa awkwardly smiled and said, "It's nothing."

Upon hearing this, Adrian's gaze turned cold. "Tell me the truth."

In that moment, Adrian's superiority and authority became evident.

Lisa didn't know what happened to her. She had already decided not to speak, but when Adrian looked at her like that, she instantly felt a chill run down her spine. Subconsciously, she confessed the whole story.

"There was a misunderstanding last night. You got drunk and tried to do something inappropriate to my friend. At first, my friend misunderstood you, but don't worry, I explained to her that you are not that kind of person. So, she eventually helped me bring you to the hotel as well."

"Inappropriate to your friend?"

Suddenly, certain images that Adrian had forgotten flashed through his mind.

Previously, he only remembered seeing her in the bar, haunted by her presence, but he had no recollection of what happened afterward.

Now, reminded by Lisa, Adrian instantly recalled it.

He pressed someone against the wall... but then his consciousness suddenly disappeared.

So, such a thing had happened.

"No, no," Lisa vehemently denied, "I know you were drunk and maybe did something that made her misunderstand, but you're definitely not that kind of person. I've already explained it to her on your behalf."

"Is that so?" Adrian said calmly.

"Yes," Lisa nodded vigorously, "My friend didn't know you before, so she had a misunderstanding. But she won't have it anymore in the future."

Upon hearing this, Adrian was momentarily surprised, then snorted.

"She didn't know me?"

Lisa innocently nodded.

"Well, do you know my friend?" he countered.

More than just knowing her? She was practically ingrained in him, imprinted in his flesh and blood.

The next moment, Adrian raised his head. "Can you take me to meet your friend?"

Why all of a sudden did he want to meet her friend?

"Didn't you say I behaved inappropriately towards your friend? Take me to meet her and let me explain."

"I will apologize to her face-to-face and sincerely," he said. "And while I'm at it, I'll ask her how she really didn't recognize her ex-husband."