Chapter 47
Chapter 47
Chapter 47 A Perfect Match
“Over here, Mich!”
Michaela saw Vincent waving to her from a distance as she walked into the restaurant.
Though it was only their first encounter, Michaela already had a good impression of Vincent. Aside from his attitude toward relationships, she found him very likable.
After a slight pause, she walked over and Vincent noticed it immediately when she was close enough. “Why is your face so red, Mich? Are you unwell?”
“No, I’m not!” Subconsciously touching her cheek, Michaela was horrified to discover that it was scorching and scrambled for an excuse. “It’s been a hot couple of days.”
“Has it been?”
Vincent raised his eyebrows suspiciously, having just intended to ask the waiter to turn up the air conditioning temperature. He was beginning to question if he was the only one who felt the chills.
Finally realizing Michaela had appeared alone, Vincent changed the topic. “Where is Jonathan?”
“Mr. Jonathan is right behind!”
Vincent did not notice the palpable discomfort in Michaela’s eyes.
After Michaela was seated, he immediately summoned the waiter and handed the menu to Michaela. “I’d just arrived as well. Here, have a look and order whatever you like! It’s on me today!”
“Thank you, Vincent!”
Michaela smiled gratefully. After ordering two portions of jalapeño-flavored fondue, she pushed the menu in front of Vincent. “Your turn!” Content provided by NôvelDrama.Org.
What a pleasant girl she is to be around. Not only is she a good sport, but she’s also a beauty! Zack must be blind to give up a gem like her.
Receiving the menu from her, Vincent ordered a few more bland dishes. It was not until the waiter left that Vincent said, “Jonathan has a delicate stomach. He won’t be able to have any if it’s too spicy!”
“Mr. Jonathan can’t have spicy food?”
Michaela was quite surprised. She had thought Jonathan was also fond of spicy food, given their previous rendezvous at the fondue restaurant.
“That’s right. He’s always been a light and dainty eater.”
Though it was a throwaway tease by Vincent, Michaela took notice of it.
No wonder he barely ate the last time we had fondue. Every two bites he took were washed down with tea. Was the dinner he fought so hard for wholly prepared for me alone? I had been so resistant then!
As Michaela was reeling in shock by the discovery, she heard Vincent speak again. “Hey, could that be her?”
Following Vincent’s gaze, she saw that Jonathan was already in the restaurant. There was a stylishly dressed woman next to him.
She was clad in a sleeveless black short skirt with white high heels accentuating her legs. Her chestnut hair fell down her shoulders in a cascade of femininity.
They seemed very well acquainted with one another from where Michaela was sitting. Jonathan was talking to the woman with his head tilted, gazing upon her with gentle eyes and a slight smile. It appeared that they got along very naturally.
The striking balance between their respective good looks made them appealing to behold.
Michaela could not help but ask Vincent who was watching with relish. “Who is she, Vincent?”
“You don’t know?”
Vincent smiled mysteriously and leaned closer to Michaela before lowering his voice. “She is Louise, the eldest daughter of the Johnson family. A smart girl from a young age, too. She wasn’t just his classmate when they were abroad, you know. She is also his fiancée. How about that, eh? Shocking news, isn’t it?”
“Fiancée?”
Michaela’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Yeah. Speaking of which, it was arranged by old Mrs. Xander. The Xander family and the Johnson family are family friends, you know. They are a match for each other! Louise is now the CEO of a wealth management company under her family’s banner, which is doing extremely well from what I heard. What’s more, she has a gentle and decent appearance. Definitely worthy of Jonathan, if you ask me.”
“Let me tell you something, Mich,” Vincent added. “Jonathan only looks emotionless on the outside. To think that I’d been so worried that he would be single forever! It appears that I have been played this entire time. I was surprised to see him, a workaholic, appearing here at this time of day. Turns out he has a date here!”
Michaela did not doubt Vincent’s words.
The restaurant they were in belonged to Jonathan. Having just mentioned that it was not open to the public aside from his partners, Louise’s appearance was self-explanatory.
Though she had only managed to catch a distant glimpse, Michaela was forced to admit that Louise was indeed stellar. Under her meek and feminine appearance lay the ability of a strong and capable woman. Her manners were as elegant as her dress.
Turns out that he is into girls like this.
Having thought that Jonathan took her out to cheer her up after finding out that she was in a bad mood, it just occurred to her that she might have expected too much.
So much for not being close to other women? He’s just flirting with everybody! All men are the same! Brutes! Especially the Xander family men, who always look for opportunities to fool around. All men are pigs.
Without noticing Michaela’s expression, Vincent winked enigmatically at the exciting topic of discussion. Unbeknownst to him, Jonathan saw everything.
Glaring at the space between the two, Jonathan walked up with a scowl and kicked Vincent’s chair. “Sit over there!” he indicated.
Vincent did not dare speak. He got up and sat on the other side and watched as Jonathan sit next to Michaela. “Have you ordered something to eat?” he asked in a soft voice. “What were you talking about?”
“The love story between you and Ms. Johnson, Mr. Xander!” Vincent replied frankly. Jonathan glanced sideways and narrowed his eyes. “Love story?”
“Isn’t it so?” Vincent jerked his chin toward Louise in a blatant attempt to hint at something. “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, how long would you have kept it hidden from me, Mr. Xander?”
“Vincent!”
Though his voice was not loud, his tone was heavy with warning.
Sensing danger, Vincent slid up and sat on Michaela’s right meekly as he mumbled, “Embarrassed that I had guessed what was on your mind? There’s no need for all this. I’m not going to rob you! Don’t you think that Jonathan is overreacting, Mich?”
Michaela’s eyes flicked between the two. Amid her dilemma, she saw a middle-aged man in a black suit walking toward Jonathan with a respectful expression. “I’d just heard that you are here, Mr. Xander. Would you like me to arrange for you to dine in the private room?”
“No need!”
Jonathan’s tone was not friendly. As if recollecting something else, his clear voice sounded again. “By the way, don’t you have regular maintenance of the appliances here? Aren’t you aware that your air- conditioning unit is broken?”
“I apologize for my negligence, Mr. Xander. I will have it checked and replaced!”
The middle-aged man looked flustered as he bowed frantically in apology. He did not leave until he had personally delivered all the food they had ordered to the table.
After the middle-aged man left, Vincent piped up sarcastically, “What’s the use of trying to cover up? Aren’t you going to great lengths for a beauty?”
At that moment, Michaela was drinking the soup Jonathan had served her and began to cough at Vincent’s words.
That was uncalled for!