Chapter 10

The combination of an attractive man and a stunning woman was bound to draw attention. Even in such a bustling crowd, Samantha and Leonardo stood out immediately. Xenia's friend grabbed her arm. "Xenia, look over there! Is that Mr. Garrett? He rarely visits our club, so I've hardly seen him, and I've never had the opportunity to serve him. But you've served him before. You surely know Mr. Garrett, don't you?" Xenia looked in that direction and immediately locked her gaze on Leonardo and Samantha. They were exceptionally eye-catching. Just with that one look, Xenia was completely stunned and lost for words. With Leonardo's outstanding appearance, how could she not recognize him? It was truly Leonardo Garrett! Xenia's friend eagerly nudged her, brimming with excitement. "Xenia, is that Mr. Garrett? Is it really him?" Xenia finally snapped out of her shock and nodded. "Yes, it's Mr. Garrett." "What?" One of them gasped. "That's really Mr. Garrett? Why would he come to a place like this for supper?" "Wow! I didn't expect this," another added. "The newcomer seems quiet and innocent, and I truly thought she's innocent. But it turned out that she simply dislikes regular customers. Probably because they're not rich enough." "She clearly has a plan," one of them speculated. "It seems she's been plotting in secret for quite some time. When she finally takes action, she targets the most influential man." "She really has some skills to bring Mr. Garrett here for supper," said the other. Another friend remarked enviously, "Please, Mr. Garrett probably hasn't been to places like this before. He's just looking for something new. She doesn't deserve the credit." Xenia stared at Samantha, a mix of hatred and jealousy swirling inside her. That night, in the private room, she had observed how Leonardo kept a distance from other women. Yet, he had allowed Samantha to sit beside him and assist with pouring wine. Now, they were even having supper together after leaving the club. Xenia couldn't understand how someone with zero social skills could wield such undeniable charm. Fueled by jealousy, she tightened her fist. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and a sly grin spread across her face. She pulled out her phone and took a photo of Samantha and Leonardo. … Leonardo and Samantha had their supper in silence, with little conversation, but the atmosphere was pleasant. It wasn't until they both finished their meals that Samantha noticed the empty plastic container in front of Leonardo. She couldn't help but laugh. "Why are you laughing?" Leonardo asked. Samantha imitated his earlier tone. "This kind of packaging will release toxic substances when holding hot food." In that instant, Leonardo understood what she was hinting at, but he didn't get angry. Instead, he kindly reminded her again. "It's fine once or twice, but you should eat less of this stuff regularly. You'll regret it once you get sick." "Got it," she replied, realizing that Leonardo could nag like an old man. She rose to her feet and made her way to the buffalo wings vendor. "Here's the payment for the wings." "Thank you." The vendor was still occupied with grilling the buffalo wings. After paying, Samantha waved at Leonardo. "I'm done eating, and it's time for me to head home. Mr. Garrett, you should also go home and get some rest. Staying up late isn't good for your health." Leonardo stood up and followed her, his tall, well-built figure catching attention. "I'll drive you home," he offered. Samantha declined immediately. "No, no, we're not heading in the same direction. I can easily grab a cab back. The club will reimburse me the cost of my ride home tonight." "Give me your phone number." "Huh?" Samantha was unsure if she had heard him correctly. Did Leonardo really just ask for her number? Surely, he must be joking. Leonardo continued seriously, "I'll send you the money for supper tonight." "Don't worry about it. I'll cover." "I don't think so." She was taken aback. This was her first experience being turned down while attempting to treat someone to a meal. Men were truly difficult to please. She realized it was best to maintain some distance from Leonardo. With his unpredictable moods, one wrong step could lead to him crushing her without hesitation. "My car is arriving shortly. I'm leaving now!" With that, she quickly turned and dashed away, leaving without even a farewell. It felt as if she had no intention of crossing paths with him again. As Leonardo pondered on it, he couldn't help but feel a heaviness settling in his chest, making it hard to breathe. … Samantha located the car she had booked via the rideshare app at the intersection and hopped in, sharing the last few digits of her phone number for verification. Leaning back in the backseat, she gazed out the window. As she left the area near the night market, the crowds thinned out, and the streets became quiet and empty. Every now and then, a car would pass by them. She found herself thinking about Leonardo again. The man was difficult to understand. He had gotten upset with her again simply because she treated him to supper. He really had a terrible temper. A sudden vibration from her phone stirred her from her thoughts. It was a message from Xenia. She didn't usually talk to Xenia, only exchanging a few words when they first swapped phone numbers. She opened the chat, wondering what Xenia could be contacting her for. The first thing that caught her eye was a candid photo of her and Leonardo eating together. Xenia: "I remember Layla is with Mr. Garrett now. What do you think would happen if she found out you were trying to seduce him?" Samantha's lips turned pale. She never intended to hurt Layla, but Leonardo was the one who took the initiative to approach her. It felt wrong to refuse him. Samantha: "What do you want?" Xenia: "Give me 100 thousand dollars, and I'll delete this photo." Samantha: "Are you blackmailing me?" Xenia: "Blackmail? Don't make it sound so harsh. I'm just giving you a price. It's up to you whether you want to pay or not. You can choose not to." She was indeed afraid that Layla might misunderstand and it would affect their friendship, but Xenia's asking price was way too high. She decided to give up and replied, "I'm broke. Not buying." Xenia quickly fired back, "Very well, that's your choice. Just don't hold me responsible for being difficult." Samantha had already left the chat and was mindlessly scrolling. She stared blankly at Layla's profile picture, wondering how to explain all this to her.