Chapter 4

Ultimately, Leroy couldn't persuade Olivia and ended up meeting the girl next door she had mentioned. He still remembered how Yvonne Middleton, a chubby girl, used to follow him around and repeatedly call his name whenever they played as a kid. It had been a while, and he couldn't help but wonder how she was now. The next second, a soft voice rang above his head. "Hey, stranger." Although Leroy didn't harbor many expectations, he was pleasantly surprised by her exquisite and refined appearance. "Yvonne?" The girl before him had a dainty face, a pair of big, round eyes, and a refreshing smile. Her lips, soft and rosy, complemented her fair skin. Her chestnut-colored, wavy hair cascaded down her back, giving her a carefree but polished look. She sat confidently across from Leroy, blinking mischievously at him. "Yeah, it's me. What's wrong? Do you not recognize me?" Realizing his impoliteness, he let out an awkward smile. "I'm sorry. You did change quite drastically. You look a lot prettier now." A smudge of pink spread across her cheeks. "Thanks." "What would you like to drink? I'll treat you." After ordering two drinks, the two continued talking for a while. As the conversation went on, Leroy found himself momentarily lost in thought. He never expected that he and Yvonne would have so many common topics. Nearly everything he liked, she seemed to be deeply interested in as well. Sipping on his tea, he lowered his gaze and began pondering. As someone who had been in relationships, he knew it wasn't easy to meet someone compatible in terms of values and hobbies. More often than not, the party with much deeper feelings would be the one compromising for their potential partner. He wasn't sure if he and Yvonne were truly compatible or if she was compromising to make the date smoother. Regardless, he hadn't finalized the divorce with Scarlett nor moved on from his failed marriage. Pursuing a new relationship when he wasn't ready would not only be irresponsible to himself but also unfair to the girl. "Yvonne, I—" "You don't have to be this formal with me, Leroy. Just think of us as friends like we were young." After some thought, he lowered his head as a sign of apology. "I know my mom arranged this meeting for us to get to know each other on a deeper level, but I'm not ready to move on to a new relationship yet. I'm sorry… "Do you understand what I mean?" He was straightforward. If Yvonne had any feelings for him, she would've inevitably felt hurt. That said, it was better than giving her false hope. As expected, once he finished, her smile froze stiffly. Just as he thought things were about to get awkward, she tilted her head, looking unbothered. "I'm a victim of my mom's constant pressure to get married, too. So, I understand, Leroy. Besides, we're best friends who grew up together." At that moment, Leroy could feel his unease lessening. "Thank you." "Wait—don't thank me first. Since we're on the same team and as my best friend, could you please head to the mall and pick up a present with me? It's my dad's birthday next week, and I have no idea what to get him." Since it wasn't an outrageous request, Leroy quickly agreed to help. The two then headed to a shopping mall near the cafe. Having just entered the mall, Leroy had no idea that he had been observed by two individuals behind him. As soon as Scarlett promised to marry Cedric, he immediately dragged her to the mall to purchase a diamond ring. Amid her frustration, she looked up and surprisingly saw Leroy and a pretty, young girl strolling together. That should be the blind date Grace mentioned, right? Sure, she was pretty, but her physique seemed less curvaceous than hers. At that point, Scarlett was rendered surprised by her own thought process. Why would she subconsciously compare herself to the women around Leroy? That wasn't right. As she silently criticized herself, Cedric, too, noticed the couple. "Is that Leroy? And the girl beside him… Wow, he sure moved on quickly. Is he that excited to spend the money you gave him?" Cedric's statement was full of doubt and accusation, making Scarlett increasingly annoyed. "We've signed the divorce agreement. He can be with whoever he wants." With that, she turned on her heels and prepared to leave. However, Cedric stood in place. "No matter what, we did wrong him. Why don't we say hi to them? Now that you compensated him, you don't owe him anything anymore. If we just leave, we might end up looking guilty…" Scarlett halted her steps. After some consideration, she agreed to approach them with Cedric. In the meantime, Leroy and Yvonne exited a watch shop and immediately saw Cedric and Scarlett linking arms and approaching him. His heart sank and clenched at the same time. Cedric was the first to initiate the conversation. "What a coincidence. How have you been lately?" Met with Leroy's silence, he then glanced at Yvonne, became amused, and softened his tone. "You're a hot item, aren't you, Leroy? And this lady is…" Yvonne seemingly sensed the off-putting tension and slowly leaned toward Leroy. He locked eyes with Scarlett and introduced Yvonne with his usual composure. "Yvonne Middleton, my childhood best friend." He then turned to Yvonne beside him and introduced, "This is Scarlett Payne, the current CEO of Payne Group, while this is Cedric…" He paused and continued after some thought, "Scarlett's fiancé." Smugness appeared in Cedric's eyes, yet Scarlett immediately refuted, "No!" Her tone sounded anxious, and the three of them froze briefly, casting her various expressions. Realizing her abnormal reaction, she quickly lowered her gaze. "Our divorce hasn't been finalized yet. It'd affect Cedric's image if you announce it like that." It was only then Cedric's expression softened. In fact, he appeared mildly excited and even gazed triumphantly at Leroy, who froze in his spot. He had noticed the way Scarlett treated him and Cedric differently, and he was no stranger to the intensity with which she defended him. However, he couldn't contain his disappointment at that moment. He felt dejected and regretful of his own inability to fight back. At the same time, Yvonne's expression grew complicated. "Ms. Payne, you're… very nice to your fiancé."