“Don’t even think about it!” He immediately yelled overbearingly.
With her brain buzzing from his yelling, Leila turned her face away and looked out of the car window, “Let’s go. We’ll be late if we don’t go!”
“I said get in the front!”
“No. That’s not my place to sit!” She said faintly and looked away, whispering, “Leave it to someone else. I don’t care!”
Vincent froze slightly. He seemed to understand something!
She was angry? She had been angry!
At the moment, she was looking out of the window with an indifferent and sullen look on her face. It was as if nothing in the world could enter her heart. Looking into her empty and indifferent eyes, his heart tightened and he suddenly sighed softly, “Leila, will you stop it? Come sit in front!”
Leila curled her lips lightly, and her eyes went cool as she said, “I said it wasn’t my place. Mr. White, don’t make things difficult for me, okay? I’m tired and I’m not making a scene. I’m not in a position to make a scene either. What am I to you? I’m afraid I’m as light as a feather or not even a feather! You have so little regard for me, so why should I be in your way, before your eyes, at your side?”
Vincent’s heart shook. He turned back, moved his seat back a little, and then raised his hand to caress her face. He moved with unusual gentleness as if he were treating a treasure that would break at the slightest touch. His fingertips rested on the corner of her mouth. Looking into her eyes, he said softly, “Have I hurt you? You don’t trust me anymore, because I shut you out for Pippa? You feel hurt, and that you don’t have a place in my heart, don’t you?”
With a slight shudder in her heart, she asked in return, “Ask yourself. What am I in your heart? All human beings have dignity! I can’t always let my dignity be trampled on!”
She looked at him and said seriously.
“I’m not trampling on your dignity!” He had a resolute look on his handsome face, and the look in his eyes was so so serious. He really didn’t mean that.
She took a breath and immediately drew back her hand. The pain she had hidden in her heart rose to the tip of her heart. She pursed her lips, averted her gaze, and said in an indifferent tone, “Drive on, Professor Hall is waiting for us!”
Vincent’s hand froze on her lips. She was protecting herself, and it was her instinct that made her distrust him.
It made him feel frustrated in a way he had never felt before. He stopped forcing her and turned to drive.
For a while, there was a silence in the car, and Leila was always staring out of the window.
As well as gazing ahead, Vincent occasionally glanced at Leila in the rearview mirror. Her lips were pursed while she also occasionally nibbled lightly on her cherry-red lips. And the corners of her tightly pursed lips were permeated with stubbornness.
“Leila, what was that you said yesterday about a quota?” The car stopped as they passed a traffic light.
Vincent gazed at Leila in the rearview mirror and asked softly.
She was slightly stunned, “A quota to go on to graduate school!”
“You want to go to graduate school?” Vincent was staggered.
“Yes!” She didn’t say study abroad, only graduate school, and that managed to stop Vincent from guessing.
“So that’s what this is about. Then why are you waiting for next year?”
“I want to work this year!”
“Then why didn’t you tell me earlier? And you were so secretive with Theodore the whole time?”
Leila was silent.
Vincent joked, “Suddenly, I don’t want you to continue your studies, and I don’t want you to work at the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Municipal Government. How about you go to my company and become my secretary?” The love in his eyes, as he gazed ahead, was too much for Leila to see.
“I’m not going!” Leila still didn’t look at him, only at the street outside the car window. The floating lights of countless cars crossing the street roamed through her mind like a film, making her feel both real and metaphysical.
His brow furrowed slightly and his expression suddenly became serious as he added, “Leila, do you really think you are my wife?”
“Then, Mr. White, do you consider me your wife and is your heart reserved for me? Perhaps not one iota of it! If you take me for your wife, give me your heart. Otherwise, you and I, though husband and wife, are strangers to each other!”
He was stunned for a long time, while his grip on the steering wheel tightened. Give her his heart? He pondered her remark for a long time without responding. Leila naturally thought that he would not be willing! She couldn’t help but smile bitterly in her heart again. Yes, did he even have a heart?
At the entrance to Q Restaurant.
Theodore was waiting there.
He saw Vincent’s car pull up. It was a white Bugatti. He then looked at his own car. A flash of hurt crossed his eyes. He was so far behind, but he wouldn’t stay that way for long.
As soon as the car stopped, Leila got out of it first. She didn’t wait for Vincent and went straight to Theodore. “Professor Hall, let’s go in!”
Theodore turned around, gave Vincent a provocative look, and smiled faintly, “Mr. White, we’re going in first!”
Leila was already heading towards the doors of the restaurant by now, and Vincent’s face looked very upset. She had left him behind! And what was that smug look on Theodore’s face? Damn, Leila was still his wife, okay?
Vincent laughed coldly and took off after her.
The meal was another thrilling one. The reason was simple. Leila was silent, not knowing what to say. She just silently ate the steamed tender bean curd and listened to the two of them bicker.
“Mr. Hall, where are you going with this? I don’t think I just heard that!”
“I want to do something else!” Theodore replied ambiguously.
“What’s that? Wouldn’t being a professor at a prestigious school like P University satisfy your needs?” Vincent had a look of disbelief on his face. He gave a sneer that seemed to have the element of mocking Theodore’s ignorance. “Mr. Hall, you’ve got a big appetite!”
Theodore laughed softly, “Is the world only for Mr. White to do business? Can’t I just squeeze into the business boat?”
“Oh! You’re going into business! Mr. Hall, the business world is not like school. It’s all about the real thing, not the paper!”
“That’s true, but there are still a lot of people who like that route. How will I know if it’s the right path for me if I don’t try it out in business? Besides,” His eyes turned to Leila and he smiled playfully, “I’ve already missed out on the most important thing in my life because I didn’t stick to it. This time, I’m not going to miss out on the most important cause in my life!”
Vincent’s sharp eyes narrowed slightly. The most important thing? He said Leila was the most important thing in his life. Vincent grunted, “Well, good luck with that!”
“Thank you!”
“I wonder what line of work you’re planning to get into?”
Theodore smiled, “Well, you’ll find out soon enough!”
“Oh? Do you want to keep it a secret?” Vincent raised an eyebrow.
Theodore laughed but didn’t say anything.
“It’s not that easy to start with nothing!” Vincent said again.
“That’s true, Mr. White, you didn’t start with nothing, did you? It’s easier for people who start with nothing to hold on to their fortunes, while those who rely on their connections may not be able to!”
Vincent smiled smugly, “Mr. Hall, are you suggesting that one day the White Group will go bankrupt? I don’t know what you have in mind to curse us. But don’t worry, even if the White Group goes under, I can still afford Leila, but it won’t happen. It’s far easier to start a business than to keep it! What’s more, I will not allow the White Group to go bankrupt! But Mr. Hall, you’re so arrogant before you’ve even started your business. Beware of being smashed to pieces by reality!”
Leila just felt her scalp tingle a little. It was the first time she had seen two men arguing, and she had really seen how sarcastic Vincent could be. And as she sat in front of the two men, there was really nothing she could do about it. She had no choice but to lift her glass and break the deadlock, “Professor Hall, Mr. White, it’s better to just eat at dinner time. Too much talking is not good for digestion! Here’s to you, Professor Hall. May your dreams come true!”
With that, she clinked her glass with Theodore. And just as she was about to drink, the glass was snatched away from her by Vincent. He drank it all in one go.
Leila was dismayed.
“You just drink the tea, not the wine!” Vincent handed Leila the cup of tea.
Theodore didn’t say anything either. It just bothered him to watch Vincent act like this. So he picked up his glass, poured another glass of wine, and drank it down in one go.
“Mr. Hall, you don’t want to drink too much. Beware of losing your temper after drinking. Then it won’t be pretty!” Once again, Vincent got sarcastic.
Seeing the two of them like this, Leila could only speak up, “Professor Hall, have this cinnamon fish. It’s quite fresh!”
Vincent frowned, grimaced, and offered a piece of fish to Leila, “You eat too. Mr. Hall is a grown man. He’ll take care of himself. But you, you’ve lost weight!”
Leila knew that Vincent was having a hard time with Theodore. She really thought it was funny. Did Vincent have nothing better to do than to look after Pippa and argue with Theodore?
It was a very strange meal. Later on, everyone stopped talking.
Leila tried to break the silence. But every time she was about to speak, Vincent put some food in her bowl. He didn’t seem to let her speak and gagged her with food.
So the meal, which looked to Theodore like Vincent and Leila were showing off their love, left him even more on pins and needles.
After the meal, Vincent went to pay the bill first. Theodore went to pay, but Vincent beat him to it. Vincent even said with a smile on his face, “How can I let Mr. Hall pay? I’ve never let anyone else pay for a meal with me before, and I’m not going to break my rules because of Mr. Hall!”
Theodore smiled gently and did not excuses himself, but said, “Leila, I am relieved that your paper is well prepared. About that matter, I would like you to reconsider!”
Leila knew he was talking about the matter of studying abroad. She nodded. “I know. I will!”
“What is it?” Vincent frowned.
Neither answered him. Theodore smiled again. “Mr. White, goodbye! Leila, goodbye!”
“Theodore, bye!” As she watched him get into his car and it pulled out, Leila turned to go. She was going to take the bus and refused to take Vincent’s car.
“Where are you going?” Vincent was dismayed. She had left him like a stranger and was leaving without a word of greeting.
Without a word, Leila took off in her stride and walked away.
“Hey, Leila, where are you going?” He stepped forward and took her by the wrist, “I’ll drive you!”
“No need. I’ll take the bus!” Leila’s tone remained indifferent.
“Damn it, will you stop it?” He stepped in front of her, wrenching her shoulders with both hands.
Leila’s watery eyes met his unexpectedly. She hurriedly looked away and cried out in a low voice, “Let go of me!”