Ethel was stunned and then felt delighted. He just wanted to know what was going on with Esther and Elijah. It would be best to be able to observe them at the dinner table. But right now, he turned his head. “You two sit down first. I’m going to the bathroom!”
After saying that, Ethel turned around and walked towards the bathroom.
Esther turned around and went to a window seat and sat down.
Elijah also walked over and sat down opposite her.
She looked up at him, and always felt a little awkward after that incident that day. She felt awkward thinking about taking off her clothes and then having him put them back on.
She looked up at him, who looked tired. The feeling he gave as he sat on the soft seat was cold and unapproachable.
Esther couldn’t help but clench her small hands at her side into fists. The atmosphere was a little awkward. She didn’t say anything, and he remained silent either. She also felt that such a dining atmosphere was not good and affected her appetite, so she took the initiative to say, “Well, Miss Cole is very stable now, and she looks better too!”
“Good!” He replied curtly, while his cold black eyes deepened, and then he looked at her with gleaming eyes.
She froze, then he beckoned and called the waiter, “Order whatever you want!”
She froze, “On you or on him?”
He raised an eyebrow. “What’s the difference?”
“He said he would pay the bill!” Esther whispered. “If it’s on him, I’ll order more!”
He remained silent for a moment and asked with doubt. “What if it’s on me?”
“Then I’ll keep it simple!”
“Why?” It was rare for him to ask.
“I don’t want to owe you!” She pursed her lips. Because she didn’t know how to pay it back. She didn’t want to trade her body for food again.
A trace of displeasure flashed in his eyes. Why did he feel that her relationship with Ethel had become unusual when they had not seen each other for only a week?
He surveyed her and leaned his tall body a little closer to her. Across the table, his tall body astonished her. He said two words softly, “On him.”
Esther was a little nervous as he stared at her. She swallowed but still felt a little creeped out. So she spoke defensively, “Are you angry?”
Although she didn’t know what he was angry about, she felt as if he was angry.
“Miss, please order your meal!” The waiter said.
“Okay! What is the most expensive dish you have here?” Esther couldn’t care less about Elijah. She looked at the menu and was attracted by the food. “Oh, I see it. Truffle foie gras balls. Elijah, do you want one?”
Elijah raised an eyebrow, “Same as you!”
“Have you guys ordered yet?” Ethel walked over and sat down next to Elijah.
“Do you want truffle foie gras balls?” Ethel took a look, “Have one!”
“Yes! Miss, four of this!” Esther said.
“Why do you want four?” Ethel did not understand.
“Because I’m going to have two servings. This one is the most expensive! Two more cognac foie gras terrine, and two foie gras mousse puffs. Oh, and one Hawaiian pizza, and a coffee. These are all for me. You can order what you want. Mr. Kirby, it’s a deal. I have no money, and you have to treat me!”
The two men looked at her. Ethel froze. “Can you finish that much?”
“Not necessarily enough!” Esther pouted. “Can’t you afford it?”
Ethel was stunned, “No, I’m afraid you’ll waste!”
“I can eat them all!” Esther said.
Elijah’s lips curled up slightly, “Have a cup of coffee!”
Ethel also asked for a coffee.
After the waiter left, Ethel was still in a state of dismay. He just felt that Esther had ordered so many dishes on purpose. “Little girl, can you really finish eating so much? I didn’t see you eat so much when we dined together last time!”
Esther pursed her lips as she became a bit dissatisfied, “Last time we ate different food. I’m a big eater. If you can’t afford it, then I’ll leave now!”
“No, no, I can afford it! You can still order more if it’s not enough for you to eat.” Ethel’s face flushed slightly. It was the first time he had seen such a frank girl and just felt curious. Other women would try their best to let men know that they couldn’t eat much and were elegant, but Esther …
“Really? Then I’ll order more. Mr. Kirby, please tell the waiter that I want two more handmade ice creams. You go and ask for them for me!”
Ethel smiled elegantly. Listening to obviously the little impatient and contemptuous tone, he felt that she was being petulant, which was very soft and cute. Ethel froze for a moment and shook his head in amusement. “Okay, I’ll be a gentleman for once and help you order it!”
“Mr. Kirby, you’re so nice!” Esther giggled and gave Ethel a brilliant smile. Watching him being instructed by her made her feel good. She must tell Lilah tomorrow so that she could have some fun too.
Ethel stood up to leave, while Esther’s eyes shone with a mischievous light. She didn’t expect to be able to have a big meal today. It was so comfortable.
Elijah looked at her, and his thin lips curled up into a smile. Esther was dumbfounded, “Why are you smiling?”
Elijah abruptly turned his eyes to her. The moment their eyes met, her face flushed.
She couldn’t keep from blushing, because he looked at her playfully. He had kissed her on the mouth, he had made love to her, and he had even seen her naked …
Instead of answering, Elijah moved across the table and suddenly took hold of Esther’s small hand that was resting on the table.
Esther’s little face turned even redder all of a sudden. She struggled to yell in a small voice, and she didn’t dare to shout. Because this was a Italian restaurant, and the environment was elegant and quiet, “What are you doing? Let go of me.”
Ethel, who was not far away, saw the scene and he was stunned. Was this still the Elijah he knew? He actually took such an initiative to hold a woman’s hand!
Oh! Oh God! Ethel simply stopped and did not go over.
“Elijah, let go of me!” Esther glared at Elijah and tried to draw back her small hand. Her face was flushed and more beautiful than ever because she was angry with him for being frivolous. He looked at her fair skin, her beautiful eyes burning with annoyance, and her red lips curled up in anger. Such a beautiful and lovely little girl had actually come to the restaurant to make a fool of Ethel. But even knowing that she was making a fool of Ethel, he couldn’t bear to unravel her.
She couldn’t stand it anymore, so she kicked his leg directly under the table. But she didn’t expect that she had actually kicked him. It seemed that Elijah had no intention of hiding.
Esther was stunned. Did he not hurt? She had kicked him very hard.
Elijah’s thin lips lifted slightly. Then he took her small hand in his and warned, “Don’t get stuffed!”
“Ah…” She froze. Under his intent gaze, Esther squirmed with chagrin, but her heart beat faster in an instant. One by one, a certain indefinable feeling seemed to well up in her heart. A feeling of being cared about and spoiled made her heart tremble inexplicably. But her pride and self-respect made she couldn’t resist glaring at him. She struggled to draw back her hand and said angrily, “I can eat a lot!”
“You’ll have to go to the hospital if you’re stuffed!” Ignoring her struggle, Elijah whispered, “Or are you trying to burn off those foods by doing exercises in the middle of the night?”
“You-” Esther frowned and blushed even more. She quickly turned her face aside while her cherry-red lips pouted high, as if she had simply forgotten that her hands were still restrained by him. She cursed in her heart, ‘badass, badass, Elijah is badass’.
Her angry look at the moment made Elijah couldn’t help but laugh out loud. And his cold face bloomed with a radiant light because of the smile, which was so dazzling that Esther could not help but be dumb for a moment. This aloof man could actually smile! What the hell? And he actually smiled so beautifully.
Suddenly, her heart trembled, and she said sharply, “Laugh your ass off!”
Seeing that it was almost time, Ethel walked straight over. Elijah had sensed him coming, so he quickly stopped smiling. Letting go of her hand, he looked out the window with grace.
Damn, he actually acted as if nothing had happened, which made Esther even angrier. By this time, all the dishes she ordered were on the table.
Esther began to ignore the two men. She was supposed to chew slowly and gracefully, but she gobbled it up. Without using a knife but a fork, she took the meat like a big bone and gnawed at it.
Ethel looked at Elijah in shock, while he had no expression at all and ate with great elegance. His demeanor was more graceful than the British aristocracy, which was comparable to a prince.
Ethel did not mean to laugh at Esther. He was just shocked by her again and again. In the end, he finally couldn’t help but speak out. “Esther, can you be more elegant?”
“What’s the point of being elegant? Especially for someone who’s dying of hunger!” Esther gave him a cold stare. “What, Mr. Kirby, do you think I’m embarrassing you? If you’re too ashamed, don’t treat me in the future. This is how I am, anyway, I can’t learn to be elegant!”
This girl actually said such things at the table! Ethel was dumbfounded and simply shut up. If he continued, he did not know what else she would say.
As they were eating, Ethel’s phone rang. He went out to answer the phone and didn’t come back.
Esther looked like she had been hungry for days, and in less than half an hour, she had eaten all the food on several plates. She was so full and burped very ungracefully. Then she stuck her tongue out contentedly and licked the delicious ice cream, while her tongue reddened from the cold.
Elijah had long since finished eating and stood up to leave.
At that moment, the waiter brought up the bill, “Miss, is it your check?”
“Ah-where is the gentleman just now?” Esther asked in dismay.
“The gentleman has already left!”
“Ah, ask that gentleman then. I don’t have any money!” Esther pointed at Elijah.
Elijah paused, and his thin lips curled up into a playful smile, which soon disappeared. Then he continued to stride forward.
“Elijah, stop!” Seeing that he was going to leave, Esther shouted anxiously.
But Elijah kept walking forward!
“Miss, it’s better for you to pay the bill!” The waitress said.
Esther was embarrassed and cursed Elijah and Ethel in her heart. If he left, wouldn’t she have to be detained here? She was so anxious that she blurted out, “He, he’s my husband. Get him to pay the bill!”
The waitress went after Elijah, “Sir, your wife asked you to pay the bill!”
“She’s not my wife!” Elijah said in a deep voice. His handsome face made the waitress dumbfounded and blushed.
Seeing that this did not work, and he still wanted to leave, Esther shouted, “Elijah, husband, honey, just pay the bill! I was wrong, and I’ll never piss you off, okay?”
After she said this, sure enough, Elijah stopped in his tracks. He turned around and fixed his eyes on Esther’s face, as if he wanted to swallow her in an instant.