He had reserved the entire venue specifically to avoid being disturbed, and he had even studied strategies on how to woo women. One tactic involved watching a horror movie, expecting that at the first sign of tension, Irene would likely dive into his arms, thus naturally bridging the gap between them.
Unexpectedly, the cinema suddenly filled with people, which greatly annoyed him. Out of consideration for Irene’s feelings, he couldn’t just drive these bothersome people away.
Finding no better option, he settled for a secluded spot, coincidentally thinking along the same lines as Eric. They both intended to avoid disturbing each other’s plans; Jason, being quite tactful, took Bella to the back rows to minimally disrupt their boss’s activities.
Aurora’s intentions were not focused on the wine, so to speak. She agreed to Eric primarily to get closer to Jason, but for some reason, Jason didn’t provide her any chance to do so. Perhaps it was genuinely to avoid suspicion and prevent Bella from getting the wrong idea. Aurora wanted to initiate a conversation but found no opportunity.
Thus, was the evening wasted? Aurora felt a slight sense of loss as she was about to sit down when Irene plopped herself between her and Eric.
“Little Bunny, I’m terrified of horror movies; you’ll have to protect me,” Irene said, her face tense as she clutched Aurora’s hand.
Nick, sitting alone, looked as if he could kill with his gaze. What on earth was this situation! He had exerted tremendous effort to invite Irene out, and now he couldn’t even touch her hand!
He was frustrated, and so was Eric, whose scheming was no less intricate than Nick’s, using Bella and Jason as shields. His intention was the same as Nick’s-to use the horror movie to heat things up with Aurora. He believed that Aurora and Julian’s relationship couldn’t be that strong, considering they had only recently met.
He had meticulously planned for Aurora, and now Irene had unexpectedly thwarted his plans, potentially ruining the day’s efforts.
Nick stared at Aurora, while Eric focused on Irene. Nick decisively moved next to Aurora, his gaze icy as he looked at Irene.
“Sit next to me.”
He had already lowered himself to join their group, and now all that was needed was for Irene and Aurora to switch seats.
Had this been any other day, Aurora might have felt intimidated by Nick’s daunting presence. But today was different; she felt a strong responsibility to protect her younger siblings. Jules, that stubborn man, had loved only this woman all his life. If someone else were to lead her astray, it would devastate him.
Thinking of Julian gave her more confidence. “This seat is comfortable; I’ll stay here,” Irene sheepishly said.
If looks could kill, at that moment, she would have been sliced a thousand times by Nick’s glare!
Nick’s face tensed, his coldness making even Aurora uncomfortable, although she couldn’t understand why Irene insisted on sitting there. If she continued to stay, she wouldn’t be able to enjoy the movie at all.
“Um, Mr. Coleman, let’s switch seats,” she offered, hoping to allow Nick and Irene to sit together.
Nick’s expression softened slightly, and Irene, realizing she could also block Aurora from Eric, accepted the new arrangement.
Seeing himself getting further from Aurora, Eric decided to go around. “Rory, I’ll sit next to you instead; it’ll be easier to discuss the plot.”
Irene saw Eric making his move again and quickly stepped forward to intervene. “Try moving again,” Nick threatened, his entire demeanor radiating chill.
Having dealt with Nick for many years, Irene knew full well that this man was at his breaking point. In the past, he would have already lost his temper, but lately, his temperament had mellowed significantly.
Of course, if she continued to court disaster, it wouldn’t be out of character for this man to turn his face right there and then. She wasn’t afraid of his anger, but there were others present.
Once this man started to get angry, he wouldn’t care about the setting or the place. Irene blinked at him, trying to convey her intentions. She was helping Julian, after all. In a moment of urgency, she grabbed his hand to calm his temper.
But her winking and hand-pulling, seen through Nick’s eyes, didn’t seem so innocent. How long had it been since she last initiated such contact? At that moment, he savored the smooth feeling of her fingers sliding in his palm, and where could any anger remain?
Like a lion tamed into a quiet kitten, he pulled Irene’s hand and sat down, “Don’t move anymore. If you don’t want to watch the movie, we can do something else.” His voice was low, whispered into Irene’s ear, masked by the loud advertisements playing on the screen.
In the darkness, Irene’s face flushed red. This man was always one to mean what he said, and at times like this, she truly didn’t dare challenge his authority.
Seeing the pair had settled down, Aurora quietly took her seat to watch the movie, and Eric naturally sat next to her. The movie was about to start, and unknowingly, Julian entered through the back door, standing in a corner watching Eric seated next to Aurora.
It felt like he was about to consume a lifetime’s worth of sour grapes today-damn that man, he was curious about the other’s intentions.
As the movie began, the horror film started off not with frights but rather like narrating a story deep in the mountains. Irene was all over Eric, worried he might take advantage of Aurora, hardly paying attention to the movie.
Nick’s attention was solely on the woman next to him. He was right beside her-couldn’t she see him? From the moment she entered, she seemed only to watch others. What about him?
Eric, however, was constantly watching Aurora. Probably the only person in the audience genuinely watching the movie was Aurora. Yet, the slight horror atmosphere was hardly enough to scare her. Bella, frustrated watching the two in front of her, decided to shift her focus.
But as she became engrossed, a scene switched to a horrifying image, and Bella instinctively screamed, “Ah!” Without thinking, she threw herself into Jason’s arms, who, as the sidekick, ended up the biggest winner.
“Shh, don’t be afraid, it’s all fake,” he soothed quietly.
Meanwhile, Irene hadn’t been watching the movie and was startled by Bella’s scream. Nick had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Without waiting for Irene to come to him, he had already taken the initiative to embrace her. In the entire theater, only Aurora remained calm, not even blinking.
Eric struggled to find an excuse to get close, and Aurora, feeling a bit bored, thought, “I’ll go to the restroom.”
“Okay.”
Aurora thought to herself that the movie wasn’t much of a horror film after all, scoffing as she walked to the restroom. A dark figure flashed by, suddenly pulling her in.