“Mostly? That’s not reassuring at all,” she shot back.
But deep down, a part of her was intrigued.
“Come on. I’m just offering a ride. It’s getting late, and it’s not safe for you to be wandering around alone. Or perhaps you have some reservations against me?”
Lilian crossed her arms.”It’s not that. You just have that ‘I’m-a-billionaire-who-can-get-what-I-want’ vibe going on.”
“Ahhh! Touche. But I promise you, I’m not as terrible as you think. Just a guy who happens to have a lot of money,” He winked, and Lilian couldn’t help but roll her eyes, trying to suppress a smile.
“Okay, fine! You win. I’ll let you take me home,” she finally relented, surprising herself with how easily she had given in to him.
“Great choice!” Edwin grinned, his enthusiasm contagious. “Let’s go.”
As they made their way to the parking lot, the air between them crackled with unspoken possibilities. He opened the car door for her, and she slid into the plush leather seat of his Bentley, feeling a strange mix of excitement and apprehension.
The car smelled of rich cologne and something distinctly him, which made her heart race even faster.
Soon enough, the engine purred to life, a sound that felt both exotic and intimidating.
Lilian’s heart raced as she caught his gaze in the mirror. She squirmed in her seat, her cheeks heating up under his scrutiny.
Cause boy! The way he looked at her, with genuine interest and that mischievous twinkle in his eye, made her stomach flutter.
“Could you please stop staring?” she asked politely, trying to hide her embarrassment, and he smirked, clearly unfazed. “I can’t help it. It isn’t every day I get to drive beside a gorgeous lady!”
Lilian felt her heart skip a beat. “You’re such a player.”
“Maybe,” he conceded, “but I’m also honest. And right now, I’m just appreciating the view.” He swallowed hard as he glanced at her again.
Seriously, she is beautiful.
Her hair framed her face perfectly.
And those lips? They’re calling out for trouble!
“So…Where to?” he asked, his eyes flicking from the road back to her cute face.
“Umm, 23 Flinders Lane, please.”
Edwin glanced at her.
“Flinders Lane, huh? Why would a pretty lady like you live in such a low-end neighborhood?” his tone dripped with that familiar arrogance that came so easily to men of his stature.
He had the kind of pride one could only expect from members of the Woods family-the richest and most powerful family in Melbourne. They were always the wealthiest and loudest in every room they walked into.
Meanwhile, Lilian flinched at his words. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, not just from embarrassment but from a deep-seated frustration.
“Flinders Lane is not a low-end neighborhood. Neither is it for poor people. It’s for middle-class earners and families.”
“They are all the same to me!” he replied with a dismissive sneer.
Lilian eyed him, her annoyance flaring. His dismissal cut through her defenses like a knife.
“Ohh!”
She let out an exasperated huff, crossing her arms as she stared out the window, watching the city lights blur past.
She didn’t want to show him how much his words had affected her.
The truth was, she had once lived in her family’s grand villa- The Powell family estate. Her family was just like Kourtney’s. They were not among the extremely wealthy families or in Melbourne’s top five, but they still belonged to the elite class, at the very pinnacle of society, the upper echelon.
She used to live in their villa, surrounded by luxury and privilege, until everything came crashing down around her.
Two years ago, in a moment that felt like a cruel twist of fate, she had made a decision to move out. She packed a few bags and moved to a small apartment on Flinders Lane. It’s where she found herself again after everything.
Yes!
It was a far cry from the glamorous life she had known, but it was hers-a place where she could breathe, away from the suffocating expectations of being an elite.
Damn! She just wanted a simple life, and she didn’t regret it one bit…. Neither did she want to go down memory lane, remembering her past trauma experiences.
She just wanted to remain in the moment. Sadly, this pompous man reminded her of it.
“You know… Maybe you should get out more often. You might learn a thing or two about the world beyond your penthouse.”
“Ouch,” Edwin replied, his grin widening.
There was something in his expression that hinted he was just being playful. He meant no harm to her self-esteem.
He took a moment, his eyes glinting with mischief as he decided to lighten the atmosphere once again. “What do you call a fake noodle?”
“Uhh?” Lilian frowned, her curiosity piqued. “I don’t know, what?”
“An impasta!” His laughter filled the car, and it was so infectious that she couldn’t help but burst into giggles, the tension between them evaporating like morning mist.
“Oh my God, that was terrible!” she exclaimed, holding her stomach as the laughter bubbled up uncontrollably. “You should be ashamed of yourself!”
She couldn’t help but admire how effortlessly he lightened the mood. His humor was exactly what she needed to shake off the shadows of her earlier thoughts.
But then, she clamped her mouth shut, mentally scolding herself for laughing so hard at such a boring joke. As she held her mouth closed tightly, she wondered why she was suddenly so self-aware around this stranger.
Why was he making her feel so flustered? She was usually confident and composed, but here she was, giggling like a schoolgirl.
What would he think of her then?
“Are you alright?” Edwin asked, glancing at her with a teasing smile. “You look like you’re trying to hold back an explosion of laughter.”
Lilian quickly composed herself, letting out a small cough to clear her throat. “I’m fine.” Though, inwardly, she felt a rush of embarrassment.
“I think your laugh is charming,” he replied, unbothered by her self-consciousness.
“Gee… thanks!”
As they continued their back-and-forth banter, the city lights blurred outside, but Lilian felt like she was floating in a bubble of laughter and warmth beside this strange man. And before she knew it, they had arrived at her house.