86

Having nearly finished their drinks, Andrew took out his wallet, extracted some bills, and settled the tab.
Exiting the bar, it was already dark outside. As they had both been drinking, they couldn’t drive, so Andrew called for a ride.
The car stopped steadily in front of the apartment building, and the two of them stepped out. Isabella, having had a bit too much to drink, felt a bit dizzy. She clung to Andrew’s arm, allowing him to guide her to the elevator.
They stopped in front of the elevator, only to see a yellow maintenance sign on the floor.
The elevator was under maintenance, so they had to take the stairs.
Midway through climbing, she started to pant, whereas Andrew, beside her, showed no signs of fatigue, walking effortlessly.
“Tired? Should I carry you?” his deep, gentle voice murmured.
She readily agreed, jumping onto his back.
With her on his back, he proceeded steadily up the stairs.
The first ten or so floors had motion sensor lights, but the last two floors’ lights were out. Isabella recalled Amelia mentioning a few days ago that the sensor lights for the emergency exit were broken. She reported it, and the maintenance worker had removed the broken bulbs, but they hadn’t been replaced yet.
In the dim environment, she, wide-eyed, suddenly saw a dark figure dart past. In that dim, silent space, it seemed particularly eerie.
For some reason, memories of the horror films she had watched surfaced, sending chills down her spine. She let out an uncontrollable scream and fell off Andrew’s back.
As her feet touched the ground, she felt something soft and moving. Startled, she let out another scream and clung onto Andrew beside her.
Following her scream were clear meows.
It turned out the creature that had darted out and she accidentally stepped on was a cat.
Lately, a few stray cats had appeared in the neighborhood, not causing any trouble for the residents, so the property management hadn’t chased them away.
However, these cats had taken advantage and ended up running into the stairwell.
“Just a cat and you’re this scared?” Andrew’s magnetic, slightly mocking voice came from above.
Isabella only then realized she was still hanging onto him.
Embarrassed, her face turned red, and she awkwardly and hastily climbed down from him, accidentally touching his private parts.
Now both of them were embarrassed.
“I, I, you, you…” Isabella stammered, unsure of what exactly to say.
Subconsciously, she looked up and in the dimness, saw the deep and warm hues in his eyes. Suddenly, the arm around her waist tightened, he swiftly turned her around and pressed her against the wall.
Caught between the cold wall and his warm chest, before she could react, his cool lips covered her soft ones.
His kiss was familiar to her. Tender yet forceful.
To be honest, Isabella didn’t reject his kiss. Under his assertive pursuit, she gradually softened, tentatively responding in her own awkward way.
The two were passionately entangled in a kiss. Suddenly, the door to the emergency exit creaked, and a flashlight beam illuminated them.
The glaring light passed before her eyes, and instinctively, Isabella sought refuge in Andrew’s arms. Her heart trembled; she felt like she was his mistress.
Andrew held the petite girl in his arms, his deep blue eyes and handsome face not looking good at all. Regardless of who faces such a situation, they wouldn’t appear pleasant.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the emergency exit, Amelia hastily turned off her flashlight, feeling awkward beyond words.
Tonight, with Asher already asleep, she sat alone in the ground floor’s living room watching TV. Suddenly, she heard a woman’s scream from the hallway and, fearing something bad, grabbed her flashlight and nervously came to check, only to stumble upon this scene.
These two, just a couple of steps away from home, chose to get cozy in the hallway instead. What odd habits these young people have these days!
“You, uh, carry on,” Amelia said, then dashed off.
Isabella lifted her head from Andrew’s embrace, looking quite regretful. She felt like she had lost face for twenty years in a single day.
Carry on? What carry on? Let’s go home, shower, and sleep.
Obviously, Andrew wasn’t in the mood to continue either. With his warm hand holding her delicate one, he calmly walked into their home.
Thus, Isabella discovered Andrew’s third advantage. Besides his good looks and quick wit, this man had thick skin.
Meanwhile, the Harris family villa was also bustling.
During dinner, Emily and Aria got into another conflict.
Aria was always keen on making a show of herself in the Harris family, particularly lively at the dinner table. She constantly served David food, calling him “Uncle” affectionately, making Victoria and Emily, the two biological daughters, feel sidelined.
David’s attitude towards Aria was caring and inquiring about her life overseas these past few years.
Aria briefly talked about her study abroad experience and mentioned a few movies and shows she had acted in.
Victoria and Emily looked down on her attitude. Victoria remained composed and occasionally exchanged a few words with her, but Emily lacked her sister’s sophistication and took the opportunity to criticize Aria.
“Cousin, I’ve seen all those movies you mentioned. Why haven’t I seen you in any of them?” Emily often traveled to England and had some English friends. She had watched some of the less mainstream movies Aria mentioned, but she genuinely hadn’t noticed her in any.
Aria’s smile immediately froze. The movies and shows she mentioned were where she had background roles, some even without her face being shown.
When she told David about her roles in those movies and shows, she hadn’t lied. But being pointed out so sharply by Emily certainly damaged her pride.
Aria, with a strong sense of self-esteem and a fragile ego, immediately teared up.
Mrs. Ada, who adored her granddaughter the most, instantly grew somber. Although David didn’t show his displeasure, the smile on his face vanished.
Charlotte, adept at observing words and expressions, helplessly glared at her daughter, quickly trying to smooth things over. “Aria had acted in so many movies and shows even before graduation; that’s already impressive. When Victoria started, she spent two years as an extra without even showing her face in front of the camera.”
In fact, Victoria, under Robert’s guidance after entering the industry, saw a rapid rise in popularity and fame. Charlotte’s words were simply a way to give Aria an out.
Aria, confused, suddenly turned her sorrow into joy on her face.