Chapter 112
The waiter looked a little taken aback. “Alright.”
Even more surprised was Neva, sitting across from me. It was clear she hadn’t expected me to order like that.
I smiled. “Our company has a fast–paced work environment, so lunchtime is pretty tight. This is faster and more
convenient.”
Neva studied me for a moment. “Ms. Moreno, you seem to have a very strong sense of time.”
“Thank you,” I said, smiling politely.
Soon, all the dishes were served, including the salmon and soup I had ordered.
I dug right in. The moment I tasted the food, I understood why Holly had been so eager to come here. It was rare to find a place where even a simple salmon was done so well. This restaurant was definitely one of those hidden gems.
I made a mental note to find time this week to take Holly out here–no more of her constant nagging about it.
While I was lost in thought, Neva spoke again, “Ms. Moreno, I believe you know why I’m here today.”
I didn’t even look up from my meal. “Is it about what happened yesterday in the park?
“You are very sharp. It’s always more efficient to talk to smart people,” she said, the rustling of paper following her words. Then, a thick envelope appeared in front of me.
I looked up in surprise and locked eyes with her cold, calculating gaze.
She said, “This is 30 thousand dollars. I hope you’ll keep your distance from my son. If you do well, I’ll give you another 30 thousand dollars later. I’ve looked into your situation–you’ve just divorced and have a sick child. I’m sure you need the money.
To be honest, I never thought I’d end up in one of those TV drama situations.
What surprised me even more was that it was only 30 thousand dollars. Turned out, romance dramas were just fiction- those huge amounts of money on screen were all just for show.
I forced a smile and pushed the envelope back toward her.
She raised an eyebrow. “Is it not enough?”
“No,” I replied, a little exasperated. “Mrs. Norman, the something going on between me and your son, right!”
So you’re ollering me this money is because you think there’s
Neva didn’t hesitate. “Of course. If it weren’t, Jeremy wouldn’t have made a fool of me in front of everyone. I arranged that blind date for him yesterday with a lot of effort, and it all went up in smoke because of you.”
I thought, ‘So that’s why. No wonder she can’t stand me. As a mother myself, I understood her concern–one day, I’d probably be in her shoes too.
If Juno grew up to want to marry someone who was divorced and had a child, I wouldn’t exactly be cheering it on. So, I could understand where Neva was coming from.
I said. “The truth is, there’s nothing between Mr. Norman and me. We’re just friends.”
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14:52 Mon, 17 Feb
Chapter 112
Just friends? Then why did you drive him home twice!”
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“Simple coincidence. The first time, Mr. Norman helped me with something important. The second time, I invited him to dinner. When someone does you a favor, you don’t just make them take a cab, do you?
“Mrs. Norman, maybe you’re not familiar with how young people socialize these days. If I were really interested in Mr. Norman, he’d be the one driving me, not the other way around.”
I paused and then added with a smile, “Even the security guards in your neighborhood think I’m Mr. Norman’s new driver. Have you ever seen a more pitiful ‘ambiguous‘ relationship?”
Neva was momentarily at a loss for words, but her gaze remained sharp and suspicious.
“Maybe you’re just trying to flatter him,” she said, her voice still frosty, and her tone more biting now. “Let’s face it, someone like you has no business being with Jeremy.
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