Chapter 159 Overly Sentimental
Keith followed her gaze and saw the approaching figure. He asked, "Do you want to go somewhere else?"
Harper shook her head. "No."
She couldn't hide from him forever. Besides, this was a public place. She didn't believe Francis would do anything inappropriate here.
Despite that, her heart was in turmoil as Francis approached her. His eyes, fixed on her, sent shivers down her spine.
As if by reflex, when Francis reached her table, Harper suddenly stood up and shouted, "Don't you find yourself annoying?"
Instantly, the entire restaurant fell silent. Harper felt a bit embarrassed. Recently, Francis had been driving her to the edge. Coupled with the recent car chase, her mind was still in a fog.
Francis' face remained expressionless, which only made Harper more uneasy. She couldn't tell if he was angry or even angrier.
In the next moment, a striking woman ran up from behind, affectionately linked her arm with Francis', and called out, "Francis."
Harper was stunned. So, she had overthought it. Francis had said they were going to the same place, and he hadn't lied. His extra attention to his attire today was merely because he had a date.
The woman on his arm glanced at Harper and rudely asked, "What did you say just now?"
Harper was momentarily taken aback and unable to react. This woman was Lily, the only daughter of the Sullivan family and a spoiled one. Seeing Harper's silence, she grew even angrier.
She raised her chin and demanded, "I'm asking you."
Keith pulled Harper behind him and tried to defuse the situation. "Sorry, she was just angry with me."
Lily frowned, assuming they were a quarreling couple, and decided to let it go.
Francis' gaze fell on Keith's hand gripping Harper's wrist. After a second, he looked away and coldly remarked, "You are overly sentimental again, just as usual."
His tone was full of mockery. More people started to look over as if they were watching a dramatic scene unfold.
Harper's face turned pale. She bit her lip and whispered, "I'm sorry."
Seeing her face turn ashen, Francis felt his heart soften for a moment. He walked past her, heading towards a private room.
But Lily didn’t feel pleased. So, this girl really knew Francis. She took a closer look at Harper, who was indeed quite beautiful. Unlike the popular social media faces, she had a unique charm that made her unforgettable. Her eyes, which were bright and slightly upturned at the corners, added to her appeal.
This made Lily, as a woman, instantly feel hostile towards her. The more she looked, the angrier she became. She loudly demanded, "Why did you apologize so quietly? Are you saying sorry to yourself?"
Harper's expression grew even more strained. If Francis hadn't been staring at her, would she have thought this way? Clearly, he had misled her.
Lily continued to glare at her. "Are you going to apologize or not?"
"Fine, I was overly sentimental," Harper said, her eyes welling up with tears. She turned to Keith. "Let's go."
She couldn't stay here another minute. Keith nodded and supported Harper's back as they turned to leave.
Harper could still hear Lily's clear muttering behind her. "Francis, these women really love to flatter themselves. I don’t know what makes them think they are worthy."
Harper's steps faltered for a moment.
She quickened her pace, almost leaving Keith behind.
Behind them, Lily noticed Francis' gaze fixed on Harper, and jealousy flared up within her. "Francis, you're here to meet me, so why are you always looking at her?"
Lily had a sharp tongue but was also straightforward and never hid her thoughts. Francis suddenly turned his head and gave her a single glance, which silenced her immediately.
"We are not that close, are we?" Francis asked.
"What?" The question stunned Lily.
"There’s nothing between us. So there’s no need for you to get attached."
Francis rarely showed his emotions to outsiders, but his anger was evident to tell now. Anyone with a bit of perception could tell his words were derogatory. But Lily didn't catch on.
She sneaked a glance at his excessively handsome face and blushed as she whispered, "My dad said I'm supposed to be your wife."
Before coming here, she had only seen photos of Francis and thought that even men nowadays liked to use Photoshop. How could a man look so perfect, like a model? But the moment she saw him in person, she realized he was even more stunning than he was in the photos.
Francis' face was extraordinary, with every feature seemingly meticulously sculpted. It wasn't just his face. His entire demeanor exuded a natural nobility. His looks far surpassed those of any male celebrities she had seen.
She found her nerves and looked up, "Francis, do you like—"
Her voice abruptly stopped. Where was Francis? Scanning the room, she saw he had already reached the door. Watching his tall upright figure, Lily, who was left behind, was feeling nothing but affection toward him. He was so cool, which made she like him even more.
Harper sat silent for most of the ride in Keith's car. She thought about Lily's words, which made a lot of sense. She and Francis were always so different. There would always be women around Francis, and the woman by his side would never be her. Once she accepted this, it would all make sense.
What scared her were her emotions in front of Francis. She knew he could still affect her deeply, which terrified her. She had been trying so hard to forget him, but he always found a way to drag her back into that pain.
She thought, ‘Thankfully, I have already contacted my former mentor and applied for further studies abroad. Once I repaid the money, I could prepare to leave here.’ She believed the distance could help her completely forget him and start a new life.
"Harper. Harper."
Keith called her name twice before she snapped out of her thoughts. She quickly apologized, "Sorry, Keith, what did you just say?"
Keith could tell what had distracted her. A shadow of gloom passed through his eyes, which disappeared when Harper looked up.
"I was asking for your help with my parents as my fake girlfriend. If it's too much, just forget it."
He gave a bitter smile and said, "I can keep standing up to them."
Honestly, Harper was moved by Keith's determination and deep affection for the woman he liked. Moreover, she felt partly responsible for his situation. After a moment, she agreed.
"Keith, but I can only help you this time. It isn't right, and it could make the girl you're waiting for misunderstand us.
Keith smiled and then took Harper to a studio to get her hair and makeup done to meet his parents’ preferences. Since she had decided to help, Harper wanted to do it all the way and followed Keith's arrangements.
She didn't expect that during dinner that evening, she would run into Francis again.
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