Chapter 42 Beauty Scheme
Olivia promptly chimed in, "It's just a performance, and maybe he did it deliberately to provoke your jealousy. Didn't you notice that when Mr. Jeremy cast a glance at him, all the tension in the room dissipated? Isn't that an indication of his concern for the baby in your womb?"
"Is that so?" Winnie replied.
"Ms. Winnie, will you sit in front of me?" Jeremy asked.
Meanwhile, the stoic man sat on the sofa. He was drinking the wine brought by the beauties, his eyes emotionless.
Winnie inexplicably felt a wave of anger but she sat down and played cards with Jeremy.
During the second round, Jeremy stood up and said, "Mr. L, I need to go to the restroom. Can you play a round for me?"
She realized that Jeremy was creating an opportunity for her to interact with Mr. L.
She looked up and saw the man walking toward them.
When his perfect figure sat opposite her, Winnie sensed her breath hastening as if she was enveloped by his presence.
At this moment, Olivia sneaked up behind Winnie.
The third round began, and it was the man's turn to play. When it was Winnie's turn, Olivia quickly played another card ahead of her.
"This one is good," Olivia said.
Winnie glanced at the card and saw that the number was too low, practically giving points to the opponent.
She glared at Olivia, thinking, 'Is she blind?'
Starting from this round, Olivia began to cause trouble and Winnie didn't know what to make of it. The man's skills were too outstanding and she ended up losing miserably every round.
Olivia jokingly remarked, "Is Mr. L doing this on purpose? He's winning every single round against Winnie!"
"Did I win against her?" the man finally raised his head and glanced at Winnie for the first time tonight.
At that moment, Winnie saw Jeremy returning and immediately said, "I'm done playing."
Olivia said, "You're not going to play anymore after losing so many rounds? I've never had such a quitter friend like you."
"Ms. Winnie, how much did you lose?" Jeremy picked up the account book and raised an eyebrow. "You lost five million to Mr. L."
"What?!" Winnie blurted out in disbelief. She was unaware that it was such a high-stake game with each round being worth one million. She didn't have that kind of money.
Feeling panicked under the scrutinizing eyes of everyone around, she turned to Olivia and asked, "Do you have a credit card?"
Olivia immediately changed her tune and said coldly, "I don't have any money. You lost to him, so why don't you beg Mr. L? Maybe you won't have to pay."
Winnie looked at the man with watery eyes.
The man's face was dark and cold, and it seemed like there was no room for negotiation.
She didn't want to beg him. It was her responsibility to set boundaries and what he was doing now was right. Although she felt a bit uneasy, but she was determined to not lose her dignity.
"Oh, just say something nice." Olivia pushed her forward.
Winnie was pushed in front of the man. Before she could speak, she was pushed again and ended up falling into the man's arms.
"What are you doing?" she glared angrily at her friend.
"Oh, it was an accident!" Olivia defended herself.
The man remained still but his long legs caught her soft, curvaceous body.
His breath quickly enveloped Winnie in a sudden gust, carrying with it the faint scent of his cologne. She saw the subtle rise and fall of his chest beneath the pristine expanse of his clean shirt, a tangible reminder of the powerful presence pressed against her.
Disoriented by the encounter, she met his eyes, their icy depths sending a blush blooming across her face. A strange mix of emotions stirred within her, leaving her breathless and unsure.
A hint of vulnerability peeked through her otherwise stern demeanor from earlier, making her looked rather adorable.
The man noticed her hands gripping his shirt.
His eyes dimmed slightly and with a mocking tone, he questioned her, "You're clinging onto me like this, have you fallen for this well-used lap of mine that countless women have sat on?"
Winnie snapped back to reality, embarrassed and wanted to get up.
His face darkened, but his arm subtly wrapped around Winnie and continued to reach forward to play cards.
"What does this mean?" Winnie was frozen in his embrace, her skin turning red from his heat and the two of them pressed their bodies closely without any gaps.
Olivia laughed from the side.
Another man teased, "Mr. L looks so comfortable while playing cards with a beauty in his arms."
"Yes, just look at him, his card playing skills have improved," said another.
"But don't do anything else here."
Winnie curled up in his embrace like a kitten seeking warmth, her face flushed with shyness.
Suddenly, she felt the urge to pee and tried to move slightly.
The man lowered his head and glanced at her.
With so many people around, Winnie couldn't speak loudly so she leaned in to whisper in his ear, feeling incredibly embarrassed.
"I need to pee."
She needed to go to the bathroom but the man's hold on her remained.
The man stared at her soft and beautiful face, slightly distracted and deliberately asked, "What did you say?"
Winnie blushed and could only lean in closer to him, rather annoyed and said, "I really have to pee."
The man's thin lips curled up and he let go of his hold on her. Winnie ran off.
Upon leaving the bathroom and glancing around, she was astonished to discover that the room was completely empty.
The poker game had ended and Olivia and Jeremy were nowhere to be found.
Meanwhile, the tall man stood by the window with a cigarette between his fingers.
When he saw her came out, he extinguished his cigarette.
"Where are they? Where did they all go?" Winnie asked.
He walked over, looked at her with a dignified and indifferent gaze and a slightly mocking smile. "Isn't this your trick? Teaming up with good friends to try to seduce me or perhaps—"
The man trapped her against the wall with one arm, looking down at her with a cold gaze and raised eyebrow. "You enjoy playing this kind of cat and mouse game, Winnie?"
His sudden coldness caught Winnie off guard. "Mr. L, what are you talking about?"
"You weren't allowed to do so that night so now you devised a plan to come and seduce me?" He suppressed a hint of gloom.
Upon hearing his sarcastic words, Winnie knew that he had misunderstood her.
It was all Olivia's doing tonight and him hugging her at the card game was clearly just going along with her "act".
Upon experiencing profound discomfort, Winnie's expression mirrored her inner turmoil. She delicately moved his arm away and clarified. "I had no intention of seducing you. Losing the competition earlier left me upset, and tonight, I don't wish to invite any more trouble for myself."
She felt desolate.
However, the man misinterpreted her intentions. It seemed to be his turn to engage in an argument with her. The clueless woman had been provoking his anger for days. Instead of yielding, she chose to confront him. His chest harbored a growing sense of frustration.
He sneered coldly. "So this is how you behave when losing a competition. Isn't it normal to lose? The theme was created by me and you being young and conceited, have no idea about your own abilities. There are plenty of outstanding people in this world. What are you?"
Winnie remained silent for a while. She thought to herself, 'Was I really conceited? Did he really understand my past?'
She smiled coldly. "I may not have fame and I can handle losing. But if you don't know the full picture, don't make assumptions. I am not the typical loser. Of course, I don't expect any comfort from you either."
Winnie felt disappointed inside and she didn't want to say anything more. She opened the door and quickly walked into the elevator.
Obviously, Olivia had heard their conversation.
The man came out with a cold expression, paused, and frowned as he asked Jeremy, "What happened at the jewelry competition today?"
On the day of the competition, Mr. L was upset and didn't attend the competition to fulfill his responsibilities as the head judge. Additionally, no one willingly informed him about what had taken place at the competition
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