Chapter 224 The Charismatic Quinn
At Nora's question, a flicker of interest passed through Aaron's eyes. "Are you jealous?" he teased.
Nora laughed it off, "Let's not talk about it."
With a light chuckle, Aaron shared Quinn's backstory with Nora.
"The Johnsons were no ordinary family in Houston, especially since her mother died from a hemorrhage from giving birth. Subsequently, her grandparents passed away. When she was ten, her father died in a car accident, leaving her orphaned. After that, she was raised by her maternal relatives. While the family business, which should have been her father's, was usurped by her uncles."
Nora listened intently, her mind reeling from the information. 'With her relatives dying one after the other, outsiders must have been gossiping about Quinn. Growing up under such discriminatory scrutiny, I wonder if it twisted her psyche in any way.'
"But Quinn is no ordinary person. At eighteen, she reclaimed the Johnsons' estate from her uncles within two years. Then, it took her another four years to take the helm of the Johnson Group. Once she took charge, her uncles began spreading rumors trying to defame her, claiming she had questionable morals and countless affairs. As a result, she earned the reputation of ‘a socialite in the business world’."
As Aaron finished divulging Quinn's story, Nora listened carefully, not harboring any prejudice against Quinn. Rather, she felt a sense of admiration. 'So, Quinn is a female CEO. Indeed, her presence is captivating.'
‘Her Charm: A Business Cloak’
She always thought her charm was just her armor. It wasn't easy for a woman to compete in the business world, and relying solely on looks was never going to build anyone an empire. It took genuine talent and tenacity to achieve great things.
"What exactly is your relationship with her?" Nora, noticing the easy familiarity between Aaron and Quinn, asked curiously.
Aaron raised an eyebrow. Just then, Quinn walked in after finishing a phone call, her gaze landing on Aaron and Nora, who were whispering to each other. She smirked and commented, "Look at you two, throwing around all this lovey-dovey stuff and making me feel left out."
Aaron swallowed the words he was about to say, and they both straightened up a bit.
Quinn walked over to Nora, laughing playfully, "Nora, do you like Ron?"
Such a direct question surprised Nora, "What does it matter if I like him or not?"
"If you like him," Quinn said in a coquettish voice, "Kiss him for me to see. Maybe then I'll back off."
Nora was speechless. "And if I don't?"
"If you don't, it's obvious, isn't it? You'll leave Ron to me," Quinn stated matter-of-factly.
Nora glanced at Aaron and internally rolled her eyes, regretting the decision to come to dinner. Aaron knew Nora was modest and was about to lean in to kiss her himself when Quinn grabbed his arm.
"Ron, no cheating! I made it clear. Nora has to be the one to kiss you. That's proof of her declaration that she likes you, and only then will I step aside.”
Onlookers watched with amusement, encouraging Nora to make her move.
Seeing Nora’s cheeks turn pink, Aaron teased, “Nora, don’t be shy.”
The crowd laughed, and unable to resist, Nora leaned forward and pecked Aaron on the lips. The onlookers whooped and cheered.
Feeling overwhelmed, Nora excused herself, “I’m going to use the restroom for a bit."
Quinn watched Nora leave and remarked, "She's quite bashful, isn't she?"
Aaron gave her a look of disbelief, "Not everyone is as thick-skinned as you."
Quinn giggled, "If I weren't, would a business mogul like you be showing me the ropes?"
Aaron understood that despite her delicate exterior, she was like one of the guys at heart. Decisive and brisk in her actions. Otherwise, he would never be discussing a partnership with her.
He warned her, "Don't push it too far. If you scare my girlfriend away, I won't be taking you under my wing anymore."
Quinn was too alluring, too tempting – it was dangerous territory. He didn't want Nora to get the wrong idea about them.
"Oh, worried about a misunderstanding?" teased Quinn. She poured herself a glass of wine, took a small sip, and said to Ron, "You should thank me. If it weren't for me just now, would she have admitted to liking you to your face?"
Aaron flashed a confident smile, "I didn't need your intervention to understand her feelings." After all, they had become quite close. It was obvious that she had feelings for him!
"Ron, won't you consider my proposition?" Quinn started to jest again.
Aaron glared at her, uninterested in indulging her wild talk.
Quinn sighed, "Ron, you've got to hook me up with a guy. I'm at my limit here."
Aaron noticed the weariness in her eyes and knew she must be having a tough time amidst the Johnsons, surrounded by sharks.
It's not easy for a woman to be independent, with no man to support her.
"I know plenty of guys, but you're aware of how transactional our circle can be. A man who cares for you, who isn't after your money, doesn't exist."
The truth couldn't be denied. For someone like Quinn, finding a wealthy man who was also genuine was a real challenge.
Quinn pouted, "So, just take me in, will you?"
Aaron sipped his tea, ignoring her plea.
A tipsy Quinn puffed out her cheeks, "Ron, if you don't take me in, I'll start bothering Nora."
Aaron shot her a warning glance, "You dare?"
Quinn smiled seductively, "Ooh, a warning! Maybe I'll try it then! You either take me in or find me a decent man."
Aaron remained silent ignoring her taunts.
In the restroom, Nora changed her sanitary napkin and adjusted her clothes before leaving the restroom. Two people walked towards her, staggering as if they were drunk.
A strong scent of alcohol wafted towards her, and Nora unconsciously frowned, stepping to the side to avoid them.
One middle-aged man, his eyes glazed, leered at Nora and slurred, "What are you avoiding? You think you're too good for me?" The man's face was flushed, his saliva sprayed as he spoke, and he even tried to reach out and grab her.
Nora's frown deepened as she moved further aside.
"You're avoiding me again? Treating me like a plague! Come here and have a few drinks with me." The middle-aged man, belligerent with drink, lurched forward, seizing hold of Nora.
Nora didn't want to stoop to arguing with a drunkard, but the man was persistent, and he ended up hurting her arm as he yanked.
Her gaze turned cold, and a silver needle glinted between her fingers as she poked him with it.
The man yelped, retracting his hand quickly, and stumbled to the ground, losing his balance. The younger man with him was startled and hurried to help him up and asked, "Barrett, are you okay?"
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