Chapter 36: Worry

Monica returned to the car in a huff, feeling that something was off.
Steven always seemed to find a way to catch her with a loophole, and then systematically force her to agree to unreasonable conditions.
It shouldn't be like this. She couldn't just sit and wait for her fate.
While Steven wasn't back yet, Monica decided to seek help from Eric.
"What is Steven's weakness?" Eric raised his head, a hint of playfulness in his dark eyes. "What are you planning to do?"
"He's too arrogant. I want to teach him a lesson." Monica was direct.
Eric curled his finger, and Monica obediently leaned in to listen. After hearing his plan, she hesitated, "Is it true? You're not deceiving me, right?"
"If it doesn't work, come find me." Eric said a hint of confidence in his words.
The Three people arrived at the restaurant in a car together. The people they were having dinner with had already arrived as well, two men and one woman, also a group of three, dressed with exceptional style, clearly distinguished as industry leaders.
The hickey on Steven's neck was extremely eye-catching and immediately attracted attention and suggestive teasing. Monica imagined herself in his position and couldn't help but feel embarrassed, wishing she could just disappear.
However, Steven handled the situation with ease, even starting to lie.
"...We haven't been together for very long." He continued.
"Yes, we will definitely introduce you formally in the future."
Monica’s eyes grew wide as Steven continued.
"...Marriage is also within our plans, and if there is good news, we will definitely inform you."
Alright, he was getting more and more carried away with his fabrications.
Monica watched as they greeted each other and gatheredleaned from their conversations that these people were their classmates of Eric and Steven from when they were studying in the United States. They were all working in City F and happened to have free time to meet up during this business trip.
After some small talk, everyone took their seats. Monica sat next to Eric, while Steven sat across from her.
The conversation mostly revolved around their experiences studying in the United States. Monica couldn't join in as she had barely traveled,, so she could only listen in on the whileexchanges while eating.
"As we talk, it feels like it's been such a long time since we last saw each other," the man in the gray suit lamented. "The last time we had dinner together, was it when Wilson came to China on a business trip?"
The conversation then shifted to their classmates who chose to stay in the United States after graduation.
"I know about Eric,Eric; he's going back to inherit the family business. But Steven, it's such a pity that you didn't stay in the United States. Given the great opportunities G Company offered you, with your abilities, you could have become a high-level executive by now."
The woman next to them immediately interjected, unfazed. "You're being unfair with what you're saying. Steven has succeeded in starting a business in China now. Being your own boss is no worse than working for someone else, right?"
"Ah, you're really misunderstanding me with that statement," the man raised his hands innocently. "It was Steven who decided to stay in the United States back then. He was even looking for internships during his undergraduate years because of it."
All eyes turned to Steven, inquiring. He nodded gently. "That's right."
Another man inquired curiously, "Then why did you come back to China after completing your master's degree? Did you see some entrepreneurial opportunities?"
"It's not that complicated," Steven lightly slid his fingertip along the rim of his glass, "I went abroad for my undergraduate degree because I didn't want to stay in China anymore, I found it boring."
The trauma caused by his family made him not particularly attached to this land.
"But then I wanted to come back..."
He paused, and Monica vaguely felt like he glanced at her, but that look disappeared in an instant, as if it were just an illusion.
"I wanted to come back because I simply missed it, that's all." Steven ended his explanation there.
The conversation continued for a while longer. The woman sitting next to Steven didn't notice and accidentally bumped into his fork with her elbow, causing the oily tip of the fork to brush against Steven's clothes, leaving a dark stain, which then fell onto the floor.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," the woman panicked, "It was my carelessness, otherwise I would have cleaned it up..."
"Let's dry clean it?" the woman offered.
"No problem." Steven raised his hand to indicate that it was not a big issue. "I'll change into another one at the hotel later."
Monica didn't know Steven, but Eric's clothes were all custom-made and rarely washed, let alone this kind of oily stain that could only be discarded. Steven should be the same, but he was not being meticulous at the moment, but rather displaying a generous attitude.
This made Monica feel resentful.
Previously, when he came to the Perez family, Chocolate mischievously chewed on his pants, causing them to be damaged. It was clearly not her fault, but Steven insisted that the guardian should take responsibility, dragging her along to buy new clothes, wasting her whole afternoon.
Although he paid for it in the end.
Why was he so calculated with her, but so polite and tolerant to others?
She thought with resentment as she forked a piece of cake into her mouth.
As if sensing her resentment, Steven's gaze suddenly swept over, and their eyes met in the air.
For a moment, he gently moved his gaze away, but his lips unconsciously curved into a smile.
Monica found this dinner party really boring. She half-heartedly listened to their conversation and watched Steven's confident expression as he spoke. She had a sudden idea and extended her foot, slowly reaching towards his foot, and stepped on his instep.
They were sitting at a long table, and the tablecloth hung straight down to the floor, covering all the movements under the table. This was the reason why Monica dared to be so unabashed.
Steven looked at her.
Monica responded with an innocent expression.
After stepping on his foot for a while without any response from Steven, Monica became bolder. She used her toes to hook his calf and slowly moved upward, making her way slowly.
Steven looked at her again. She had the guts to provoke him.
Monica pretended to be calm, lowered her head, and sliced her steak, but her toes stepped on his firm thigh muscles, gradually moving inward, trying to touch that area between his legs.
Steven finally reacted.
He straightened his back, reached down into the tablecloth, and discreetly grabbed her ankle, pressing it against his knee.
Monica panicked and wanted to retract her foot, but found that she couldn't move it.
Steven lightly grazed his knee against the sole of her foot, the cool fabric gently rubbing against her tender skin. Monica was already ticklish, and being teased like this by him almost made her call out. She quickly bit down on her fork.
She tried hard not to let anyone notice her strangeness, biting her lip and forcefully stepping on his knee, trying to use her gaze to compel him to let go quickly.
But Steven didn't even look at her. With a slight force on his wrist, he held her immobilized.
Nonchalantly, theyhe continued to chat, completely unaware that there was actually a strange and intimate flirtation game going on under the table.
Monica was extremely nervous. She put down her fork, used both hands to support the chair, and forcefully tried to bring her leg back. Suddenly, she escaped from Steven's grip.
However, due to excessive force, she couldn't control herself and knocked the back of the chair backward, producing a harsh sound as it rubbed against the floor.
"What's wrong?" E
ric Ric turned his head and everyone at the table looked over.
"It's, it's nothing," Monica hurriedly slipped her feet into her shoes, her soles feeling hot, "I'll just go to the restroom for a moment."
The mirror reflected Monica's slightly flushed cheeks as the water washed over her hands. Absentmindedly, she crossed her fingertips and rubbed them together, becoming angrier the more she thought about it.
Why!?
Why was Steven so gentlemanly and considerate towards others, but so calculating and vulgar towards her? Monica became frustrated by this thought.
In theory, that person was his classmate, and she was five years younger than him, like a younger sister, so he should treat her gently.
Every day she was forced to call him brother, but he had no involvement in brotherly matters.
After wiping her hands, she forcefully threw the tissue into the trash can.
It's truly despicable! She thought to herself.
**Chapter 37: Forced Trading**