Chapter 433 She's Not Someone You Can Bid On
Susanna heard that and dropped her fork like it was hot, totally losing her appetite.
She eyeballed the dish in front of her and asked, "Wait, are you telling me this chef used to work for the Abbott family and this is one of Mr. Abbott's go-to meals?"
What are the odds? Just grabbing a bite and running into a chef who used to cook at Aaron's place!
Francis nodded, "That's what the chef said. I heard Mr. Abbott's got a super picky palate, hard to impress, but he actually digs this chef's cooking."
Susanna almost laughed out loud at the gossip and kept digging, "Besides calling Mr. Abbott picky, what else did the chef spill?"
She was dying to hear some dirt on Aaron.
Right then, she felt Aaron's intense stare burning a hole through her.
"Not much else, just that Mr. Abbott's tough to please. The Abbott family swaps chefs like socks. This guy lasted a while but eventually bailed. But hey, his cooking's solid; I've tried it, and it's not bad."
Susanna shot Aaron, who was lurking by the door, a knowing look and said, "Didn't think Mr. Abbott had such a bad rap out there."
Aaron glanced at the food and said coldly, "It's all BS."
He didn't have fixed tastes; as long as the food was light, he was cool. No favorite dishes, so that chef was full of it.
Plus, that chef might have never even set foot in the Abbott household.
Francis got all huffy and snapped, "You're just a bodyguard; what do you know? How can you be so sure the chef's lying? He did work for the Abbott family. Even if he exaggerated, there's gotta be some truth to it."
Susanna stifled a laugh and nodded, "Yeah, you're right. It can't be all made up. If Mr. Abbott was easy to please, the chef wouldn't be talking smack."
Francis chimed in, "Rich folks are always hard to please."
"Totally."
Aaron kept his poker face and said, "If you don't believe me, that's your problem."
Francis found it weird. The bodyguard was talking like he was Aaron himself, which was kinda cocky.
Francis quickly switched gears and handed Susanna a plate, "Susanna, let's drop it. Let's eat before the food gets cold."
Seeing Francis being all chummy with Susanna, Aaron snapped, "Don't give her a fork you've slobbered all over."
Hearing that, Susanna's appetite took a nosedive.
Francis, looking sheepish, quickly apologized, "Susanna, my bad, I didn't realize."
Susanna didn't care; she knew Aaron was just trying to mess with her.
After nibbling on some dessert, Susanna put down her cup and said, "I need to hit the restroom."
She needed to clear her head.
As soon as Susanna left, the vibe in the room shifted big time.
Francis's friendly smile vanished, and he glared at Aaron, "As a bodyguard, know your place. Don't go after things out of your league. Ms. Jones is the Jones family heir. She might like you now, but she won't stick around."
Aaron leaned against the wall, giving Francis a look that could kill, and said, "I'm not like you."
Francis scoffed, "How are you any different? To Ms. Jones, we're just the same."
Aaron's voice dripped with arrogance, "My relationship with her is way more complicated than you can imagine."
Francis's curiosity piqued, "What's your deal with Ms. Jones then?"
"I don't owe you an explanation."
Aaron's vibe was ice-cold. He shot Francis a warning look, "Stay away from her, or you'll regret it."
Even in a big city like Novaria, dealing with a small-time actor was a walk in the park for him.
Francis smirked, "You think you can scare me? Just a heads-up, Susanna's out of your league. If it's cash you're after, name your price."
Aaron took off his sunglasses, revealing sharp, intense eyes, "You're bold, but you can't afford me."
Francis was taken aback. Aaron was not only ridiculously handsome but had an aura that screamed he wasn't just some bodyguard.
Francis's eyes narrowed with suspicion, "Who the hell are you?"
He started to think Aaron wasn't just some random bodyguard. He'd never seen him around Susanna before. Aaron had just popped up out of nowhere.
Aaron slid his sunglasses back on and said flatly, "You don't need to know who I am, but if you don't want trouble, stay away from Susanna. She's not someone you can just claim."
Francis, who'd been around the block in the entertainment biz, felt a chill run down his spine. This bodyguard was no joke.
Francis got serious, "My offer still stands. Name your price."
Even though Francis thought Aaron was no ordinary guy, the fact that he was just a bodyguard for Susanna meant he probably wasn't rolling in dough. If he was rich, why would he be playing bodyguard to chase women?
Francis figured his career was on the up and up, and he had some cash to throw around. Money wasn't a big deal for him.
Aaron's voice was icy, "She's not for sale."
Aaron had enough of this back-and-forth. He turned and left the private room, hearing a ruckus coming from the restroom area.
His expression darkened, and he quickly headed towards the restroom.
Meanwhile, Susanna had just gone to the restroom to clear her head, but she didn't expect Kayle to come barging in.
"Susanna, how dare you mess with Roman? You're gonna pay for this!"
Before Susanna could react, Kayle and two other women lunged at her. These chicks were nuts.
Susanna had picked up some self-defense moves over the years, but she was outnumbered.
She even got whacked by Kayle's bag.
A sharp pain shot through Susanna's head, making her dizzy and unsteady.
Just then, a tall figure appeared in front of her.
Susanna forced her eyes open and saw Aaron coming towards her. Suddenly, a flood of memories hit her like a truck.
The memories were so intense, she thought her head might explode.
