Chapter 21 Falling into a Trap

So, the training class was up on the third floor of this building. The first floor was total shopping mall vibes. The second floor was a film and TV studio with a kids' playground thrown in for good measure. Since the place was pretty new, it wasn't exactly buzzing with people, especially in the evenings when it felt kinda ghost town-ish.

Ellie and her cousin took the elevator up, and as soon as they stepped out, it was like stepping into a whole different world compared to the first floor. The hallway was decked out in red carpet. On the left, there was a gym, and on the right, a Latin dance training class.

With her cousin clinging to her hand, Ellie peeked into the training class and, man, was she impressed. The place was decked out. Bright daylight lamps lit up the room, there was a light-colored wooden floor, a massive mirrored wall, and thick curtains covering the floor-to-ceiling windows.

As they walked in, they saw an oval-shaped reception desk, a chill lounge area with sofas and coffee tables on one side, and a three-meter corridor on the other side with two doors—one for the changing room and the other for the restroom.

Maybe they were just super early, but besides the woman chilling at the cashier counter, the whole training class was pretty much empty.
The woman knew both Allie and Linda, so as soon as she spotted them, she jumped up and greeted them, telling them to chill in the lounge area and offering them some water. She was super enthusiastic.

She quickly brought over some water glasses, plopped down, and started chatting about dancing. Ellie didn't really know what to say, so she just listened quietly, occasionally glancing around. She started thinking maybe she was just being paranoid. The conversation seemed normal, and the place didn't give off any sketchy MLM vibes. But yeah, the fees were definitely steep, just like her cousin had mentioned.

They were sitting there for over ten minutes when someone walked past the only floor-to-ceiling window that wasn't covered by curtains near the entrance. The person was dressed in a black suit and trousers, tall and slender... Ellie felt a sudden jolt in her heart, and then her cousin next to her jumped up excitedly.

"Hey... Mr. Richardson is here."

It really was him...

Even though Ellie had already guessed that the Mr. Richardson her cousin mentioned was that guy, the confirmation still hit her like a ton of bricks. Maybe it was her cousin's voice that caught his attention, but the man who had just walked in quickly bypassed the counter, a smirk playing on his lips as he looked their way.
"You're here..." Isaac Richardson's voice trailed off, his eyes landing on Ellie, looking all surprised and stunned. Ellie, feeling a bit awkward, clenched her fingertips and glanced away. Then her cousin's excited voice broke the silence.

"Mr. Richardson, you're here so early today! Are you that dedicated to your work?"

Isaac snapped out of it and quickly shifted his gaze away from Ellie. "Uh... well, I was nearby and came over after finishing my meal."

"Mr. Richardson, come over here! I want to introduce someone to you," Allie said, waving him over.

Isaac hesitated for a moment, then lowered his gaze and walked over, looking a bit awkward. Ellie suddenly felt like her cousin was the real boss here.

Allie leaned against the armrest of the sofa, turning her body to look at Isaac with a teasing smile. "Mr. Richardson, what's up with you today? You seem a bit off."

Isaac looked a bit lost, patting his lower back and tugging at the corner of his shirt. He then forced a smile as he looked at Allie. "What's strange about me?"

Her cousin chimed in, "Yes, I also think you seem strange."
Her cousin dragged out her words in her voice, sounding all flirty, and it sent shivers down Ellie's arm and chills up her spine.

"Weird... I'll go change my clothes first," Isaac said awkwardly with a smile, then turned to leave.

Allie quickly called out, "Hey... don't rush off, I haven't introduced you yet!"

Isaac hesitated, turned back, and Ellie could tell he didn't dare look directly at her, even though it was clear her cousin wanted to introduce them.

This... wasn't quite what Ellie had imagined!
She had been worried her cousin might have fallen into some romantic trap, but now it looked more like a bunch of married women teasing a young, handsome guy.
Yeah, her cousin was already married, but her behavior was so blatant and inappropriate...

"Mr. Richardson, this is my cousin," Allie said, pointing at Ellie.

Only then did Isaac shift his gaze back to her, revealing an awkward smile instead of a polite one. "Hello."

That smile was just like the first time they met on the bus when he asked her, "Is this seat taken?" The difference was, back then, he oozed confidence, but now he just looked embarrassed. Clearly, he had been genuinely struck by her...