Chapter 81
Standing in front of Veronica, Xavier couldn’t help pausing for a moment as he studied her pale, delicate face. “So, this is the real you.”
No doubt, the phrase ‘natural beauty’ referred to women like her.
Veronica’s natural appearance, without her freckles and dark complexion, was so pure and beautiful that it made his heart race even to the point of swooning.
“Mmhmm. There’s no need for me to pretend to be ugly in the future.” She chuckled at that.
In response, Xavier inclined his head. “Good. You look better like this anyway. Women should be prettier and more delicate.”
“Is that so? Ha!”
“You look too thin, though. Come on. Let me take you for a meal.” With that, he grabbed her hand and led her in the direction of the One Piece Restaurant.
Although it was a chain restaurant, the One Piece Restaurant was costly and not open to non-members. Even if an ordinary person were to enter the restaurant, they would not be able to secure a table.
After entering the establishment, the duo went to sit down at a table next by the window on the second floor, whereupon they began ordering.
D
As Veronica scanned the price list, she couldn’t help gripping the card in her pocket and thinking to herself, My goodness! A cabbage stew costs 252? Isn‘t that just stew made using the heart of a cabbage?What ridiculous pricing!
Yet, it was the cheapest dish.
The starting price for other dishes like the pigeon stew or pork shoulder was upwards of 600 apiece.
After they ordered, a waiter printed them a copy of their order and left it on the table. Glancing with faux carelessness at it, Veronica noticed that the meal cost them 3560.
“Do you know who on earth kidnapped you, Roni?” Xavier finally asked her after the waiter had left.
She shook her head in response. “I don’t know, but it seemed like an accident. What’s past should be left in the past. I have to thank you for the fiasco with my parents. though.”
At this moment, Veronica felt like she owed him so much she could never pay him back
“There’s no need for such courtesy between us ‘ Xavier replied.
He didn’t like it when she was courteous toward him because it felt like she was distancing herself from him.
Following that, they chatted about recent events. After Veronica gave him a simple summary of everything concerning the Larsons, Xavier was extremely angry on her behalf. However, he also blamed himself somewhat for not handling a lot of things very well.
“Veronica?” A voice suddenly interrupted them as they were chatting. “What a coincidence. Why are you both here as well?”
As they glanced over, they saw Matthew and Tiffany standing nearby, with the latter’s hands wrapped around the former’s arm. The pair was handsome and beautiful, and they looked well-matched. Yet, the duo was inexplicably hard on the eye.
Meanwhile, the moment Veronica glanced over, she happened to meet Matthew’s eyes. He was staring profoundly at her and wearing an expression of him catching her in the act, as if she was doing something shameful behind his back.
“Matthew and I are here to eat as well, Veronica. Since we’ve bumped into each other, why don’t we… eat together?” Tilting her head to look at Matthew next to her, Tiffany thought of something and she asked Xavier, “May we, Mr. Crawford?”
Of course, she was acting of her own volition and completely not seeking Matthew’s opinion.
“You,”
Right as Veronica was about to say something, Xavier interrupted, “Sure, but we’re not paying for this meal.”
“Well, Veronica is my sister and Matthew’s god-sister, and you’ve helped her quite a bit lately. Naturally, Matthew and I will pay for this meal.” Tiffany seemed to be hinting at something with every sentence, but it wasn’t clear who she was directing her insinuations at apart from herself. After that, she looked at Matthew again.
“You’re fine with that, aren’t you?”
Calmly, he answered, “Sure.”
With that, he sat down next to Xavier, and Tiffany sat down next to Veronica. A waiter was hailed to add more items to their order and more places at the table.
Just like that, the original group of two now became a group of four.
Though restrained in front of Veronica on a regular day, Tiffany was extremely lively at this moment. “Mr. Crawford, after your argument with your dad about Veronica at my engagement party, how are you and your dad now?”
Talk about hitting below the belt!
Sweeping her a cold glance, Xavier answered impolitely, “Would a father and his son hold any grudges between them? Please think before you speak, Miss Larson.”
The verbal slap embarrassed Tiffany, and she pursed her lips pitifully before continuing, “I-I simply think you like Veronica and worry that your father won’t accept her.”
With the twins seated next to each other, Tiffany and Veronica looked incredibly
alike. They both had similarly fair skin and delicate faces-it was only that, with her shortened hair and slapdash attire of a white shirt, pale blue jeans, and canvas shoes, Veronica had all the comeliness of a girl-next-door.
On the other hand, with her waist-length chestnut hair, dusty pink nail polish, latest high-end luxury necklace and earrings, and one-shoulder corset dress, Tiffany had the air of a socialite.
As Xavier studied the sisters, so did Matthew. The more the men looked, the more they discovered that the mole on Veronica’s nose added to her attractiveness, and her eyes were larger and more energetic than Tiffany’s. Her lips were fuller too. Naturally, she was the slightest bit more attractive than Tiffany.
That was especially the case when considering the light red, fingernail-sized birthmark behind Veronica’s ear, whereas Tiffany’s skin was blank.
Xavier leisurely took a sip of his beverage before replying, “It doesn’t matter whether my father approves of the women I like. It changes nothing.”
“Well, you still need to see if I approve,” Matthew suddenly interrupted after having kept silent for a while.
Instantly, the atmosphere became tense and heavy, and a sense of hostility permeated the air.
At this moment, Veronica grimaced slightly. After all, she wasn’t attracted to Xavier, and he only said those things at the engagement party to protect her. How had they reached the misunderstanding they had now?
Yet, Xavier’s expression grew darker the moment he absorbed Matthew’s words. “What right do you have to interfere with my and Veronica’s business?”
Since he was aware of what Matthew did to Veronica not so long ago, Xavier loathed Matthew somewhat.
Thus, he was incredibly resistant to hearing from Matthew now.
Annoyed by the downward turn of the situation, Veronica slapped the table. “Are you here to eat or to argue?”
Her reprimand was loud and shrill, startling enough to cause the people at the tables
surrounding them to glare at her. Upon seeing that, Veronica blushed in embarrassment.
Sheepishly, she offered the onlookers an apologetic smile and said in a lower voice, “Sorry for disturbing you.” And then, she glared at Tiffany. “No one thinks you’re mute just because you aren’t speaking.”
Single-handedly chastised by her, her three companions fell silent.
Since Xavier was afraid that Veronica was angry, he didn’t dare speak. Though Matthew’s gaze darkened at her irritation, he said nothing, and while Tiffany was endlessly jealous and resentful of the other woman, she no longer dared to stir the pot.
