Needless to say, Aria was pleasantly surprised by the turn of events that night. Jonathan, like Samuel, was a rare attractive man. While Samuel was undoubtedly outstanding, it was relatively easy to get close to him, for he was a man not short of passion. Any woman with a decent appearance could spend at least a day by his side, though the duration of their relationship would depend on said woman's subsequent capabilities.Truth be told, if it hadn't been for Aria's status that put her above most ordinary women vying for Samuel's attention, she would've made a move on Samuel long ago. She couldn't afford to compete with those mediocre women who called themselves avid fans, nor did she ever wish to sink that low for a man. Contrary to Samuel, Jonathan's demeanor was pure and noble, a kind of otherworldly unattainability separating him from the rest of the world. He was unapproachable at best, his iciness scalding anyone who dared get too close. It was simply his nature—a lone wolf whose

Samuel continued courteously, "Since we're all friends now, I'll just be direct with you here. I'm the one who should be apologizing and begging for your forgiveness. You don't have to thank me, Ms. Langston. Quite the contrary, since I'm at fault here, I should also write you a check as compensation for putting your life on the line earlier. Here, take this as a small token of apology from me."Scarlett glanced at the check Samuel casually handed her in utter disbelief. The amount on it was two hundred thousand dollars. The sheer magnanimity dumbfounded her. It might not seem as significant to him, living under such wealthy conditions, but it was an amount she found hard to comprehend.The fact that he was giving this much money to someone who didn't need it when it could've been used for a better cause solidified her refusal. "Mr. Morrow, I really appreciate your kindness and generosity, but all I have are a few cuts and bruises that are practically healed by now. I don't need that m

At that moment, everyone but her had raised their wine glasses and drained them. Scarlett's brows were furrowed as she surveyed the treacherous liquid in her own glass, last night's incident replaying in her mind again and again. She had vowed to never drink again, for the consequences were simply not worth that momentary bliss that came forth with alcohol. What if she got drunk here again? She didn't want to humiliate herself in front of three strangers she barely knew—not if she could help it.The sight of alcohol itself made her nauseous, especially when Jonathan was sitting across from her, forcing her to relive those painful memories. She used them to prevent herself from downing the wine no matter how much she wanted to, and Samuel instantly picked up her discomfort. "Ms. Langston," he began in a concerned tone. "What's wrong? You don't look too good. Are you not able to drink alcohol?"His reassuring words calmed her slightly. She couldn't help but wonder why Jonathan couldn't b

Jonathan's current expression was at odds with the man who'd forced her to drink against her will earlier. His concern for Scarlett seemed genuine, which befuddled her immensely. How could a man as temperamental as him exist? She wasn't the only one surprised by his sudden change—even Samuel and Aria couldn't help but gaze at him curiously. None of them could understand Jonathan's intentions or his ever-changing attitude toward Scarlett.Scarlett was beginning to suspect that something was wrong with him. Was he still mad at her for what happened last night? If he was, was it really necessary? It seemed awfully spiteful to hold a grudge against her after all this time, and for something so meager too.The way he treated her was punishment enough, at least in her opinion. Yet it didn't seem that way to Jonathan, who was hell-bent on seeking revenge. Scarlett had never seen a man this vindictive—a spoiled, rich kid who thought of himself as a god amongst humankind.Besides, if what he wa

So what if Scarlett knew that he was lying? It wasn't like she could just call him out. She had no choice but to pretend like nothing was wrong and smile foolishly at Samuel, neither confirming nor denying Jonathan's statement. In the end, it was of no consequence to her whether or not Samuel knew the truth, so she didn't really care. On the other hand, Aria, who'd been studying Samuel's face closely ever since Jonathan started talking, felt her heart stop when she saw Samuel's carefully blank expression.If Samuel himself had been the one offering to send her home, she would have happily agreed. However, Jonathan had been the one to suggest it, so now she wasn't sure if Samuel was actually willing to take her home. She knew that Jonathan had her best intentions in mind, but she didn't want Samuel to feel obligated to do anything for her. It was true that she was hopelessly in love with him, but she didn't want to seem too desperate for his attention either. She gave an awkward sm