Embracing You Tightly

I forcefully broke free from his grip. I quickly fled the scene.

When I arrived at the restaurant, the guy was already sitting in the reserved spot. He was waiting for me.

I had already changed out of the conservative outfit I wore just now. I was now wearing a red bodycon slip dress. My long, curly hair was down.

The ambient lighting in the Western restaurant was well set up. The off-white lights cast a soft glow through the gaps in the partitions.

In this kind of environment, it's easy to get swept up in romance.

The six-pack guy was named Wilson Collins. From the moment I appeared before him, his gaze never left me.

I knew he was hooked.

At the end of the meal, he said, "Mila, be my girlfriend."

I slightly parted my red lips. I curved them into a bright smile.

The plan had reached its final step. It was time to reel him in.

I was just about to agree when a voice suddenly appeared above me.

"Having dinner with Jane?"

I froze. Goosebumps rose all over my body.

I slowly turned around and looked up.

Xavier was staring at me.

My heart skipped a beat.

Xavier had always hated being lied to. Anyone who ever lied to him was cut off.

According to him, I could lie. But just don't let him find out.

If he did find out, it was my fault. Not because he was too heartless.

Let alone the fact that I lied to him for another man.

"Who is this?" Wilson asked.

I stood up and said, "This is my friend. We grew up together. He's a junior in the computer science department at Turner University."

Wilson smiled. He revealed a canine tooth. "So, he's my senior."

Xavier let out a cold laugh. He didn't respond.

I reached out and pinched his sleeve. I looked at him with obedient eyes. I clearly showed I was admitting my mistake.

His expression softened noticeably.

I sensed an opportunity and was about to speak again. But then I heard Wilson say, "Would you like to sit down and join us? I get along well with Mila. It makes sense to meet her friends."

I was speechless.

Sure enough, the softened look on Xavier's face changed again.

Damn...

I was about to pull Xavier away. I wanted to explain everything to him.

Then I heard a soft female voice, "Xavier, what's wrong?"

I followed the voice and saw a woman in a white cotton dress. She walked over. Her figure was faintly visible.

Each of her steps was light and slow.

She was Xavier's ex-girlfriend.

The explanation I wanted to give got stuck in my throat. I couldn't say it.

Whether she was his ex or not had nothing to do with me, but I still felt inexplicably uncomfortable.

It must have been because he didn't eat the bento I made for him.

If he had eaten it, how could he have shown up here with his ex-girlfriend?

Xavier glanced at me. He took off his coat with no expression. He tossed it over my head.

Without turning back, he said to the girl, "It's nothing. Go back first."

I was stunned by the hit. By the time I took the coat off my head, he had already walked far away.

Wilson apologized, "Mila, did I make him uncomfortable?"

I let out an awkward laugh. I said, "Well... Actually, it's not really your fault. How about we just call it a day? We can talk another time."

For me, the game was already over. I didn't intend to interact with him any further.

After saying that, I turned to leave. He grabbed my hand and said, "I just heard the waiter say it's raining outside. I'll take you home."

Only then did I notice the streaks of water on the nearby glass window.

The neon lights' brilliant colors filtered through the rainwater. They illuminated Wilson's face.

Perhaps it was because the red light reflected in his eyes. For a moment, I felt he looked a bit gloomy.

I must have been overthinking it.

I politely declined, "No need. I drove here. It's not a problem."

His expression was somewhat indifferent. It made me feel slightly uneasy.

But soon, he smiled as if nothing had happened.

"Alright then, see you next time."

I nodded. But in my heart, I thought it would be better if we didn't meet again.

After stepping out, a cool breeze hit me. It made the hair on my arms stand up.

I instinctively put Xavier's coat on.

A pleasant scent of cedarwood surrounded me. It felt even more refreshing in the slightly chilly rain.

I suddenly realized why Xavier tossed the coat to me.

Even though he was angry, he still didn't want me to catch a cold.

The more I thought about it, the deeper my guilt grew.