Chapter 1311: Chapter 1306: Deliberate Testing
Sophie Foster finally fell asleep directly under Nicholas Croft, perhaps she was too tired, or maybe it was a rare moment of relaxation, letting her nerve follow her heart.
She slept deeply, not waking even when Nicholas Croft cleaned up after her.
Nicholas Croft hung the new clothes in the wardrobe, and before leaving the bedroom, he tucked Sophie Foster in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, whispering softly, "Lara, your uncle will definitely not let those who hurt you get away."
Nicholas Croft tiptoed out of the bedroom, gave Xiao Mei a few instructions, and then left.
There’s a dramatic dinner party tonight, just right, he also wants to find an opportunity to possibly get what he desires.
In the villa, after instructing Aunt Xu to prepare the ingredients, Hannah Hargrave let her go back to her room, while she sat alone on the sofa, waiting for Nicholas Croft to return.
For this rare candlelight dinner, Hannah Hargrave took a long time to get ready, curling her hair into big waves, putting on delicate makeup, wearing a skin-colored sheer blouse paired with an A-line skirt, very elegant yet still sexy.
Hearing the engine sound of a car coming to a stop outside the villa, she quickly got up to open the door and waited at the entrance.
Looking at the figure walking into the courtyard under the streetlamp, Hannah Hargrave instinctively tidied her hair again, her lips curling up with enthusiasm, "You’re back?"
Nicholas Croft raised his eyebrows; there’s something almost mischievous about the gentlemanly way he arched one eyebrow, "Were you so eager for me to come home?"
"You’re asking the obvious." Hannah Hargrave pretended to pout with flirtatious annoyance, took slippers from the shoe cabinet and placed them in front of Nicholas Croft, who nonchalantly changed into them and looked around casually. Aside from Hannah Hargrave, there was no one else, Panda Eyes wasn’t there either, perhaps upstairs guarding the bedroom door.
"Why is it just you?" Nicholas Croft asked, tossing the car keys onto the coffee table.
"Aunt went back to her room to rest."
Hannah Hargrave closed the door and walked back, "You shower first, I’ll cook the steak."
Nicholas Croft exaggeratedly furrowed his brows, turning to look at her back with a laugh, "So virtuous?"
"Of course, I’ve always been virtuous, it’s you who refuses to see me," Hannah Hargrave turned and gave a playful smile before heading into the kitchen.
Watching her figure disappear into the kitchen, Nicholas Croft snorted with laughter; a malicious woman like her didn’t match those words at all.
Hannah Hargrave went into the kitchen to fry the steak, the decanter on the dining table had already uncorked the wine, Nicholas Croft snorted again, turned on the TV and lounged casually on the sofa.
In a short while, Hannah Hargrave finished frying the steak, didn’t ask Nicholas Croft’s preference on doneness, completely catering to her own taste.
The two steaks and salad were placed on the dining table, Hannah Hargrave took off her apron and greeted with grace, "Dinner is ready."
Nicholas Croft got up, came to the dining table and sat down opposite Hannah Hargrave, lowering his gaze to glance at the steak in front of him, raising a brow without any expression but saying nothing.
Hannah Hargrave picked up the decanter, poured a glass of wine for Nicholas Croft, then filled her own, "I took the liberty to open your collection, won’t you mind?"
"I don’t mind." Nicholas Croft glanced down at the liquid in the goblet, compared to Sophie Foster, it was like a master facing a novice; back when he attended the film festival, in just two days Sophie Foster sneaked three bottles of his wine.
He still remembered the day he returned, that little drunk was lying on the sofa, giggling foolishly while holding an empty wine bottle...
Thinking back to those moments, a curve inadvertently formed at the corner of Nicholas Croft’s lips, as Hannah Hargrave picked up her own glass of wine, ready to clink glasses with him; seeing the smile at the corner of Nicholas Croft’s lips, her eyebrows raised instinctively.
Men, no matter how indulgent outside, in the end, they are still attached to home.
She was beautiful with a great figure, wasn’t that more attractive than those internet celebrity faces?
"Nicholas, let’s have a drink," Hannah Hargrave proposed, Nicholas Croft lifted his gaze to glance at her before picking up his wine glass, the two glasses gently clinked together, Hannah Hargrave brought the goblet to her lips, watching Nicholas Croft sip lightly.
Nicholas Croft also watched her, but the curve of his lips carried a hint of mockery.
After placing down the wine glass, Hannah Hargrave took up the knife and fork again, smilingly teasing, "Try my cooking, see how it compares to a Michelin chef?"
Nicholas Croft set down the goblet and picked up the knife and fork, cutting off a small piece of meat to taste.
Across from him, Hannah Hargrave was leaning forward expectantly, asking, "How is it?"
"Mm, the taste is okay," Nicholas Croft replied casually and sighed, just as Hannah Hargrave smiled, he continued, "It’s a pity I lived abroad for half a year, eating this every day, I got tired of it."
Hannah Hargrave could hear the underlying meaning in Nicholas Croft’s words, setting down her knife and fork, she picked up the goblet and sat back down, leaning in her chair, shaking the wine glass constantly, visibly displeased with Nicholas Croft’s attitude.
Seeing Nicholas Croft set the knife and fork aside, elegantly wiping the corner of his lips with a napkin, she called out in discontent, "Nicholas!"
Nicholas Croft lifted his gaze, the red napkin was still lightly touching the corner of his lips, watching her, seeming to wait for her to speak.
"It’s been so long, why can’t you forget her!" Hannah Hargrave pouted, brows furrowed with a spoiled tone, an experienced woman adept at assessing a man’s emotions, so she was equally skilled at balancing between advances and retreats.
"Forget?" Nicholas Croft placed the napkin on the table, lightly lifting his brows to look at Hannah Hargrave, his handsome face revealing no emotions, lightly parted thin lips, and asked in return, "An unborn child, a wife braided from my hair, if I forget them now, do you think that’s the kind of man you want?"
Hannah Hargrave...
Unable to respond to Nicholas Croft’s question, if she said she wanted that kind of man, it would be akin to accusing Nicholas Croft of being heartless, if she said she didn’t want it, she didn’t want to go against her heart, so she could only purse her lips, looking at Nicholas Croft with grievance.
Nicholas Croft sighed lightly, lowered his gaze, lifted his goblet, "Come, have a drink with me."
Hannah Hargrave clinked glasses lightly with Nicholas Croft, Nicholas Croft tilted his head back, and drank the full glass of wine, Hannah Hargrave could only follow and drink hers.
"Whew..." Nicholas Croft exhaled, one hand holding the goblet, another holding the decanter, taking a deep breath he poured more wine for himself, then for Hannah Hargrave, as he poured he spoke casually.
"Speaking of which, it was real coincidence that day, Lara got into an accident here, and you arrived there,"
Hannah Hargrave didn’t know if Nicholas Croft was intentionally probing, her eyes flickered slightly, she raised a hand, tucking a loose big wave behind her ear, smiling as she said, "Isn’t it just, perhaps it’s the sisters’ telepathic connection."
"Hmm!" A light snort, Nicholas Croft placed the goblet filled with wine in front of Hannah Hargrave, "Sisters, such a beautiful term, if Lara knows how good you are to her in the afterlife, she’d definitely be moved."
The more Nicholas Croft spoke this way, the more Hannah Hargrave felt guilty, because whether it was a mere illusion or truly so, she always felt Nicholas Croft seemed to know something, yet also seemed to know nothing, deliberately probing.
