Chapter 19 - You Know Liam Too?
Zaria chuckled helplessly at her father's worried look. "I didn't do anything wrong…"
If going under an alias and seducing Desmond was considered doing something wrong, she had already done it. Unfortunately, it had failed, so she didn't have the desire to do it again.
To stop him from worrying about her, she went ahead to explain to him about the deal she had made with him; to be his employee in exchange for the freedom of F&P Media. In the end, she held his hands. "Dad, I told you that I would be able to handle it."
He patted her head as a form of praise, and she smiled as she enjoyed her father's warmth. He couldn't help smiling. "My little girl has truly grown up. What shall I do? It's no longer too long until I get replaced by a handsome husband and adorable babies."
"What nonsense are you saying?" She laughed through a blush from his words. It was awkward, especially since her mind was filled with the image of Desmond as soon as her dad mentioned 'being with a handsome man'. It must be because he had appeared before her so many times today that her mind naturally thought of him. Yup, that must be it.
Theodore went ahead to chat with his daughter as they cooked dinner together. As she watched him stir fry the vegetables, she couldn't help thinking back to the day she had first met Desmond.
…
When the scandal erupted, she had tried to meet up with Desmond but failed every time. The man was too difficult to meet; she couldn't get past the reception if she went to Preston and Fort Group. When she tried going to his family home, she was stopped miles away from the mansion by bulky bodyguards.
She couldn't access any of the places he frequented either. Tired, she asked Ryan for his membership card for Singles Bar and went to have a little fun to refresh her mind.
Who would have thought that just when she had given up, she would meet the man she had been looking for? Not to mention, the man was looking at her with interest.
She almost gasped in disbelief when he approached her and sat on the barstool next to hers. She moved away, not because she was trying to act different from all the women who threw themselves at his feet, but because she was scared. Had he recognized her?
After all, when he scolded her father outside the courthouse, she had been so furious that she smashed his car after giving him an earful of scolding.
"Hello, what's your name? Are you on your own?" He leaned over to ask, making the scent of his masculine perfume waft into her nostrils at the same time as his charmingly deep voice rang in her ears.
Her heart skipped a beat even though she was shocked. What was with the gentle tone? Shouldn't he be cursing her out?
She soon figured out what had happened. Since she was hitting the bar tonight, she was wearing a little black dress and a pair of skyscraper high heels, a contrasting difference from the business get up he had seen her in. She also had bold makeup on her face, making her look wild and seductive. Besides, he had seen her only once. How could he remember her?
Coming to this realization, she smiled at her good luck and nodded to his last question.
He seemed intrigued. "What's your name? Mine's Desmond."
His gentle tone almost made her think she had got the wrong person. Wasn't Desmond Fort an arrogant billionaire? The man beside her was obviously a billionaire alright, judging from his outfit, accessories, and phone. All items screamed of money, but his character seemed different. Perhaps she had the wrong impression of him?
Afraid that he would have a recollection if she mentioned her name, she made one up, trying to change her voice a little; "Savannah."
"Savannah? You can't happen to be Liam's friend, the one he said he was going to introduce to me in a few minutes, right?" He laughed as though their meeting was coincidental.
She didn't know who the Savannah he was talking about was, and from his serious expression, he wasn't making it up as a way to flirt. She knew that her lie could be exposed any instant, and it would be better if she had an identity he didn't suspect so he wouldn't look her up. Hence, she naturally laughed in surprise. "You know Liam too? You won't happen to be 'that' Desmond he talked about, right?"
"That's right. I am 'that' Desmond." He mimicked her emphasis, appearing to be more at ease with her.
Just like that, she grabbed the identity of a woman she didn't know. She had to thank this crazy coincidence but also hope that the real Savannah would not appear.
…
"Why are you smiling on your own?" Theodore asked with a meaningful look, as though wondering whether his little girl finally had a boyfriend.
"Nothing." Zaria shook her head. She had been quite silly at some point. What would have happened if Liam arrived right after she claimed to be his friend?
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