CHAPTER 197: CHAPTER 197: LIKING SOMEONE WON’T LAST LONG

Luke suppressed the undercurrents within himself and chuckled lightly, "Of course I know, why are you being so serious? I’m not someone who breaks up lovers. I’ve said I’ve changed, you can’t keep looking at me with those tinted glasses."

Florence frowned at him.

She seemed to be distinguishing the truth in his words.

"Enough." Luke raised an eyebrow, "I’m not someone who loves deeply; when I like someone, it doesn’t last long. You don’t need to worry I’ll be entangled with you."

Not lasting long when I like someone...

Luke almost laughed at his own words. For the first time in his life, he had feelings like these for a woman, yet she didn’t think much of him.

Florence couldn’t be bothered to dwell on his words, "Alright, let’s leave it at that. I have work to do, so I won’t entertain you."

Luke slowly left her desk and curiously asked, "But I still want to ask, hypothetically..."

Florence looked at him.

"Hypothetically... if you had met me instead of Ethan, would we have had a chance?"

Florence’s lips curled into a sneer, shattering his hope quickly, "No, you’re simply not the type I’d choose."

Luke’s fingers trembled imperceptibly, his heart felt like it was being stabbed, but his expression remained entirely normal, "Fine, fine, I’m not insistent on you. I’m leaving, let’s grab a meal sometime."

He turned and left. As he opened the office door, a handsome young man stood at the entrance, nodding slightly upon seeing Luke come out.

Luke glanced at him and walked out.

Passing by the secretary’s office area, he saw Lily stop and asked, "That guy... haven’t seen him before."

Following the direction he pointed, Lily looked over and understood, "That’s Chairman Fuller’s new secretary, hired half a month ago."

Luke turned to glance again, then strode away.

Hiring a secretary is one thing, but why hire someone so good-looking.

After Luke left, Florence’s brows still didn’t relax. Her intuition told her it was best not to drag this on any further.

——

Two days later.

Luke was about to speak during a meeting, phone on silent, when Florence’s call lit up the screen. He gleefully paused the meeting and immediately answered the phone.

"Are you free?" Florence asked.

"Right now? I am." Luke replied.

"Let’s have dinner tonight." Florence concisely stated, "I’ve booked the restaurant and will send you the location. See you at seven."

Luke agreed instantly, "Okay!"

After Florence hung up the call, she placed the divorce agreement Lily prepared for her on the table when Ethan called.

She connected, but there was silence on the other end.

Florence wondered, "Ethan?"

After a brief pause, "Have you contacted Jason?"

Florence’s hand tightened. How did he know?

Did Jason tell him?

The voice continued, "Have you met with him already?"

Florence paused, no longer concealing, "Yes."

"You spent a billion to buy information from him!" Ethan’s voice grew cold, "Why... why didn’t you tell me, why meet with him, were you contacting him just to investigate me?"

"Why!" Florence’s tone also cooled, "Do I need to report to you whom I pay for information?"

"Florence." Ethan’s voice turned resigned, "That’s not what I meant. Anyone else is fine, why did you choose him? He’s extremely dangerous, do you realize..."

"What do I need to know!" Florence interrupted him, "To investigate you, I needed to contact people on that side; it’s not me seeking him out, he came to me."

"Then you shouldn’t be involved with him. If something happens to you, I..."

"Stop fitting everything into your mindset. I have sufficient ability to protect myself. Or is it that you have things you don’t want me to know?" Florence retorted.

Ethan fell silent for a moment, "I don’t."

"You do!" Florence insisted, "You certainly do!"

"I’ve never done anything to wrong you, Florence. I can swear, if I deceive you, I’ll die immediately." His voice was fierce yet firm.

Florence gritted her teeth without speaking.

Ethan steadied himself, "Fine, I don’t blame you for meeting with Jason. You met him before coming to France, we’ve both met, why didn’t you tell me."

"Why should I tell you?" Florence snapped, "And why do you blame me for meeting Jason. Who I meet is my freedom, who I connect with is also my freedom, so now... I don’t want to talk to you anymore, nor do I want to see you!"

She finished and hung up, throwing the phone onto the table, her chest heaving with anger.

She’ll see whoever she wants to see; between her and Jason there’s only a transaction. She just wants to understand the Harper family situation and why Abigail, a perfectly fine person, disappeared after returning from France.

What really happened in all this.

If she asked Ethan, would he really disclose everything?

As Jason said, the Ethan appearing before him now seemed the same as before, yet the events over three years wouldn’t allow him to return to his past self.

His gentle demeanor was just a facade. If he hadn’t been ruthless, how could he have become the one in charge of the Harper Family and the Chairman of Polaris in three years?

And thinking of the blank three years between them, recalling Ethan’s silent departure at the time, she felt both annoyed and pained.

Annoyed that his leaving didn’t take the memories of him in her world; pained that she couldn’t let him go, knowing she couldn’t.

Perhaps since the beginning, this man had gradually permeated her entire world.

——

At seven in the evening, Florence prepared to meet Ethan at the predetermined restaurant.

The restaurant was decorated in a quaint, traditional style. Florence booked a private room and as she pushed the door open, Luke was already seated leisurely, perusing the menu with a smile, clearly in good spirits.

Seeing her, he raised his eyebrows, his smile growing wider, "Hey, right on time."

Right at seven.

Florence asked, "Was I late?"

"No, no, no." Luke quickly replied, "It’s only right to wait for you."

Before when dining with Florence, she had arrived early and waited for him. This time, Luke also expectedly came early, partly to not keep her waiting and partly hoping both arrived early to meet sooner.

"Order whatever you want." Florence looked at him, "It’s on me."

Luke gazed at her with a grin, "Is this the first time you’ve asked me to dinner? Why? Is there something you need my help with?"