CHAPTER 190: CHAPTER 190: CAUGHT CHECKING INTO A HOTEL

Troy Drake seems to be quite the ladies’ man, very experienced. After getting in the car, he immediately helped me with my seatbelt.

"Sister, shall we go straight to the hotel?" Troy smiled at me, his voice deliberately low and deep.

Truthfully, it was a bit oily, but I didn’t show any aversion, just nodded, and propped my chin, looking at the scenery outside the window.

This out-of-line decision today wasn’t a momentary impulse.

Mrs. Preston hopes I can find a suitable husband soon, cutting off Henry’s hopes, while Mrs. Underwood hopes I won’t see Ivan anymore.

I must find a man sooner or later.

Maybe freeing my body will also free my mind; I have to give it a try.

In the midst of my somewhat chaotic thoughts, the car had already stopped outside a hotel, which looked quite upscale. At least he didn’t take me to a cheap one.

"Sister, let’s go up." Troy familiarized himself quickly and booked a room, then hugged my shoulder, blowing a breath beside my ear.

For some reason, when he said that, it felt strangely sleazy and greasy, and the tide of desire within me began to recede.

After entering the elevator, he pressed the button for the fifteenth floor and waited for the elevator to go up.

I was thinking about what excuse I could use to leave here that would make sense.

Just as we stepped out of the elevator, my phone rang. It was Ivan calling, incredibly timely.

"Hold on a second." I immediately broke free from Troy’s hand, pretending the call was very important, "Let me take this call first."

"Alright, sister, be quick!" Troy had no idea I was planning to use this call as an excuse to leave, and his smile was ambiguous.

I quickly went to the end of the hallway to take Ivan’s call.

Ivan’s usually calm and composed voice was now hurried, "Zoe Hathaway, why did you agree with my mom? I can give up everything for you; all I want is you!"

I was stunned, not quite reacting at first. It took a few seconds for me to realize that Mrs. Underwood had probably told Ivan about our phone conversation.

Actually, this is good; it can let Ivan give up sooner.

"Ivan, let’s just be friends," I hardened my heart, making things very clear, "I don’t have romantic feelings for you."

"Didn’t you used to teach me? When it’s time to let go, just let go; it’s a good thing to come to terms with it." I softened my tone, hoping Ivan wouldn’t act rashly anymore.

"But you also taught me, when it’s time to fight, you should fight, don’t be influenced by outside factors." Ivan replied with my own past words against me.

Back then, I thought he would inevitably fall in love with Azure, and out of a sense of watching a good show, I wanted him to start competing with Henry, not expecting that the person he ended up liking was me.

I didn’t know how to respond, and thus the other end of the phone fell into a long silence.

"Where are you? Let’s meet and talk." Ivan finally spoke again, suggesting we meet up.

I didn’t want to meet, but Troy suddenly came over, staring at me closely, seemingly urging me with his eyes to quickly end the call, so I had to change my tune, "Okay, where shall we meet? I’ll head over right away."

Ivan really liked the tea at The Windchime Teahouse, so he set it there.

After hanging up, I saw that Troy’s expression was already not looking too good. I took out my phone, "Shall we add each other on WeChat?"

Troy unhappily took out his phone, letting me scan a QR code, muttering, "The room’s already booked, and you still want to leave?"

"Sorry, something urgent came up," I waited until Troy accepted my contact request, then transferred some money to him, "This counts as today’s room fee and compensation for your time; maybe next time."

Seeing that I paid and quite generously, Troy’s expression improved a bit, but he still looked a bit regretful, "Okay, I’ll ask you out again, just don’t do this next time."

"No problem." I casually replied and swiftly returned to the elevator to leave.

When I arrived at The Windchime Teahouse, Ivan was already there. He was holding a cup of tea but hadn’t taken a sip. Upon seeing me, he put it down, "You’re here."

"Yeah, let’s just speak clearly face to face." I nodded, initially thinking I would be nervous, but when it came time, I felt quite calm.

But Ivan didn’t give me much chance to speak; he interrupted me, "Zoe Hathaway, give me some time. I’ll find a way to give you up, but if I can’t, would you give me another chance?"

I was stunned; was he really willing to try letting go without me saying anything?

But since it’s come to this, if I continued to question him, it might not be good.

I pretended to consider for a moment before replying, "Alright, since you’ve said so, then agree to your family’s matchmaking first. You might find someone you like among the matches."

"Heh." Ivan merely chuckled, a hint of detachment in his tone.

I buried myself in drinking tea, pretending not to see his current expression.

I don’t know when Ivan started liking me or what he likes about me, but feelings don’t have to make sense. I didn’t want to discuss it with him, fearing the more we talked, the messier it would get.

So we just sat there quietly drinking tea. I didn’t know what Ivan was thinking, and I didn’t want to know.

After a long while, I couldn’t sit still, "Let’s leave it at that. I’m heading back."

"Alright." Ivan didn’t raise his head to look at me; only his cool voice came through.

I left the teahouse without looking back, then rushed home. After settling things with Ivan, I felt significantly lighter and enjoyed a soothing bath.

A message from Troy came through: "Sister, do you have time over the weekend?"

Why is this guy so persistent? I just stood him up, and only a few hours passed before he was asking for another date. It seems the notion of a free ’sleepover’ felt very worthwhile to him.

I didn’t reply; I just finished my bath and went straight to rest.

When the weekend arrived, Crystal Dawson, who was quite pregnant, insisted on inviting Tiana O’Connell, Leah Lane, and I out for some food. She’s become quite the gourmand, needing to nourish three with one stomach.

The four of us were drinking coffee and chatting when Leah softly said to us, "Look, who is that?"

Following her gaze, I saw Joy Lawson and Julian Jennings.

I still can’t fathom how Julian fell for Joy; setting everything else aside, just her outlook on life seems bizarre to me.

Seeing me there, Joy purposely pulled Julian to the table right next to ours.