Chapter 43 Meeting by Chance

Le Calandre Pub. It was regarded as the most high-end pub in the city. A majority of its customers were filthy-rich as most of them were from upper-class society. Even common wealthy men might not be able to fit in. If Mark Pattinson had not built a close rapport with its boss and been one of its regular customers, as well as a VIP, Lyla and her colleagues could not have set foot in Le Calandre Pub so effortlessly. As a result, everyone felt proud of this little achievement, even though they knew that they would not have stood a chance at all if it was not for Mark Pattinson. Mark Pattinson had booked the biggest private room that included all kinds of meals and drinks. Everyone could enjoy themselves to the maximum. Lyla was a quiet person in nature. She tended to shy away from crowded places. Nevertheless, today, she was the reason for this event. With her active gang, everyone took turns drinking alcohol, playing games, throwing dice, so on, and so forth until finally, she felt a bit drunk. Ever since Lyla worked in M.K. Corporation, she had good interactions with her colleagues. The exception was Mark Pattinson, whose temper was unpredictable and moods were unstable. Not forgetting, Kathleen’s deliberate harassment and her haughty attitude. It was past office hours. Everyone had let their guards down and revealed their true colors, therefore, they enjoyed themselves very much. Lyla could be seen laughing happily with her colleagues on and off. Mark Pattinson was sitting opposite Lyla a distance away. His deep, dark eyes were fixed on her in displeasure. When he saw her smile, he felt extremely annoyed. How could this woman smile so effortlessly at others but look restrained when she was with him. At that moment, Kathleen glanced at him and wrapped her arms around his in a gesture of dominance. “I never thought you would promise them to come along!” Kathleen sounded sour because she was actually hinting at him about Lyla. That woman unnerved her. Mark Pattinson turned his face over and looked at Kathleen with his deep, dark eyes. “I’m giving them a treat. Why are you even asking?” “I just felt surprised!” Kathleen murmured softly. “I’m doing this for you.” Mark Pattinson groaned faintly. He sounded assertive. “For me?” Kathleen seemed suspicious. “As the Director of the Department of Design, you’re not getting along with them. That’s why I’m giving them a treat!” “Is that so?” “If not? What do you think this is for?” Mark Pattinson snorted. “I believe in you!” Kathleen gazed at Mark Pattinson, then a smile formed across her lips. She hugged Mark Pattinson’s arm tightly and carefully said, “I trust that you’re doing this for my own good!” Mark Pattinson pursed his lips lightly and remained silent. At that moment, Lyla, who was sitting not far away from them, started to feel dizzy. She stood out among the crowd. The pink tint in her cheeks, paired with her bedroom eyes, gave off a sense of allure. “I really can’t drink anymore. You guys, carry on. Please excuse me while I use the washroom.” After she finished speaking, she staggered toward the door. It had been a long while since she last had drunk like this. Moreover, she had a low tolerance for alcohol. As such, her body could not take in so much alcohol in one shot. She rushed her way to the washroom. Lyla lowered her head while she walked in a hurry, and she bumped into a person all of a sudden. “I’m sorry…” she offered her apologies subconsciously. “Lyla?” the other party exclaimed in surprise. As soon as she heard her name being called, Lyla raised her head and looked at the other party. “Arden? What a coincidence.” Right then, she felt that it was such a small world. She had just met him in the afternoon, and she was already bumping into him again at night. “Never thought that we would bump into each other by chance!” Arden felt extremely thrilled as if they had made an appointment. One look at Lyla’s rosy cheeks and dreamy eyes already told him that she was tipsy. He immediately walked over to help carry her. “Lyla, did you drink a lot? Do you want to rest somewhere?” he asked caringly. “It’s okay, Arden. They are celebrating for me. It’s not good if I leave first.” Lyla shook her head and rejected him. “If that’s the case, I’ll send you home later,” Arden insisted. He gazed at her passionately. Unbeknownst to her, she definitely looked alluring and seductive at that moment! Her peachy cheeks, mesmerizing eyes, and tempting lips appeared even more luscious under the light. It was enough to cause one to have an adrenaline rush to bite those sexy lips. Whenever he saw Lyla, he had always wanted to utter those words to her. However, he was afraid that his sudden move might scare his beloved one away. There was no hurry. What he had was ample of time. He would grab the opportunity and not let Lyla escape from him again. Lyla quickly left for the washroom after a brief talk with Arden. Since she was nervous, she accidentally tripped. She was about to be intimate with the floor, but the next thing she knew, she fell into a warm embrace. Arden held Lyla tightly and tenderly as if she was a gem to him. A flush of embarrassment rose to her cheeks. “Thank you, Arden!” She then ran away as fast as a deer. The entire scene unfolded before Mark Pattinson as he walked out of the private room. At that instant, he was completely outraged. Damn that woman. She kept causing trouble everywhere, what a hassle!