The dining room was in a private club owned by the Mercer Group.
When Lance and Deanna arrived, the atmosphere in the private room was quite pleasant.
Especially Ollie, who seemed to be very familiar with Eula, as if they had known each other for a long time, chatting and laughing together.
Ethan and Jenson sat nearby, drinking and watching the two, with faint smiles on their faces.
At this moment, everyone noticed Lance's arrival and greeted him.
"Lance is here."
"Deanna, long time no see."
Lance nodded slightly at them and led Deanna to an empty seat.
After sitting down, he looked at the empty table and asked, "Why haven't you ordered yet?"
"We were waiting for you and Deanna to arrive so we could order together. Deanna, feel free to choose whatever you like. This meal is on Lance."
Ollie playfully handed the menu to Deanna with enthusiasm.
Deanna smiled and took it without hesitation, ordering a few dishes she liked and some that Lance preferred.
The restaurant served the food quickly, and soon all the dishes were on the table.
Everyone dined and chatted leisurely.
Ollie, following Lance's instructions, was very enthusiastic towards Eula.
"Eula, I heard from Lance that this is your first time in Chiaz. If you want to explore, I'm the right person to ask. There's no place in Chiaz I haven't been."
Ollie paused and looked at Eula with bright eyes, asking, "Where do you want to go? I'll help you plan, and we can set off tomorrow."
Although he said this, he had his own plans. Lance had promised that as long as he took this woman away, he could go wherever he wanted, and all expenses would be covered by Lance.
Heh, when else would he get the chance to take advantage of Lance?
Moreover, he was sacrificing his charm to help Lance.
Eula was unaware of this. She was a bit taken aback by Ollie's enthusiasm. She knew that Ollie's warmth towards her was likely due to Lance's instructions. The purpose was probably to get her away from Deanna to prevent any harm.
For Deanna, Lance really went to great lengths. But she wouldn't let Lance have his way.
"I don't want to go anywhere far. I just want to wander around Cloudmere."
"That's fine too. I'm a native of Cloudmere; there's no place here I don't know."
Ollie remained enthusiastic but felt disappointed inside. What a missed opportunity to take advantage of Lance.
Lance didn't pay much attention to their conversation. He was discussing recent business news with Ethan while also taking care of Deanna during the meal.
Although Eula was talking to Ollie, she kept part of her attention on Lance. Seeing him care for Deanna so attentively made her insanely jealous. Why did Deanna deserve Lance's affection?
Perhaps Eula's intense hatred was too obvious because Deanna felt a wave of malice while eating. She instinctively looked over and saw the jealousy in Eula's eyes before it could be hidden, causing her to frown.
Eula quickly averted her gaze when she realized she had been caught staring. Given the current rift in her relationship with Lance, if he discovered her continued hostility towards Deanna, their long-standing friendship might end.
Deanna narrowed her eyes at Eula's avoidance and quickly guessed her thoughts. She probably didn't want Lance to find out.
For a moment, Deanna felt a bit disinterested. She wondered if her mindset had changed or if her experiences had hardened her. There was a moment when she wished Eula would act against her like Bella had before. That way, she could seize the opportunity to make this woman disappear from Lance's life.
Thinking of this made Deanna's expression darken. She couldn't understand why she had such dangerous thoughts.
Lance noticed her change and asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just bit into a peppercorn and my mouth feels uncomfortable. I'm going to the restroom."
Not wanting to tell the truth, Deanna made an excuse and left.
In the restroom, she turned on the faucet and repeatedly splashed cold water on her face. After several times, she stopped and looked at her wet reflection in the mirror. She smiled faintly at herself in the mirror.
At that moment, she understood that being strategic wasn't scary or making her someone she disliked because it was all about protecting those she cared about.
Having figured this out, Deanna dried her face and prepared to return to the private room, only to encounter an unexpected person.