Chapter 180: Reunion After a Long Time
Tristan froze, then slowly turned around.
At the entrance, Harriet walked in wearing a perfectly tailored cream-colored dress with matching high heels.
Tristan's pupils suddenly contracted!
It turned out that some longings couldn't be controlled by his almost crazy suppression.
The moment he saw her, Tristan clearly felt that all his efforts to forget over these two years had come to nothing.
Memories rushed toward him like a tide, quickly drowning him.
His heart was beating wildly, surging, pounding uncontrollably!
Flora excitedly went forward to hug Harriet. Mindful of the occasion, she held back her tears. "Why did you suddenly come back? You didn't even give me a heads up so I could pick you up!"
Harriet smiled brightly. "Didn't I tell you on WhatsApp that I wanted to surprise you?"
"What a surprise! I'm so happy!"
After chatting with Flora for a bit, Harriet walked straight toward Tristan's direction.
"Mr. Lancaster, it's Mrs. Lancaster! It really is Mrs. Lancaster!" Ryder couldn't help but speak excitedly.
Tristan stared at her in a daze.
After two years, Harriet's whole presence had completely changed.
Her dress today was very elegant, standing out among all the evening gowns.
Her hair was pinned up, and the delicate hair accessories made her look even more dignified and graceful.
Combined with her beauty, almost every man present couldn't help but let their gaze fall on her.
As Harriet approached, their eyes met in the air.
Tristan could feel his hand in his pants pocket, his fingertips trembling slightly.
But the next second, he clearly saw Harriet calmly look away and walk straight toward Ewan.
"Mr. Habsburg, I'm here on behalf of Mr. Jones to wish you a happy birthday."
"Good." Ewan smiled happily. "Having you come in person to celebrate my birthday is truly my honor."
"Mr. Habsburg, you're too kind. I'm just a junior, I don't deserve such praise."
"You're so modest, truly worthy of being Mr. Jones's favorite student." Ewan said, "I heard from Mr. Jones that people who want to see you now have to wait three months in line. I wonder if I have the honor of cutting in line today?"
"If Mr. Habsburg doesn't mind, of course you can."
Harriet sat down next to Ewan and checked his health.
A strange look flashed in her eyes, but it disappeared instantly.
"Mr. Habsburg is in excellent health."
Ewan was very happy. "That's great! Your words really put my mind at ease."
Having completed the task Ian assigned her, Harriet was planning to leave, but Ewan insisted she stay a while longer.
Unable to refuse his warm invitation, Harriet could only agree.
She went to chat with Flora for a bit, then got up to go to the restroom.
Just as Harriet came out of the restroom, she saw Tristan leaning against the opposite wall, smoking.
Their eyes met for two seconds, then Harriet turned and left without expression.
The next second, her wrist was grabbed.
Tristan's low voice carried a hint of restrained tension."Harriet."
"Mr. Lancaster, please show some respect." Harriet's calm, gentle voice was no different from how she spoke to others.
But precisely because of this, Tristan's heart hurt even more.
She really didn't care about him anymore, which was why she could be so calm.
After all, who would have emotional waves over someone they didn't care about at all?
"Mr. Lancaster?" Harriet turned her head, her gaze moving down to where he held her wrist.
Tristan slowly let go, composing himself. "Sorry, I just wanted to ask if you've been doing well these past two years."
"That's none of your business." Harriet smiled lightly. "Please don't do such inappropriate things in the future, or I won't be as polite as I am now."
Tristan watched her cold, decisive back, the emotions he'd been suppressing in his eyes finally cracking open, bit by bit, beyond his control.
A sudden burning sensation came from his fingertips. He lowered his eyes and saw that the cigarette in his hand had burned down completely.
Tristan closed his eyes, threw the cigarette butt into a nearby trash can, and strode back to the banquet hall.
He looked around but didn't see Harriet anywhere.
Tristan went straight to Flora. "Where's Harriet?"
"She left."
Tristan turned and walked away.
He chased out of the hotel and saw Harriet in the distance walking toward a black RV, with Griffin standing beside it.
Tristan thought they would drive away together, but only Harriet got in the car.
After a few minutes, the RV door opened.
Harriet had changed into pants and a gray trench coat, wearing her favorite white sneakers.
She removed her hair accessories, letting down her waist-length curly hair, which added even more charm than before.
Two motorcycles were parked next to the RV.
Griffin put a helmet on Harriet, and they each took a motorcycle and drove away from the hotel.
Tristan was stunned.
It seemed that in these two years when he hadn't inquired about her, her life had indeed been very full.
She had even learned to ride a motorcycle.
Looking at that speed, she wasn't just riding—she was racing.
In the days without him, the surprises she gave belonged to Griffin.
Tristan suddenly felt unwilling to accept it.
Although for the past two years, this unwillingness had been well hidden by him.
He convinced himself to hate Harriet, to hate her for not being able to keep their child because of someone else.
But in the dead of night, looking at the empty space beside him, he couldn't help thinking—what did Harriet do wrong?
She had just loved Griffin so intensely during the age of first love.
When he realized he was making excuses for Harriet, he couldn't help but hate himself even more.
So he spent year after year in this cycle of self-torture.
A Rolls-Royce stopped in front of Tristan. The driver got out and asked, "Mr. Lancaster, are we going home?"
Tristan got in the car while taking out his phone to make a call. "Within ten minutes, find Harriet's location!"
The two motorcycles raced all the way to the mountaintop.
Harriet took off her helmet, gazed at Emberfall's night view, and took a deep breath. "It's been so long since I've raced. That felt great."
"Harriet, do you like the gift I gave you?"
"I love it." Harriet turned her head and smiled brightly at him. "This motorcycle is really nice. You put a lot of thought into it, didn't you?"
"As long as you like it." Griffin emphasized, "You must be careful when riding."
"Don't worry, I value my life."
Griffin turned to look at her. "You ran into Tristan tonight?"
The smile on Harriet's face didn't change. "Yes."
"How did it feel?"
"No feeling." Harriet said frankly, "Griffin, it's been two years. The reason I dared to come back is because he's already just a passerby in my life. I no longer have to fear that this city will make me recall the past. I can face it calmly now and just laugh it off."
"That's good." Griffin breathed a sigh of relief. "Harriet, I don't want you to be hurt again."
"Don't worry." Harriet put her helmet back on. "Come on, I'll treat you to a late-night snack!"
"Okay."
After the late-night snack, it was almost ten o'clock.
Griffin still had to go to the Lancaster Group, so Harriet rode back to Lakeside Gardens alone.
Just as she was about to unlock the fingerprint lock, she suddenly sensed footsteps behind her!
Harriet's eyes darkened, and she spun around sharply while lifting her foot to attack!
Tristan stepped back, and her foot kicked his arm, leaving an obvious shoe print on his black suit.
Tristan was amazed by her reaction and skills. "Such strong defensive awareness?"
And clearly, she had been practicing self-defense well these past two years.
"Why is it you again?" Harriet frowned. "Mr. Lancaster, what are you doing here?"
Harriet turned to open the door and enter, but the next second, she felt the person behind her approach again.
Just as she was about to turn around, a force suddenly wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her into the house.
The door closed.
"Tristan!" Harriet had had enough. "What are you doing!"
Tristan turned on the light. The overhead spotlights illuminated the anger on her face.
Tristan's heart was stabbed by her cold, sharp gaze. "Harriet, don't you have anything to say to me?"
"Is there anything left to say between us?" Harriet stepped back two steps, creating distance between them. "Mr. Lancaster followed me all the way to the mountain, then to the restaurant, and now you're blocking me here. People who don't know better would think you're trying to rob me."
She had noticed someone following her in secret long ago and guessed it was Tristan, but she had just ignored it.
But his coming here had already disturbed her.