Chapter 322: An Intimate Gesture
Alison’s body stiffened slightly.
She wanted to push Aidan’s hand away, but the thought of the email held her back.
She lifted her head, scanning the entire restaurant.
She expected someone to be monitoring her.
Will he mistake my agreement to date Aidan?
She lowered her head and ate quickly, wishing she could finish and escape the restaurant.
But the two men seemed to have coordinated their efforts, each taking turns placing food in front of her.
A food container slid toward Alison.
“Alison, this is chicken soup. It’s nourishing. You should drink it,” Gabriel said.
This chicken soup felt like a hint — she had indeed entangled with him.
“Oh, I don’t care for chicken,” she murmured.
With a gentle push, the soup slid back toward Gabriel.
She suddenly noticed a bruise on his neck.
“Gabriel, did you get into another fight?” she asked, concerned.
“No, just a fall,” Gabriel replied, his fiery gaze locking onto hers.
“Did you ride your motorcycle too fast? You really should slow down,” Alison added.
“Okay, got it.”
He smiled.
That smile stunned Alison.
Her hand froze in midair.
She wasn’t a lovesick fool; she just saw him as Jack.
“Jack…”
The name nearly slipped from her lips instinctively.
She caught herself just in time, quickly lowering her head to continue eating.
Yet, it was clearly heard by the other three.
Aidan’s heart skipped a beat.
He realized she just saw Gabriel as a substitute for Jack, his own eyes narrowing with jealousy and pain.
“Alison, eat up. I’ll take you to Chanel then,” he protested.
“All right. By the way, what time is Mr. Bates’s flight?”
“Four o’clock this afternoon.”
“Oh, that’s still early. We can go after work.”
“That’s fine. You can rest in the break room in my office later. You look exhausted. Don’t let Mr. Bates get me. I’m not keeping you up late here.”
Aidan’s gaze swept over Gabriel, his eyes filled with warning.
Gabriel looked back, sneering.
Alison dared not lift her head, feeling eyes fixed on her across the table.
“Aidan, eat up. Go upstairs together, then.”
She neither agreed nor disagreed, but her response spoke volumes.
Aidan flashed a triumphant smile and wolfed down his food.
Alison could barely sit through half her meal.
The gazes from the dining room made her uneasy.
Without waiting for the others to finish, she stood up.
“I’m full. I need to rest.”
She turned and walked away.
Gabriel remained silent, continuing to eat.
Aidan rose and followed closely behind her.
“Alison, wait for me.”
He caught up beside her and naturally took her hand.
Under the gaze of the crowd, the two walked hand in hand out of the dining hall.
Alison had intended to pull away from Aidan, but she held back, sensing someone was monitoring her.
At the elevator bank, she headed for the regular elevators, but he pulled her toward the executive elevator.
Remembering his forced kiss last time, she struggled to resist.
“Aidan, I’ll take the regular elevator.”
Aidan ignored her.
With a tug on her arm, she found herself following him into the executive elevator.
His lips brushed her ear as he murmured, “Don’t worry. I won’t kiss you again.”
“Aidan, I—”
She lowered her head, blushing.
“I was wrong. From now on, I won’t scare you again.”
Yet, he was forcing himself not to kiss her.
They stood silently in the elevator, he still holding her hand.
Why does his warmth feel so different now… like control instead of comfort?