Chapter 116. Business Me.
Chapter 116: Business Meals and Territorial Tensions
Chapter 116: Business Meals and Territorial Tensions
(Olivia’s POV)
Harrison booked a luxury private dining room at Moonlight Bistro. Though their party consisted of only five people, the table was large enough to seat ten.
Harrison politely pulled out a chair, bowing and gesturing for Connor Rivers to sit. “Alpha Connor, please sit
Having grown accustomed to the respect he received from other pack members, Connor naturally took his seat. However, it was the first time that I had seen an outsider treat the Alpha heir of Rivers pack in such a
manner.
The man before me remained indifferent to the fawning and flattery. His brow exuded coldness and a distant
aura that kept people at bay.
This made me feel estranged. I found it hard to reconcile the aloof Alpha before me with the one who would
put on an apron and cook for me.
Connor took his seat, with Derek sitting to his right. Harrison then chose a seat to Connor’s left, leaving a
space between them.
He knew it was not appropriate to sit too close to such a dominant Alpha. But sitting too far would make
business discussion difficult.
I deliberately chose the seat farthest from Connor, sitting directly opposite him. Connor leaned back in his
chair, his ice–blue gaze sweeping over me coolly.
The disappointment in his eyes was fleeting. Derek witnessed this scene, sighing silently in his heart.
After everyone was seated, Harrison pushed the menu towards Connor. “Alpha Connor.”
Connor casually flipped through it, naming a few dishes. Then he pushed the menu back to Harrison.
Harrison added a few more substantial dishes to demonstrate his hospitality.
I kept my gaze lowered, not daring to look at the Alpha across from me. I stared blankly at the glass turntable
on the table.
The dishes that Connor had just ordered were all my favorites. A few strands of resentment welled up in my
heart.
They had already broken their arrangement, yet he continued to do these meaningless things. First, he
insisted on me staying for the meal, and then he ordered my favorite dishes in front of me.
What did he mean by this? Was he playing the part of a regretful former fiancé?
Not wanting to cause a scene with Thomas Wilson and Harrison present, I stifled the urge to get up and
leave. However, being in the same private room with Connor made me feel suffocated and breathless.
I couldn’t understand the Alpha’s intentions.
(Third person’s POV)
Connor chatted idly with the other Alphas beside him. But he couldn’t help but look at the she–wolf across
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Chanter 116 Business Me
from him.
She sat there with her head lowered, not speaking of playing on her phone. Like a qualt with its head
drooping.
It made Connor want to reach out and stroke her honey–brown hair. He wanted to hold her tightly in his arms After the waiter finished serving the dishes, Olivia buried her head and ate in silence. She was truly hungry. She had been in low spirits since she unexpectedly encountered Connor and Layla Lawrence on the plane last night. She had lost her appetite.
She had also suffered from insomnia. She didn’t have time to eat breakfast this morning before rushing to Southmere Royal Golf Course.
Her stomach was now empty. She couldn’t get a word in edgewise in the Alphas‘ conversation, nor did she
want to.
So she just ate her own food. Connor agreed to cooperate with Thornwick Enterprises, saying that his assistant would sign the contract with Harrison another day.
Harrison was overjoyed and drank a few glasses of moonberry wine.
With the alcohol taking effect, Harrison gradually let loose. He went from being reserved and fawning to becoming increasingly uninhibited.
With a flushed face, he talked about his success story. He rambled on and on about his pack’s business
achievements.
Connor turned a deaf ear to Harrison’s boasting. His mind was still preoccupied with the she–wolf across
from him.
He couldn’t help but glance in her direction. He turned the glass turntable to stop her favorite dishes in front
of her.
Harrison and Thomas Wilson were too busy drinking and chatting to notice Connor’s subtle movements. But Derek saw everything clearly.
Derek shook his head helplessly. He could tell that his Alpha friend was a hopeless romantic.
The always calm and composed Connor had countless potential mates from childhood. This included those like Jessica Sullivan who were persistent and clingy.
But the aloof Alpha had never been moved by any of them. Derek used to think that Connor was indifferent to romantic bonds and not interested in claiming a mate.
It wasn’t until he witnessed Connor’s behavior around Olivia that he knew it wasn’t that he wasn’t interested in mating. He had someone specific in his heart.
For her, he had rejected everyone. After dinner, Harrison was drunk.
The restaurant manager called a driver in advance. Harrison left first.
At the entrance of the restaurant, Thomas bid farewell to Connor and Derek. “Alpha Connor, Mr. Chen, we’ll be leaving first then.”
Connor remained silent, not saying anything. Knowing that it was inconvenient for him to speak, Derek spoke for him.
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“Are you taking a taxi back?” Derek asked.
Thomas replied, “Yes, Olivia and I are here on a business trip, staying at a hotel.”
Connor’s ice–blue eyes flashed with something dangerous upon hearing this. Derek knew that his Alpha friend
was concerned about letting Olivia return to the hotel with a middle–aged man who had been drinking/
So he immediately said, “I’ll take Olivia back. I didn’t drink just now, so I can drive.”
Thomas looked at the ride–sharing app on his phone, thinking, “Why didn’t you say so earlier?” He had already ordered a car, so he couldn’t cancel it and shamelessly ask for a ride in Derek’s car.
Thus, he said, “Then we’ll have to trouble Mr. Chen.”
Olivia refused, “There’s no need to trouble you, I can just take a taxi myself.” She said as she opened her phone to call for a car.
Derek asked half–jokingly, half–seriously, “Miss Winters doesn’t trust me?”
Olivia raised her amber eyes and quickly glanced at Connor. Then she met Derek’s gaze, saying politely and courteously, “Mr. Chen, you know that’s not what I meant.”
Derek said with a smile, “Then Miss Winters should take my car back. It’s on my way anyway.”
Thomas, who was listening to their conversation, twitched his lips. “On your way? He didn’t even say which hotel we’re staying at, so how would he know if it’s on his way?”
“Does this Mr. Chen have intentions toward Olivia? Is he just trying to take this opportunity to get closer to
her?”
Thomas’s eyes darted back and forth between Olivia and Derek with a hint of gossip.
Olivia looked at Connor, about to refuse. When Connor suddenly said, his voice cold and distant, “Then you should take her back first. I have to go to Layla’s place, she’s expecting me.”
A bucket of ice water was poured over her head. Olivia felt cold all over, her wolf whimpering with hurt. Derek looked at Connor meaningfully, “Then you should go quickly.”
Connor hummed in acknowledgment, not looking at Olivia again. He turned to walk towards the black luxury
SUV.
Olivia watched his back, feeling both sour and swollen in her heart. Indeed, she still couldn’t bring herself to remain indifferent.
Connor, what do you mean by this? She had been working hard to forget him these days, trying not to think
about him.
But he appeared in front of her again and again. He did things that were easy for her to misunderstand. First, he insisted on her staying for the meal. Then he ordered her favorite dishes, and his gaze always lingered on her.
What did he take her for? Was he playing with her emotions like a toy?
“Miss Winters, I’ll drive you-”
“I said, I don’t need it!” Before Derek could finish speaking, Olivia interrupted him sharply.
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Her tone carried a hint of her wolf’s agitation. As if she had been provoked beyond her limit.
Derek was stunned, awkwardly touching his nose. “Alright then, you can just take a taxi back yourself.”
Good heavens, the young she–wolf looked gentle and quiet. But she had quite a temper when her wolf was
riled up.
Connor, you’ve made your intended mate angry, Derek thought. He wondered how the Alpha would appease
her later.
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