Chapter 7: Dirty in His Eyes

There were only two people in the private room. Quintus's gaze swept across the room, finally landing on his daughter. The little girl, who had just felt upset because of Chloe's sudden departure, now, upon seeing her father, not only showed no fear but even huffed and turned her head away with an air of arrogance. Quintus's eyes narrowed slightly. "Grace, are you okay?" Given that both the father and daughter were introverted individuals, their assistant, Hudson, played a useful role in such situations. The little girl glanced at him, pouted, and turned her head away, ignoring him. Hudson carefully assessed her condition, saw that she was unharmed, sighed in relief, and then turned to report to Quintus. Quintus nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly. He then looked at the person sitting next to his daughter. Meeting his gaze, Elene's heart skipped a beat. She forcefully pinched her palm to barely maintain her composure and not lose control. "Where's Chloe?" Quintus's gaze swept across Elene's face, clearly recognizing her, and his expression darkened slightly. He actually identified Chloe! Elene felt a mix of shock for her close friend and relief that she managed to escape in time. The imposing aura of this man made it hard for her to catch her breath. If Chloe were present, who knows how things would have turned out! "I don't know what you're talking about! Who are you people? Why didn't you knock before entering?" Elene gathered her thoughts, employing her best acting skills, and shielded the little girl in her arms, watching the man in front of her vigilantly. Quintus furrowed his brows slightly, "The one in your arms is my daughter. Did you call me to come here?" Elene hesitated for a moment, then boldly said, "Yes, it was me." Quintus stared at her expressionlessly, his gaze slowly sweeping over every detail in the room. The woman's voice in front of him did have some resemblance to the voice on the phone. However, he couldn't be deceived. Moreover, the disguise in the room seemed too rushed. There were only two sets of utensils on the table, but the three seats beside them looked a bit off. The waiter at Oasis Inn wouldn't make such a mistake, and the arrangement appeared artificially altered. The table was full of dishes, more than what a woman with a child would order. Quintus's gaze circled the room and returned to Elene. Meeting his gaze, Elene felt an inexplicable sinking feeling in her heart. In the next moment, she saw the man asking his assistant for a phone, his distinct fingers swiping the screen twice, and then he looked back at her. On the table, the phone that Chloe left for her moments ago started ringing. Elene was completely unprepared, and hearing that voice almost made her tremble. She lowered her head as if checking the caller ID, waited a few seconds, then casually raised her hand to end the call, meeting the man's gaze as if nothing had happened. "Since you are the child's father, then take her away." After saying that, she touched the little girl's head, placed her on the ground, and nudged her towards Quintus. Quintus raised an eyebrow and took a couple of steps toward the dining table. Elene thought he was coming to pick up the little girl. Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she heard the man's skeptical voice beside her. "Miss, you have quite the appetite. A table full of food for just one person and a little girl." Quintus appeared casual as he stopped by the table, his tone carrying a hint of implication. Elene didn't say a word. She had just released a breath, only to be sucked back in, forcing a smile. "Whether I have a big appetite or not is none of your concern. I ordered so much because I made plans with friends who haven't arrived yet." "Your friends haven't arrived, and you're already digging into the dishes?" As Quintus spoke, his gaze scanned the dishes that had been touched. Elene almost choked on her breath. After a moment of silence with lowered eyes, she adjusted her expression and, with a distant smile, said, "Sir, I found your daughter, kindly called you during this time, provided her with a meal. If you don't want to express gratitude, that's fine, but treating me like a criminal, have I offended you in any way?" In her tone, there was a sense of offended dissatisfaction, but deep down, she felt like crying without tears. Couldn't he stop asking? If he kept asking, she would have to tell the truth. Who could handle this kind of pressure? In the parking lot, Chloe held one child in each hand, glancing at the time from time to time, feeling uneasy. She understood Quintus's character very well. If there was even the slightest hint of a clue, it would be enough for him to notice something was amiss. She wondered how long Elene could hold on. What if the cat was out of the bag? If it were exposed, what would happen? Chloe thought for a long time, but couldn't come up with an answer. After a while, she self-mockingly bit her lip. What was she afraid of, after all? Back then, the way she treated Quintus probably made him never want to see her again in his life. Even if he did, he might pretend not to recognize her, considering her dirty in his eyes. It turned out that she was frightening herself before even facing him...