Chapter 126: Rachel Faulkner’s Friend
Vivian Lowell finished her last piece of grilled eel, took the napkin Julian Faulkner handed her, and wiped her mouth, feeling utterly satisfied.
’Mm, I had so much botan shrimp and all sorts of sashimi tonight. As a Japanese food enthusiast, I have nothing to complain about. It’s all just so delicious.’
It’s just...
’The way Julian Faulkner eats is just so elegant.’
When he ate the sea urchin, he would place caviar on top, then scoop it up with a silver spoon. His every movement was as fluid as flowing water; for Vivian, just watching was a pleasure.
"Full?"
Julian Faulkner finished wiping his mouth and signaled for the waiter to bring the check.
Vivian Lowell nodded. When the waiter arrived, she beat Julian to it, pulling out her phone and presenting the QR code to the waiter.
"Julian, thank you for taking me to see that beautiful sunset tonight and for getting us on the Ferris wheel early. Let this dinner be my way of thanking you, okay? Don’t you dare fight me on this!"
Vivian really couldn’t think of any other way to thank him.
Seeing Vivian’s insistence, Julian chuckled, shook his head, and relented.
’It was just one meal, after all.’
’If she likes it, I can cook for her at home next time.’
「After dinner.」
Vivian Lowell and Julian Faulkner planned to stop by the pet hospital to check on the little white cat before heading straight home.
Just as they stepped out of their private room,
Vivian suddenly heard a woman’s voice.
"Vance Wyatt, what are you doing eating here all by yourself?"
’Huh?’
The voice was very familiar. Vivian froze for a moment, then immediately realized the speaker was Rachel Faulkner.
’Rachel Faulkner is eating here, too?’
"Ms. Faulkner."
Vance Wyatt had finished his meal long ago.
To be honest, the Japanese food here was exquisite and delicious, but there was no atmosphere eating alone, surrounded as he was by couples on dates.
Oh, and there was a food vlogger—the kind with a huge appetite—who kept chattering away at his camera. Vance certainly didn’t have that kind of talent, so he just ate his meal in silence.
He’d been done eating for twenty minutes.
Then, Rachel Faulkner had appeared at the entrance.
Vance Wyatt gave Rachel Faulkner a polite greeting, but his eyes lingered on the man who had entered with her.
Mason Grant.
Vance Wyatt remembered him.
He was the one who had caused a scene at the Madam’s company entrance. Because of that incident, the Madam had the company’s glass doors replaced with professional-grade, anti-theft ones.
’Why is Ms. Faulkner having dinner with Mason Grant?’
Vance Wyatt was puzzled, but he knew it wasn’t his place to say anything more. He simply said, "Yes, I came to eat by myself."
Rachel Faulkner didn’t reply, her eyes sweeping over the dishes on Vance’s table.
Judging by the portions, it was indeed a meal for one.
"What a coincidence."
Rachel Faulkner smiled, a look both radiant and bewitching. Her eyes held a flirtatious glint as she looked at Vance. "A pity you’ve already eaten," she said.
"Otherwise, you could have kept me company."
Seeing Rachel act this way, Vance Wyatt grew extremely wary. He instinctively took half a step back and said coolly, "You have Mr. Grant to accompany you. I don’t think I’m needed here."
Rachel Faulkner was noncommittal.
She sized Vance up again. Perhaps sensing his aversion, she suddenly seemed to lose interest.
She had lost interest in Vance Wyatt.
"Right. Mr. Grant and I are just here to discuss business."
After speaking coolly, Rachel Faulkner called a waiter over to ask if there were any private rooms available.
The waiter spoke with another staff member on his walkie-talkie, then turned to Rachel Faulkner. "Please wait a moment, ma’am. A party just paid their bill and is about to leave. Our staff is cleaning their room now. If you’ll have a seat, you’ll be able to go in shortly."
Behind the Japanese-style door curtain.
Vivian Lowell and Julian Faulkner had heard every word.
Vivian felt a little awkward, but more than that, she was puzzled.
’Why is Rachel Faulkner with Mason Grant again?’
At the last gala, Rachel had brought Mason Grant along as well. Her explanation at the time was that she had just happened to run into him at the door.
She’d claimed that Mason came looking for Vivian, and she brought him in because she was worried he might cause trouble.
In Vivian’s mind,
Rachel Faulkner was the quintessential spoiled heiress.
Her standards were incredibly high. Despite her history of getting pregnant out of wedlock and forcing her way into a marriage, she had always looked down on ordinary people.
A man of Mason Grant’s standing wasn’t even qualified to attend the last gala.
Among the great, wealthy families, the Grant Family was considered second-rate at best. The Faulkner Family, however, was truly top-tier. There was an entire "first-rate" tier separating them.
However,
Mason Grant was handsome.
With his stern features, unlike the playboy Ethan Grant, he wasn’t entirely detestable.
’Could it be that Rachel Faulkner has taken a liking to Mason Grant’s looks?’
’Knowing Rachel’s personality, it’s entirely possible she’s just having a fling with him.’
But,
then again, Mason Grant was seven or eight years younger than Rachel Faulkner. He certainly wouldn’t have any genuine feelings for her. They were most likely just using each other.
’Oh, right!’
In that instant, Vivian remembered something.
This morning, when Rachel Faulkner had returned, she’d walked past Vivian, and Vivian had caught the scent of a very familiar men’s cologne.
Vivian hadn’t been able to place it at the time.
’Thinking back on it carefully now, that was definitely the cologne Mason Grant liked to wear!’
Also, Rachel had mentioned that a friend had conveniently given her some aromatherapy to help with sleep. Come to think of it, Mason used to love ordering all sorts of aromatherapy products from overseas.
Mason had given plenty to Vivian as well.
Many of them were for relieving fatigue or aiding sleep, and they were quite effective.
’Mason Grant, as scummy as he was, did have good taste in certain things.’
Now,
if she and Julian Faulkner were to leave the private room, they would run right into them. It was all so...
Vivian subconsciously glanced at Julian, seeking his decision.
Julian’s expression was grim, and Vivian couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
But a moment later,
Julian took Vivian’s hand and started walking toward the exit. "Let’s go," he said. "Didn’t you want to go see the little white cat?"
"This way, we can get home earlier, and you can get some rest, right? Don’t you usually do your face masks and oil treatments tonight?"
"Ahem."
Vivian glanced at a passing staff member.
’Honestly, Julian...’
’Had he really noticed such a tiny detail about my routine?’
’And to say it so intimately out loud.’
’Honestly...’
As she was lost in thought,
in the main dining area, Rachel Faulkner and Mason Grant looked up and saw the two of them walking out of the private room.
And at that moment, all four of their gazes met.