"Anna?" Said the man who was already sitting at table number 58. Alice revealed Anna and the man in turn.
"You two know each other?" Alice asked confused.
"Daddy." Anna hugged James.
"Why are you here, Anna?" James asked.
Yes, the person sitting at table number 58 is James Elard.
"Alice brought me here," Anna replied.
"Daddy? Daddy? Uncle, why does Anna call you Daddy?" Alice looked surprised and confused.
"Yes, Alice. Anna is my daughter."
"Anna is your daughter, Uncle?" James just nodded.
"Anna, why didn't you tell me Uncle James was your Daddy?"
"You didn't tell me we were going to see Daddy."
"Already done. Alice, why are you with Anna? Where is Axel?" James asked.
"Axel refused my invitation, Uncle, and he told me to take Anna only, I dare not insist." Obviously Alice.
"That kid, how stubborn he is," James grumbled.
Oh, Anna knows. From here Anna can understand that it seems that the father is planning an arranged marriage for Axel. Suddenly Anna remembers about Alice's confession in Axel's room earlier.
'If I say I'm interested in you, what will it be?' The sentence kept repeating Anna, kept replaying in Anna's head. Was Alice interested in Axel sincerely?
"Anna, Alice, you two seem very close, have you two been friends for long?" James asked curiously.
"Yeah, we're friends but not for long," Alice replied.
"We met at the night building by accident, and we had dinner together after Alice helped me shop. And I didn't expect Alice to come to the Emperor. Even more so than Alice." Alice was more detailed. Anna glanced at James.
"Daddy, don't tell me you're planning—" Before Anna finished speaking, James had nodded in agreement.
"Yes, as you might expect, Anna. You didn't say she was your sister-in-law, did you?"
"Uncle, don't talk like that, it's still too early." Alice looks red in the cheek area. She blushed.
Anna giggled at Alice's adorable behavior.
"Of course that's great. Maybe Alice and I will spend a lot of weekends together after Axel has colonized me for days." Anna said tucked into a humorous tone.
"So does that mean Daddy will soon have a baby?"
"I'll help Daddy's wish, who wants to pet his grandson, don't worry, Dad."
"You're the best, Anna."
***
After lunch, Anna asked Alice to take her back to the office.
"Anna." Called Alice while driving.
"Yes?"
"Sorry if my question is about your feelings, but how can you be Uncle James's son?"
"You don't have to feel bad, I won't be offended, Alice," Anna replied while slapping Alice's hand on the back twice.
"I was just an orphanage back then, but when I was ten the Elard family picked me up and made me a member of the Elard family. This isn't anything to feel sorry for, in fact, I'm happy after Daddy adopted me. Since then my life has been very secure, especially my education." Obviously Anna.
Alice just listened intently.
"And now, I want to repay all the kindness of Daddy and Mummy who have loved me without distinguishing between me and Axel. And also I want to repay the kindness of Axel and also Edward who have always protected me since childhood. I owe it all to all of them. the rest of my life with the Elards is not a bad decision." Anna concluded.
Alice glanced at Anna, she couldn't catch Anna's expression because she couldn't look away from the road for too long, she was driving.
But Anna doesn't seem to show anything other than a happy expression.
"Anna, I also want to be your best friend, I want to be someone who is always there for you," Alice said suddenly, I don't know what she was thinking.
"Alice, are you pitying me?"
"No, Anna, of course not. I'm sincere about this. Haven't we hit it off since our first meeting? It's okay if we're friends, right?" Alice said quickly before Anna misunderstood.
"I see. I know you're a good person, Alice. Thank you, I finally have a female best friend. That means someone will understand my feelings. Being friends with two boys is troublesome, you know." Anna said at length.
Alice managed to make her laugh.
"And finally I have a friend who is of the same school as me, hahaha..." Anna and Alice's laughter echoed around the corner of the car. They seemed to have just found the happiness they had never found before.
"Oh yes, Alice."
"Yes, what is up?"
"So do you really like Axel? I just don't want to see Daddy down." Anna asked.
"I'd be lying if I said I'm not interested in Axel, the human that women all over the world are crazy about. But I still can't say for sure about my feelings for it. Besides, Axel looks bothered by my arrival." Alice said sounding sad.
"Maybe that's not what Axel meant, it's just that Axel has a lot of work at the office."
"I didn't mean that I was bothered by my coming into his office, but that he was disturbed by my arrival in his life. He was too restrictive like there was a big wall preventing me from approaching him." Alice said dreamily.
"You've got to be patient, Alice. Because I even thought he was gay because he's never had a girlfriend at all. Never mind a girlfriend, never even glance at girls."
"What? Is he gay?"
"Hahaha… Alice, I was just kidding, why do you believe so?"
"Thankfully, I couldn't possibly be attracted to the wrong guy," said Alice giggling.
"I will try to make his heart more open, hopefully, he can see your sincerity."
"Thank you for your good intentions, Anna. For this matter leave me alone, I want him to be able to accept me purely out of his own will, not coercion or anything like that. That's why I didn't force him to have lunch with me this afternoon. Slowly, if the time is right I'm sure he will open his heart to me."
"You're so mature, Axel would be lucky to have you by his side, Alice," Anna said.
Alice smiled. "Come on, let's not talk about him anymore. I'm afraid he'll choke because we keep talking about him." Alice said.
"Hahaha..." Anna laughed in response.
"Let's go to the salon together, Anna, I want to pamper myself some time." Alice came up with an idea.
"We'll see this weekend, hopefully, I have time."
"Okay"
***
Anna had arrived at the Emperor, while Alice left immediately. Anna stepped into the elevator, and someone also entered the elevator at the same time as Anna.
"Manager Edward, where are you from? What do you carry in your hands?" Anna asked Edward who got into the private elevator with Anna earlier.
"I just had lunch outside and Axel asked me to bring Japanese food, he said he hasn't had lunch yet. Then you, where are you from?" Obviously Edward.
Anna laughed. "Alice came asking the Director to have lunch together but the Director told Alice to go with me. I was about to prepare her lunch but she said no need. That's how it goes until you have to bring her lunch." Obviously, Anna was brief but clear.
"Oh, that's right," Edward said.
"By the way, who is Alice? Where did she come from?" Edward asked.
"She's the girl Daddy's trying to set up with the Director."
"Oh yeah? Uncle James wants to cuddle his grandson."
"Yes, that's what he said."
Edward nodded in understanding.
Ting!
The elevator doors opened, they had reached the thirteenth floor. Anna walked out of the elevator ahead of Edward.
"Um, Anna." Edward's call made Anna stop walking and turn around.
"Yes?"
"Are you still mad at me?" Edward asked doubtfully. Anna shook her head.
"Not," Anna replied without hesitation.
Edward smiled happily at Anna's answer.
"Thank God. Then how about the banquet tonight? You want to go with me, don't you?"
Anna nodded. "Yes, I will go with you."
Edward just smiled like a madman, he was too happy that he could hardly speak.
"What time are we leaving?" Anna asked.
"Seven o'clock I'll come to pick you up."
"Okay. I'll be ready."
"Thank you, Anna," Edward said quietly.
"I am not doing anything."
"Just fulfilling my request I already feel happy, thank you."
Anna nodded. "Okay, I'll get back to work."
"Yes, come in."
Anna entered her room, a few moments later Edward also entered his room.
***