The following day, Hailey graced the entrance of the restaurant with an air of sophistication, her burgundy smart casual dress capturing the ambient light as she moved gracefully towards the reception area. Each step radiated confidence, accompanied by a warm smile that adorned her lips. Upon reaching the receptionist, she politely cleared her throat, initiating, "Good afternoon, I'm here to..."
Her words were halted by the receptionist's immediate recognition, "Oh, you're Ms. Hailey Gao!" The woman's eyes widened as she involuntarily covered her lips.
A subtle, strained smile formed on Hailey's lips as she continued, "I'm here to see someone; I heard this was the restaurant he made a reservation at."
The receptionist responded with enthusiasm, "Oh, right! He's been waiting for you. He reserved the entire restaurant, so it won't be hard for you to find him."
Hailey nodded appreciatively, smiled, and gracefully walked away, muttering under her breath, "What kind of maniac reserves the entire restaurant?"
In the midst of the empty, plush chairs and elegantly arranged tables, Hailey surveyed her surroundings. After a moment, her gaze settled on the table positioned at the center of the room. There, she observed him leaning back, engrossed in his phone with his back turned to her. He appeared deeply focused. Hailey approached him, and when she was within proximity, she softly cleared her throat, prompting him to look up from his phone, turning to face her.
A shocked expression etched across Hailey's face as he regarded her with an almost inscrutable blankness.
His features proved to be an unexpected revelation, causing Hailey's jaw to drop ever so slightly. The striking contrast of his piercing obsidian eyes intensified the allure, challenging her disbelief. Despite the simplicity of his attire—adorned in simple black fitted jeans paired with a white T-shirt beneath a loosely worn long-sleeve shirt—his magnetism was undeniable.
Moments hung in the air, an unspoken exchange passing between them as they locked eyes. It was as if time stood still, a suspended moment pregnant with curiosity. Breaking the silence, Hailey's calm yet firm voice cut through, "Who are you?" Her query lingered, awaiting a response.
However, the stillness was met with a dry chuckle from the man, his deep voice resonating with nonchalance as he replied, "Your blind date, who else?" A subtle amusement played on his face, his features maintaining their enigmatic composure. "You seem surprised to see me," he observed, gesturing casually to himself with a sweep of his left hand.
"I wasn't expecting to encounter someone as handsome as you," Hailey admitted, her words hanging in the air. A brief pause followed before she caught herself, questioning internally, 'What did I just say?'
'But then again, he doesn't look anything like Chairwoman Hang... she was never what I'd consider beautiful, either when she was younger or now,' Hailey thought, her gaze lingering on him. Shaking her head vigorously, she dismissed the unbidden comparison. Settling into the chair opposite him, she crossed her legs, contemplating the situation.
'How am I supposed to turn down a handsome guy like this?' Hailey pondered.
"What are you thinking so deeply about? When your date is right in front of you," he teased, playfully breaking Hailey out of her thoughts. She met his gaze momentarily before looking away. Undeterred, he continued, "Anyways, let me introduce myself. I'm..."
Hailey interrupted, extending her hand, "Hold on." He pursed his lips, watching curiously as she delved into her handbag. With precision, she extracted her phone, set a 30-second timer, and placed it on the table. "Okay, you may continue."
He stared at her, a blank expression on his face, before slowly revealing, "I'm Adrian Zhan. It's nice to finally meet you, Ms. Gao." Extending his hand for a handshake, he awaited her response as the timer ticked away.
Hailey glanced at his outstretched hand, a flicker of recognition crossing her face as she pondered, 'Adrian Zhan, that name rings a bell.' Her smile, though subtle, hinted at a familiarity that intrigued her.
Shaking off the momentary distraction, Hailey composed herself and spoke with a casual indifference, "Honestly, Mr. Zhan, I'm not particularly keen on unraveling the mystery of who you are. And you can inform your grandmother that the feeling is mutual. I believe that covers everything I needed to express." Rising gracefully from her seat, she smoothed out her dress, collected her purse, and prepared to leave. Just as she was about to make her exit, Adrian's voice interrupted her departure.
"Since you've been forthright with me, it's only fair I reciprocate," he admitted, causing Hailey to freeze in place. Intrigued, she turned to face him and returned to her seat.
"I may not be your intended blind date, but I could offer something valuable to you, provided you're open to a mutually beneficial arrangement," Adrian suggested with a smirk as he pulled out his business card from his pocket and sliding it across the table. Hailey, somewhat reluctantly, snatched the card from the surface and scrutinized it.
The business card, adorned with the elegant script of "AZ Couture" in gold ink, showcased the company's logo below. It was a standard yet tasteful representation of Adrian's enterprise, leaving Hailey with a growing curiosity.
Hailey's eyes widened in astonishment, fixating on the ornate card in her hands before shifting her gaze to the enigmatic figure before her. An unsettling silence hung in the air as Adrian, wearing a confident smirk, awaited her response with calculated anticipation.
'This can't be right,' Hailey pondered, her mind grappling with the unexpected revelation. 'I thought Mason owned AZ Couture...' She paused, grappling with the implications, closing her eyes briefly to gather her composure. Deep breaths punctuated the moment before her eyes reopened to the reality before her.
'He lied to me, and I believed him without even checking properly,' Hailey reflected, her frustration manifesting in the clenching of her fist.
As her eyes returned to Adrian, a new line of thought emerged. 'It's clear he came here on purpose, but how did he know I was going to have a blind date here?'
A sigh escaped her lips, a subtle indication of the perplexity surrounding the unfolding situation. "So, you are the infamous tyrant Adrian Zhan," she confronted Adrian as she slipped the business card into her handbag, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and skepticism. "Do you, by any chance, have an employee named Mason He?"
Adrian responded with a light chuckle, his demeanor maintaining an air of mystery. "Maybe... I'm not sure. I don't keep tabs on my employees, but I could ask my secretary if you want," he offered, leaning forward, his demeanor subtly challenging.
Hailey, meeting Adrian's penetrating gaze, chose her next words carefully. "Please do... so I can be sure of my next move," she declared, finishing with a confident smirk.
Adrian retrieved his phone from his pocket and initiated a call to Alexander, inquiring, "Mr. Zhu, do we happen to employ an individual by the name of Mason He?"
"Yes, but why...?" Alexander began to question, only to be abruptly interrupted as Adrian promptly ended the call.
Turning towards Hailey, Adrian conveyed assurance with a nod of his head. Hailey, in response, emitted a disdainful scoff, ruminating, 'He lied, cheated, and had the audacity to reject me with absolute disrespect.'
Her lips tightly pursed, Hailey maintained a piercing gaze on Adrian, who, in return, sported a self-assured smirk. Minutes later, she broke the silence, stating, "Starting today, we're in a relationship," punctuating her declaration by pointing an accusatory finger in his direction.
Adrian, intrigued by Hailey's unconventional proposition, tilted his head and inquired, "What kind of relationship are we talking about here?"
Hailey, with a hint of sarcasm, scoffed before delivering her response, "A faux romantic relationship," she stated firmly, leaving no room for misunderstanding. Adrian, registering the proposal, furrowed his eyebrows slightly, only to swiftly revert to a neutral expression, saying, "Alright, I agree."
In a daring move, Adrian proposed, "Together, we'll crush our enemies," extending his hand for a handshake, thereby initiating a potentially precarious alliance.
Hailey's breath quickened and her eyes darted away for a brief moment, ' something about this guy ... doesn't feel right. '
Hailey focused her gaze on him once again as she retorted with a sly smile and a mischievous glint in her eyes, "And make them regret ever trying to ruin us," sealing the pact by intertwining her hand with Adrian's in a subtle yet symbolic gesture.
As they sat in a momentary silence, their hands remained delicately entwined, Adrian gently released Hailey's hand, allowing her fingers to slip away from his grasp.
"We will delve deeper into this tomorrow; I have matters to attend to," Hailey conveyed, rising gracefully from her seat and proceeding to walk away.
Adrian couldn't help but wear a smile as he observed her figure receding, his gaze fixating on her form. A peculiar sense of satisfaction and contentment enveloped him. Raising his arm into the air, he waved with enthusiasm and called out, "Goodbye, Ms. Gao!"
Interrupting her departure, Hailey halted and turned to face Adrian, a quizzical eyebrow raised. Inwardly pondering, 'What the hell wrong with him?' she shook her head dismissively and continued on her way.