"No, ladies first, you go ahead!" When both were being polite, the waiter brought the dishes.
"Let's chat while we eat!" Raymond said gentlemanly.
Smoked salmon appetizers, Alsatian cheese tarts, French cheese puffs, French chickpea cakes... Looking at the table full of dishes, Lena felt even more suffocated. Raymond ordered all of Lena's favorite dishes. This meticulous care made Lena uncomfortable.
"Director Raymond, there are some things I've been holding back for a long time, and I want to clarify them with you over lunch today."
"Lena, take your time, no rush, let's eat first!" Raymond, being considerate, picked up a piece of smoked salmon appetizer and placed it on Lena's plate.
Lena looked up at Raymond's affectionate gaze, feeling at a loss. She couldn't taste the food.
"Director Raymond, I invited you out today because there are some things I want to make clear to you," Lena put down her chopsticks and said.
Seeing Lena's seriousness, Raymond seemed to understand what she was going to say.
Raymond also put down his chopsticks and listened attentively to Lena.
"Director, I've heard a lot of office gossip recently, and there are some things I want to clarify with you. I'll be straightforward. Director Raymond, I don't want you to waste your time on me. I have no plans for romance, let alone settling down. The specific reasons are my personal privacy and not convenient to tell you. You've always been a respected boss to me." Lena directly rejected Raymond.
Raymond's face turned pale; he didn't expect Lena to reject him so directly. It seemed that the confession draft he prepared in the morning was no longer needed.
"Lena, you have the right to reject me, but I also have the right to pursue you," Raymond said with a hint of reluctance, clinging to the last bit of hope.
"You can reject me, and I can silently care for you!" Getting excited, he grabbed Lena's hand, startling her as she tried to struggle but couldn't break free.
"Director Raymond, please don't do this. I'm not worth your effort, and I can't repay you." Just as Raymond grabbed Lena's hand, Grayson, who had just entered, saw everything. His eyes flared up instantly, and his assistant behind him felt sorry for Lena once again. Why couldn't this girl stay out of trouble? If she didn't provoke the CEO someday, she wouldn't be Lena.
With a cold face, Grayson strode over to Lena's table. He sat down next to Lena instinctively, his gaze sharp as he looked at Raymond holding Lena's hand.
Feeling the CEO's icy gaze, as a man, Raymond instantly understood. The rumors in the office about Grayson and Lena were not baseless. Raymond tactfully let go of Lena's hand.
Grayson picked up a chopstick, picked a piece of French baked snail, peeled off the shell, and placed it in Lena's plate. "This is your favorite dish," Grayson said gently. From the expressions of the two, Raymond was convinced that they had known each other for a long time.
"Director Raymond, you should eat too!" Grayson said.
"I'm already full. CEO and Lena, take your time, I'll head back to the office first!" Raymond stood up and said.
After Raymond left, Lena looked at Grayson in disbelief. She didn't know how he suddenly appeared here. Lena knew that Grayson had high standards for restaurants he dined in. It was impossible for him to be at an ordinary Western restaurant downstairs.