Bab 18: A glass of Aphrodisiac

Beep…beep…beep

Arianne was bombarded by the system, notices of the favorability points amassed from low star targets nearby. Her back was also punctured by their lecherous stares, wanting to strip her naked.

'Turn it off.' Arianne frowned and ordered the system.

[Alright] The system acquiesced and muted the sounds bothering her.

On the other hand, Laurence noticed the change in her expression and guessed the cause of it. To Arianne's surprise, the man stepped behind her and blocked those wanton gazes with his body, enframing her figure in the process. The two were compressed together with only their fabrics as a barrier.

Arianne could feel his temperature and heartbeat. It was not calm and rather pacing fast than normal.

Without her knowledge, Laurence spun his head and his eyes narrowed into golden slits laced with an ominous glint resembling those venomous snakes. His eyes that held deadly poison petrified those with malicious plans, and even those ladies who wanted to approach him averted their sight and returned to their wines and dishes. Not one of them was brave enough to challenge the predator.

Laurence snickered. Those who dine here are not some regular people. Each one could cause a splash whether it was in politics, the business world, or other sectors. Although his assets couldn't compare to the giants like Cromwell and Carter, it was enough to put a lid on their thoughts.

Amidst the tension in the dining room, Laurence led the beauty to the private room number 4.

"Captain, should we stop Miss Cromwell from going in?" A few meters from the restaurant's entrance, on a row of velvet seats, two men simultaneously looked at the captain, who's deep in contemplation.

The man's tightly knitted brows indicated he had difficulty in deciding.

"You must be Captain Hamed. I'm very pleased to meet you. Your heroic feats in Country X were very admirable." Carlisle had been on the scene from the moment Arianne had collided with Mr. Carter until Laurence escorted her into the restaurant. The picture of the man enframing her form and taking advantage of the situation was very detestable.

Carlisle finally knew the reason for Magnus' murderous look whenever Laurence's name was mentioned, and he also silently approved of it. Though Magnus' impression of the man might only scratch the surface because Carlisle discovered a very vile truth. This Laurence clearly wasn't all decent as he appeared to be. He dared not think deeper as the images emerging in his mind foul his mood.

"Mr. Hendricks?" The three traced the source of the voice and found the owner to be their employer's psychiatrist.

"I'm very honored to be recognized by you." Carlisle presented his hand.

Hamed accepted his introduction. "It's just a fluke. Mr. Hendricks is clearly more amazing than me." It was a genuine compliment.

"By the way, is Mr. Hamed on vacation right now?" Carlisle asked.

"No. We…are just sightseeing." Soldiers were very straightforward, there weren't trained to be deceiving like the cunning entrepreneurs. The pause in his speech and the slight movements in his pupils immediately confirm Carlisle's initial conjecture of him. They were really sent by Magnus.

"In this case, I will not bother you further. I also need to monitor someone." Carlisle bid his goodbye after dropping the statement.

"Alright. Have a good night, Mr. Hendricks." The three followed Carlisle's back, stepping inside the restaurant and slipping a card on the reception area. He was then led in to who knows where.

"Shouldn't he be in the Cromwell's Private Estate? What is he doing here? And who the heck is he monitoring?"

Hamed was drowned in speculations. However, he soon realized that their group and Carlisle had the same goal-monitoring Miss Cromwell. "He's good to go. Miss Cromwell must have allowed him to check on her, otherwise, with the young lady's personality, would she have revealed her appointments with the Rothschild's heir."

"Captain, you're right."

Carlisle was immediately cleared off suspicion, and this was precisely what the psychiatrist wanted to achieve.

In the far corner of the restaurant, a lady dressed in a fitting white gown enviously stared at Arianne's back being escorted by the handsome prince charming. His young girl's heart that often dreamed of being pursued by the likes of him beat fast.

"Annette, is the food not to your liking?" A hand caressed her, the fabric on her thighs.

Annette flinched and was disgusted inside, but she dare not show any of these in her face. "Not at all. I was just wondering why Arianne, my friend, was around, and with a stranger."

"Are you talking about the Cromwell's only princess? You're saying you're friends with her?" The man stopped and laughed full of disbelief. He clearly didn't take her words seriously.

"I'm saying the truth. She even went to help me this morning at my workplace." Annette didn't like his condescending attitude.

"Oh, what kind of help?" The man placed his chin on his left hand and kneaded her thighs with his other hand. He appeared serious, but deep inside he sneered. He was not a fool. This girl didn't like him a bit but still went to seduce him, acting coyly and shy. This way of trying to climb the society was outdated, he just wanted to experience a new thrill after getting bored from playing around.

"She…" Annette remembered that she offended Mr. Andrews this morning, no want wanted to help her except this man. She made up a lie to deceive him, "I was scolded by a customer and Arianne defended me." Anyway, the doomsday will come in six days, she just needed to coax him for money to purchase supplies in this span of time afterward, she'll dispose of him.

"In that case, how about sending her a toast of friendship?" The man increased the strength in his hand, making Annette winced in pain.

His violent temperament didn't match his gentle countenance. She picked him thinking he would treat her well, but this man didn't know how to pity girls at all. Under his merciless character, Annette's thighs and chests were bruised, and the pain between her legs still throbbed. She would rather not walk around and preferred to lie in the bed, but she was dragged by him to this restaurant. She wasn't even given the choice.

Too bad, the system didn't warn her of anything and didn't even send her his basic information; otherwise Annette would have chosen someone else.

"Isn't it just a toast, I will." Annette replied while thinking of the man holding the villainess just now. If she could seduce him, then it will be great. She had a hunch it was a high star target.

The man smiled sinisterly. He called out the waiter and whispered something in his ears.

The waiter nodded, and after a few minutes brought in a glass of fruity wine, the same wine that Rhett offered to Arianne. The waiter whispered the room number to him.

He waved his hand and slowly pushed the glass with his knuckles to Annette. "This if a wine is very mild and suitable for ladies. Your friend will like it very much. She's in private room number 4."

Annette raised the glass of wine and slowly took small steps in pain towards the direction the man had said. Her heart was full of anticipation. She began to envision herself in Arianne's position, basking in the honor of being accompanied by the green-haired prince.

The man covered his malicious laughter. This girl didn't even check the wine at all. She was only immersed in the thought of seducing the Rothschild's heir. She doesn't even look in a mirror. Which part of her flat body made her so confident that she will successfully entrap the man? Didn't she see that she didn't possess even a tenth of Arianne Cromwell's beauty?

"The dose?" The man tapped the table with his finger.

"It's 5 ml like you requested. Sir, I could be killed after this." The waiter replied while nervously looking around.

"What are you afraid of? Laurence is not the type to be played around by a little girl." The man stood up. Although, Laurence was quite different tonight, his affectionate look was almost genuine. The man scoffed.

After having his fill of wicked joy, the man left the restaurant, waiting for a show about to erupt.

The waiter cleaned the table and went to the kitchen. He hoped no one will come and investigate the matter.