Chapter 1309

Crap. There was zero chance of escaping now.

Forced to sit down, Luella deliberately chose a seat as far away from Jimmie as humanly possible to minimize the awkwardness.

Watching their bizarre dynamic, Juniper was utterly confused.

Luella was being incredibly quiet today. And Jimmie was acting strange too. He wasn't even trading insults with her. They were surprisingly... harmonious.

"Shanley, don't you think those two are acting really weird?" Juniper leaned in and whispered in Shanley's ear.

"A little." Shanley pinched her nose affectionately, unable to hold back a smirk. "Just eat your food. We have a show to watch after this."

"What show?" Juniper asked.

"A huge one!" Shanley replied.

If she didn't eat now, she might completely lose her appetite once the truth came out!

At the dining table, Juniper asked Jimmie for the third time what he wanted to talk about.

"Relationship stuff," Jimmie said flatly.

The piece of rib Luella had just picked up slipped from her fork and splashed right back into her bowl. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

Was the pretty boy actually going to confess right here and now?

"I recently fell for someone," Jimmie announced without skipping a beat.

The entire table turned to look at him, including the person in question.

"Huh?" Juniper hadn't processed it yet. She blinked in confusion. "Since when? Who is it?"

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Luella erupted into a fit of coughing, completely derailing Juniper's line of questioning.

"Recently." Jimmie ignored Luella's theatrics and pressed on. "I just came by today to get your blessing."

"So..."

Luella stood up abruptly, fumbling with her silverware, looking everywhere but at him. "I'm going to use the restroom. You guys go ahead and eat."

Juniper put down her fork, staring at Luella in bewilderment. She was acting completely unhinged today.

"Go on," Juniper turned back to Jimmie. "Who is she? And why do you need my permission?"

"I'm going to use the restroom too." Jimmie stood up with a polite smile. "I'll use the guest one."

"Make yourself at home." Shanley nodded coolly, returning to putting food on Juniper's plate. "Ignore them. Let's just eat."

Juniper nibbled on a rib, staring at the two empty chairs. She fell into deep thought.

Inside the restroom.

Luella pushed the window open, plotting a stealthy escape.

She looked down.

Her legs instantly turned to jelly, and she silently retreated.

It was way too high. If she jumped, she'd end up as a splattered mess on the pavement.

She paced back and forth across the tiles, resigning herself to the fact that whatever happens, happens. You can't outrun fate. It wasn't her fault he liked her. She hadn't deliberately seduced him.

With that logic in mind, she reached for the handle, ready to walk out. But the moment she pulled the door open, a dark figure wedged his way inside.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Terrified by the sudden ambush, Luella lost her nerve.

"I have a question for you." He stepped closer, his expression dangerously intense. "Why have you been intentionally hiding from me lately?"

"I told you I've been busy. Why

would hide from you?" She baject

up against the wall, trying to

absolute calm. "Jimmie, this is getting ridiculous."

"Because you like me too."

He locked his gaze onto her face, emphasizing every single word. "You like me, so

you've been deliberately keeping your distance, right?"

"I have not!"

She panicked, forcing a spectacularly ugly smile in denial.

"You do!"

He closed the gap between them, leaning down so his eyes were level with hers. His voice was a low, seductive draw! I'm a professional actor Did you really think you could act your way out of this in front of me?"

sŵnovels

"Luella, you're blushing!"

IMS