Chapter 25

Chapter 25:
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
When Candice regained her senses, she sprang up like a cat on a hot tin roof, feeling awkward and flustered. Hastily, she pulled out some tissues and wiped his lips.
“No.” Milton dodged her.
He stood up, then sat down again as if nothing had happened.
That left Candice feeling even more embarrassed than before.
She was sweating bullets.
After returning to her seat, Candice glared at Bettina. What was she playing at?
Bettina lowered her head and wrote a message on her phone.
“See? There are plenty of fish in the sea. Why not let go of Greyson? This man in front of you is perfect!”
Candice widened her eyes in disbelief. Was Bettina out of her mind? The man in front of her was as cold as ice and seemed to despise women.
Candice tried to apologize again, “It was really an accident just now. I’m sorry about your clothes…”
Milton cut her off, “Forget about it. I don’t need to change them.”
Candice hadn’t seen that coming. Didn’t he detest body contact? She had just kissed him on the lips, and he didn’t even bat an eye. Was he possibly changing?
“Ahem!” Raul felt he had to do something to ease the tension, so he cleared his throat and spoke up.
“Miss Reeves, I have to say, your firm has come a long way in just three years.”
Bettina, one of the owners of the law firm who handled its operations, took a sip of her juice and pointed at Candice.
“Of course! We have the crème de la crème right here. We’ll take good care of your case. You have nothing to worry about. And…”
Bettina paused, then continued, “Mr. Lopez, if you ever—”
“Need a private lawyer? She’s always available. Her phone is active 24 hours a day. You can bet she’ll do an excellent job.”
Let your mind wander with gⱯlnσν𝒆𝓁s﹒𝓬𝓸𝗺
“Ahem!” Candice almost choked on her orange juice. Was Bettina trying to pimp her out? What on earth was going through her head?
Active 24 hours a day?! She’d do a great job?! It sounded like a call girl.
Milton looked stunned.
Raul, too, was at a loss for words.
Didn’t Candy say they didn’t offer those services?
Could things get more awkward?
“I’ll think about it,” Milton said politely, trying to diffuse the tension.
Just then, the waiter arrived with their dishes. They had agreed to have a simple meal together, but the platters before them were anything but simple.
There was codfish, steak, scallops, lobster, goose liver, caviar, and all sorts of high-end delicacies on the table.
Raul exclaimed, “This is a celebration!”
Bettina sank her teeth into a succulent piece of beef, savoring every bite.
Meanwhile, Candice took a few mouthfuls, then checked her watch and decided she had to leave soon.
She had somewhere else to be. She glanced at the flowers she had set aside earlier and moved them closer to her.
Noticing Candice’s movements, Raul whispered to Milton in French, hoping to keep their conversation private, “You haven’t told me why she suddenly changed her mind and agreed to take our case.”
Milton, looking confused, replied in French, “Why are we suddenly speaking French?”
Raul whispered back, “Don’t you want to keep our conversation private? Do you think she’s really into you? It seems like she’s going to give you those flowers. Your charm must have worked its magic!”
Milton cleared his throat and responded haughtily, “You just noticed my charm today?”
Raul chuckled, “How did it feel holding her?”
“I didn’t feel anything.”
“Really? You didn’t push her away or change your clothes? That’s not like you at all.”
Milton grew irritated. “Shut your damn mouth!”
Raul continued, “She may seem cold, but she definitely has a romantic side. She’s going to give you those flowers. Are you going to accept them? Hey, piece of advice: don’t turn her down—not before the case is over.”
Milton reluctantly said, “I suppose I can accept them.”
He lifted his eyes and briefly regarded Candice.
She continued to eat in silence, uninterested in his French conversation with Raul.
When Candice finished her meal, she delicately wiped her lips with a napkin.
As she stood, she picked up the flowers beside her. Milton caught sight of them out of the corner of his eye, straightened up in his chair, and prepared to receive them.
However, Candice suddenly spoke in flawless French: “This restaurant has excellent food. Thank you for the lovely meal, Mr. Lopez and Mr. Hinks.”
What just happened?!
Raul’s fork clattered onto his plate.
His eyes widened in surprise.
Candice’s French was far better than his own.
Milton exchanged an awkward glance with Raul, both realizing that Candice had understood their earlier conversation.
They had underestimated her!
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