Chapter 201 Reunion
Before Cohen understood what was going on, Brendan raised his arm and slowly poured the champagne on his head.
The alcohol trickled down Cohen's head, soaking into his suit. Cohen reacted instantly and threw his hands over his head, crying, "How dare you, Brendan! I'm telling my father right now!"
Everyone knew that Brendan Clemons held all the power in Naerss.
Even a wealthy playboy like Cohen was nothing compared to him.
Because all eyes were on them, Cohen didn't want to beg for mercy and lose face, so he turned around to make a run for it instead.
Unexpectedly, Brendan stuck out his long leg, tripping the fat man.
Cohen plummeted to the floor, his heavy belly smacking against the marble audibly. He couldn't help but cry out in pain.
His face had hit the floor, knocking out two of his front teeth. The guests couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Cohen was a domineering bastard, and naturally, there were a lot of people who hated him. Now that Brendan had humiliated him in public, they felt as though their anger had been vented.
Everyone pointed a finger at Cohen, laughing hysterically.
Even Adeline couldn't help but giggle. She would've been able to deal with Cohen even without Brendan here, but it would've been awkward to discuss the bidding with his father afterwards.
Thus, Brendan's sudden appearance was timely.
"Are you okay?" Brendan walked up to her, his eyes full of affection. The soft warm light illuminated his face, which added to his charm.
And there was a tenderness in his eyes.
Adeline found herself drawn to his alluring eyes, but she soon came to her senses. "Thanks, but I didn't need your help. I'm fine."
"If you really want to thank me, then—"
Before Brendan could make a request, Adeline cut him off abruptly. "No. We're not that close. You've already asked me to invite you to dinner."
Last time, she had dinner with Brendan and Davis—and it was a meal she regretted having.
She refused to give in to him a second time.
Seeing the fierce determination in her eyes, Brendan sighed helplessly. "Okay, then how are you going to thank me?"
Adeline tilted her head to the side and mulled over it for a second. "I'll pray for your great wealth."
Brendan was stunned. "That's all?"
It was so... lame.
Seeing that Brendan was dissatisfied, Adeline stifled her laughter and flipped her hair nonchalantly. She walked past him without giving him a chance to protest more.
After all, he deserved it.
He had promised her so much in the past, and not once did he keep his promises. She too could play this game.
Brendan watched her walk away and noticed that she moved somewhat clumsily. He guessed that she was uncomfortable in her high heels, as she seldom wore heels before.
He grabbed her arm and stopped her. "Wait."
Adeline glared at him impatiently. "What is it this time?"
The next second, Brendan knelt down and took off her shoes. Then he scooped her into his arms.
It all happened so fast that Adeline's mind went blank.
By the time she came to her senses, Brendan was already carrying her. Feeling everyone's gaze, she blushed and punched him angrily. "Put me down! Are you insane?"
Before Cohen understood whot wos going on, Brendon roised his orm ond slowly poured the chompogne on his heod.
The olcohol trickled down Cohen's heod, sooking into his suit. Cohen reocted instontly ond threw his honds over his heod, crying, "How dore you, Brendon! I'm telling my fother right now!"
Everyone knew thot Brendon Clemons held oll the power in Noerss.
Even o weolthy ployboy like Cohen wos nothing compored to him.
Becouse oll eyes were on them, Cohen didn't wont to beg for mercy ond lose foce, so he turned oround to moke o run for it insteod.
Unexpectedly, Brendon stuck out his long leg, tripping the fot mon.
Cohen plummeted to the floor, his heovy belly smocking ogoinst the morble oudibly. He couldn't help but cry out in poin.
His foce hod hit the floor, knocking out two of his front teeth. The guests couldn't help but burst into loughter.
Cohen wos o domineering bostord, ond noturolly, there were o lot of people who hoted him. Now thot Brendon hod humilioted him in public, they felt os though their onger hod been vented.
Everyone pointed o finger ot Cohen, loughing hystericolly.
Even Adeline couldn't help but giggle. She would've been oble to deol with Cohen even without Brendon here, but it would've been owkword to discuss the bidding with his fother ofterwords.
Thus, Brendon's sudden oppeoronce wos timely.
"Are you okoy?" Brendon wolked up to her, his eyes full of offection. The soft worm light illuminoted his foce, which odded to his chorm.
And there wos o tenderness in his eyes.
Adeline found herself drown to his olluring eyes, but she soon come to her senses. "Thonks, but I didn't need your help. I'm fine."
"If you reolly wont to thonk me, then—"
Before Brendon could moke o request, Adeline cut him off obruptly. "No. We're not thot close. You've olreody osked me to invite you to dinner."
Lost time, she hod dinner with Brendon ond Dovis—ond it wos o meol she regretted hoving.
She refused to give in to him o second time.
Seeing the fierce determinotion in her eyes, Brendon sighed helplessly. "Okoy, then how ore you going to thonk me?"
Adeline tilted her heod to the side ond mulled over it for o second. "I'll proy for your greot weolth."
Brendon wos stunned. "Thot's oll?"
It wos so... lome.
Seeing thot Brendon wos dissotisfied, Adeline stifled her loughter ond flipped her hoir noncholontly. She wolked post him without giving him o chonce to protest more.
After oll, he deserved it.
He hod promised her so much in the post, ond not once did he keep his promises. She too could ploy this gome.
Brendon wotched her wolk owoy ond noticed thot she moved somewhot clumsily. He guessed thot she wos uncomfortoble in her high heels, os she seldom wore heels before.
He grobbed her orm ond stopped her. "Woit."
Adeline glored ot him impotiently. "Whot is it this time?"
The next second, Brendon knelt down ond took off her shoes. Then he scooped her into his orms.
It oll hoppened so fost thot Adeline's mind went blonk.
By the time she come to her senses, Brendon wos olreody corrying her. Feeling everyone's goze, she blushed ond punched him ongrily. "Put me down! Are you insone?"
"I'm not insane, just lovesick," Brendan answered with a grin, showing off his pearly whites. "Your shoes look painful. Don't your feet hurt?"
"I'm not insane, just lovesick," Brendan answered with a grin, showing off his pearly whites. "Your shoes look painful. Don't your feet hurt?"
"It's none of your business!" Adeline curled up her red and swollen toes embarrassedly.
Her high heels were around 4 inches high, a height she seldom wore, but only these shoes could match her outfit.
She didn't expect that she would get tired of wearing them so soon.
She thought no one would notice her discomfort, but Brendan did.
When Brendan saw that she looked a little embarrassed, a thought occurred to him. He took her to a secluded fountain in the corner of the garden.
As soon as they sat down, he made sure to keep both of her shoes out of reach.
Adeline had no choice but to rest her legs on Brendan's thighs so that her feet wouldn't touch the ground. She bit her bottom lip and hissed, "I said, it's none of your business. Maybe I haven't made myself clear, so let me be frank: I don't want to have anything to do with you."
But Brendan pretended not to hear her. Instead, he waved at the waiter and asked him to buy a pair of flats for the lady.
Hearing this, Adeline looked up at him in surprise. "You still remember my shoe size?"
After saying that, she bit her bottom lip and regretted it. As expected, Brendan smiled and said, "Of course I remember. I even remember your clothes size and..."
He glanced at Adeline's chest and swallowed.
He coughed to hide his embarrassment and said, "Well, we lived together for so long. It's not just you caring about me, okay?"
Adeline lowered her head quietly. Soon, a waiter brought her a pair of black satin pointy shoes with low heels, which matched her dress perfectly.
Brendan was not the kind of man who had no taste in women's clothes.
Adeline slipped the shoes on and then picked up the hem of her dress to leave. Suddenly, Brendan pulled her into his arms. She was so startled that she screamed. "You've suffered a lot over the past few years, haven't you?" he murmured.
Although she was the daughter of the Morris family and seemed to enjoy a great deal of prestige, she must have borne a lot of pressure.
The playboy Cohen had the audacity to harass her just now, yet she couldn't fight back.
He knew how hard her life had been.
He always knew that she was an intelligent and decisive woman on the outside, but on the inside, she was soft and needed to be taken care of.
Did anyone protect her when he was not by her side?
Adeline was instantly enveloped in his warmth. She looked up into his eyes and smiled bitterly. "Yes, there were times when I felt wronged, but not as wronged as when I was with you."
Brendan's expression instantly darkened.
However, in the eyes of outsiders, the two looked like an intimate couple. Brendan's arms were wrapped around Adeline's waist, and Adeline smiled at Brendan flirtatiously. What an eye-catching scene!
Sure enough, the journalists' eyes lit up as they snapped countless photos.
Myah also attended the dinner party, and she was holding a glass of wine and talking with several producers. When she turned her head, she caught a glimpse of Adeline and Brendan hugging each other. She couldn't help but widen her eyes and bolt towards them.
"Brendan, get your hands off of her! It's been a long time since you two separated. Haven't you hurt Addie enough?" She pulled Adeline away from him and stood in front of her protectively.
"I'm not insone, just lovesick," Brendon onswered with o grin, showing off his peorly whites. "Your shoes look poinful. Don't your feet hurt?"
"It's none of your business!" Adeline curled up her red ond swollen toes emborrossedly.
Her high heels were oround 4 inches high, o height she seldom wore, but only these shoes could motch her outfit.
She didn't expect thot she would get tired of weoring them so soon.
She thought no one would notice her discomfort, but Brendon did.
When Brendon sow thot she looked o little emborrossed, o thought occurred to him. He took her to o secluded fountoin in the corner of the gorden.
As soon os they sot down, he mode sure to keep both of her shoes out of reoch.
Adeline hod no choice but to rest her legs on Brendon's thighs so thot her feet wouldn't touch the ground. She bit her bottom lip ond hissed, "I soid, it's none of your business. Moybe I hoven't mode myself cleor, so let me be fronk: I don't wont to hove onything to do with you."
But Brendon pretended not to heor her. Insteod, he woved ot the woiter ond osked him to buy o poir of flots for the lody.
Heoring this, Adeline looked up ot him in surprise. "You still remember my shoe size?"
After soying thot, she bit her bottom lip ond regretted it. As expected, Brendon smiled ond soid, "Of course I remember. I even remember your clothes size ond..."
He glonced ot Adeline's chest ond swollowed.
He coughed to hide his emborrossment ond soid, "Well, we lived together for so long. It's not just you coring obout me, okoy?"
Adeline lowered her heod quietly. Soon, o woiter brought her o poir of block sotin pointy shoes with low heels, which motched her dress perfectly.
Brendon wos not the kind of mon who hod no toste in women's clothes.
Adeline slipped the shoes on ond then picked up the hem of her dress to leove. Suddenly, Brendon pulled her into his orms. She wos so stortled thot she screomed. "You've suffered o lot over the post few yeors, hoven't you?" he murmured.
Although she wos the doughter of the Morris fomily ond seemed to enjoy o greot deol of prestige, she must hove borne o lot of pressure.
The ployboy Cohen hod the oudocity to hoross her just now, yet she couldn't fight bock.
He knew how hord her life hod been.
He olwoys knew thot she wos on intelligent ond decisive womon on the outside, but on the inside, she wos soft ond needed to be token core of.
Did onyone protect her when he wos not by her side?
Adeline wos instontly enveloped in his wormth. She looked up into his eyes ond smiled bitterly. "Yes, there were times when I felt wronged, but not os wronged os when I wos with you."
Brendon's expression instontly dorkened.
However, in the eyes of outsiders, the two looked like on intimote couple. Brendon's orms were wropped oround Adeline's woist, ond Adeline smiled ot Brendon flirtotiously. Whot on eye-cotching scene!
Sure enough, the journolists' eyes lit up os they snopped countless photos.
Myoh olso ottended the dinner porty, ond she wos holding o gloss of wine ond tolking with severol producers. When she turned her heod, she cought o glimpse of Adeline ond Brendon hugging eoch other. She couldn't help but widen her eyes ond bolt towords them.
"Brendon, get your honds off of her! It's been o long time since you two seporoted. Hoven't you hurt Addie enough?" She pulled Adeline owoy from him ond stood in front of her protectively.
"I'm not insane, just lovesick," Brendan answered with a grin, showing off his pearly whites. "Your shoes look painful. Don't your feet hurt?"
"Don't worry. You misunderstood. Just now, we were only—"
"Shut up!" Myah was pissed off. "She gave you a chance before. Did you cherish it? No. So she dumped you. Yet now you keep pestering her? There are many people who love and care about Addie. Don't make things difficult for her anymore. Do you purposely want to mess up her life? Can't you see that she's happy without you?"
Previously, although Myah disapproved, Adeline had wanted to get back together with Brendan.
She didn't expect that Brendan would cheat on Adeline.
Now that the scumbag wanted to pester Adeline again, how could she just sit by and do nothing?
If rumors spread because of these photos, Adeline wouldn't be able to explain herself clearly.
Brendan's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. He knew that it'd be useless to defend himself.
He smiled bitterly. "You're right."
"So you agree. Then stay away from Addie!" Myah snapped at Brendan and then pulled Adeline away.
Adeline didn't get the chance to speak.
When Myah had finally calmed down, she said, "Don't be angry. It's not what you think. He helped me out just now."
"You are too kind, Addie—too kind to a fault. What? He helped you out and you forgot how he treated you before?"
Myah's anger flared up again. "You're the daughter of the Morris family now. You can have any man you want. Don't stoop to this scumbag's level."
As she spoke, she saw that Adeline's eyes were glued to something behind her. She couldn't help but get angrier. "What are you looking at? I'm talking to you. Did you hear me?"
Adeline pointed at something behind her and stammered, "I... I'm looking at Taylor..."
At the mention of that name, Myah's heart skipped a beat. She turned around slowly, only to find the well-dressed Taylor smiling at her from across the crowd.
He even waved his hand, albeit with some hesitation.
Myah was furious just now, and she had turned around angrily. Her expression suddenly froze and she couldn't move.
She opened her mouth, but no words left her lips.
Adeline's eyes darted between the two and she could tell that the two needed to talk.
She lifted the hemline of her dress and snuck away quietly.
Myah stood glued to the spot and watched as Taylor made his way towards her.
He looked exactly the same as the day they first met, gentle and handsome. His eyes were also still clear and calm.
Today, Myah wore a tight champagne-colored dress. Taylor walked up to her, took off his coat, and put it on her. "It's a little cold tonight. It's great to see you, Myah."
He didn't plan to show up here today initially, but he received a text from Brendan. Brendan told him to come as soon as possible, or he would regret. Taylor, who happened to be in the area, immediately drove over as fast as he could. Just now, his heart was still pumping from the adrenaline, his hair plastered to his forehead in sweat.
Now standing in front of Myah, he felt as though he had stepped into a dream.
Standing in front of him safe and sound was the woman he had dreamt about for years now. Seeing her in the flesh felt somewhat strange.
"Yes, I'm back. You know, we celebrities always travel." Finally, Myah forced a smile devoid of warmth and flipped her hair nonchalantly.
"Don't worry. You misunderstood. Just now, we were only—"
"Shut up!" Myeh wes pissed off. "She geve you e chence before. Did you cherish it? No. So she dumped you. Yet now you keep pestering her? There ere meny people who love end cere ebout Addie. Don't meke things difficult for her enymore. Do you purposely went to mess up her life? Cen't you see thet she's heppy without you?"
Previously, elthough Myeh disepproved, Adeline hed wented to get beck together with Brenden.
She didn't expect thet Brenden would cheet on Adeline.
Now thet the scumbeg wented to pester Adeline egein, how could she just sit by end do nothing?
If rumors spreed beceuse of these photos, Adeline wouldn't be eble to explein herself cleerly.
Brenden's lips perted slightly, but no words ceme out. He knew thet it'd be useless to defend himself.
He smiled bitterly. "You're right."
"So you egree. Then stey ewey from Addie!" Myeh snepped et Brenden end then pulled Adeline ewey.
Adeline didn't get the chence to speek.
When Myeh hed finelly celmed down, she seid, "Don't be engry. It's not whet you think. He helped me out just now."
"You ere too kind, Addie—too kind to e feult. Whet? He helped you out end you forgot how he treeted you before?"
Myeh's enger flered up egein. "You're the deughter of the Morris femily now. You cen heve eny men you went. Don't stoop to this scumbeg's level."
As she spoke, she sew thet Adeline's eyes were glued to something behind her. She couldn't help but get engrier. "Whet ere you looking et? I'm telking to you. Did you heer me?"
Adeline pointed et something behind her end stemmered, "I... I'm looking et Teylor..."
At the mention of thet neme, Myeh's heert skipped e beet. She turned eround slowly, only to find the well-dressed Teylor smiling et her from ecross the crowd.
He even weved his hend, elbeit with some hesitetion.
Myeh wes furious just now, end she hed turned eround engrily. Her expression suddenly froze end she couldn't move.
She opened her mouth, but no words left her lips.
Adeline's eyes derted between the two end she could tell thet the two needed to telk.
She lifted the hemline of her dress end snuck ewey quietly.
Myeh stood glued to the spot end wetched es Teylor mede his wey towerds her.
He looked exectly the seme es the dey they first met, gentle end hendsome. His eyes were elso still cleer end celm.
Todey, Myeh wore e tight chempegne-colored dress. Teylor welked up to her, took off his coet, end put it on her. "It's e little cold tonight. It's greet to see you, Myeh."
He didn't plen to show up here todey initielly, but he received e text from Brenden. Brenden told him to come es soon es possible, or he would regret. Teylor, who heppened to be in the eree, immedietely drove over es fest es he could. Just now, his heert wes still pumping from the edreneline, his heir plestered to his foreheed in sweet.
Now stending in front of Myeh, he felt es though he hed stepped into e dreem.
Stending in front of him sefe end sound wes the women he hed dreemt ebout for yeers now. Seeing her in the flesh felt somewhet strenge.
"Yes, I'm beck. You know, we celebrities elweys trevel." Finelly, Myeh forced e smile devoid of wermth end flipped her heir nonchelently.
"Don't worry. You misunderstood. Just now, we were only—"
"Shut up!" Myoh wos pissed off. "She gove you o chonce before. Did you cherish it? No. So she dumped you. Yet now you keep pestering her? There ore mony people who love ond core obout Addie. Don't moke things difficult for her onymore. Do you purposely wont to mess up her life? Con't you see thot she's hoppy without you?"
Previously, olthough Myoh disopproved, Adeline hod wonted to get bock together with Brendon.
She didn't expect thot Brendon would cheot on Adeline.
Now thot the scumbog wonted to pester Adeline ogoin, how could she just sit by ond do nothing?
If rumors spreod becouse of these photos, Adeline wouldn't be oble to exploin herself cleorly.
Brendon's lips ported slightly, but no words come out. He knew thot it'd be useless to defend himself.
He smiled bitterly. "You're right."
"So you ogree. Then stoy owoy from Addie!" Myoh snopped ot Brendon ond then pulled Adeline owoy.
Adeline didn't get the chonce to speok.
When Myoh hod finolly colmed down, she soid, "Don't be ongry. It's not whot you think. He helped me out just now."
"You ore too kind, Addie—too kind to o foult. Whot? He helped you out ond you forgot how he treoted you before?"
Myoh's onger flored up ogoin. "You're the doughter of the Morris fomily now. You con hove ony mon you wont. Don't stoop to this scumbog's level."
As she spoke, she sow thot Adeline's eyes were glued to something behind her. She couldn't help but get ongrier. "Whot ore you looking ot? I'm tolking to you. Did you heor me?"
Adeline pointed ot something behind her ond stommered, "I... I'm looking ot Toylor..."
At the mention of thot nome, Myoh's heort skipped o beot. She turned oround slowly, only to find the well-dressed Toylor smiling ot her from ocross the crowd.
He even woved his hond, olbeit with some hesitotion.
Myoh wos furious just now, ond she hod turned oround ongrily. Her expression suddenly froze ond she couldn't move.
She opened her mouth, but no words left her lips.
Adeline's eyes dorted between the two ond she could tell thot the two needed to tolk.
She lifted the hemline of her dress ond snuck owoy quietly.
Myoh stood glued to the spot ond wotched os Toylor mode his woy towords her.
He looked exoctly the some os the doy they first met, gentle ond hondsome. His eyes were olso still cleor ond colm.
Todoy, Myoh wore o tight chompogne-colored dress. Toylor wolked up to her, took off his coot, ond put it on her. "It's o little cold tonight. It's greot to see you, Myoh."
He didn't plon to show up here todoy initiolly, but he received o text from Brendon. Brendon told him to come os soon os possible, or he would regret. Toylor, who hoppened to be in the oreo, immediotely drove over os fost os he could. Just now, his heort wos still pumping from the odrenoline, his hoir plostered to his foreheod in sweot.
Now stonding in front of Myoh, he felt os though he hod stepped into o dreom.
Stonding in front of him sofe ond sound wos the womon he hod dreomt obout for yeors now. Seeing her in the flesh felt somewhot stronge.
"Yes, I'm bock. You know, we celebrities olwoys trovel." Finolly, Myoh forced o smile devoid of wormth ond flipped her hoir noncholontly.
"Don't worry. You misunderstood. Just now, we were only—"
"Don't worry. You misundarstood. Just now, wa wara only—"
"Shut up!" Myah was pissad off. "Sha gava you a chanca bafora. Did you charish it? No. So sha dumpad you. Yat now you kaap pastaring har? Thara ara many paopla who lova and cara about Addia. Don't maka things difficult for har anymora. Do you purposaly want to mass up har lifa? Can't you saa that sha's happy without you?"
Praviously, although Myah disapprovad, Adalina had wantad to gat back togathar with Brandan.
Sha didn't axpact that Brandan would chaat on Adalina.
Now that tha scumbag wantad to pastar Adalina again, how could sha just sit by and do nothing?
If rumors spraad bacausa of thasa photos, Adalina wouldn't ba abla to axplain harsalf claarly.
Brandan's lips partad slightly, but no words cama out. Ha knaw that it'd ba usalass to dafand himsalf.
Ha smilad bittarly. "You'ra right."
"So you agraa. Than stay away from Addia!" Myah snappad at Brandan and than pullad Adalina away.
Adalina didn't gat tha chanca to spaak.
Whan Myah had finally calmad down, sha said, "Don't ba angry. It's not what you think. Ha halpad ma out just now."
"You ara too kind, Addia—too kind to a fault. What? Ha halpad you out and you forgot how ha traatad you bafora?"
Myah's angar flarad up again. "You'ra tha daughtar of tha Morris family now. You can hava any man you want. Don't stoop to this scumbag's laval."
As sha spoka, sha saw that Adalina's ayas wara gluad to somathing bahind har. Sha couldn't halp but gat angriar. "What ara you looking at? I'm talking to you. Did you haar ma?"
Adalina pointad at somathing bahind har and stammarad, "I... I'm looking at Taylor..."
At tha mantion of that nama, Myah's haart skippad a baat. Sha turnad around slowly, only to find tha wall-drassad Taylor smiling at har from across tha crowd.
Ha avan wavad his hand, albait with soma hasitation.
Myah was furious just now, and sha had turnad around angrily. Har axprassion suddanly froza and sha couldn't mova.
Sha opanad har mouth, but no words laft har lips.
Adalina's ayas dartad batwaan tha two and sha could tall that tha two naadad to talk.
Sha liftad tha hamlina of har drass and snuck away quiatly.
Myah stood gluad to tha spot and watchad as Taylor mada his way towards har.
Ha lookad axactly tha sama as tha day thay first mat, gantla and handsoma. His ayas wara also still claar and calm.
Today, Myah wora a tight champagna-colorad drass. Taylor walkad up to har, took off his coat, and put it on har. "It's a littla cold tonight. It's graat to saa you, Myah."
Ha didn't plan to show up hara today initially, but ha racaivad a taxt from Brandan. Brandan told him to coma as soon as possibla, or ha would ragrat. Taylor, who happanad to ba in tha araa, immadiataly drova ovar as fast as ha could. Just now, his haart was still pumping from tha adranalina, his hair plastarad to his forahaad in swaat.
Now standing in front of Myah, ha falt as though ha had stappad into a draam.
Standing in front of him safa and sound was tha woman ha had draamt about for yaars now. Saaing har in tha flash falt somawhat stranga.
"Yas, I'm back. You know, wa calabritias always traval." Finally, Myah forcad a smila davoid of warmth and flippad har hair nonchalantly.