Chapter 14 We Will Meet Again (1/2)

Leena was in such a state of shock, she found herself at a loss for words. She couldn't help but stare at Alina in awe. It was the legendary goddess herself! This was just too unbelievable to be true. She recalled how she'd known about her through Carlson just the night before. She had mentioned how she wanted to meet Alina someday, but she never thought she'd get to meet her so soon.

Leena admired her a lot. Thus, she felt honored to be in Alina's presence, almost jealous, even.

Leena shook herself out of her trance and stuck out her hand. ”It's so nice to meet you, Miss Alina! I didn't expect it was you.”

”You didn't expect it was me?” Alina echoed with a wry smile, shaking Leena's outstretched hand. ”Did you know me?” Leena could feel herself getting lost in Alina's big, beautiful eyes.

”Not really,” she replied, quickly gathering her bearings. ”It's just that I've heard a lot of great things about you.”

”From whom? Carlson?” Alina asked, taking a sip from her wine. If Leena wasn't mistaken, she could've sworn there was a hint of sadness in Alina's tone.

”Yes,” Leena replied cautiously.

”Carlson really does love this place,” Leena started to say, staring blankly into space. Snapping back to reality, she looked at Leena seriously. ”Do you know why I came here to see you?”

Before Leena could answer, a young man approached them. He was dressed decently, but his shirt collar was a bit tousled up from drinking. ”Our boss has his eyes set on you, Miss. Why don't you go meet him?” he said, as though he were ordering Alina. Alina ignored him. Impatiently, he snapped, ”Do you have any idea who our boss is?”

Leena glanced at the direction the guy came from and quickly guessed that his boss was the one who was staying in the VIP room. However, before she could say anything, Alina had rolled her eyes and said to the guy, ”Me? Go to your boss? Tell him to come over here.”

”How dare you!” the man said angrily. ”Don't you know who I am?” He let out a string of expletives, so crass that Leena winced. She stood up abruptly and strode over to the man who was harassing Alina, placing herself in between them.

”Go ahead, call your boss over,” Alina said calmly while sipping from her glass of wine.

”I know how important Mr. Zhang is in A city, but that doesn't give him, or anyone for that matter, a right to disrespect this lady right here,” Leena hissed into the young man's ear.

The young man completely disregarded what she said and continued to force Alina to head over to his boss. Alina didn't budge, though. Finally, the young man went back to report to his boss, Mr. Zhang. This infuriated him, so he headed to where Alina was sitting. However, when he got there, he seemed to be totally smitten by the beauty before him.

Leena shook her head helplessly. To her, Mr. Zhang was just a local rich businessman who acted like a tyrant relying on his distant relative who was also a government official. He didn't know that Alina had a more powerful background. If Carlson was right, Alina was his brother's girlfriend. And who was his brother? The boss of the Empire Group.

”Miss Alina, as I live and breathe,” Mr. Zhang said in a sweet voice, bowing deeply towards her. The people around the bar counter, who had all been watching quietly, were all stunned that Mr. Zhang lowered his head for her.

Alina looked at him with a sly smile. ”Mr. Zhang, here you are, behaving like you own the world or something,” she scolded playfully, though there was a certain viciousness in her eyes.

”Miss Alina, I didn't know it was you,” Mr. Zhang said hastily. ”What brings you here?”

”Why? Am I not allowed to be here?”

”No, not at all! That's not what I meant!” he said helplessly.

”Didn't you just want me to be your escort?” Alina asked, narrowing her eyes at the man.

Mr. Zhang hurriedly held his hands up. ”No, no. I didn't know it was you!”

Alina smiled and picked up her wine glass. Walking towards Mr. Zhang, she asked, ”Mr. Zhang, may I propose a toast?”