(Chapter 116) Caught In A Lie

Francesca felt a blush creep onto her face, she turned away from Leone's bright face. And then her eyes suddenly widened.

"Oops, I think we have been spotted." Astrid laughed to Lewis, who in return smiled.

"What's the matter?" Leone asked seeing Francesca's exaggerated expression, he then turned his head to where Francesca was looking...

"... Bro?" Leone felt his voice crack, as he saw the two familiar faces of Astrid and Lewis sitting not too far away at a table...

"I think we should go say hello, maybe we should go on a double date in the future." Astrid wiped her face and put out a suggestion to Lewis.

Lewis thought about it... "Sure, are you finished?" He asked, knowing full well Astrid's stomach can hold more than what she had eaten.

Astrid puffed her cheeks. "Yes. I'm done, I feel like a pig when I eat with you!" Astrid complained, with a very sweet voice.

Lewis just chuckled. He didn't know how Astrid could eat so much, maybe it was because she used her brain so much? But he did know that he enjoyed her eating in front of him...

'Maybe I should start cooking for her?' Lewis inwardly thought, as Astrid then stood up.

Astrid walked over to the stunned Francesca and Leone with a smile on her face. "No we didn't follow you before you say anything, we are on a date. I can only guess what you two are here looking like that hmm?" Astrid was in an excellent mood today, something the two people sitting down hadn't seen in a while.

In fact, Astrid was always relatively quiet and not someone to tease others. But with Lewis beside her, she could project more of her emotions...

*Cough* "We are just eating, just eating." Francesca hurriedly explained with a shy look on her face. Making Leone look at her with a look in his eyes. While Astrid just nodded.

"I see... Just eating huh... Well, enjoy your food then." Astrid gave a knowing smile to Leone, seeing as she just caught Francesca in a blatant lie.

Leone seemed to have some boosted confidence seeing the look from Astrid. Almost as if she told him to go for it. But when he saw Lewis come up and hold Astrid by her arm so naturally, he was left dazed.

'Is that how couples act? Bro is so nonchalant and casual! And even Astrid has a smile on her face!' Leone then felt a hit to his male pride, as his formerly estranged older brother found a girlfriend before him...

Astrid leaned into Lewis and then they started to walk away, until Astrid suddenly stopped and turned to Francesca. "Don't worry about that bitch. I have every sorted." Those words were so cold, it even made the coffee on the table shiver.

Leone hitched his breath hearing Astrid's tone. He had learned a little about what Astrid was capable of... And he honestly was a little scared of that. But since Astrid would never hurt a friend... He felt he would overlook that.

While Francesca quietly nodded. Her manager had released news about Louise's feats on to the internet. Francesca felt that Astrid must have had a say on her news staying on the internet for so long. Since she knew Auxil and Hanxi had a relationship together, but wasn't sure of other details.

In that regard, Astrid was a bad friend. She didn't tell them anything of her power and reach across the world, the number of businesses that could crumble under her were uncountable. And something as minor as keeping a woman's dirty deeds on the internet was nothing to her.

Not only did Astrid own the business that controlled most of the internet in the world, but she also was a top hacker. Her team of hackers had only improved under her leadership, but they still kept loyal, as she was clearly their superior in that regard.

"Anyway, enjoy your 'meal' together, I'll make sure everything is ready for the banquet at the end of the week." Astrid then turned with a shifting smile on her face. As both her and Lewis walked together in an embrace.

Leone smiled and nodded. "Where would you like to eat?" He asked Francesca, totally understanding Astrid's hints.

Francesca frowned as she turned back to Leone. "What do you mean?" She only wanted to talk about what happened. Not also go to eat!

Leone then knocked on the table softly. "You told your friend that we were eating together... So what do you want to eat?" And then, Francesca realized she put herself into a trap.

.......

Astrid had a few looks while walking out of the cafe. Of course, people were interested in her eye. But many just thought it was fake so apart from initial surprise or a look of amazement, they then only paid attention to the combination of her and Lewis walking together.

"Ahhh, I need to go to Hanxi. I'm afraid my dad will go mad if I don't show my face in the office soon." Astrid sighed when she got in the car.

Lewis hummed in response, starting the car. "Are you finally going to reveal the genius creator of many electronic products that have advanced society 10 years?" Lewis asked with slight teasing in his voice.

"Mmm, I guess I never confirmed it for you did I?" Astrid realized that she never directly told Lewis that she wasn't the same Astrid. Although in some of her ways before, she might have blurted it out.

Lewis drove calmly. "Not really, although it wasn't that hard to tell from the first time you got drunk... Is the alcohol in this world that strong?" Lewis asked quite casually.

Astrid was relieved knowing it didn't really bother him. "I guess so? I was trained to not become drunk in case I was on a mission requiring to drink... The world I was in was similar and different in many ways. Some languages are different, some borders are different, the money is calculated differently. But there is one clear difference about this world than the other."

"What is that?" Lewis asked in intrigue, he would be lying if he wasn't interested in the place 'Astrid' came from.

"Ahhh... I guess the pollution is much better. The earth is treated better. More minerals in the earth, cleaner water, cooler summers and not as harsh weather." Astrid responded with some glee in her voice.

Lewis detected that and was happy, happy knowing Astrid enjoyed this world... "Is that why you enjoy sitting in a garden so much?" Lewis asked, but he quickly realized the answer.

"Yeah... Before I never had the chance to see nature. I was stuck indoors in a science room for many years..." Astrid's voice trailed off at the end.

She didn't want to remember those things, she loved her life now. She found a reason to live, she found a person she could love with her heart. A person who also loved her with everything he had. Although she was obviously not 'normal' that didn't matter to him.

Lewis noticed Astrid's shift in mood when she mentioned her former life. He gripped the steering wheel harder unconsciously.

"Haha, don't worry about it. Like you said... My parents here, are much better. They loved me, even though I'm older at heart. I guess I still wanted to feel the normal emotions of a human being." Astrid glossed over the issue as she saw Lewis's reaction.

Lewis calmed down and chuckled. "Older at heart? I guess I never asked how old you were before? Even your name..." Lewis then thought he shouldn't have said that...

Lewis was expecting Astrid to be in a poor mood thinking about those things. But instead she pouted. "Isn't it rude to ask a lady's age? Anyway, for your information! I think I was 29 when I died... My name was Astrid, like here, but I took on the surname of Borjan." Astrid said with calmness.

'29? Hang on...' Lewis looked at Astrid in a little surprise.

"Yes, yes. Laugh all you want okay! I barely experienced human emotions let alone the human anatomy. My dearest father probably made sure I couldn't experience anything like my period so I wouldn't be influenced by such things." Astrid was quite upset thinking about it now. She really was lonely in her last life...

"No, I was just thinking that you are amazing. Living in those conditions for so long... It explains why you are much crueler than the norm here." Lewis could only imagine the life Astrid was forced to live. And he was very sure of himself that with him by her side, she will live a happy life!

Astrid smiled softly. "Maybe... Killing and extortion was normal in the other world... Here the streets are much cleaner, the police are worse at their jobs though, since there is a natural leaning to being good than bad in this world." Astrid said softly, she had been able to run circles around the police channels, she even was a spy herself!

Lewis just shook his head with a smile. "If that's the case, then I'm worried. The police might tremble beneath you soon if that's the case." Lewis then chuckled. Thinking his idea was actually quite possible.

Astrid... Said nothing in response, just earning a look from Lewis.

"Okay then. I admit, you are much more dangerous than me." Lewis just said, earning a pout from Astrid.

"No... You are my Mr. Right! If you weren't here... I might have lost my will already." Astrid moped, not wanting Lewis to feel bad about himself.

Lewis then laughed out loud hearing Astrid's words. As the car journey was jovial, and full of laughter, they finally arrived at Hanxi.