Chapter 12

"Yeah... Hey... Thervini, where are you going... Thervini..." Theodore watched in astonishment as Thervini sprinted out. Sigh, if he couldn't persuade her, things would get complicated.

Thervini dashed out of the tea room, hailed a cab, and headed straight to Harris Group. She knew it; her uncle asking for her help out of the blue had to be because of that damned pig.

Daniel's cold face broke into a devilish smile; she was quick. "No, tell her I'm busy..." he replied in his sexy voice.

"Alright, I'll turn her down for you..."

"What? Busy?" Thervini couldn't believe the response she got. Was this pig-headed man trying to infuriate her on purpose?

"When will he be free then?" Thervini looked around at the robust security measures and helplessly asked the receptionist. "Well... we don't really know... The President is very busy. If you really have something important, you can wait in the lounge..." The receptionist quickly put on a professional smile when she saw Thervini's diminishing momentum, but inwardly, she cursed her. Girls like her were a dime a dozen; turning from a sparrow into a phoenix wasn't that easy.

Even though Thervini was fuming, she had to swallow her anger. She plopped down on a chair on the other side of the lobby.

That despicable, arrogant, chauvinistic pig, putting on airs for her? Hmph, does he think making her his woman would be that easy...

William stepped out of the elevator and saw the furious girl sitting there. The golden sunlight filtered through the glass, casting a halo around her slender frame, making her look like an angel, albeit an angry one.

He walked over to her, "Miss Thervini?"

Thervini was internally cursing someone when she heard a voice behind her, almost biting her tongue. She looked up to see a refined face smiling at her.

"You... talking to me?" Thervini pointed at herself.

In the VIP room, there were black leather sofas, a floor-to-ceiling glass window, and a long row of wine cabinets. William led her in and then left. The spacious room now had only Thervini standing there.

She walked to the wine cabinet, eyeing the expensive bottles. Though she wasn't much of a drinker, she recognized a few.

She casually picked up a bottle, a 1775 Sherry. She gasped and carefully put it back. Then she noticed a 1784 Ditchin White Wine. Damn, did this pig like collecting fine wines? What a waste of money.

Thervini pouted and glanced at another bottle. Was this... the one from that charity auction in the US? She moved closer for a better look. She remembered it well because Felicity's professor had participated in that event, and Felicity had dragged her along. The final auction price of that bottle had been shocking. She had thought at the time that if she were the buyer's mother, she'd have slapped him silly!

How did it end up here? Was he the buyer? This pig-headed man participated in charity events? She had underestimated him.

Daniel watched her figure on the screen, his lips curling into a handsome smile.

He glanced at the time; half an hour had passed.

Lighting a cigarette, he continued to watch her.

Thervini noticed that one of the bottles at the bottom was loose. Huh? Had it been opened? She picked it up, and oh my, a 1985 Romanée-Conti Méduse. It had been opened!

Such an expensive wine, what did it taste like? A little sip wouldn't hurt, right? She looked around and checked the time. Half an hour left; that pig wouldn't show up. Just a little sip wouldn't be noticeable.

When she woke up, she was in complete darkness. Thervini thought for a long time but couldn't figure out where she was.

What time was it? Where was she?

She tiptoed to the door, and just as she touched the handle, she heard noise outside.

"Is it the Shentai case? Try to comfort the victim's family and compensate them as much as possible... He has a daughter not in school yet, right? Send her some money through the foundation for her education... Yeah... that's it..."

Thervini leaned against the door, holding her breath. People are not always what they seem. Should she change her opinion of him? Was he really that kind-hearted?

"Are you going to stay in there forever?"

Outside, his impatient voice rang out. Thervini was startled, and in an instant, the door opened. She fell out clumsily.

She closed her eyes, bracing for impact with the floor, but the expected pain didn't come. She opened her eyes in surprise to see a face with a teasing smile inches away.

"What? Still drunk?" Daniel smirked, holding her tightly.

Thervini snapped back to reality and jumped out of his arms, her face turning beet red.

"Sober... I'm... I'm leaving..." Thervini backed towards the door, glancing at the soft afternoon sunlight outside. Thank goodness she hadn't slept till morning.

"Aren't you here to discuss something? Leaving so soon?" Daniel stared at her cute face, finding her more adorable by the second.

Thervini stopped in her tracks. Right, she came to talk business. She... she... had fallen asleep waiting for him? Oh, God! It was all his fault for having so many bottles of wine.

"Right..." Thervini nodded, taking two steps closer to him, inhaling deeply, and bracing herself. "I'm going to start scolding you now, be prepared..." She smiled at him amicably.

Daniel raised an eyebrow. This was the first time someone had given a warning before scolding.

"You idiot, devil... What do you mean by this? Look at you, all high and mighty, Mr. Daniel, but you're so despicable, dirty, vile, and shameless..."

Thervini glared at him, feeling he deserved a beating!

He watched the rising anger on her pretty face and beckoned her with a finger. Thervini eyed him warily.

"Are you afraid of me?"

"Who would be afraid of you..." She crossed the table, unafraid.