Chapter 26: Of Course, It’s Whatever Feels Right

He was a grown man, not a saint, and if he wasn't expecting anything in return, there could only be one possibility: he wanted more in the end.

Vivian was in the wine business, and over the years, she had heard and seen countless transactions involving money and power.

At the wine table, glasses were raised, relationships were formed, and everyone had their own personal ambitions.

Daniel was in the prime of his life, and Vivian knew she was attractive.

If he were simply after beauty, needing a companion without the extra hassle, she would be a good choice.

With Daniel's wealth and status, forget about just looking for a mistress—he could easily have countless women throwing themselves at him.

She wasn't sure about Daniel's real intentions, but if he wanted her to be involved in something shady, that would be a no-go. Dream on!

Daniel sat quietly, watching Vivian.

As she spoke, it was clear she was holding back her anger, though she didn't lash out as she had before.

While expressing her stance, she subtly alluded to the frustrations and hardships she had endured these past few years.

In that moment, Daniel understood why Vivi was avoiding him so much.

She was scared of getting hurt.

So she'd rather avoid things altogether.

In a way, it was her way of protecting herself.

"So, you're saying you don't want to be a mistress. But what if it's in the light of day?"

He decided to take a different approach.

She thought that by confronting him about this, Daniel would get embarrassed or angry. But instead, he asked her this question.

"What?"

Daniel, having finished his meal, looked serious as he repeated, "What if I'm talking about being your girlfriend, Vivi? Would you be willing?"

Not a mistress, but a girlfriend. The words sent shockwaves through her.

Vivian froze for a moment. "But earlier, you said you liked someone else. You've had a crush on her for so long…"

The timeline didn't match. Was Daniel lying?

When women scrutinized every detail, it could feel like being a detective.

"I like you."

His confession took Vivian completely off guard, and her thoughts came to a halt. She couldn't form a coherent sentence.

Daniel's deep, sensual voice echoed in her ears, "So, Vivi, can I be your boyfriend?"

…

Vivian had no idea how she ended up at home.

While Daniel went upstairs to get his jacket, she quickly called for a cab, desperately trying to flee.

She needed space to think.

In her rush, she accidentally entered the wrong address for the cab, ending up at the company. After walking two miles and feeling the cold wind for a while, she finally started to gather her thoughts.

Daniel had said he liked her.

All the things she had planned to say in order to refuse becoming his mistress were now stuck in her throat.

To be honest, although she was known as the hardest to get at university, she had zero experience with relationships.

Her relationship with Ethan had been arranged by their parents, old friends who made a joke about setting up an engagement when they were kids.

As they grew up, they ended up in the same class, and everyone around them just assumed they would eventually get married.

Frankly, Vivian wasn't surprised when Ethan cheated in college and juggled multiple relationships. Their relationship had always been smooth and uneventful, like a stagnant pond.

When Evelyn entered the picture, she had swarmed around Ethan, flattering him until he didn't know better.

As for her and Ethan, their relationship was more like a routine: school, classes, movies, nothing more than holding hands. They hadn't even shared anything deep, just completing a task.

After her family's downfall, Vivian lost everything. The people who once admired her now saw an opportunity to take advantage of her, and they came at her with unreasonable demands.

These people only made her feel disgusted and uninterested in romance.

But now, it seemed like the universe was playing a cruel joke on her.

The one-night stand from five years ago was now saying he liked her, and wanted to be her boyfriend.

This world had truly gone mad.

The more she thought about it, the more her mind was in turmoil. After taking a hot shower, she called Emily for a video chat.

Emily was a veteran in the world of romance, having been through so many relationships she couldn't even count them all.

Maybe she could offer some advice.

"Vivi, did you get the money?" Emily asked, beaming with excitement. She knew UX.Inc. had money, and that foreign companies coming to China made a fortune in pounds and dollars, while spending it in RMB as if they were throwing money around. The best was never enough for them.

Aside from Vivian's hosting fee, Emily had made a good chunk of money, and was in high spirits.

"Yeah," Vivian replied, her voice flat.

She laid her head on the pillow, her mood low.

Emily, noticing something was off, raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? Something on your mind?"

The two were best friends who shared everything, and seeing that Vivian was clearly troubled but had no one to talk to, she reached out to Emily.

Vivian rested her face in her hands, feeling lost.

"Emily, if you had a friend who had a relationship five years ago, thought she would never see that person again, but now he's back and says he wants to pursue you, what would you do?"

Emily's eyes gleamed as she smiled mischievously. "Is that friend you?"

Vivian froze, caught off guard.

"Come on, Emily, don't focus on the details. Just answer me—if it were you, what would you do?"

With Emily, Vivian could be herself, playful and carefree.

Seeing the beautiful, flawless Vivian on the screen, Emily sighed. "Vivi, I've been wondering—someone as beautiful as you, which guy is going to get you?"

"You tell me, how does he look? Is he rich or poor? How old is he?"

Having been in many relationships, Emily wasn't clueless. It was obvious that Vivian was smitten, though she was still uncertain, unsure of what to do next.

Vivian hesitated. Daniel's words from earlier rang in her mind, and she felt her face flush, warmth spreading across her cheeks.

Emily knew immediately. "Looks like you're smitten."

Vivian didn't know how to respond. "He's… okay looking. I'm not sure how much money he has, but he's not poor."

If Emily knew the truth about Daniel's identity, she'd probably jump out of her seat.

"I'm so confused. I don't really know him…"

That was the real issue she was dealing with.

"You know what, Vivi? With your looks, you shouldn't be talking about love—you should be working under the overpass selling phone screen protectors."

"Huh?" Vivian blinked, not understanding the joke.

Emily laughed heartily. "I'm saying, you're too serious about it. You're overthinking!"

"When it comes to love, you just do whatever feels right!"

She flipped over onto her side and tossed Vivian a playful wink.

"If I were as beautiful as you, forget dating one guy, I'd be dating thirty. One each day, and on my period, I'd have them take turns!"

"Queen vibes! Confidence radiates!"

As the conversation grew more playful, Vivian couldn't help but scoff.