Chapter 19

"What are you looking at?" Lana's question made me turn towards her. She followed my gaze towards the restaurant's door.

"Nothing." I smiled at her.

I knew there was a possibility of encountering him in Manhattan. However, seeing him like this, even from a distance, made my heart race.

The last time I saw him was three months ago in San Francisco. I was surprised since I didn't expect him to return after our last meeting a year ago in the hospital. Then I remembered Nicholas Shaw also had connections in that city.

At that moment, I forced myself not to look at him due to my shock. We only passed each other for a few seconds, but I could feel his intense gaze on me, while I could only see his back when he turned.

Now, seeing him again in this place, even from a distance, made my throat tighten. Nicholas Shaw still looked as handsome as I remembered. He wore a pinstriped blue suit and a white shirt. This time, I couldn't divert my gaze from him, even when his old blue eyes finally caught mine.

I don't understand why he erased Lana's memory but not mine, even though I asked him to. Perhaps it's one of his cruel games; he wants to make me remember him as punishment for what I said to him at the hospital.

Now, every time I see him, all my feelings for him come rushing back, as if my efforts to forget him over the past year meant nothing.

"Do you want to try their special menu?" Lana's sudden question interrupted my thoughts.

I glanced briefly at the restaurant's door where he exited before looking at Lana. "No. I'm not very hungry."

***

Christine's wedding reception was held in a different hotel from where Lana and I stayed, so we had to order a taxi an hour in advance. Lana applied her lipstick one last time before spinning in front of me. She wore a powder-blue dress that matched her eye color.

Her blonde hair was only blow-dried, cascading over her bare shoulders. I smiled at her and gave her a thumbs-up. A pair of diamond earrings adorned her ears, making her sparkle. Lana always looked beautiful to me; sometimes, it made me wonder why she hasn't had a boyfriend until now.

"Oh, oh... you can't sit now, Ella. Your dress will wrinkle." She protested when she noticed I was about to sit.

"Okay, okay. Geez. Are you ready?" I asked while grabbing my phone and wallet. I didn't bring a matching bag for the dress I was wearing tonight, so I had to leave it in Lana's bag.

Tonight, I wore a white dress; we bought it together with Lana a week ago in San Francisco. I felt hesitant when choosing it since I would wear it to a wedding, but Christine said she would have a pastel-themed wedding, not a white one.

The dress model I wore was simpler than Lana's, just knee-length and without any embellishments. It might be a bit tight for me, but Lana protested when I almost canceled buying it; she even insisted on buying it for me. So, I had to give in, although I liked the dress.

Another reason I almost didn't buy this dress was the open back, almost to my waist. Although still within normal limits, it was...

"Ella, do you have money for the taxi? I ran out of cash."

"Yeah, it's in my wallet." I replied while putting on my heels. Lana helped me style my hair earlier; she didn't want my hair covering the back because that was the best part of my dress. I just laughed and let her take care of my hair.

"Lana, are you ready?" I asked again, this time standing in front of our hotel room door. Lana went back to the bathroom to get her makeup wallet.

"Okaaay." She replied from the bathroom, then five minutes later, she came out and joined me.

Lana knew Christine because they had worked together before. Christine used to work in the same company as Lana before moving to my place. Sometimes, the three of us had lunch together, but after getting married, she would move to Manhattan with her husband, so she resigned from the office a few weeks ago. The assistant manager position now transferred to me; Mr. Newman himself moved two months ago.

My new manager, Mr. LeBlanc, was much younger than Mr. Newman. I think from his name, he has Italian heritage. We had lunch together a few times, and he even invited me to dinner. But I had to decline; the incident with Oliver was a valuable lesson for me. I didn't want to repeat it.

We arrived at the wedding reception twenty minutes later. Christine actually wanted an outdoor wedding concept like a garden party, but due to the rainy season, she had to change it. The Four Seasons hotel ballroom looked different compared to when we visited it earlier in the day. Hundreds of people already filled the place. After congratulating Christine and her husband, I went to greet my office friends, while Lana got drinks for us. I spent 45 minutes chatting and introducing Lana to my coworkers.

"I need to use the bathroom." I whispered to Lana, taking my glass as she nodded slightly. "Don't be too long, okay? I don't want to talk to your boss alone."

I smiled at her before leaving her talking to Mr. LeBlanc. The ladies' room near the ballroom was full, and I had to queue for about eight people, so I decided to use the restroom near the lobby. A bit further, but better than waiting in line.

Lana accidentally caught my eye as I walked out of the ballroom. I pointed towards the lobby to let her know before heading to the nearest restroom. I completed my business quickly, not wanting Lana to be bored talking to my boss alone. I looked at my reflection in the toilet mirror while washing my hands; my skin seemed paler lately, maybe due to overtime approaching the end of the year. I dried my hands and left the restroom.

"Eleanor?"

I looked up to meet a pair of dark blue eyes that I knew very well. However, the owner of these eyes did not make my heart race.

Gregory Shaw stood next to the lobby restroom, smiling at me. Oh, damn, I couldn't pretend not to know him if he greeted me first. Gregory wore a black suit that matched his hair color. I just returned his gaze, somewhat frozen. Was Nicholas here too?

"Long time no see." He added, still smiling. "Are you okay? After that attack?"

I nodded briefly. He folded his hands across his chest, observing me from head to toe before returning to my face. A slight beard adorned his jaw, but, of course, nothing could make the Shaw brothers look bad. His beard actually made him look like a GQ magazine model.

"I know you still remember me." He said suddenly. "You have immunity for our kind, huh?"

I took a deep breath and folded my hands on my chest, "What do you want?" My fear of the old Gregory had now disappeared. He didn't even make me feel intimidated at all, but his brother still did.

He smiled again, displaying a dimple on his cheek. Oh, Gregory Shaw should have been a model, not a lawyer. But strangely, I wasn't interested in him even a bit. Perhaps because he was once my nightmare. "

"I just want to make sure..."

"Okay. Are you done making sure?" I didn't want to play his game, so I refrained from asking what he meant by his statement. The smile on his face widened, and he seemed to be enjoying himself at my expense. His expression annoyed me.

"Now I understand why Nick couldn't let you go easily."

Ha. Your brother already let me go, idiot.

"Do you want to have dinner sometime? I'll be going to San Francisco this month." He asked with his annoying expression, and it seemed like he knew he was getting on my nerves.

"No. Thank you, Mr. Shaw." I gave him a thin smile. "I have to go back." I muttered.

"What did Nick say that time?" The smile on his face faded into a serious expression. "The last time you two met."

"You better ask him directly." I replied a bit curtly, though I didn't intend to. His smile reappeared, and he looked like he was having fun at my discomfort. The expression on his face made me angry.

"Now, would you like to have dinner sometime? I'll be going to San Francisco this month." He asked again, this time with his annoying smile, and it seemed like he knew he was getting on my nerves.

"No. Thank you, Mr. Shaw." I gave him a thin smile. "I have to go back." I muttered.

"What did Nick say that time?" The smile on his face faded into a serious expression. "The last time you two met."

"You better ask him directly." I replied a bit curtly, though I didn't intend to. His smile reappeared, and he looked like he was having fun at my discomfort. The expression on his face made me angry.

"Nick doesn't want to tell me."

I stared at him for a moment before asking, "What do you really want?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly his blue eyes shifted to something behind me. Then his face froze for a second before he spoke again, "You!" or more precisely, half-shouted. His voice echoed in the hotel lobby, making the receptionist on duty look in our direction. He looked very angry.

I followed his gaze behind me and found Lana standing a few meters away from us. She looked pale, her expression as if she had seen a ghost. I looked at both of them alternately. Do they know each other?

Lana took a few steps back, but Greg, of course, was faster with his long legs. He grabbed Lana's arm, preventing her from running away. "You don't know how long I wasted my time looking for you."

Lana opened her mouth to respond, but no sound came out. "You lied to me." Greg's voice still sounded angry, but he didn't shout. "This time, I won't let you escape again, understand?" His words sounded like a threat.

Lana looked at him with a panicked expression, "Let me go."

"Not this time. You and I still have unresolved issues. And we'll talk about it all night." He replied while walking towards the exit, still pulling Lana's arm. I could only gape when I heard what he said.

"Hey, wait a minute..." I called out, trying to catch up with both of them, "Mr. Shaw! What are you doing?" But Greg didn't stop at all; he didn't even look in my direction.

"This is none of your business, Eleanor." Suddenly he turned to face me, his face that was angry just a moment ago made me feel a little scared now. But Lana was more important than my fear.

"Let go of Lana! What are you doing?"

"So her name is Lana." He repeated while walking towards the car's driver's door.

"Hey!"

"Don't interfere with my affairs. And you better stay away from my brother too if you don't want to get hurt." He said the last sentence without a threatening tone, but hearing it still made me freeze in my place. He slammed the car door before driving away, leaving me in the hotel parking lot.

Five minutes later, I realized Lana's and my phone, along with our hotel key, were still in Lana's bag.

I borrowed a phone from the reception desk to call my phone and Lana's, but there was no answer from either of them. I couldn't go back to the hotel where we stayed because Lana had the key, and besides, I didn't want to leave her alone with Gregory Shaw who was angry.

There was only one way.