Chapter Five

Chapter Five

"You don't care about me at all. Today, suddenly she dressed so nicely, and you couldn't take your eyes off her," Pearl said irritably and resentfully.

Since seeing Bella walking alongside Max, Pearl felt like exploding, but due to the current situation, she could only divert her gaze to another direction.

Max lovingly stroked her long hair, comforting her, "You've always known it's just you for me. But in front of my friend and Bella, I have to show that I'm a good husband, or else I'll be suspected."

Pearl understood that, but she felt extremely uncomfortable. Even if her relationship with Max was genuine love, they were still engaged in an illicit affair, adultery that wasn't accepted.

"I know, but I feel really uneasy. I love you, so I don't want you to be so intimate and caring toward her," Pearl appeared pitiable, on the verge of tears.

Max held Pearl's hand, stroking it to reassure her, his actions intimate and carefree, completely open, as if they were a real married couple, not just Bella's husband and Bella's friend.

They became so engrossed in each other that they didn't notice their surroundings. Bella stood at a distance, observing the wretched pair indulging in affectionate gestures that she wasn't a part of.

She had only left for a few minutes, yet they already displayed such intimacy and affection. She wondered how many more sordid things they could do behind her back if given more time.

The scene before Bella's eyes left her numb. She stood still, gazing at the two figures in front of her. Her hands clenched tightly, her long nails digging into her palm, creating a few red scratches, though Bella didn't feel the pain at all.

Levi is still feeling numb, stepped out and saw her standing there, lost in thought, looking ahead. He followed her gaze and a mischievous, intrigued smile crept across his face.

"What's wrong? Are you the type who enjoys watching her husband's intimate moments with another woman?" Levi approached gently, taking Bella's hand, getting closer, and inhaling the faint sweet fragrance on her body.

Bella was startled by his touch, pulling her hand back and giving him a stern look as a warning not to come closer.

She felt that this man was very shameless. He had followed her to the restroom earlier and even waited outside her room just to exchange a few meaningless words, and now he wanted to mock her. The two returned to the table just as Max and Pearl separated, distancing themselves from each other.

Max leaned in closer to Bella, holding her hand in comfort, his gaze incredibly tender and caring as he looked at her.

"Are you okay? Your face looks quite pale," he said.

If Bella hadn't already known the terrible and despicable nature of this scoundrel, she might have thought he was genuinely concerned for her.

"I'm fine. I just reapplied some blush earlier," Bella skillfully deflected Max's touch.

But Max interpreted Bella's actions as her being shy and embarrassed because he thought he was being overly affectionate. He was like that, wanting everyone to know that he treated his wife very well, being a good husband, the desirable man that many envied.

Levi smirked as he witnessed Max's overly affectionate display, admiringly remarking, "The affection between you and your wife is really something. I'm quite envious."

Max laughed heartily, "You should be jealous and find someone to love soon. You've been single for quite a while, haven't you noticed anyone?"

Levi shook his head slightly, swirling the glass of wine in his hand, "Lately, I've been noticing a very beautiful and interesting girl."

Max didn't know who the girl Levi was referring to, but he still smiled and congratulated, "Is she your girlfriend?"

"No, we met at a bar. She drank quite a bit and seemed to have a lot on her mind. You know, we had a wonderful night together, but... the next morning, she treated me like a gigolo and even paid me. She's quite interesting."

Max burst into laughter. Who wouldn't know that Levi was a wealthy and famous playboy? Money was nothing more than scraps of paper to him, yet someone considered him a gigolo and paid him. Whoever that girl was, she had quite the audacity. Truly intriguing.

Levi had just spoken, but his gaze occasionally flickered towards Bella. The man in front of them kept mocking and bringing up the events of the previous night in front of her husband, causing her to pale.

Indeed, she wanted to seek revenge on her husband, but she didn't want Max to discover it so quickly. Bella forced a smile and said, "What a pity. I thought you were still single and hadn't noticed any girl. That's why I invited my close friend Pearl here today to introduce her to you. If you two get along, it would be wonderful. We'll have many opportunities to meet in the future."

This was also true, as Bella intentionally brought her best friend to this meeting. She hadn't hidden this from Max either. Otherwise, Pearl wouldn't have been present here.

Pearl was taken aback by Bella's words, secretly cursing her in her heart, but she maintained her elegance and politeness. Pearl didn't like being manipulated by Bella and made to feel inferior. In Pearl's eyes, Bella was nothing more than a wealthy fool.

"So, this is the reason you asked me to come here. You're thoughtful, Bella. Levi, don't blame Bella. She didn't know that you had your eyes on another girl, while I'm aslo single," Pearl charmingly replied.

Levi wasn't interested in Pearl's way of talking. He smiled and glanced at Bella, saying, "She didn't know, and that's true because this is our 'first time' meeting. If she cares about you that much, you should appreciate it. It's indeed a beautiful friendship."

Pearl was contradicted by this man's decisive response, causing her to blush and smile awkwardly. She felt extremely annoyed and angry inside.

Seeing Pearl's discomfort and the increasingly tense atmosphere, Max chuckled and said, "Haha, my wife is just like that. She cares a lot about her friends. Alright, everyone, let's start eating."

But Max's words only fueled Pearl's anger further. He should have comforted her instead of praising Bella like that. Pearl secretly cursed Bella in her heart. What right did Bella have to compete with her?

Bella subtly observed her best friend's reaction and chuckled to herself. The more uncomfortable her best friend felt, the happier she became. Bella thought she should have made Pearl lose face much earlier, not just now.

However, upon reflection, the tongue of the man opposite her was even more venomous than a snake. Just a few words were enough to silence Pearl. Bella secretly observed his expression, catching him staring at her just as she looked away.

Bella suppressed the worry in her heart. Levi held no restraint whatsoever; in front of her husband, he could still unabashedly gaze at her so intently.

The rendezvous came to an end. Pearl had a bit of wine, causing her to start swaying, getting close to Max, almost embracing him. Bella was already aware of their ambiguous relationship, so she wasn't surprised nor uncomfortable.

Max gently pushed Pearl away, because Bella and Levi were still present, and he couldn't afford for his wife and friend to misunderstand.

"Pearl, you seem to be quite tipsy. Shall I call a taxi for you? What's your address?" Max asked somewhat awkwardly, though he knew Pearl's address very well; he just pretended not to.

Pearl's mind was foggy, still irritated from the provocations by Levi and Bella, causing her to drink more than usual. She clung to Max's arm and tilted her head, looking at him with a seductive, inviting gaze.

"What are you saying, Max? You know my address."

Max widened his eyes. If they continued their interactions here, Bella might start suspecting an unusual relationship between them. Max shook Pearl vigorously, causing her to regain her senses.

Clearing his throat, Max asked, "Where do you live? I'm asking so I can help you call a taxi."

Pearl observed Max's serious expression and realized she had acted inappropriately earlier. She discreetly glanced at Bella's reaction and saw that Bella didn't show any unusual response, which put her at ease.

At this moment, Bella suddenly spoke up, "Pearl is this intoxicated, so it might be dangerous for her to take a taxi alone. Levi, would you be willing to take my friend home? It's just helping each other out, there's no problem, right?" Bella portrayed herself as a good friend.

However, Max didn't want that. He still intended to take Pearl home, but with Bella present, he couldn't openly show that intention. He especially didn't want Pearl to leave with Levi.

Levi glanced at the drunken and dazed Pearl, her enticingly slender figure, short skirt revealing her long, alluring white thighs, her innocent and pitiable fair face looking delicate and small. She was the ideal model of vulnerability, invoking a desire in most men to protect her.

If Pearl's beauty was innocence, purity, and sweetness, then Bella resembled a seductive enchantress, bold and passionate. Levi involuntarily remembered the previous night, yet there was something he didn't understand – why did Bella hide these outstanding characteristics of hers?