Chapter 11: The Encounter
857 Words
Catherine ignored Rose and continued eating her hamburger and drinking her milk tea.
"Uh, why didn’t you like him back then?" Rose asked, propping her chin up with her hands.
"I wasn’t interested," Catherine replied tersely, not wanting to elaborate.
"Sometimes, I think women are quite pathetic," Rose interjected suddenly.
"Excuse me?" Catherine paused, sensing there was more to Rose’s comment.
Rose looked at her seriously. "We women often ignore good men and instead focus on those awful bad boys!"
Catherine tilted her head, pondering her words.
"Actually, if you think about it, finding a lifelong partner who deeply loves you, even if you don’t love him as much, doesn’t sound too bad," Rose continued, offering her perspective.
Catherine remained silent, only managing a small smile.
Rose gave her a look. "Honestly, I think Victor Xu is a good guy."
"Then you can pursue him," Catherine said coolly.
"Hey, don’t be like that!" Rose knew Catherine understood her meaning.
"I’ve told you before, I’m not interested in him," Catherine clarified again to prevent Rose from playing matchmaker.
"Not interested in him, or not interested in any man at all?" Rose thought for a moment; Catherine seemed to have never had a boyfriend.
"You know I don’t like discussing this topic," Catherine resumed eating her hamburger.
"Forget it," Rose said, realizing Catherine was upset and dropped the subject.
Catherine looked at her and said firmly, "Let’s not discuss this topic again."
"Alright, Miss Catherine. To make up for it, how about I treat you to a movie later?" Rose cheekily winked.
Catherine suddenly remembered her mother’s command to return home immediately. "Sorry, I can’t go to the movie."
"Why not?" Rose asked, disappointed. "It’s not often I get a day off."
"My mom wants me to come home right away," Catherine said, her voice laced with frustration.
"Why?" If Rose had a mother like that, she would have gone crazy!
"Matchmaking," Catherine tried to sound indifferent.
"That old witch!" Rose cursed loudly.
If that woman weren’t Catherine’s mother, Rose believed she might have cursed even more.
Catherine recognized him instantly at her first matchmaking dinner!
Although he was wearing glasses and his hair was neatly combed back, it was impossible for there to be two people so similar unless he had a twin. Besides, eyes don’t lie!
Sitting in the five-star hotel’s restaurant, Catherine felt a pang of anxiety as she faced the man, feeling as though she were sitting on pins and needles.
"Mr. Elliot, this is—" The host of the dinner, Edward Shang, brightened up upon seeing Ryan Long.
"This is Mr. Ryan Long, the head of the Long Group," Elliot introduced Ryan Long and noticed his unusual behavior.
Ryan Long’s gaze was fixed intently on Catherine Shang across from him, his brow furrowed slightly.
He hadn’t expected to see her again, especially not under these circumstances.
"Mr. Long, hello. I’m Diana Wang. I’m—" Diana Wang, upon realizing he was Ryan Long, eagerly started a conversation.
She had thought someone who led such a large conglomerate would be older, but seeing him now, he was no more than in his early thirties, with a refined and handsome appearance, a figure that could rival male models.
Considering these qualities, Diana Wang regretted bringing Catherine along. Such an outstanding man should have been for Sophia!
"Hello." Diana Wang’s words managed to pull Ryan Long’s attention back. His unusually polite demeanor surprised even Elliot.
"Mr. Long, these are Mr. and Mrs. Shang," Elliot said, puzzled by Ryan Long’s actions.
"Nice to meet you." After a brief exchange of pleasantries and handshakes, Ryan Long’s gaze once again settled on Catherine Shang.
"And this is?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
Catherine met his gaze, feeling a wave of nervousness and a spasm in her stomach.
"Oh! I almost forgot to introduce her. She’s my eldest daughter, Catherine," Edward Shang said.
"Catherine?" Ryan Long raised an eyebrow as if savoring the name, then suddenly said, "I thought I might be meeting someone familiar!"
Catherine’s heart skipped a beat, her hand pressing against her stomach, her face turning pale.
"Upon closer inspection, I must have mistaken her. With billions of people on this planet, encountering someone who looks similar is not so surprising," Ryan Long said nonchalantly.
"Uh... yes, yes!" Diana Wang quickly interjected, not wanting Ryan Long to focus too much on Catherine. "Catherine couldn’t possibly know someone like Mr. Long, especially since she just returned from the UK a few days ago."
"Oh, really?" Ryan Long’s mouth curled into a subtle smile.
Catherine remained silent, her experience from last night already revealing Ryan Long’s unsettling nature.
However, Ryan Long clearly wasn’t ready to let it go.
"Miss Catherine, you look unwell. Is something wrong?" Ryan Long asked, his gaze fixed on her.
Catherine clenched her hands tightly under the table, her stomach churning as she frowned in discomfort.
Finally, she couldn’t hold back any longer. "Sorry, I need to excuse myself. My chronic stomach issue is acting up; I need to go to the restroom."
With that, she elegantly stood up and, maintaining her composure, turned and left.
- Writer
