Turning around, Nathan smiled and gave Mandy a gentle look.
"I'm in the underground garage of the MK International Restaurant. I'm sitting inside my car." Audrey
was in a daze as she looked at herself in the mirror. Maybe it was because she was too drunk, but for
some reason, an absurd scenario kept playing in her head.
"Send me the address. I'll send someone to pick you up." While still on the call, Nathan hugged and
gave a doting smile to Mandy.
The smile brought unusual ease to Mandy's mind. Closing her eyes, she snuggled into his warm chest.
After taking a deep breath, she relished the minty scent of her man.
Audrey's face went stiff. After what seemed like years to her, she said, "Nathan. Can't you come and
pick me up?" She bit her lips, feeling helpless. She looked picture-perfect, aggrieved, and frail.
"I'm already in bed. Serge will be there in ten minutes," said Nathan.
Audrey felt displeased and unsatisfied with this kind of treatment. She curled her lips and asked,
"Nathan, is it because of your wife?"
"Audrey, don't get me wrong, but I won't come even if my wife is okay with it. After all, it's so late in the
night. I know we are friends, but we still have to keep some boundaries," Nathan said without giving
Audrey any time to refute.
Audrey's eyes instantly turned red and tears began trickling down. Using her slender fingers, she
quietly wiped the tears away. She took a breath and sobbed. "Nathan, I'm sorry for bothering you so
late. I didn't mean to do it, it's just… It's just my first day working at the hospital, and the doctors in my
department already don't like me. I didn't do anything wrong, but they are still so hostile towards me. I
feel so wronged! The Dean of the hospital held a party this evening in the guise of welcoming me. They
kept toasting me. I drank too much. I'm sorry."
Nathan wasn't touched by her words. "You are just overthinking," he said without much thought.
"No! They really don't like me." Audrey's makeup was in a mess due to her tears.
"Well, don't think too much. I'll ask Serge to pick you up. Bye," Nathan said in a cold tone. His voice
was just as cold as the weather outside. It was cold enough to make Audrey realize the distance
between them.
Audrey was not stupid. She sneered, "Sorry for disturbing your sleep! You don't have to ask anyone to
pick me up. I'll just call my driver."
"Okay," Nathan answered and hung up the phone. He thought, 'If you could call your driver, why did
you call me?'
Actually, Nathan knew the answer as he wasn't a fool. He knew that Audrey had feelings for him. But
he was already committed, so he kept a certain distance from her.
It was quiet on the balcony. Nestling on Nathan's chest, Mandy hooked her arms around his neck like a
koala. Her red cheeks shook as she breathed on his neck and whispered near his ear, "Audrey?"
Glancing at her with his obsidian eyes, he answered without hiding anything, "Yes. She was drunk and
asked me to pick her up."
"Why don't you go?" Mandy joked.
"Won't you be angry if I go there? You will get angry, we will go through a cold war, I will coax you, and
finally, we will make up. So, why should I even bother making you angry? I'm perfectly happy now." His
low and deep voice sounded especially elegant on this hazy night. Mandy's heart couldn't help but
bloom like a lotus when she heard his answer.
"Yeah, you did right. You acted like a prim and proper husband tonight." Mandy raised her head and
smiled, looking cute. She reached out her hand and scratched his nose like a playful cat.
Mandy's hand was caught by Nathan before it could retreat. As his warm breath caressed her
fingertips, he asked with raised eyebrows, "Where did you learn this?"
"I learned it from you." Using her other hand, she pinched his waist and sneakily rubbed his abdominal
muscles—his abs to say.
As if a cat catching its prey, Nathan caught her hand and threatened, "Little girl, you are walking on a
thin rope. Provoke me again, and I will eat you up."
The threat was effective because Mandy turned docile within seconds. As a result of her afternoon nap,
she wasn't all that sleepy before. But it was getting late now, and the fatigue and sleepiness finally
caught up to her. She lifted his big hand close to her cheek and said, "Well... I'm tired after taking care
of Adrian the whole day. So, we shouldn't do...that, okay?"
Nathan looked Mandy up and down. Her tender face looked beautiful under the moonlight. If not for
those dark circles under her eyes, she would look like a descended goddess. Obviously, she didn't
sleep well these days.
In fact, taking over the Mandy Mall placed a lot of pressure on Mandy's shoulders. Fortunately, she had
a competent assistant who helped her a lot.
"I see. You must be tired. You have been staying up till late recently. Look at those dark circles. You
look like a panda."
"Nathan, to be honest, I want to be a panda in my next life.
You know why?" "Because you are lazy.
Ha-ha!" "Why can't I be lazy? If everyone is as hard-working as you, the world will become chaotic! Life
should be equal parts fun and work!" exclaimed Mandy.
"So… Your dream is to become a panda?" Nathan raised his eyebrows, and the corner of his mouth
formed a smile.
Mandy shrugged and spread out her hands. "Yes, it's so good to be a panda. I will be cute, soft, and
well taken care of every day. There would be no need to manage human relationships. Also, animals
are kinder than humans."
Nathan embraced her tighter. "It's okay if you want to be a panda. But you have to remember, you will
be my wife in the next life too."
Hearing Nathan's commitment, Mandy instantly cheered up. After that, she couldn't help but cover her
mouth and giggle. "I didn't expect that you would have the same dream as mine."
"If I could choose, then I would choose to become an animal for sure. Although an animal's lifespan is
short, it's still better and simpler than a human life. Anyway... Whatever species you decide to become
in the next life, I will become the same and protect you in the next life too." Nathan used his long arms
to hold Mandy's head and ruffled her hair while smiling.
Mandy and Nathan hugged each other with passion. After standing on the balcony for a while, they
went into the room and found Adrian asleep. When she looked at his sleeping face, a warm feeling
rushed into Mandy's heart.
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