Carlos was surprised by her flirtatious manner. He turned beet red behind his ears. But it wasn't too long before his embarrassment turned to rage. "Wow, you're kind of a slut, aren't you, Miss Nian?"
Debbie didn't mind his insult. She dusted off the collar of his well-tailored suit and said, "That's not what you used to say. You told me you liked it when I flirted with you."
Then she straightened his tie intimately, running her fingers seductively along its length. "I've tied this for you ever since we were together. Where is the burgundy colored tie I bought you? You thought the color and pattern were too loud, and said it was more Damon's style. You wouldn't wear it. But I insisted. So you wore it a lot afterwards. So did you keep it?"
'Burgundy tie?' Of course he had one. He saw it every time he opened the walk-in closet of his manor... but he couldn't remember wearing it. Ever.
He got a weird feeling just then. He found himself liking this woman. She fit him like a comfortable sweater. But he just couldn't remember. He shot her a cold glance and warned, "Stay away from me!" He was going to be engaged to Stephanie. He shouldn't hang around strange women. Particularly one as forward as this one.
Debbie wasn't scared at all. She propped one hand against her chin and responded, "Normally, if a strange woman kissed you, she would have been dead by now. But I'm different. I'm your one true love, and we're meant to be together. But you've forgotten about me. But you haven't forgotten my kiss, right?"
"Shut up!" Carlos snapped. His face darkened.
But he knew what she said was true. When Stephanie had kissed him for the first time, he didn't pull away, but he didn't feel good afterwards.
However, when Debbie had kissed him a moment ago, he had never had such a wonderful kiss. She wasn't afraid, and she was aggressive. He found that intriguing, and it scared him. 'Damn her!
And damn me! She's been flirting with me, and I barely even tried to stop it.' With that thought in mind, Carlos turned around coldly and walked towards the door, his eyes betraying no emotion.
Debbie watched him leave, but she didn't follow him. To keep away from too much drama, she waited about five minutes and then returned to the booth.
Little did she know that while she and Carlos weren't there, someone told Milo about them.
They had been discussing it furtively, but as soon as Carlos came back, they stopped, and changed the subject. It wouldn't do to be heard discussing the guest of honor right in front of him!
Milo used to like Debbie, but the things they told him painted a picture of a hateful woman.
Carlos never stayed until the end of a party. When the others were talking enthusiastically among themselves, his assistant walked in and whispered something in his ear. Carlos stood up and bade his goodbyes. He was a creature of habit, and he wasn't about to change now.
He wasn't the CEO of ZL Group anymore. But he had lost no respect, because they knew that ZL Group would be his sooner or later. So when Carlos left the table, everyone else stood up too.
Debbie, who had been eating heartily, wiped her mouth quickly and walked out of the room with everyone else.
His business partners escorted him out of the hotel. But there were too many of them for Debbie to get close. She was pushed to the back.
When Carlos' car rolled up to the entrance of the hotel, the driver opened the back door for him. Milo stayed at his side wearing a big smile until Carlos got in the car.
The driver closed the door and sat back in the driver's seat. He fastened the seat belt and started the engine. The car was about to drive off. The window was down, and it was Debbie's only chance.
She was anxious. She walked around the crowd in her stilettos and was ready to call Carlos. But then a robust man beside her derailed everything.
The man hadn't seen Debbie. In his rush to the car, he was heedless of anyone else. He barreled into Debbie and knocked her to the ground.
"Ah!" she screamed as she fell.
It all happened so fast everyone was surprised. All eyes were drawn to the fallen woman.
Embarrassed, Debbie pulled her dress down in a fluster. The man who had knocked her down walked back to help her to her feet. "I'm so sorry, Miss. I didn't mean it."
Debbie stood up slowly. Her right knee was bleeding.
"Oh man! That's a nasty scrape!" someone cried. The crowd all shifted their gaze to her knee.
The stinging pain made her wince. She endured it and used the hem of her dress to cover the broken skin of her knee. The dress acquired a crimson stain fairly quickly. "Sorry everyone. I'm just a klutz, I guess." She smiled at the crowd awkwardly.
A woman manager looked her way. "You all right, Miss Nian?"
Debbie answered with a smile, "I'm good, thanks. Really."
Everyone turned their attention back to Carlos. Before long, the car window rose, and the people inside were obscured once more. The car drove off.
Debbie was deeply disappointed. She had been hoping to get a ride back with Carlos. Now her chance was gone.
Some gentlemen were kind enough to ask her if she needed a hospital, or at least a ride there.
But since Carlos left, nothing else mattered. She shook her head dejectedly. "Thanks everyone. I'll manage." The young mother had been desperate for an excuse to leave the dinner earlier. Now she had a good one.
Debbie turned down everyone's offers of help and watched them make their way back into the hotel.
She took a deep breath and pulled out a pack of tissue from her purse to wipe the blood off her leg. Then she limped towards the roadside.
She winced at every step. The injured knee was a bright red, not only from the laceration, but also the bruise. She knew in a couple hours that color would be purple.
Some taxis passed her in the next few minutes, but all of them were full.
Just when Debbie was starting to get frustrated, a familiar car came into view.
Her eyes glittered with joy. 'I thought he left. Why is he here? Did he come back for me?'
She was so thrilled the pain was forgotten and she started to wave at the roaring Emperor.
The driver saw her. He slowed down the car and informed Carlos, "Mr. Huo, Miss Nian is here. She's waving at the car."
Carlos didn't respond. The driver wondered if he should stop the car. Unexpectedly, when she saw that the car wasn't stopping, Debbie stepped into the road, right in the path of the oncoming car.