Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

Pearl reluctantly forced a smile as she looked at Bella. "Bella, is it really necessary to dress up so extravagantly just to meet Max's friend? You don't need to dress like you're going to a party." Pearl intentionally pointed out that Bella's attire was not suitable for meeting Max's friend.

Bella maintained a polite smile, drawing from her past experience. Despite feeling uncomfortable with Pearl's sarcastic remarks, Bella didn't show any dissatisfaction. She even chuckled and said to Max, "Even if the other person is just Max's friend, I still have to dress elegantly to be worthy of standing beside Max. Besides, my husband is the company's director, so I have to match up to him."

Bella knew that her husband paid close attention to appearances, and he was pleased with her response. Max immediately added, "Bella is right. No matter whom you meet, it's important to dress formally and politely. Levi is my friend, but he is also my business partner."

The more Bella stood her ground, the more resentful Pearl became, especially when Max couldn't take his eyes off Bella. Just a moment ago, Max had complimented Pearl as the most beautiful, but now he couldn't seem to look away from Bella. The feeling of humiliation and belittlement infuriated Pearl, and she clenched her fists, trying to contain her anger and disappointment.

Seeing Pearl struggling to contain her emotions, Bella felt a sense of satisfaction. She wanted Pearl to understand the extent of the difference between them and not harbor any illusions about herself.

Bella approached and took Max's arm, speaking gently, "Let's go, my love. It wouldn't be good to keep your friend waiting. Pearl, you can take a taxi home; we don't want to inconvenience you by having you accompany us." Her words clearly conveyed that Pearl was just an outsider, while Bella and Max were the genuine couple.

As the two walked away, Pearl felt an explosive urge within her, and she couldn't hold back any longer. In the spacious company lobby, she screamed. Since there was no one else in the company at that time, no one witnessed the exchange between the three.

"You look beautiful tonight, Bella," Max couldn't contain his admiration. He knew his wife was attractive, but he had never seen her shine so brilliantly before.

Bella smiled in agreement, "Now that I'm the exclusive model for Lisa's designs, I need to take better care of my appearance. Besides, looking this beautiful also makes my husband proud in front of business partners and friends." Bella's words were both sweet and attentive, understanding how to win over her husband. Three years of dating, three years of marriage—six years together had given her enough time to understand what her husband desired.

The rendezvous point is a five-star restaurant in the city center, attracting not only the wealthy but also the powerful elite. Bella wasn't surprised that the meeting place was as upscale as this.

After confirming the pre-booked room, the staff led the two to their table, where Levi was already seated, leisurely enjoying the night view outside.

"Levi, have you been here for long?" Max asked with a smile.

Levi then turned to pay attention to the two people who had just arrived. As soon as he saw Bella, he couldn't blink but just stared at her. It wasn't until Bella spoke that Levi withdrew his gaze.

"I just got here too. Let's order," Levi replied politely, but his eyes couldn't help but sneak glances at Bella. Tonight, she looked stunning, captivating not only him but everyone in the restaurant. Since Bella entered, she shone like a star that everyone had to look up to.

Max seemed eager, having chosen his dish promptly. He quickly brought up the topic of the suburban land.

"Levi, I don't want to waste your time. What do you think about the land?" Max asked, his words reflecting his impatience.

Levi calmly continued with his meal, seemingly indifferent to Max's urgency. He chuckled, "Don't be in such a hurry. I've already mentioned it. I can consider selling it to you, but it doesn't mean I promise to sell it to you."

Max wasn't pleased with Levi's vague response. Tonight, he wanted a clear confirmation from Levi regarding the land. Max didn't want to waste time with Levi's auction.

Levi's nonchalant attitude only added to Max's discomfort. "Do you really want to hold an auction?" Max asked again. Max couldn't understand why Levi insisted on an auction when no one else seemed interested in that piece of land. Moreover, Levi just needed to name a price, and no matter how high it was, Max would pay to acquire that suburban land. Max was confident that no one would dare to offer a larger sum than him.

But Levi's ambiguous approach only intensified Max's irritation. "Are you genuinely interested in holding an auction?" Max asked once more, as Levi's motives were unclear due to his unpredictable actions.

The atmosphere lightened as the food arrived, creating a more harmonious setting. Levi spoke with a smile, "Of course, not just for that piece of land. I also have some antique items from Hong Kong that I want to auction."

Upon hearing this, Max commented, "I didn't know you had a passion for collecting antiques. When you were in the country, I never saw you have such an interest." Before Levi moved to Hong Kong, the two were quite close and had shared their hobbies. If Levi had an interest in collecting antiques, Max would have known.

Levi shook his head. "I don't have that hobby. It's just a sudden liking for a few antique items, but I'm not interested in them anymore. I've also invited an appraiser for those antique items. They are valuable historically, but that doesn't mean I need them."

Max simply smiled without saying anything. In his heart, there was a bit of discomfort because, in the past or present, he could never measure up to Levi. What Levi wanted was simply enjoyment, and money was just a number for him. Not to mention how many antique items Levi owned, the value of one antique item could undoubtedly rival that of a large piece of land, if not more.

Thinking about how he owed his position as the director to marrying Bella and Bella's father, Max doubted if he could have achieved this position at such a young age if it weren't for his marriage. On the other hand, Levi had been born into wealth and privilege, a young heir to a long-established family.

As Max pondered, Levi spoke again, "By the way... the girl from last time isn't with you, is she?"

"Who's?" Max furrowed his brows slightly, unsure whom Levi was referring to, but deep down, he felt a sense of unease.

Levi looked at Max, smiling mysteriously. "The beautiful girl from last time. If I'm not mistaken, she's your personal secretary, right? I've seen you two together a few times."

Max sat up straight, his gaze shifting towards Bella to confirm that she showed no signs of suspicion before replying, "You mean Pearl, right? Yes, she's my personal secretary. She often accompanies me to meet clients."

"Well, it doesn't seem like a typical boss-subordinate relationship," Levi smirked, speaking vaguely without looking at Max. But Levi wanted to say something more but was interrupted by Bella, "Pearl is not only my best friend but also my husband's personal secretary. I understand the confusion. It's a situation that can be easily misunderstood due to the nature of their work. I'm Max's wife, so I'm well aware of this."

Bella's intervention successfully eased the tense atmosphere and made Max feel more at ease. Levi glanced at Bella with a cold and indifferent look, withdrawing his gaze in an instant. Bella didn't understand why Levi suddenly looked at her that way, but she didn't pay much attention. For now, she needed to show that she was a caring and understanding wife to relax Max's guard and encourage his actions.

Bella wanted him to believe that she knew nothing about his affair with Pearl.

Levi laughed approvingly, "You have a caring and understanding wife; I envy you, Max."

Praised, Max felt proud and confidently leaned closer to Bella, hugging her waist to appear triumphant over Levi. Although not as wealthy as Levi, Max took pride in having a beautiful, wealthy wife who loved him unconditionally. He was confident that Bella loved him deeply and could do anything for him.

Bella, in return, cooperated by smiling and getting closer to her husband, making them seem like a newlywed couple with affectionate laughter. Bella looked at the man she had loved for nearly ten years. Although the two had been married for three years, they had never made love, and he had never been this close to her. Despite her resentment towards his infidelity, she couldn't easily let go of the love she had for him.

"My wife understands me better than anyone else in the world. I'm fortunate to love and marry her. Without Bella, I wouldn't be who I am today, so I appreciate her a lot," Max spoke without much thought, his words sounding rehearsed rather than sincere.

Bella sat silently beside him, unsure whether to be happy or sad. Why did her husband always take pride in her like this? Why did he still deceive her? Bella forced a bitter smile to conceal the turmoil within.

Levi sat across, quietly observing the reactions of the two before shaking his wine glass lightly and taking a sip. "Congratulations to you. In a world with over 8 billion people, not many find their perfect life partner."

"That's right, I'm very lucky," Max said, taking a satisfied sip of his wine. Perhaps he felt that he could outshine Levi in this aspect and wanted to boast even more.

Levi was a wealthy man, and the term 'wealthy' was an understatement for him. However, women approaching Levi were mostly attracted by his fame and wealth. Max always believed that even if someone was as wealthy as Levi, it would be meaningless without genuine love.