Chapter Seventy-Seven

Bella raised her eyebrows, no longer looking at him but focusing on her meal instead. "Yes, you're very handsome. Don't you know how good-looking you are?"

Levi's appearance and height were both impressive; even without knowing anything else about him, just his presence alone was enough to draw attention wherever he went. His masculine, seductive beauty seems to be loved by a god, meticulously depicting every line on his body.

Bella simply spoke the truth, something everyone would acknowledge and feel, yet Levi seemed delighted as if he had never heard anyone praise him before.

"Really? You truly like my face? So, between me and Max, who's more handsome?" Levi asked eagerly, like a child.

Bella looked around nervously, sensing many eyes on them. She quickly replied, “It's you, you are more handsome. Just keep it quiet, you want everyone in this restaurant to pay attention to us?”

Their relationship remained a secret that shouldn't attract too much attention. Though it was unlikely that there were paparazzi in this upscale restaurant, since most patrons were either wealthy or particularly famous, they still paid attention to those around them.

"When are you planning to return? I don't think you came here just for a vacation," Bella asked, taking a sip of her wine. She wasn't sure if Levi came here for leisure or simply to follow her and Max.

Levi shrugged casually. "You know I'm quite free. But whenever you want to leave, I'll go back. After all, I'm here because of you. So if you're not here, I have no reason to stay."

After hearing Levi's words, everything that Bella was about to say seemed to disappear, she was stunned and looked at the man in front of her. He doesn't need to confirm that he came here for her like that.

If Bella hadn't clearly realized what the relationship between the two was, perhaps Levi's words would have really made her heart flutter. Not only her, but any woman who hears Levi's words will break down and be shaken.

"Oh... you don't need to affirm it like that," Bella shook her head, smiling softly. Although she had anticipated it, she was still somewhat surprised by Levi's words.

Initially, Bella wanted to tease Levi a bit more, but after his words, the atmosphere between them became somewhat awkward, or rather, Bella felt awkward and uncomfortable.

Levi said a few more things afterward, but Bella only responded indifferently, unable to meet his gaze. Perhaps Levi was too absorbed in talking about things he had done, or he deliberately ignored Bella's awkwardness.

When the waiter arrived with the bill, Bella had already stated that she would treat him to today's meal, but Levi habitually took out his wallet to pay, only to be stopped by Bella.

"Wait, use mine," Bella handed her card to the waiter, stopping Levi with one hand.

"Yes, please wait a moment," The male employee looked at Levi and saw that Levi didn't say anything, then accepted the card from Bella's hand.

Levi furrowed his brow as he looked at the card in the waiter's hand. "That doesn't seem to be your card. Isn't that Max's?"

Unaware of Levi's discomfort, Bella smiled and nodded approvingly. "Of course, you're sharp."

"If you want to use a card, then use mine. I'm sure Max's card doesn't have as much money as mine," Levi said, his brow slightly furrowed.

Bella burst into laughter. She deliberately spent Max's money, the more the better. Spending all the money on Max's card in one morning was impossible, but she could try to spend as much as she could.

"I'm not short of money, but I just want to use my husband's card, and spend my husband's money. Technically, I should be the one spending money from his card," Bella joked, but her face was tense. She thought of Pearl possibly using Max's card freely, which made her extremely uncomfortable.

Even though Bella didn't need Max's money, it didn't mean Max could give his lover money to splurge. As Max's wife for four years, Bella had never received an expensive gift from her husband.

This was Bella's first time holding her husband's card, so she wanted to take this opportunity to spend a lot of Max's money, as compensation for her husband's financial and material benefits to her over the past four years. Although this way of revenge is quite childish, Bella feels worthy and very happy, enjoying the traitor's money makes her feel very comfortable.

Bella was happily lost in her own thoughts, unaware that Levi's expression had darkened ever since she admitted that the card the waiter took to pay was Max's.

As both of them left the restaurant, Bella assumed Max had probably woken up so decided to return to the hotel. She was eagerly anticipating Max's reaction when he saw how much she had spent.

"Do you want me to take you back to the hotel?" Levi asked.

The hotel was quite far from the restaurant, but Bella was afraid of being seen and suspected by someone if she rode with Levi, so she intended to decline. However, before she could refuse, Levi spoke up in an annoyed and cold tone.

"It's probably best if you call your husband to come pick you up. Goodbye," Levi said, waving his hand before quickly driving away, leaving Bella puzzled.

Watching Levi's sports car drive off, Bella muttered to herself, "Why is he so angry? Is it because he didn't get paid for the meal? But I clearly said I would pay. This man is harder to read than any woman."

Bella didn't dwell on it too much because since she started her relationship with Levi, she had learned about his unpredictable nature—he could be cheerful one moment and then angry the next for no apparent reason.

Bella hailed a taxi back to the hotel; it was already late afternoon by the time she finished lunch with Levi.

"Bella, what did you spend so much money on?" Max, disheveled in his clothes and hair, looked like he had just woken up.

Upon waking up, his phone had been incessantly showing deductions from the card he gave Bella. Initially, Max didn't think much of it and went back to sleep. But shortly after, he was startled awake by his phone ringing and was shocked to see how much Bella had spent in such a short time.

Initially, Max planned to call Bella to ask why she spent so much, but he felt guilty for not being with her last night. Eventually, Max decided to wait for Bella to return to the hotel to talk.

Bella looked innocent, "I didn't spend that much money, I just bought some designer clothes and had lunch. Don't you want to spend just a little money on me?"

Bella appeared weak and pitiful, as if deeply wounded by her husband's scolding.

Seeing her like that, Max didn't want to continue scolding her. He sighed and said, "It's not that I don't want to spend money on you, but... don't you think you spend too much more than usual? You weren't like that before, you have never spent that much money like this."

While Max's words weren't exactly accusations, he was clearly uncomfortable and critical of Bella's wasteful spending. Moreover, he had willingly given her the card, believing she wouldn't dare to spend his money as before.

But now, right at this moment, Bella, his wife who always lived frugally and worried about his finances, not only spent his money but also spent it to the point that his card was about to burn.

Bella understood the meaning behind Max's words and couldn't help but smirk inwardly. She felt her husband was both laughable and ridiculous, giving her the card but not wanting her to spend his money.

Bella put on a deeply saddened and injured expression due to her husband's scolding, but inside, she felt immensely pleased and amused.

"Before? It's not that I didn't spend much before; it's just that I didn't spend your money. Since we got married until now, you've never spent money on me, and I've never actively used your money for myself. You always neglect me, and last night was no different... practically every night is the same. I just wanted to make myself feel a little better. Did you think I wouldn't feel anything when you left in the middle of the night? Hic... I just wanted to shop to comfort myself..."

It seemed that Bella's words poked at Max's difficult place to speak. Max immediately softened his voice and comforted her.

"I'm not blaming you, don't cry. It's just that I was surprised you spent so much... but thinking about it, it's worth it if it makes you feel better."

Hearing that, Bella proactively hugged Max and praised, "I know my husband will understand. You're so good, honey.”

Bella knew that Max was not willing to volunteer, but because what she said made him feel guilty and ashamed, he did not dare to continue being upset with her. Bella saw Max's hand tighten and couldn't help but smile smugly and disdainfully.