Wild Young Miss: Mister, Let's Kiss!

"No." Without a second's hesitation, Matthew answered. "You can't be there." He added, his eyes glinting with resolve.

Zoey stared at his eyes full of determination, shrugging her shoulders after a while. "Okay. Just want to help." Yet, to his surprise, she didn't argue with him. 

However, her lack of reaction and careless request irked the few men around the table. "Miss Z, the operation is not a child's play." Carter sassed, glaring at Zoey's side profile.

"Carter," Matthew glanced at him, his tone threatening as Matthew was starting to dislike his men's words which were directed at Zoey. He had been respecting their thoughts about the matter, but Matthew wouldn't allow the constant indirect disrespect he'd been throwing at her.

Upon Matthew's call, Carter pursed his lips into a thin line and shut up. Slowly, he averted his gaze away from her while Zoey shifted her eyes to him.

She stared at him, not saying a word which Matthew noticed. He studied her side profile, unable to read her thoughts at the moment. 

"You shouldn't eat that." When Carter was about to eat, Zoey finally spoke. Upon hearing her, Carter paused, raising his gaze back towards Zoey as his brows knitted in puzzlement.

All eyes slowly turned to her, yet, they couldn't discern what kind of air was surrounding her. It was just plain and colorless albeit the thickness of the tension around the air had condensed.

"Carter Jia…" She stressed his name softly, propping her jaw on the back of her hand. "Are you sure you can share a meal with someone you don't trust?" She asked, her right brow arching as she tilted her head to the side.

For a moment, silence enveloped the entire dining area. Matthew furrowed his brows, staring intently at Zoey as his russet eyes glinted. There was a look of amusement and interest pooling in his eyes as he wanted to see how she would stand up for herself.

"Miss Z, I am not sharing a meal with you but with my Boss." In a matter-of-fact tone, Carter replied sternly. Still, he put down the cutlery and stared back at her.

Zoey nodded her head in understanding, but then raised her eyes back to him. "I see… you're quick to neglect your principles and morals, huh?" Without further ado, Zoey smirked which made not just Carter but everyone, except Matthew, frown.

"Miss Z, are you…"

"Yes," Before Carter could finish his sentence, Zoey interrupted immediately. "I am insulting you." Without a pause in her words, Zoey admitted which didn't sit well on the latter.

"Can you blame me?" She shrugged, taking advantage of the fact that Carter was rendered speechless by her audacity. "Even if Matty trusts someone, I wouldn't just mingle, especially if my gut feeling tells me that I can't trust that person." She added, her eyes slowly darted across the people around the table.

"If the food on this table had poison, then, all of you will die. Imagine not letting the poison inside your system, there's still chances you can save your boss. How can you do that if you drop dead before him?" Her eyes narrowed, leaning closer to the edge of the table.

"Hmm?" Zoey then scanned their faces once again. Ryan who already had a bite coughed slightly because he easily accepted her point.

On the other hand, Owen stared at Zoey's cunning expression. In his eyes, there was no doubt she was acting differently than yesterday. Yesterday, Zoey was just annoying. But considering she was the one who proposed the game and new training method for everyone, she piqued his interest. 

'Who is this woman that Master let in?' Owen wondered internally, studying Zoey in silence.

Meanwhile, the side of Matthew's lips curled into a smile. He nodded his head, leaning back as he was amused how she cornered Carter within minutes.

'I knew she wouldn't just shut up.' Kenneth sighed internally. He had already foreseen that Zoey wouldn't just let someone spout nonsense right in front of her face.

After all, Kenneth had somewhat seen what kind of a person Zoey was. She was more than what meets the eye. He had ascertained that when she threatened Angelo. He was still uncertain of the capacity of her capabilities, but what Kenneth was sure was that Zoey was not an ordinary woman.

"Captain Jia, I don't see your business as child's play. However, I am worried that your boss might be put in danger if the people he's entrusting his life with, are not reliable." In a matter-of-fact tone, Zoey shrugged her shoulders and picked up her chopsticks again.

"Don't worry. I didn't put poison in the food -- it's just an example." Once again, Zoey ate a piece of egg and then placed half of it in Matthew's plate. "After all, if I wanted him dead, we wouldn't be here." She smiled sweetly at Matthew.

Matthew, who felt the threat that seemed to be directed at him, chuckled. He shook his head sideways, picking up the egg she had a bite of. "Indeed, we wouldn't be having a meal…" He paused, taking a bite of the egg.

When he chewed the piece of egg, he wiped the corner of his lips. "Only one person will be having a meal. Careful on your drinks." He added, staring at Zoey who seemed to be pleased by his rebuttal.

"Right…' Zoey chuckled, smiling brightly as she was thrilled to hear that Matthew understood her humor. "Food is not the only thing we have on the table, who knows if this water had something in it too?" She picked up the glass of water on the table, understanding Matthew's point.

She might've put poison in the food as an example, but Matthew was not someone who would just trust someone. Perhaps, they shared the same train of thoughts that he could be capable of putting something in the water. 

"What an interesting breakfast." She winked at him. Matthew raised his glass of water and gestured a cheers.. 

"Glad to know." With that being said, Matthew and Zoey continued to consume the food on their plates. Meanwhile, Owen, Ryan, Carter, Paul, and Kenneth could only watch the two in disbelief.

'What a match made in heaven…' Kenneth scoffed internally, shaking his head because Zoey and Matthew understood each other very well that it was almost terrifying.