Wild Young Miss: Mister, Let's Kiss!

"Hehe…" Professor Meng giggled, glancing at Richard with a knowing look as a grin resurfaced on his lips. "Well then, I'll be taking my leave. Let Mister Sun send you off." He proposed, beaming a wide smile.

'Damn it!' Despite the lack of change in her reaction, Zoey wanted to glare at Professor Meng as he was unconsciously giving her a headache. "Thank you, Professor Meng." Unlike her inner thoughts, Zoey could only express her 'gratitude' to his kind gestures.

With that being said, Professor Meng left the two. Zoey arranged the materials she used during the business meeting while Richard was just watching her. 

"Miss Zhou, I know you're smart enough to understand that Professor Meng wants to set us up together." As she busied herself, Richard finally broke his silence as he leaned closer to her. "Say, why don't we give it a try?" Under his breath, he proposed.

Zoey immediately cringed, feeling his breath brushing her ear. "Young Master Sun, I'm sorry but I'm already taken." Immediately, Zoey turned her head and faced him, casting him a disgusted look as she clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"Oh?" A little surprised by her claims, Richard drew back as he nodded his head. "I'm sorry if I offended you, then. I didn't know." He apologized politely, smiling confidently which made Zoey heave a sigh of relief.

'Good thing he's more sensible while young. How can someone mature backwards?' Zoey wondered internally, shaking her head lightly as she picked up the stack of documents they used. 

"Anyway, you don't have to send me off. I appreciate your kind gesture, Young Master Sun." She stood, holding the folders in her arms, Zoey bowed his head slightly as she bid her farewell.

Richard, on the other hand, slowly stood from his seat. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Miss Zhou." In a matter-of-fact tone, he grinned as he shoved his hands inside his pocket. "I have to make sure you leave safe and sound. Although I prefer dropping you off to Z Image Building, I know you came here with your own car." He sighed, as if he missed a good chance which Zoey noticed.

"Whatever. I guess you'll always be you." Zoey mumbled, peering at him from head to toe.

"Hmm? What did you say?" Since he didn't get to hear her clearly, Richard cocked his head to the side as his brows furrowed.

"Nothing. I mean, sure. Thank you." Since she figured it would be pointless arguing with him, Zoey just accepted the 'kind' gesture as it was rather simple. Not that he would need to drive her back to Z Image. After all, that wasn't her destination as she opted to go back to Matthew's base to see Ivan and Angelo's activities.

With that being said, Zoey began heading out while Richard followed from behind. When they reached the main hall of the restaurant, Zoey halted in her steps as she looked around searching for her temporary assistant who was missing from action the entire time.

After a moment, Zoey finally spotted Matthew. He was sitting on the corner, staring blanking outside as if he was deep in his thoughts. "Miss Zhou?" From behind her, Richard called out in a questioning note.

However, Zoey ignored him as her brows knitted staring at Matthew's side profile. "Huh?" She wondered, walking towards him to confirm if Matthew was spacing out just like what it appeared to be.

"Hey," Zoey softly called out upon reaching the table. But Matthew remained in his position, staring outside through the transparent glass wall. "Hello?" this time, Zoey knocked on the table, snapping Matthew back from his deep thoughts.

Slowly, Matthew turned his head to her figure, raising his head to meet her pair of wondering eyes. "Hey," He said, the side of his lips curled into a subtle smile. However, out of instinct, Matthew noticed tha figure standing behind her.

Thus, he shifted his eyes and immediately sharpened upon laying his eyes on Richard's face. For some reason, Richard was slightly startled the second his eyes met the pair of eyes looking back at him.

"Who is he?" Without averting his eyes away from Richard's countenance, Matthew inquired. His radar rang inside his head, alerting him that he had motives towards his properties. A thief on sight.

'Huh… the nerve of asking this question. He wouldn't need to ask if he wasn't here spacing out.' Meanwhile, Zoey could not help but sass inside her mind as her front suddenly turned blank.

"A business associate. Let's go, my assistant. My business here is done -- I handled it all alone." Zoey stressed her last remarks, widening her eyes as she hinted to him he was missing in action.

'Uh…" Upon realizing that he forgot he should be helping her as her 'assistant', Matthew pursed his lips into a thin line and glanced at Richard briefly before he assisted himself up. "I'm sorry. Something came up." Matthew explained vaguely.

As usual, Zoey didn't probe further because Richard was still around. "Let's go." She said, turning her back against him and walked out without a word.

Matthew prompted to follow her but Richard walked beside her. For some reason, Matthew let this go as this peasant wasn't worthy of his attention. Moreover, he needed to make up to her and inciting problems with her 'business associate' due to personal reasons was kind of petty.

"So, I'll see you next week?" When they reached Zoey's car, Richard stopped several steps from them and smiled.

Matthew, who just opened the driver's seat halted as he raised his head. "Sure. Thank you, Young Master Sun." He heard Zoey politely answer as she bowed her head. Good thing she didn't say anything after that as she hitched inside.

"You," However, Matthew called him out as he leaned against the side of the car. "Can you not?" He said, tilting his head to the side which made Richard narrow his brows.

"I'll take that as a yes. I only warn people once -- I don't want to repeat myself." With that, Matthew hitched inside, leaving Richard in puzzlement.

"Huh?' Richard knitted his brows, watching as their car started and sped away. "Is he the boyfriend?" He wondered, the side of his lips curled into a smirk. "What an easy competition.' he assumed that Matthew was someone without anything to offer, he chuckled as he shook his head.

The only reason Richard backed off earlier was because he didn't want to offend anyone in the upper echelon; whoever was Zoey's secret lover. After all, with a beauty and a brain like her, it would be more surprising if no one in the upper echelon would take notice of her. But now that the secret lover came to light, he didn't have the need to stop himself and snatch the woman he got his eyes on.

Little did he know, Richard was about to dig his own grave under Matthew's command. Regret only happens in the end, and one would only regret once everything was said and done.

****

Meanwhile, as Matthew drove, Zoey glanced at his side. "Is there a problem?" She asked in utter solemnity. Since they were now alone inside the car, she knew there would be an important reason he was spacing out.

For a moment, Matthew remained silent as his eyes were fixed on the road ahead.. When his lips parted, his words made her eyes widened in disbelief. "Do you know someone named Inigo?"