Luhan looked up just as Jiwon stepped into the room, he saw how some heads turned as she passed by. He smiled to himself before approaching her.

“I was starting to think you were going to bail out on me.” He said lightly as he reached her, she shook her head and chuckled.

“I just got caught up in traffic.” She stated as she looked around.

“Shall we go to our table? Yixing’s here too.” Luhan said as he offered his arm to her. Jiwon nodded and hooked her arm around his.

“I never got to ask, how was your trip? You look a little tired.” Jiwon said.

“It was fine, pa wants us to come visit him soon.”

“We should. He still sends me those chestnut cookies; they’ve become my favorite.” Jiwon grinned to herself.

Luhan smiled and nodded.

“And about the other day,” She started.

“Your abeoji can be a little too much, you don’t have to explain.” He said quietly, he smiled as a colleague passed by.

Jiwon exhaled.

“He drives me crazy sometimes.” She recited as they reached their table, Yixing gave her an excited wave.

“You can always come to me when it gets too much.” Luhan touched her hair before pulling a chair for her.

“Want to handle my workload for me?” She asked him flatly in a joking manner, Luhan chuckled.

“Well, except for that. I might get yelled at by your father then,”

She laughed before taking a seat.

 

 

“Hnmm, what’s this? They actually get along?” Jackson blurted, Jaebum followed his gaze.

“They’re actual adults, you know.” Jaebum said evenly, Mark leaned back on his seat.

“We attend this thing every year, and it just gets more boring and dull.” Songah commented.

Mark glanced at the other table, Jiwon was chatting with Luhan and another male friend.

“Ya,”

He looked at Songah.

“She might melt, stop staring.”

“I wasn’t.” Mark said under his breath before pulling the champagne to him.

“I warned you. She’s obligated to choose him.” Jaebum spoke quietly.

Then Jiwon turned her head, she spotted their table and she smiled.

Jackson’s brows rose, amused.

Mark tilted his head at her and raised his glass.

Songah looked at Jaebum briefly.

“When did he ever listen to us?” Songah mouthed, Jaebum shook his head.

Jiwon started to laugh on her seat, Luhan shook his head at her before gesturing for her to fix her hair.

Mark’s grip on his glass tightened before looking away.

 

 

Jiwon excused himself from Chen and stood up, she saw Jackson waving at her.

“Did you enjoy the food? Because I didn’t.

She murmured as she took the seat beside him.

“I was craving for something spicy. I can’t stand steak and mashed potatoes right now.” She complained.

Mark turned his head, his eyes went to the girl.

“You went over here to say that?” Jackson chuckled.

“Aniya, I wanted to stop talking about business.” She shrugged, Songah snorted.

“Well, and to think we thought that the party was boring. It turns out your table is.”

“It’s not that bad.” She hummed as she plucked out a tissue from her purse and handed it to Mark.

“You’re a mess.” She teased before gesturing to the side of his lip, he took it from her and wiped his mouth.

“Did you arrive separately?” Jaebum asked her.

“Yeah, anyway, I should go back~”

“You should order something else. You didn’t touch your plate.” Mark commented, Jiwon paused.

“Do you think they’d serve jjampong here?” She mused, Mark was about to reply when Luhan approached their table.

“I see you’re in better spirits, Mr. Tuan.”

“Checkmate.” Mark said under his breath, Jaebum winced.

Jiwon halted, her brows knitting together.

“I see you don’t have your tails around tonight.” Mark replied, Luhan smiled and looked at shoes for a brief moment.

“I was just being careful, please don’t take it personally.” Luhan explained then he stretched his hand to Jiwon.

Mark didn’t reply.

Songah paused and set her utensils down.

“Should we order something else? The waiter took your plate.” Luhan spoke to her.

“I’ll order from here, thanks.”

Songah’s brows went up, Luhan seemed stunned but he nodded back.

“Then, I’ll go back.” Luhan said uncertainly before turning away from them, Jiwon bit her lip.

“I’m gonna call the waiter,” Jackson stated.

“So, jjampong?” Mark smirked at her.

“Please don’t use that as another code name~”

“Jjampong was stunned when you declined.” Mark , Jiwon groaned.

 

 

Luhan watched as Jiwon and Songah got in the car with Jaebum, he was standing at the hotel lobby, speaking with a friend when he saw them step out.

He felt annoyed with the Tuan heir. He didn’t like he kept on showing up.

His brows went up when he saw Mark and Jackson step out of the elevator, the Wang heir went up to the valet, while the latter remained to pick up a call.

Luhan excused himself and walked towards him.

“What are you doing?” He asked, Mark looked up.

“Excuse me?”

“Are you trying to do this on purpose? Breaking my marriage?”

“You mean your business deal?” Mark replied, Luhan’s jaw clenched.

“Can’t you back off?” Luhan asked evenly, Mark smiled.

“You started it.”

“What~”

“All those background checks on me, I’m surprised you haven’t called me by my bank account number yet.”

Luhan looked away.

“I mean it, stay away from her. You’re just using that project with LG just to~”

“Are you really going to do this here? At a hotel lobby?” Mark replied, his tone low.

“Like I said, stay away from her.” Luhan snapped at him.

Mark was about to speak when another voice joined.

“What?”

Luhan froze, his eyes went to Jiwon who was standing before them. Mark looked away.

 

 

 

Jiwon rushed back to the lobby, Luhan had lent her his coat earlier and she forgot to return it.

“Oh. It’s Tuan Yi En.” She murmured as she walked towards the two.

“All those background checks on me, I’m surprised you haven’t called me by my bank account number yet.”

“I mean it, stay away from her. You’re just using that project with LG just to~”

“Are you really going to do this here? At a hotel lobby?”

“Like I said, stay away from her.”

“What?” She was stunned.

“Won~”

“You can always come to me when things get too much?” She repeated.

“Jiwon, I was just~”

“What a joke. Is this what you meant by that?” Jiwon tossed his coat back to him.

“What’s next? Are you going to have people follow me around just to make sure I don’t talk to him or others?”

Luhan paused, the look on his eyes made Jiwon shake her head.

“You probably already have people following me, why am I not surprised?”

“Jiwon-ah, I was just~”

Then her phone beeped, she took it out and her eyes widened. Mark glanced at her briefly. Jiwon started to shake her head and tossed her phone on the floor.

People started to stare at her.

“The night just got better.” She said darkly before turning away from the two males and heading straight for the taxi cab waiting outside the doors.

Mark watched as the cab sped away from the curb, his eyes zeroed on the vehicle’s license plate.

Luhan picked up the discarded phone and his eyes widened as he read the text message from Jiwon’s secretary.

The photos and articles of you and vice president Tuan came from Xi Holdings’ main office.

From Luhan’s department.

Luhan dashed out of the lobby while dialing on his phone.

“Yes, sir?”

“Delete everything. Everything about Mark and Jiwon.” He barked as he got in his car.

Mark turned away before taking his cellphone and dialing for his driver.

 

 

“I’m sending you a taxi’s license plate number, it just left the hotel. Follow it, make sure Jiwon gets home safe. I’ll ask Jackson to drop me off at my place.”

 

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