Love at First Sight? Mr. Harrison Has Been Scheming All Along-Chapter 70: "He Actually Has Such a Considerate and Clingy Side.
Henry Lancaster had known Sean Harrison for several years. They mostly talked business and paid little attention to each other’s private lives.
From Henry’s perspective, he figured Sean Harrison probably didn’t like to talk about his personal life. Even if he got a girlfriend, he’d meet her privately and not tell his friends.
He never would have guessed that Sean Harrison had never had a girlfriend before!
"He hasn’t, right?"
Noah Sterling looked to Sean Harrison, seeking an answer.
Sean Harrison glanced at the woman beside him before speaking. "I don’t have one now, either."
"Huh?!"
Henry Lancaster’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
’What does that mean!’
’It means his distinguished, wealthy, perfect big brother hasn’t even won over Miss Linden yet!’ 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
Noah Sterling understood as well. He nodded and said, "Leave Gary Sinclair’s case to me. I’ll have my people dig a little deeper, try to get him a longer sentence. Life in prison would be best."
Life in prison meant twenty years.
Henry Lancaster leaned forward. "Miss Linden, let me properly introduce you to my big brother. This guy..."
"Henry," Sean Harrison cut in. "Just order whatever you want to drink. It’s on me."
"Then I’m ordering a Romanee Conti on your tab!"
Henry Lancaster didn’t hold back.
The owner of The Eastwind Pavilion had quite a collection of fine wines. Some of the more expensive bottles couldn’t be bought with money alone.
Only someone of Sean Harrison’s status could pick and choose freely from the owner’s wine cellar.
Rory Linden, afraid the topic would circle back to her, quickly stood up. "Um... I’m going to the restroom."
Sean Harrison asked, "Want me to go with you?"
"No, it’s fine. I can go by myself."
Rory Linden grabbed her phone and hurried out.
She completely understood why Sean Harrison’s friends were so incredulous.
’If I were Sean Harrison’s friend, I’d probably think I was being ungrateful, too.’
’But...’
’She just felt the gap between her and Sean Harrison was too vast. So vast that if they were together, the term ’marrying up’ would be an understatement.’
Rory Linden followed the signs to the restroom.
She had just turned on the faucet to wash her hands when another woman walked in and stood before the mirror to touch up her makeup.
The mirrors in the women’s restroom were a single continuous panel. Rory Linden shifted her gaze slightly and easily saw the face of the woman standing next to her.
It was Nadia Willow.
"Miss Linden, what a coincidence." Nadia Willow had seen Rory Linden too. She put her lipstick away and smiled. "Did you find the men’s conversation dreadfully boring and use the restroom as an excuse to escape? I do the same thing."
"...No."
Rory Linden quietly sized up Nadia Willow.
If she thought they looked about forty percent similar from the photos, seeing Nadia Willow in person only made her feel they looked even more alike.
Although Nadia Willow was six or seven years older, her overall appearance was more refined and beautiful, and her aura was more distinguished.
Nadia Willow was also studying Rory Linden. She said with a beaming smile, "Actually, I knew we looked alike, but I never expected us to be *this* similar. I really need to go home and ask my mother if she secretly had a child in the country and gave it away."
"I’m sure she didn’t. It’s just a coincidence."
Rory Linden’s tone was firm.
She had a photo of her mother, and she looked very much like her.
She was her own mother’s child.
"I was just kidding." Nadia Willow took a step forward, acting very familiar with her. "When we were abroad, Rex didn’t mention you often, but on the few occasions he did, I could tell you held a special place in his heart."
"Rex?"
"Sean Harrison, President Harrison. His English name is Rex. My mother and his mother are friends. We’ve known each other for many years, so I’m just used to calling him that."
Nadia Willow seemed to be mentioning these past details casually.
But Rory Linden could clearly sense the woman was deliberately letting her know that they had a very good, very familiar relationship.
And, by extension, letting her imagine other things.
"Oh. I... I haven’t known S-Sean Harrison for very long."
Rory Linden swallowed the "Mr. Harrison" she was about to say.
’She didn’t want Nadia Willow to know that she and Sean Harrison weren’t actually that close.’
"You’ll have more time in the future. Maybe a lifetime." Nadia Willow took her phone out of her exquisite handbag. "Honestly, I think it’s fate that we look so much alike. I feel such a connection to you, like you’re a little sister. I registered for WeChat after coming back to the country. Let’s exchange contacts. We can keep in touch."
This was the first time Rory Linden had ever met Nadia Willow.
The woman’s disposition was different from how it seemed in the photos; she was more enthusiastic and lively.
Rory Linden looked at the WeChat QR code on the woman’s screen, feeling resistant.
’She had no desire to keep in touch with Nadia Willow.’
’Whatever her past relationship with Sean Harrison was, she didn’t want to be friends with her, nor did she see any need to.’
"There’s no need. I’m quite busy with work and rarely use WeChat."
Rory Linden made no move to take out her phone.
This was not what Nadia Willow had expected.
’She thought...’
’...Rory Linden would be a pushover.’
"Oh. Well, alright then."
"I should get going."
Rory Linden walked out.
The moment she opened the restroom door, she saw Sean Harrison standing in the hallway.
The man was leaning against a window, head down, typing a message on his phone.
The phone’s screen showed the WeChat interface.
Before Rory Linden could speak, her phone let out a "DING-DONG" from her pocket—a WeChat notification.
The man looked up at the sound.
Seeing it was Rory Linden, he explained, "You were gone for a while. I was worried you got lost, so I came to check."
Before he could finish, Nadia Willow followed her out.
"Rex!" Nadia Willow’s face was full of warmth. "Are you here to pick up your girlfriend? Suddenly I feel like I’ve never known you all these years. I never knew you had such a thoughtful, clingy side."
The moment Sean Harrison saw Nadia Willow, his dark, deep eyes held a clear warning.
Nadia Willow showed no sign of fear.
She crossed her arms and smiled. "By the way, there’s something I want to ask you. Can you stay for a moment?"
Sean Harrison placed a large hand on Rory Linden’s back, looked down, and asked gently, "The private room is the second one on the right at the end of this hall. You go on back first. I’ll talk with her for a few minutes and be right there."
Rory Linden obediently left.
Only after the woman’s figure had disappeared at the end of the hallway did Nadia Willow speak. "She’s very smart and very beautiful. I hear she’s a medical doctor and got into a famous private hospital. For a girl from a poor family to get this far, it already proves she’s more than capable."
"You don’t need to know anything about her."
When Sean Harrison looked at Nadia Willow, his expression was full of warning and apprehension.
"How could I not? I heard her father has been causing a scene at your company’s entrance lately, so I took the liberty of looking into it. He’s a gambler, a drunk, and a useless man who beats his wife." As Nadia Willow said this, her face was filled with a sense of superiority. "Without you, without the Harrington Family, she’s nothing. So as long as you give in, she has no cards to play against me."
A common person with no background could be easily crushed by any trivial little thing.
"Impossible." Sean Harrison lowered his gaze, looking at the woman several meters away. "If this is what you wanted to talk about, then we have nothing to discuss."
Seeing the man was about to leave, Nadia Willow said loudly, "Judging by the looks of things, you haven’t slept with her yet, have you?"
