THE FORGOTTEN HEIRESS-Chapter 436: Stop ‘Liking’ Other Men!

"So what was so urgent that made you bail on me yesterday. I was counting on you to give me some moral support," Lauren asked, trying to steer the conversation.

George snickered. "As if you needed any. With all the people flanking your sides like a sacred cow, my absence was hardly noticed."

"I think I like you already," Cheryl said with an intriguing smile. "You know her better than myself."

"Will you stop ’liking’ other men?! Don’t forget you’re a married woman, Mrs Jason Wyatt," Lauren scolded, feigning seriousness and they all burst out laughing, including Ariel who had withdrawn into herself and had failed miserably in her attempt to remain invisible as the three people bantered together.

For a fleeting moment, her eyes met with George’s and she froze momentarily. Her smile faltered as her heart started pounding in her chest.

She quickly looked away as the familiar pull she had sworn to resist started setting in.

She didn’t believe he could still have this much effect on her. No, she wouldn’t let him affect her again... not after what he’d done.

So she steeled herself, reminding herself of the promises she’d made to never fall for his charm again.

Meanwhile, George observed her reaction with quiet satisfaction, curious to see how long she would keep her guard up.

She might have had a chance to remain hidden if he hadn’t seen her again after so many years. But it was too late... he had found her after searching for so long.

To think that she was so near yet he didn’t know all this while and the realization that she was a close friend of Lauren’s added an intriguing twist.

Taking advantage of the moment, Cheryl turned to George. "Since you’re here, let me invite you to the Wyatt family’s banquet next week."

"That’s so kind of you. I’ll be most delighted to come, but I still need to check with my assistant to see my schedule. If there’s nothing serious, be rest assured that you’ll have one hungry mouth added to the people you’re going to feed, Mrs Wyatt."

George was surprised when he sensed a glare from Ariel. He looked up and the expression in her eyes clearly read, ’you had better not show up.’

Intrigued, he met it with a challenging, ’why? You bet I would.’

She didn’t back down but shot him another strong, ’I’d prefer it if you were booked solid for the next year.’

Now he was sure she didn’t want him at the banquet. But why? Was it because she had also been invited to the banquet and she didn’t want to see him there? The more reason he must not miss that banquet for anything in the world, he concluded within himself.

Before he could give her a counter response... silently, of course, since it appeared that was their preferred mode of communication for now, Cheryl’s voice sounded.

"Can you please stop your drama with Lauren about the Mrs and so on... ? You can call me Cheryl? That’s what my friends call me, because I’m not going to stand on any protocols as I’m calling you George right away."

"If it’s alright with your husband," George responded with a playful smirk which robbed off negatively on Ariel. ’So shameless! He could even flirt with a married woman. Wait until President Jason catches you.’

Lauren rolled her eyes. "As if you ever cared what anybody thought about you."

’Exactly my thoughts,’ Ariel agreed silently.

"Don’t make it sound as if I’m some dry wood without emotions," George defended with a sour expression that instantly got the two women laughing again, except Ariel of course who felt that he couldn’t have come up with a better description of himself.

She wished George would disappear from their table as easily as he had reappeared.

Because deep down, she feared that George’s presence was going to do more harm than good to her already mended heart, or so she thought before his sudden reappearance. And that unsettled her greatly.

The laughter subsided, and for a moment, an uneasy silence settled over the group as they noticed that Ariel seemed to be in a world of her own.

The silence was broken only by the clinking of utensils against plates from Ariel’s unusually focused eating.

Lauren glanced between Ariel and George, noting the tension that still lingered between them, though Ariel tried to hide it behind a polite smile when she met Lauren’s concerned gaze.

George, meanwhile, seemed perfectly at ease, which only deepened the mystery of their connection.

Finally, George turned his attention back to Lauren, his smile relaxing into something more genuine. "By the way, Ren, what’s up with the arrangement for the wedding? Aunt told me it’s just around the corner."

"You must be excited," he said, though his eyes flicked briefly toward Ariel, who seemed intent on ignoring their conversation.

A slight blush crept into Lauren’s cheeks, but she smiled warmly. "Excited, yes, and I just can’t wait to be Mrs Steffan Rosse," she boasted and George made a rue face.

"And about the arrangement," she continued, "everything is being handled by my two precious mothers. All I have to do is wait for the D-day and that’s why I have all the time in the world now to still hang out with my wonderful friends... they keep me sane from the endless chatterings of those two women," Lauren said, earning a chuckle from Cheryl.

"And here I was thinking you were genuinely here to help me plan the banquet," Cheryl teased. "But all the same, I’m not complaining."

George leaned back in his chair, his expression turning thoughtful.

"It’s good to see you surrounded by friends like these, Ren. You deserve all the happiness that’s coming your way."

There was sincerity in his tone which was a rare break from his usual teasing manner, and for a moment, Lauren looked genuinely touched, and at the same time shocked.

He wasn’t trying to make her feel that he was the only best man for her and that Steffan was unsuitable for her. What changed? Was it because of Ariel?

Before she could dwell much on the thoughts, George’s phone buzzed on the table. He glanced at the screen, then frowned. "Seems my client is still running late. If it’s alright with you, I’ll hang around a little longer."

"Suit yourself," Lauren said, though she shot Ariel a questioning look, wondering why her friend seemed even more uncomfortable now than before.

George noticed too, and his smile returned, sharper at the edges. "So, Ariel, I’ve been meaning to ask... how did you end up friends with my dear cousin here? It’s a small world, isn’t it?"

Ariel’s hand stilled around her coffee cup, and for a second, she didn’t answer. When she finally looked up, her expression was carefully neutral. "Lauren and I met through mutual work engagements and we’ve grown close over time."

"Close indeed," Lauren chimed in to lighten the mood while wondering why Ariel’s answer sounded so vague and diplomatic. "Ariel’s practically family now, just like Cheryl."

George tilted his head, studying Ariel with a gaze that felt almost too intense. "Funny, I wouldn’t have thought our paths would cross like this," he mused. "But then, life has a way of surprising us, doesn’t it?"