Chapter 8 A Deal over Dinner $ 10 Free Coins The car rolled to a stop in front of a charming little restaurant tucked behind a rustic courtyard . " A friend of mine owns the place . The food's not bad , " Hubert said as he gently helped her out of the car . Surprisingly , thanks to Hubert's deliberately restrained , considerate demeanor , Azalea didn't feel too nervous . " Thank you ." Wylie gave Hubert a sideways glance . He could've sworn they'd made a reservation for a modern fusion place tonight . Still , the restaurant had its own quiet charm . Just inside the entrance , a gentle stream flowed beneath a footbridge , and soft lighting danced through the shadows of tall trees . The name - Willow Glen - fits it perfectly . The food lived up to the ambiance . For the soups , in particular , she had two bowls . She wasn't sure if it was a coincidence , but the dishes they ordered were all nourishing and easy on the stomach - perfect for someone with digestive issues . " Ms. Yarrow . " Hubert finally started to talk business . " You can just call me by name ." Hubert smiled . " Then I'll go with Lea ." Azalea froze slightly at the nickname . Back at the orphanage , her sponsor - Mr . Quinn - would send her a letter with her allowance each month , always addressing her as Lea . He had been the only person to ever call her that . She pressed her lips together but didn't reject the nickname . " Okay . " She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination , but Hubert's mood seemed to improve after she responded . " I heard you were selected for Jubilee's training camp . You studied fine arts before , right ? You should know that Wylie is your classmate - but his art grades have been less than ideal . Would you be available to come to the Lennoxs ' residence on weekends and tutor him ? " Wylie was confused . He looked up from his phone with a ' you've got to be kidding me ' expression . If anyone knew he was lazy , it was Hubert ! He didn't need a tutor but didn't want to draw . All his past tutors had been masters in some technique or another . Now they wanted a high school student who hadn't even graduated yet ? That wasn't even the worst part . When had he ever said he needed tutoring ? He opened his mouth , ready to say no . But Hubert was a step ahead . He looked over and said calmly , " Wylie , I think you need tutoring . " ||| O 1/4 Chapter 8 A Deal over Dinner The was smiling . Wylie shin his month . Right , like his opinion mattered . Azalea was surprised , too . Was he serious ? Does someone with Wylie's background need a tutor ? " Of course , Hubert added . ' T'm not asking you to work for free . How does 1,000 per session sound ? " A thousand per session . He didn't say how many sessions there would be , but even just two a week meant 2.000 . Azalea almost couldn't hold back her expression . Suppose she didn't know for a fact that Hubert didn't know about her current situation . She'd think he was deliberately trying to give her money in that case . He sat back in his chair , hands folded neatly in front of him , calm and patient - waiting for her answer without pressure , giving her full respect . She didn't reject him . Instead , she was thinking through its practicality . It wasn't about the money - it was about the connection . In her original plan , she had a step that involved finding investors . She needed someone who was willing to invest in her . She'd considered using her future achievements and Wylie's connections to make that happen . But now she was rethinking it . If she could get investment from the Lennox immediately , it wouldn't just mean stable funding - it would be a powerful form of protection . Not many people , including the Larks , would dare mess with someone backed by the Lennoxs . " All right . I accept . " Having made up her mind , she nodded . " It's getting late . If you don't mind , Mr. Lennox , maybe we can exchange contact info and discuss the details later . I should get going . " Hubert stood up . " I'll walk you out . " Wylie , who'd been ignored this whole time , slowly raised his hand . " I've got stuff to do . " Hubert raised an eyebrow . " I meant I'm walking her out . " " I'll get my own ride , " Wylie instantly changed his tune . As Hubert led Azalea out , the two bodyguards sitting in the car watched intently . " Did Mr. Hubert just tell Mr. Wylie to get his own ride while he sends that girl off himself ? " " She's Mr. Wylie's classmate . Mr. Hubert's probably just being considerate to someone younger . " " Oh , please . You think a man who talks back to Mr. Roger like it's nothing is suddenly being nice to some random classmate ? " Nonsense ! ||| O 2/4 Chapter 8 A Deal over Dinner The car went quiet for a moment . Hah , come on . Mr. Hubert is eight years older than the girl . He's not that crazy . Besides , he's famous for being cold toward wome - TS " " I heard from Levi that Mr. Hubert asked him to run a background check on Ms. Yarrow Dead silence . Then one of then mustered . " Mr. Hubert really ain't human . " Back outside , Azalea walked beside Hubert , keeping half a step behind him . She had to admit - this man had been blessed with incredible looks . Over the years , she'd seen her fair share of attractive people . The Larks had no shortage of eye candy ; Skyler alone was a multi - award- winning actor whose looks could go head - to - head with any star . But even he paled in comparison to Hubert . Or maybe it wasn't just the looks - it was the aura . He carried himself with this ethereal , untouchable grace , like a character straight out of a dream . And yet his features were bold , dangerously seductive . dripping with intensity . His eyes were deep and magnetic , sparkling with a subtle glow, like the Milky Way itself - impossible to look away from . Even dressed casually , he made the most ordinary outfit seem like high fashion . Azalea rubbed her nose and slowed her steps a little more . She knew she wasn't bad - looking - if she were . Sydney wouldn't have been so jealous in the last life that she'd ruined her face . But right now , standing next to Hubert , she felt like if anyone jumped out to flirt with someone , they'd pick him , not her . " Where to ? " " The suburban beltway . " " Got it . " It was just a short walk to the car , and by the time they arrived , the bodyguard had already opened the door . Azalea didn't hesitate and got in . A moment later , Hubert slid in beside her . As usual , the bodyguard sat in the front . Azalea stayed still . Even though they'd already shared a car earlier , it was just the two of them this time . She buried her head in her phone , suddenly regretting letting him drive her back . The scent lingering in the car reminded her of him , slowing her breathing . She had no idea how Wylie could sit beside this man and calmly play mobile games . " So , why the sudden switch to academic class in your senior year ? " Hubert tilted his head toward her . Azalea was startled . She looked up and saw him leaning back , relaxed . The loose fit of his shirt exposed the elegant lines of his collarbones . His head was slightly bowed , eyes soft with a hint of interest . He could pass for a concerned elder if it weren't for that absurdly attractive face . ||| 3/4 49 % 0 +10 Free Coins Chapter 8 A Deal over Dinner " I just thought the academic class might suit me better . " " Isn't the workload a bit much this late in the game ? " " It's fine . I can handle it ." Azalea relaxed a little more . They chatted casually . At one point , Hubert mentioned the tutoring schedule . " Just message me when it's time . I'll have someone pick you up ." " Okay . " Oddly enough , talking to him didn't feel tense - it felt familiar . Like they'd known each other a long time . " Just stop at the gaming café up ahead . " Azalea glanced out the window . Time to play some more ranked matches . Since Wylie had seen those gameplay highlight videos of her lately , he was definitely planning to camp her queue tonight . GOD only had five members , and their team faced the veteran powerhouse Anexis . Right now , their mid- laner couldn't play . Even if they were looking to recruit someone new , it had to be done quietly . Based on what she knew from her past life , Wylie would most likely match with her in - game to test her out - whether as a teammate or opponent . Only after she passed his test would the private message arrive . The car pulled up along the side of the road . ||| Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!