Chapter 403: Chapter 403: Forcing Itself In, Seems Cheap Chapter 403: Chapter 403: Forcing Itself In, Seems Cheap Hope Williams looked at her watch, it was 6:30 PM.

“Is Miss Richardson still shopping?”

Aria Richardson looked at her shopping achievements and was quite satisfied, “No, not anymore, I’m starving. I want to have dinner.”

“Alright, how about coming to my place for dinner?”

“No, I’d better go home. My parents have been hounding me recently, saying I’m not serious about my life because I go to bars too often; they’re afraid I won’t get married and have even started forcing me to go on blind dates.”

Hope Williams slightly raised her delicate eyebrows and chuckled, “Didn’t you used to like Alexander Knox? You were always saying you wanted to pursue him, what happened now?”

Mentioning this made Aria Richardson frown, “Don’t bring him up, whenever you do, I just…”
“Just what?” Hope sensed there was something more to it.

Aria Richardson pursed her lips, “It’s nothing.”

Ever since last time at the bar when Wyatt Lewis fought Alexander Knox for her, Aria Richardson hadn’t initiated contact with Alexander again. First, because it was awkward, and second, because she had given up.

If she didn’t like him, there was no point in forcing it.

If he didn’t like her, she would just give up. Forcing it would only cheapen her.

“He doesn’t like me, so I’ll just find someone else. It’s not like I’m short of men around,” Aria Richardson declared, raising her chin.

Hope Williams chuckled lightly, agreeing, “Miss Richardson is right.”

“Let’s not talk about him anymore. Let’s go.”

“Yeah.” Hope agreed. Then, her phone rang. It was Waylon Lewis.

“Are you done shopping? I’ll come pick you up.”

Hope smiled lightly, “Yes, have you finished your meeting?”

“Yeah.”

Hope didn’t refuse, “Then I’ll send you my location.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll wait for you then, bye.”

Aria Richardson crossed her arms and stared meaningfully at Hope.

Feeling uncomfortable under her gaze, Hope put her phone back in her purse and brushed her hair aside, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Wow, President Lewis himself is coming to pick you up?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, then I better leave quickly, to avoid being a third wheel again.”

Hope, “…”

Hope helped Aria Richardson carry her bags and they left the mall. It had started raining outside, and the rain was quite heavy, adding a bit of chill.

Aria Richardson frowned, “Why did it start raining? This is just great.”

Aria glanced at her numerous bags, “I wish I hadn’t bought so much.”

The two had been dropped off by a driver, so neither had driven.

“Wait for Waylon Lewis to come, he can drop you off,” Hope suggested, checking her watch, “He should be here soon.”

“No, I’d rather die than ride with you guys.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to be glowing with romance or eating dog food (watching you be affectionate).”

Hope, “…”

Just then, a black Maybach slowly pulled up in front of them.

Aria Richardson raised her eyebrows at Hope, “Is this President Lewis?”

Hope glanced at the car and unsurely shook her head.

A man got out of the car holding an umbrella, his figure tall and poised under the dim rain. His face was hidden by the umbrella.

Bending slightly, Aria peeked under the umbrella, and in the next moment, straightened up in shock.

“What’s wrong?” Seeing her sudden excitement, Hope curiously looked at the man.

As soon as the man had exited the car, she had recognized that he wasn’t Waylon Lewis but couldn’t figure out who he was.

Aria covered her face, “It’s Alexander Knox! What bad luck I have today, normally I can’t meet him for years, and just today after I mentioned him, here he appears.”

“Why the panic?” Hope was curious as he approached.

“Alexander Knox, what are you doing here?” Hope turned to him.

Alexander Knox glanced coolly at Aria, trying to hide herself, and spoke lightly, “Just passing by and saw you here, are you heading back?”

Hope nodded, “Yeah.”

“I’ll give you a lift back then, I’m headed that way too.”

“No need.” Aria suddenly spoke loudly, enough for the people taking shelter from the rain to hear.

Both turned to look at her strangely.

Realizing her own overreaction, Aria looked up only to catch Alexander’s gaze, causing a flutter in her chest, and she awkwardly turned her head away, “I’ve already called my family’s driver.”

Hope was about to speak when Waylon Lewis’s car slowly pulled up.