CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN: AN EXPOSITORY OF THE PAST( PART 31); DINNER

Rylee Athena got off the car and both of them walked to the entrance where the two guards opened the door for them and they got in. Although the hotel was located in the middle of the town, it was heavily guarded as most of the prosperous people had their meals in the place.

They were led by a waitress to a special seat by the window where they could see everything in the city. All the cars, people and vegetation. This was because Christopher Connor was a very good friend of the founder of the restaurant.

Rylee Athena scrolled through the menu and chose vegetable soup, stuffed trout and salmon accompanied by a glass of cold orange juice. Christopher Connor chose lamb chops and beef and rice accompanied by a glass of whiskey.

Once the waitress left with their order, Rylee Athena took a sip of water from the glass in front of her and lifted her face to look at the young man who had been staring at her for a while.

She gently placed the glass on the table and frowned, "You left your Investors at the hotel just to take me out? Are you serious? What if they boycott you?" Rylee Athena inquired in a worried manner. Her eyes displayed a state of worry. She did not want to be a hindrance to his work.

Christopher Connor looked at her, smiled and shrugged his shoulders, "They won't mind. I have booked a place for dinner." He said as he still smiled.

"Well, then congratulations on being a good businessman to your Investors," Rylee Athena said casually and took another sip of the water.

"Oh, so if I had not booked a place for dinner, I would have been a bad businessman?" Christopher Connor inquired making Rylee Athena looked all around the place while trying to look for an answer to the abrupt question.

"Ummmm..." She scratched the back of her neck and looked at him then noted that the smile on Christopher Connor's face had widened. Was he playing a trick on her?

"You know very well that's not what I mean." Rylee Athena tried to explain as she smiled amiably at him while exposing her eggshell white teeth.

"Then what do you mean?" Christopher Connor inquired as he took a sip of water from the glass in front of him.

"Uh...the food is here, let's eat." Rylee Athena tried to look for an excuse as she helped the waitress place the food on the table. Then the waitress took her tray, bowed slightly and hurried back to where she had come from.

"Stop looking for excuses." Christopher Connor said to Rylee Athena as he held her hand that had taken the napkin off the table. This action made Rylee Athena stop moving and look at him, for a second, Rylee Athena was mesmerized , her heart was beating fast and a red colour was creeping onto her cheeks. She could feel her body heat increase slowly by slowly.

The two of them stared at each other like that for almost five minutes before a waitress interrupted them as she handed Christopher Connor the bill for the meal.

"Sorry,"  Christopher Connor let go of her hand and took the bill. He immediately took out his mobile phone, scanned the QR code of the restaurant and paid for the bill.

Rylee Athena coughed twice and adjusted her mood before she unfurled the red cloth napkin onto her lap. She then started eating the salmon. A bite or two later, Rylee Athena looked at Christopher Connor and noticed his proper etiquette even in eating. Later on, she reached for her orange juice and took a bird's sip from the glass.

The two of them ate in silence before Christopher Connor broke the silence, Where do you plan to go after this brief meeting?"

"To the company and continue working on with the project." Rylee Athena replied.

"Aren't you going to visit grandpa?" Christopher Connor inquired.

"No, I have to impress Ali Maddox before that." Rylee Athena replied and sighed.

Christopher Connor lifted the glass full of whiskey, took a few mouthfuls before he continued eating.

"So, when do you plan to visit grandpa?" He inquired.

"Next week, I think so." She replied.

"Then are you free tomorrow night?" Christopher Connor inquired as he smiled amiably exposing his eggshell white teeth.

"Yes, kinda. What's up?"

"I want to take you out to a night market. Wanna come?"

"Of course. I like travelling too."

.........

Christopher Connor led Rylee Athena the way outside to his car, during the meal, the both of them had discussed many things which included money, business ethics and family.

He opened the car door and made a signal for Rylee Athena to sit in the front seat next to him but she rejected it and sat at the back seat.

Along the way, Rylee Athena narrated Christopher Connor a story of how she had once gotten lost while in Max's Corporation building. First, he drove her to Ali Maddox's mansion where she changed to her official black Palazzo pants,a matching coat and a sleeveless white top. She tied her hair in a low bun.

The sports car still maintaining the current speed on the highway, suddenly slowed down as it closed up to the tall skyscraper towering into the sky with the nameplate ' Max's Corporation' written on it. It hanged from the highest point of the building. On getting to the building's entrance, it came to a halt.

Two minutes later after Rylee Athena arranged her stuff in her purse, the backdoor directly facing the entrance of the building was pushed wide open. Next, a pair of black Louboutin heels touched down the glimmering graphite floors of the building, and the next moment, and next, a female figure stepped out of the vehicle with her white purse in her hands. It was the latest collection of purses from Prada. Rylee Athena flipped her hair looked around the place.

Shutting the door, the car immediately sped off and Rylee Athena looked at the crowd who stood while looking at her in a perplexed manner. She had black shades on her face. Her face looked very beautiful as although not all her face could be seen, the remaining part was very beautiful. She immediately then walked into the building bypassing the large, revolving doors at the entrance.