67 GREEN EYES

"I really love Lord Howe Island."

Zoe has just gotten her own tray full.

The hotel didn't leave their customers dissatisfied. They offered not merely a wide variety of food in a buffet but delicious recipes as well.

"Their bestseller seafood specialty to simple bread baked from their own kitchen. Everything is delicioso!"

Zoe couldn't help but utter. Eating is her weakness.

And these foods all came from their local sources, which kept them fresh and exciting.

"They seemed to love it too!"

Her classmates seemed to be in harmony as they all nod their heads in approval of their savory meals.

She searched for a vacant spot, so she could seat herself and relish her own.

"I wonder where's Erin. Perhaps she was still talking with some of the staff about the mechanics of the game. It would take place in just a few hours."

Her eyes scanned the dining hall. She noticed that there were only three chairs unavailable.

The one beside Raigon, on Koby and Enzo.

And they were all smiling at her and motioning her to sit next to them.

Zoe drew in a deep breath. "Do I have to choose?"

She knew Enzo would not feel out of place, with all their classmates surrounding him.

So it left her with only two options.

"Raigon or Koby?"

Both were not accustomed to the atmosphere they were in.

She walked forward and was about to choose when Koby stood up and offered to assist her in his seat.

Raigon's dimples disappeared as he was still watching her.

"Sorry."

Zoe gave him an apologetic smile as she allowed Koby to support her.

He was kind to her, and she didn't want to openly reject him in front of everybody, especially that he was new to all of them.

"Were you surprised that I was here?"

Koby asked her with a cheerful tone.

Her eyes were still on Raigon.

He was still staring at her without blinking as he was sipping from his glass.

'If it was my first time, I would have blushed and looked away.'

But it was not. In fact, she was getting used to it.

It warmed her and made her feel womanly from head to toe. And she liked it.

She glanced back at Koby, who was waiting for her response.

"Yes, I was stunned." She replied shortly.

She looked at Raigon's direction again, expecting him to be still eyeballing at her.

But to her dismay, his eyes were on a different woman.

She was blocking her view of him as her back was facing her.

A low, sleek ponytail tidied up her long black hair. Her ears were wearing a pearly set of earrings. And her slim body was covered up in a silk Chinese fitted dress.

"Who could it be?" Zoe whispered to herself.

She looked around and searched for Savannah.

Her hair was still in a blond shade and was all arms on Enzo.

She now occupied the previous vacant spot beside him.

"So Erin invited you as a tour guide?"

Her eyebrows furrowed as she focused on her plate and on having a conversation with Koby instead.

She was still throwing glances at Raigon, who was ignoring her the whole time he was with that woman.

'The guts! He was even smiling and laughing with her!'

He didn't know that Raigon was never removing his gaze on her from the corner of his eyes.

Though, he was engaged with the woman in front of her.

"So you were on business here, as you say?"

Veronica continued to inquire casually.

She was just passing through to check on the event, as Raigon observed, when she noticed him.

She must have remembered him during that incident with Lady Zhou.

'But the only way that he remembered her is through the bracelet that she was wearing then. And she was wearing it again now. It was the bangle that was only fabricated in Terra.'

He was about to walk over to Zoe.

He wanted to reveal the truth about where he lived to her when Veronica seated herself in front of him.

He was too gentlemanly to shoo her away.

'This could also be my opportunity to know more about the pressing issue regarding the secret negotiations happening outside of Terra.'

"Affirmative, my lady. And I was scouting for more interested clients here."

He answered in a crisp business tone as he leaned back and relaxed on the headrest of the chair.

"What kind of business are you in, Mr. Gao? Perhaps I could be of help to you."

Veronica asked him as she clasped her hand and leaned forward.

Raigon cleared his throat.

'It's awkward for me to be called Mr. Gao as it was not my real surname. But I couldn't divulge my identity so easily.'

In quick thinking, he was reminded of Gao Zemin, so he used his name instead.

His eyes twinkled as he gazed at her.

This was now his opportunity to see the truth.

"I am in the stone business,"

He responded as a matter of factly and winked at her, hoping she would get it.

He knew someone was sneaking Painite gemstones outside their city. But he was not sure if they were directly related to the Zhous.

Veronica laughed awkwardly.

"Uh-oh, I think you're mistaken, Mr. Gao. I may look filthy, rich, but believe me, I'm not. I'm a businesswoman, but I haven't ventured into illegal drugs yet. Though I'm not saying that it's a bad thing or anything."

She apologetically explained herself.

"What? What are you talking about?"

Raigon asked with furrowed brows.

"Oh! Sorry. I don't mean to offend you. Silly me! Are you into quarrying then?"

She asked innocently.

Raigon laughed. He doesn't know if she really has no idea, or she was just faking, so he can't say.

They were both caught up in the guessing game that they were not aware that someone was giving them a green eye.

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It's sometimes good to know that someone was afraid to lose you.

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