Can you give me a lift?

"Marry me.....Marry me...."

Laura couldn't stop a deep voice from forcing its way into her mind. Realizing what she was thinking, she trembled all over, as if being stung by a bee. She frantically tried to start the engine and leave BABEL, but her movements were stopped by a man's deep voice that suddenly came from behind. "Laura Fuller?"

Laura was so familiar with this man's voice right now that his face automatically appeared in her mind when she merely heard his voice.

Laura slowly wound down the car window to meet Richard's stoic expression that she couldn't fathom as he stood outside.

Laura greeted with a forced smile, "Hi, President Williams..."

Richard raised his handsome brow as he glanced down at the expensive watch on his wrist. Then, he asked her flatly, "Can you give me a lift?."

"Huh?" Laura didn't come to her senses for a moment.

Richard's mouth seemed to curve into a faint smile. He was tall and handsome in the first place, and such a calm and composed demeanour lent him a charm that most men lacked. Suddenly, he walked toward the passenger seat, bent down and got into her car right away, saying, "Thank you."

"What are you doing?." Laura asked confusedly.

Richard turned to look at her seriously. "Is that how you show gratitude to the person who saved you? I'd like to go to Skylight hotel; you know the way."

Laura was stunned for a moment; she felt she should say something, but she couldn't get a word out as her mouth opened and closed. She turned her head away in frustration and start the car.

"President Williams, Why don't you change your target? Hailey Adams. It was obvious that she has a crush on you. So, she will happily marry you." Laura said.

"Are you jealous of her?." Sitting calmly in the passenger seat, Richard withdrew his gaze, took out his cell phone, and seemed to have sent out a text message.

A feeling of irritation surged up within Laura. "Don't flatter yourself, President Williams."

Richard smiled at her response. "Are you on good terms with Hailey?."

"No," Laura replied.

"That night. She is the one who drugged you." Richard said making Laura step hard on the gas.

"Well...That doesn't surprise me." Laura chuckled in a gravelly voice but her gaze was frosty.

The corners of Richard's mouth turned up slightly amid the high-speed ride as he put away his cell phone.

-------

Laura and Richard soon arrived at Skylight restaurant.

A valet came to take the car key to park the car, but Laura thanked him without handing her car key to him. Looking at Richard, who had stepped out of the car and walked toward her car door, she said, "President Williams, I will....."

Just then, her unfinished speech was interrupted by a lazy voice. "Richard Williams."

Robert's expression turned swiftly into one of excitement! He slapped his face animatedly while looking at Richard. "Richard, isn't she—"

"Her name is Laura Fuller and she is the designer from the Design Department in DONB" Richard calmly interrupted.

Robert quickly wiped his hands on his coat a few times before extending his hand. "My name is Robert Jonas. Sis… I mean, Miss Laura feel free to address me by my name."

"Nice to meet you!." Laura reached out to politely greet him.

Robert almost blurted out the term 'sister-in-law', but he saw Richard staring daggers at him from the corner of his eyes. In the end, Robert corrected himself just in time while grinning ear to ear.

"Why don't you join us for lunch?." Robert suggested.

Feeling awkward, Laura waved her hand. "I am sorry. I have something else to attend---"

Robert, however, was as silver-tongued as always. "Just put it off if it isn't important. Since you've sent Richard, it would appear rude for us not to ask you to stay lunch with us."

"I am thankful but-----"

"Maybe you hate to make friends with us." Robert interrupted in a somewhat hurt tone.

Laura still wanted to make a last-ditch attempt to turn Robert down, but the latter simply didn't give her a chance to speak. Feeling helpless, Laura glanced at the expressionless man beside her and gritted her teeth. 

Laura's body stiffened the instant the three of them entered the private room. She thought that Richard came to Skylight on this day to have lunch with his friends, but she didn't expect Richard's two younger brothers to be present there.

"Miss Laura, This is Ramon and Henry, Richard's brothers. Guys, Laura Fuller." Robert said.

Laura knew Ramon, the Doctor who treated her and Henry, the Director of BABEL. They gave her a smile of greeting upon seeing her.

Laura felt a tinge of regret. Had she known this would happen, she would have refused to join the dinner no matter what. But now that she was already in the room, she could only put on a bold front. "Thank you." She took the seat next to Richard.