Chapter 70

When Suzy returned from the restroom, she immediately sensed that something felt... off.

Leonard avoided her gaze, his eyes flickering away whenever she looked at him.

"Uncle, what’s going on?" she asked, puzzled. "Why are you sitting over there now?"

She still had no idea that her earlier attention toward Richard Stone had caused such a massive misunderstanding.

"I just came over to chat with Thomas," Leonard replied vaguely.

The three of them resumed eating.

The table behind them—where Richard and the two women sat—had grown much quieter, as if the earlier drama had finally settled down.

Suzy figured she had observed enough and shifted her focus back to the food in front of her.

Seeing that she was no longer sneaking glances toward Richard, Leonard secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The meal ended quickly, and the three of them paid the bill and left.

As they passed Richard’s table, Suzy glanced over briefly.

She noticed that Richard’s dishes were barely touched.

The table, however, was piled high with food—so much that some plates were nearly stacked on top of each other—while Hannah and Olivia were happily eating away.

A quiet suspicion formed in Suzy’s mind.

The moment they stepped outside the restaurant, a wave of scorching heat hit them.

Pedestrians on the street were complaining loudly about the miserable weather.

Since the restaurant wasn’t far from the residential complex, the three decided to walk back.

Leonard hated the heat the most.

After only a few steps, sweat was already pouring down his face.

Even though he had just had something to drink earlier, his throat now felt unbearably dry again.

Remembering the convenience store near the entrance of the complex, he asked, "Do you two want something to drink? I’m going to grab some water."

"Let’s go together," Suzy said.

The three of them walked into the convenience store and headed straight for the refrigerators.

They quickly discovered that all the bottled water had already been sold out.

Only various soft drinks remained—and even the normally well-stocked brands were nearly gone.

Leonard grabbed two bottles and said to Suzy, "I’ll check the other aisles."

Suzy nodded and wandered over to the snack section.

After a brief round of shopping, the three of them left the store.

"I asked the clerk just now," Leonard said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "He said they won’t restock bottled water for a while. And the next shipment has already been reserved."

Suzy grew anxious.

Clearly, someone in the complex had already sensed that something was wrong and had begun stockpiling drinking water.

The three of them chatted as they walked.

Just as they were about to reach the entrance of the complex, Leonard suddenly patted his pocket. His expression changed immediately.

"My phone—I think I left it in the store! You two wait here for a moment. I’ll be right back!"

With that, he turned and jogged back toward the convenience store.

Suzy and Thomas were left standing there.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. People passed in and out of the complex entrance.

Then Suzy suddenly heard a familiar voice. "Alright, I got it. I’m heading back now. Stop rushing me."

She followed the sound. The moment she saw the face attached to that voice, her pupils shrank.

Wendy?

What was she doing here?

Leonard had mentioned seeing Wendy somewhere in the complex before, but Suzy hadn’t expected to run straight into her like this.

Wendy absolutely

could not

find out that Suzy lived here.

When it came to Wendy—the story’s original heroine—Suzy’s current strategy was simple: avoid her whenever possible.

Fortunately, Wendy hadn’t noticed her yet.

Suzy quickly scanned her surroundings, looking for somewhere to hide. But the area was completely open.

There was only one thing nearby that could block her from view. Her gaze landed on Thomas.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, standing there like a wall. If she hid behind him, his frame could easily cover her entirely.

Without hesitation, Suzy darted behind him. Thomas glanced down at her movement in confusion, but didn’t say anything.

Suzy didn’t have time to explain.

But even that didn’t feel safe enough. If Wendy moved closer, she might still catch a glimpse of Suzy’s face.

Suzy’s mind raced. Without giving herself time to hesitate, she reached up and pulled off the hairband holding her hair.

In an instant, her long hair cascaded down around her shoulders.

She slipped both arms around Thomas from behind, wrapping them tightly around his solid waist, and buried her face deep against his broad back.

Thomas’s body went rigid the instant she touched him.

"S-Su...?" His voice tightened.

"Don’t move," Suzy whispered quickly, her voice barely audible. "Just help me out for a moment. And don’t call my name."

Thomas did not try to shake her off.

At that same moment, Wendy’s gaze drifted in their direction. Not because she had recognized Suzy, but because Thomas caught her eye.

The man standing a short distance away was striking. His build was powerful, his features sharp and handsome. Even standing still, he naturally drew attention.

Wendy was no exception.

The moment she clearly saw his face, her heart stirred slightly.

That guy is seriously good-looking...

But in the next second, she noticed something else. A woman was clinging to him from behind, holding him tightly.

The woman’s slender arms barely managed to circle his thick waist. Wendy’s pleasant mood evaporated instantly.

Because of the angle, she couldn’t see the woman’s face—only the intimate posture of the embrace.

"Oh, great. He’s taken already." She ended the call with an irritated tap, clicking her tongue in disappointment. "What a waste."

If that woman hadn’t been hugging him right now, she would have walked right over to ask for his contact information.

That waist alone looked incredible—and his face wasn’t any worse than the male lead’s. So how could someone like him already be taken?

She was the heroine, after all. Men of this caliber were supposed to fall into her orbit.

The more Wendy thought about it, the more annoyed she felt.

Finally, she looked away.

Remembering the troubles waiting for her at home, Wendy quickened her pace and walked off.

Suzy listened carefully as the sound of footsteps faded.

"Did she leave?" she whispered, her breath brushing faintly against Thomas’s back.

"Who?" Thomas asked.

"The woman in red just now."

Thomas watched the red-clad figure gradually disappear from view and answered calmly, "Almost."

Suzy let out a quiet sigh of relief. Yet she didn’t move. Her arms were still wrapped around his waist.

Beneath her palms, through the thin layer of his shirt, she could clearly feel the firm, defined lines of his abdominal muscles—tight and solid.

Wow... that’s firm.

It was the first time Suzy had ever touched a man’s abs.

Not bad... actually feels pretty good. If only I could explore a little more...

Unfortunately, she didn’t have the courage for that. The two of them remained frozen there like statues.

Suzy suddenly felt an inexplicable heat rushing up to her face.

Silently counting the seconds, she hesitated before whispering again after a minute. "Is she gone now?"

Thomas lowered his eyes, staring at the slender arms wrapped around his waist. When he lifted his gaze, the flash of red had already disappeared.

His lips moved slightly. "She looked back just now."

Suzy’s body tensed even more.

What is Wendy doing?!

To avoid being recognized, Suzy maintained her position.

Though if she was being honest, holding Thomas like this wasn’t exactly a loss for her.

Another thirty seconds passed.

Then Thomas’s deep voice sounded again. "She’s gone."

Suzy immediately let go of him. She brushed back her slightly damp hair and peeked around cautiously.

Sure enough—Wendy was nowhere to be seen.

She let out a relieved breath. "Thank goodness."

Thomas glanced at her quietly. "Mm."

At that exact moment, Leonard’s shocked voice rang out behind them. "You... you two...?!"