Chapter 6 Apologizing For The Past

Unexpectedly, Stark didn't walk up to Nicolas. He merely stood up with a cold expression on his face and left the cafe without a word.

Joe turned his eyes towards Jean but then left with his friend as well.

Jean was stunned for a few seconds. But she quickly recovered and turned her face away from Nicolas's hand.

"Thank you. I can take care of this."

Looking at Jean wipe her face with another tissue, Nicolas withdrew his hand naturally. He didn't seem flustered.

"Miss Jian, are you really this surprised at my falling in love with you at first sight?" he asked.

Jean looked at him and asked back, "Is this what you usually say to women you are out on a date with?"

Perhaps Nicolas really had fallen in love with her so soon, but she didn't believe herself to be the first woman to enjoy such lavish treatment.

"Don't you believe me, Miss Jian?"

"You think I should believe you?"

There was silence for a few seconds. Then Nicolas suddenly chuckled, "Miss Jian, you are a remarkably interesting woman and I like you. I am serious about our date, even if you do not believe me to be so,"

"Mr. Shen, I..."

"Well, since we're already familiar with each other, I'd better just call you Jean afterwards."

"What? I..."

"It's almost lunch time now. Jean, you must haven't had lunch yet. Let's leave here. I know a restaurant nearby famous for its French cuisine. I'll treat you to lunch."

Nicolas had already picked up her bag and was now gesturing towards the door. Jean knew that she had no room for refusing any further.

She sighed inwardly and reluctantly agreed. She didn't have a choice since she needed to report to her family later.

After leaving the Sunshine Cafe, they got in Nicolas's car and left.

Behind them, Stark stared at the receding taillights of the car with a gloomy expression on his face.

After a while, he brought out his phone and dialed his assistant.

"Investigate Nicolas right now!" he barked as soon as the latter picked up.

"Yes, Mr. Lu. What would you like to know about him?"

"Everything!" Stark shouted angrily. "Find me everything you can about him, and especially find out who he's been in touch with recently. I want the information to reach me within two hours! "

"As you wish, Mr. Lu."

Stark slightly narrowed his eyes. The sight of Nicolas wiping the corner of Jean's mouth as if the two were intimate partners was revolving around his eyes repeatedly. He could feel a fire spreading inside his heart.

He threw his phone on the passenger seat and thumped the steering wheel.

"Damn it! Why does it have to be Nicolas of all people? Doesn't she know what a notorious scumbag he is?"

At precisely eight o'clock outside the Jian family, a white car slid down the road.

"Mr. Shen, please stop the car here. Thank you for giving me a ride back."

Nicolas stopped the car and dialed Jean's number. The phone rang and he instantly hung up with a satisfied smile.

"This is my number. I will contact you often in the future.

And Jean, I'll say this again. I'm serious about us dating and I think that we're a good match. I'll officially pursue you from today onwards."

Jean frowned. She didn't take Nicolas's words seriously. In any case, she bid him goodbye and left his car.

Seeing it disappear around the corner, Jean let out a long sigh. She was feeling tired.

It had been only a few days since her return, but she felt like nothing was going right.

She turned around and was about to walk home but suddenly, her wrist was grabbed with immense force. Before she could cry out in pain, she was pressed against the wall of one of the buildings.

She raised her eyes and her gaze fell on Stark's handsome face. At the moment though, it was several times enlarged and a strong smell of alcohol was seeping out of his lips.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!"

Ignoring her struggles, Stark stared at her with deep and furious eyes.

"Did you have a good time with Nicolas?"

Jean was shocked at the question. How did he know?

Stark then clenched her wrist so hard she felt like it was going to break.

"Yeah, I know. After a cup of coffee and a lunch, you two caught a movie before coming back. You seemed to get along well. Are you satisfied with him? Do you think he'll be a good boyfriend? Huh?"

Jean's face turned pale at his words and she bit her lips tightly.

"You should know that my choice of partner is none of your business. My dating life has nothing to do with you, Mr. Lu."

Stark laughed, though he still sounded quite angry. "Let's see how well-suited Nicolas is for you, shall we?

Since we know each other, I'll do you a little favor and tell you something about him. You're an idiot if you think you are good enough to win his heart."

Jean pressed her lips tightly and looked at Stark's mocking eyes.

"Here's why he's being so nice: Vincent is seriously ill and has told Nicolas that if he wants the shares of the Shen Group under his name, he must change his dissolute lifestyle and find a wife."

At this news, Nicolas's face appeared in Jean's mind. He had repeatedly emphasized his seriousness about dating her.

'So he really was being serious, although the feeling rose out of something other than love,' she thought.

Seeing Jean's unmoved expression, Stark felt like his heart had just been clenched by a giant hand. He was feeling stuffy and finding it hard to breathe.

"Jean, didn't you understand what I just said? Nicolas just needs a woman to show his father. Even if you two get engaged or married, it won't last. As soon as Vincent passes away, he will abandon you like he's abandoned every other woman he's ever dated."

Stark really felt like strangling Jean to knock some sense into her. She needed to know what kind of a man she was seeing. So many women in A City avoided him the way they avoided snakes and scorpions. But here she was, dating with him.

Jean finally regained her composure and asked calmly, "So what? What does it have to do with you?"

Stark was too angry to say another word. He could only stare at the woman viciously.

Jean pulled her hand back and pushed him away. He was standing too close for comfort.

"I admit that I used to love you, Mr. Lu. I agree that I pestered you shamelessly and endlessly. And I apologize for my past behavior and for everything else I have done to you."

She continued seriously, "I'm sorry."

However, her sincere apology didn't make him any happier. His deep eyes only became gloomier.

"You won't have to ask me why I came back anymore. I am going to tell you. And don't worry. I am not here to cause you further trouble and I will try my best that our paths do not cross. I am back here to share in my parents' work,"

Jean looked straight into Stark's eyes and declared firmly.

This was the truth. She wanted to live her own life and not have anything to do with the man in front of her.