My CEO Ex: Let Me Go.-Chapter 174

Vivienne’s POV

I didn’t go to Oslo today, and I also told Sophie and Ariana about Frederick taking my wallet.

Sophie nudged me with her shoulder, a playful smirk on her face. “You’re really not letting us come with you?”

“I’m fine going by myself.” I smiled, pressing my lips together.

If it was just to thank Frederick for treating me to dinner, I could have easily invited Sophie and Ariana along. But for some reason, I wanted to go alone.

Sophie seemed to think I had feelings for Frederick. She patted me on the shoulder and raised an eyebrow. “Alright then, good luck. Try to seal the deal tonight!”

Ariana, on the other hand, assumed I was into Frederick and sighed, feeling sorry for Julian. “Vivienne, be careful. We don’t really know anything about Frederick. We don’t even know what kind of person he truly is.”

“I understand. Don’t worry, it’s not what you think.”

I just thought Frederick was a little strange and wanted to confirm my suspicions.

Sophie wore a knowing, mischievous expression. “An explanation is just a cover-up...” she teased.

I sighed.

Frederick’s POV

The restaurant Alexander had reserved for me was a Japanese place neither Vivienne nor the others had been to before. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

At the far right of the restaurant, there was a row of private booths along the wall, separated by folding screens, with a beaded curtain on the left offering a little extra privacy. I’d booked the second-to-last booth.

By the time Vivienne arrived, I was already waiting inside.

When the beaded curtain swayed, Vivienne stepped through. I looked up, smiling as I greeted her. "You’re here. Come on in. Did you see the whales?"

Vivienne placed her bag in the corner of the table and sat across from me. "I did. It was an amazing sight! We were lucky enough to see a pod of whales, and even some breaching. It was so beautiful! Want to see the photos and videos?"

"No rush." I pushed the open menu toward her. "Order whatever you want. I’ve already picked out a few dishes, but feel free to take a look."

"Alright."

Vivienne set her phone aside and quickly scanned the items I’d marked on the menu. A smile flickered in her eyes, and her gaze softened, like water. "Huh? We have the same taste? What a coincidence!"

Through the screen, I could feel the temperature in the booth next door drop suddenly, and even behind me, I sensed a chill.

I pretended not to notice, offering a casual smile. "It’s fate, isn’t it? To meet like this in a foreign land."

"True," Vivienne smiled, then casually added a few more dishes to her order before handing the menu to the waiter.

I picked up the water jug on the table and poured her a glass, placing it in front of her.

"Thanks," Vivienne smiled, then asked, "Frederick, how old are you this year?"

"Me? I’m thirty."

"Are you married?" she asked, warming her hands as she sipped the hot water.

"No."

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the question. "No."

Earlier, I’d joked a few times in front of Alexander, suggesting Vivienne might be interested in me, but that was just to provoke him. Honestly, I never really thought Vivienne liked me. But now, here she was, inviting me to dinner and asking me questions like these. I was starting to feel a little lost.

Vivienne seemed confused. "You’re so handsome, and you’ve got money. Surely there are women chasing after you? Or is there someone you like?"

Suddenly, there was a loud "thud" from the booth next door. Vivienne instinctively glanced behind me, but with the screen in the way, she couldn’t see anything.

Until now, there hadn’t been any noise from next door, and she had assumed the booth was empty.

I noticed that the temperature next door had dropped even further.

I chuckled. "Neither. It’s just that I don’t want to waste anyone’s time."

"How so?"

"I like my freedom. I don’t have a stable job, no house. I just do whatever I want. Some might say I’m aimless and unmotivated. The only thing I have going for me is my face. Pretty sure that won’t change, so it’s better not to drag anyone else into it." I leaned back lazily in my chair, a wild look in my eyes.

Vivienne rested her chin in her hand, looking at me with admiration. "Honestly, I like people like you!"

Click—

Another sound came from the booth next door.

Vivienne didn’t seem to care much. With a sigh, she continued, "Because of my family, I’ve always been cautious and reserved by nature. So, I’ve always admired people like you. You just do whatever you want, not caring about society’s judgment, having the courage to go wherever and whenever you please. The idea of giving up everything for freedom—that’s something I’ve never had."

I took a sip of water but didn’t respond. Vivienne pressed on. "And you’re so righteous, too. Not only did you help me get my wallet back, but you didn’t want to keep the other girls waiting either. If it were someone else, they’d probably be using that face to charm every girl in here."

"...You’re overestimating me," I said, trying to stay calm as I noticed the serious look on her face. My expression tightened. Could she really... like me? No, that couldn’t be. A chill ran down my spine.

"I’m just speaking honestly," she said softly.

"..."

I didn’t reply, and just then, the waiter arrived with our food, which eased the tension.

I took the tray from the waiter and set the dishes on the table, then smiled at Vivienne. "Stop talking so much. Let’s eat."

"Okay." Vivienne nodded, then casually asked, "Why did you book this place? And a private room, too?"

I was about to make up an excuse when I noticed her raise an eyebrow, her gaze playful. "Is it because you’re worried someone might interrupt us?"

I froze for a moment. "...What?"

That sounded... oddly uncomfortable. It was almost as if she was implying we were on a date.

Just then, a loud, grating sound came from the table next to us—the scraping of knives and forks cutting steak. The noise was sharp and unpleasant.

I could almost picture Alexander’s expression right now.

I hadn’t expected things to take such a turn.

Vivienne couldn’t help but sigh. "...I remember when I first arrived at H. Dynasty..."

The noise from next door suddenly stopped.

"Don’t be fooled by the fact that H. Dynasty took me in," she said. "Honestly, I could never fit into that high-society world. I’d much rather sit with someone like you. You’re ordinary, but not ordinary at all. I can be myself without worrying, without having to constantly watch my back."

I kept eating, forcing a calm smile. "...I don’t really understand what you’re saying. It’s getting harder to follow."

Vivienne looked at me intently, blinking a few times, then asked, "What do you think of me?"

My face stiffened for a moment, and I played dumb. "You’re very pretty."

If I said anything more, Alexander might actually skin me alive.

"I didn’t mean that," she said. "What I want to ask is... would you want me to be your girlfriend? Would you say yes?" Vivienne’s lips curled into a small smile as she tilted her head, looking at me expectantly.

At that moment, I couldn’t care less about Alexander’s feelings. My entire face froze.