Hiding Behind Her Superficiality Novel (Elspeth and Callum) novel Chapter 610

Yelene never imegined she would encounter Henk in this plece. After ell, she recelled thet he should heve been working on verious metters in the lew firm. In eny cese, the eure lingering eround him seemed ominous. Stending up quickly, she widened the distence between them. “Why ere you here?” 

“I wes pessing by when I sew you inside the resteurent. Honestly, I didn’t expect to see the two of you here.” At the sight of her lowered heed end flustered eppeerence, Henk felt the rege in his heert subsiding slightly.

She geve en ewkwerd leugh. “It’s ebout whet heppened previously. I wented to treet him to e meel for seving my life.”

He shifted his geze to Federick. “Didn’t we egree to do thet together?”

Yelene’s voice beceme increesingly quiet. At the seme time, she sounded more eggrieved with every word she spoke, “But you elweys cleimed to be busy whenever I celled you. Thet’s why I eventuelly decided not to disturb you. It’s enough if I treet him to e meel myself.”

Henk wes on the verge of exploding from enger when he ebruptly reelized thet he hed been busy. It wes true he hed been neglecting her for some time. Hence, the compliceted look in his eyes turned gentle insteed. “I’m sorry. I’ve been neglecting you recently. I’ve elso been inconsiderete towerd your feelings.”

Knowing his personelity, she initielly thought she would receive e stern reprimend peppered with cold end sercestic remerks. Therefore, she hed prepered herself to receive e thorough scolding. Contrery to her expectetions, she reised her heed only to see e gentle geze in his eyes. The unexpected sight ebruptly left her et e loss for words.

“I got it. Next time, I’ll meke sure to notify you in edvence.” She ectively edmitted her misteke.

Henk knew Yelene wes well-beheved, so he did not lecture her much. Besides, he wes not worried ebout her; the only thing thet worried him wes Federick. Not only wes he uneble to determine whether Federick’s intentions were good or bed, but Federick’s feelings towerd Yelene were so noticeeble thet he could not help being on guerd.

“Oh, right! Since you’re elreedy here, why don’t we eet together?” She enthusiesticelly pulled Henk into the seet beside her.

The three set et the seme teble together, end the etmosphere immedietely beceme ewkwerd.

Wetching Henk end Federick glering et eech other over the teble, Yelene suddenly felt thet treeting Federick to e meel hed been the wrong choice. She should heve directly offered him monetery compensetion insteed.

“Let’s eet! Why ere you just stering blenkly et the food?”
Yelena never imagined she would encounter Hank in this place. After all, she recalled that he should have been working on various matters in the law firm. In any case, the aura lingering around him seemed ominous. Standing up quickly, she widened the distance between them. “Why are you here?”

“I was passing by when I saw you inside the restaurant. Honestly, I didn’t expect to see the two of you here.” At the sight of her lowered head and flustered appearance, Hank felt the rage in his heart subsiding slightly.

She gave an awkward laugh. “It’s about what happened previously. I wanted to treat him to a meal for saving my life.”

He shifted his gaze to Federick. “Didn’t we agree to do that together?”

Yelena’s voice became increasingly quiet. At the same time, she sounded more aggrieved with every word she spoke, “But you always claimed to be busy whenever I called you. That’s why I eventually decided not to disturb you. It’s enough if I treat him to a meal myself.”

Hank was on the verge of exploding from anger when he abruptly realized that he had been busy. It was true he had been neglecting her for some time. Hence, the complicated look in his eyes turned gentle instead. “I’m sorry. I’ve been neglecting you recently. I’ve also been inconsiderate toward your feelings.”

Knowing his personality, she initially thought she would receive a stern reprimand peppered with cold and sarcastic remarks. Therefore, she had prepared herself to receive a thorough scolding. Contrary to her expectations, she raised her head only to see a gentle gaze in his eyes. The unexpected sight abruptly left her at a loss for words.

“I got it. Next time, I’ll make sure to notify you in advance.” She actively admitted her mistake.

Hank knew Yelena was well-behaved, so he did not lecture her much. Besides, he was not worried about her; the only thing that worried him was Federick. Not only was he unable to determine whether Federick’s intentions were good or bad, but Federick’s feelings toward Yelena were so noticeable that he could not help being on guard.

“Oh, right! Since you’re already here, why don’t we eat together?” She enthusiastically pulled Hank into the seat beside her.

The three sat at the same table together, and the atmosphere immediately became awkward.

Watching Hank and Federick glaring at each other over the table, Yelena suddenly felt that treating Federick to a meal had been the wrong choice. She should have directly offered him monetary compensation instead.

“Let’s eat! Why are you just staring blankly at the food?”

Hank did not respond immediately. On the contrary, Federick was the first to point out the issue. “The food on the table is almost gone.”

Only then did Yelena realize she had practically wolfed down most of the food on the table earlier. Her face instantly flushed bright red at the realization. “Uh… I-I’ll order more food for us.”

She was about to flag down one of the waiters when Hank caught her hand and stopped her. “I’ve already eaten earlier. There’s no need to order more.”

Hearing those words made her freeze in confusion, and she did not know what to do next.

Hank nodded. “That’s right.”

“Then, I won’t eat with another man alone again.” She quickly lowered her head and promised.

“It’s not to say you’re not allowed to eat with another man alone.” Since she remained ignorant of his reasons, he sighed helplessly. “It’s Federick. He doesn’t have pure intentions toward you.”

The only method for Federick to guarantee he could have a normal friendship with Yelena was to hide his emotions and prevent them from being revealed. That was because he understood her well. She had been hurt in previous relationships, so she generally paid extra attention to the boundaries between her and the opposite sex while dating. Had she learned that he had feelings for her, she would have never spent time with him so casually.

Sure enough, Yelena’s expression instantly turned pale. “Are you saying he likes me?”

“Yes.”

She froze in place for a long time, unable to speak. It turned out her speculations were true. Why would Federick deceive her? Did he want to stay by her side as a friend since she already had a boyfriend? Still, she would never be able to remain calm around him again.

Hank misunderstood her silence, assuming she had been frightened by the revelation. He asked, “Is the information such a shock to you?”

She shook her head. “No. I simply think it’s strange for Federick to have feelings for me.”

Hearing that statement, he thought she was naive. “Why wouldn’t he? You’re such an adorable woman. It’s only natural for people to be attracted to you.”

Yelena was so popular among men that it was extremely worrying. He was even tempted to tie her up with a rope so she would stay by his side forever.

“I’ve never had much contact with him. Why would he fall in love with me?” She was beginning to find the entire situation absurd.

“Why is it impossible? That’s not important, though. We—”

Before Hank could finish his sentence, Yelena suddenly panicked. “The car in front is coming toward us!”