Chapter 7 Who Is He to You?

What is he suggesting? His gaze boldly landed on her red lips, clearly suggesting the best way for a woman to thank a man was with a kiss. Hazel's heart skipped a beat, and her fair ears burned bright red instantly. "I don't," she said, turning her head to look out the window, ignoring him. Zachary watched her avoidance, noting her intelligence, agility, independence, and reluctance to trust others with her true feelings easily. But a nineteen-year-old girl was like an unsullied piece of paper regarding love and passion, unable to resist a man's teasing. As the traffic light turned red, the luxury car came to a stop. Hazel leaned against the window and saw the most famous cake shop in Maritown. "Want some cake?" Zachary's low, mellow voice sounded in her ears, and a hint of nostalgia flickered in Hazel's bright eyes as she whispered, "My mom used to buy me cakes in that shop." Zachary turned the steering wheel, pulling over to the side of the road. "Buy it if you want some." … The cake shop is an old and well-known establishment in Maritown, especially popular among the social elite, with limited quantities available every day. Hazel loved cakes growing up, and her mother often brought her here to buy cakes. Those were the happiest memories. It had been ten years—ten years since Hazel last came here. Her eyes became red-rimmed with oncoming tears, but she didn't want the man beside her to see. "Um… give me a minute. I need to use the washroom." She wanted to wash her face. Zachary watched the girl disappear. Watching the girl disappear, Zachary had seen her almost crying just now. Truly, a young girl who's yet to grow up. He stepped into the cake shop, which, coincidentally, Sage and her friend Violet Kovac were also in. Violet tugged at Sage's arm. "Hey, Sage, were you serious when you said your hick of a half-sister is keeping a pretty boy?" "Of course!" Sage sneered disdainfully. "I saw it with my own eyes. That pretty boy drove Hazel home." "Pretty boys are very demanding nowadays. Hazel just came back from the countryside. Where did she get the money to keep a pretty boy?" "Pretty boys are basically gigolos," Sage argued. "They're also classified. The top-notch ones are handsome, well-built, and skilled in bed. They're worth a fortune for just one night…" Just then, a deep, magnetic voice sounded nearby. "One cake, please." Oh my, what a captivating voice! Both Sage and Violet's gazes were drawn toward Zachary, who was standing tall and elegant by the counter with his white shirt and black trousers, tall stature, and model-like figure. He didn't need to do anything; standing there was enough to light up people's eyes. Good Lord, that man is such a hunk! Violet was already smitten, quietly tugging on Sage's sleeve. "Sage, he's the type of top-notch man we were just talking about!" Handsome, well-built, skilled in bed… Sage was lovestruck, having never seen such a handsome man before. They said a man looked best when they were rich and influential. Zachary's restrained elegance made him the most handsome among men in white shirts and black suit pants, without a doubt. "Sage, do you think Hazel's pretty boy is like this man?" Violet whispered. "Are you hearing yourself?" Sage shot Violet a dirty look. "Someone as poor and unsophisticated as Hazel can only afford to keep the lowest tier pretty boy, someone ugly and fat. If she could afford to keep a fine specimen like him, I'll call her 'Mommy'!" Sage would never believe that the pretty boy Hazel was keeping could be on the same level as the handsome man before them. The store manager apologized sincerely, "I'm sorry, sir. The last cake has already been bought by those two ladies. We're sold out for today. You can come earlier tomorrow." Sage had taken the last cake. Sage, named by the manager, felt her heart racing. She quickly stepped forward, excited yet bashful, as she looked at Zachary. "Sir, are you… wanting to buy a cake? You can have mine, but can I have your WhatsApp number in exchange?" Sage had taken a liking to this man, so she eagerly approached him. She was an excellent catch, youthful and beautiful, with many admirers. Yet she felt inexplicably nervous about hitting his hunk up. However, despite Sage's hopeful anticipation, Zachary didn't bother to spare her a glance. Instead, he simply took out his black card and handed it to the manager. "Please have the patissier work overtime to make one for me." The manager immediately noticed the black card had a golden "Luellen" embedded in it. Luellen was a well-known surname in Maritown. The manager almost instantly guessed the man's identity before him, and a cold sweat began drenching his forehead, never expecting the king of Maritown to arrive at his cake shop. "Please give me a minute, sir. I'll have the patissier specially make one for you." The manager rushed into the kitchen. Sage and Violet were confused, finding it strange that the manager would deliberately make a cake for this man when they had to wait in line. This man was practically given the shop's VVIP treatment. While Zachary waited, he casually picked up a business newspaper to read. Having been wholly ignored, Sage felt humiliated, and she tugged at the strap of her slip dress, deliberately revealing her enticing cleavage. "Oh, my head's spinning." Sage pretended to feel dizzy, leaning toward Zachary's arms. She closed her eyes, hoping to fall into the man's embrace. But the next moment, she fell onto the ground with a thud. It turned out Zachary had dodged to the side, and Sage fell flat on her face. Just then, a melodious voice sounded from above her, "Oh my, Sage, no need to bow before me." Sage looked up and was surprised to see Hazel, who blinked her eyes mischievously, looking at her embarrassing situation. Frustrated and embarrassed, Sage quickly clambered up. "What are you doing here?" she asked with incredulity, for she had come with the notion that Marcus was defiling Hazel at this moment. What happened? Zachary stepped forward and naturally wrapped his strong arm around Hazel's slender waist. "Why did you take so long?" Her waist was indeed so small that he could almost encircle it with one hand. Sage and Violet gasped in shock, surprised that Hazel was acquainted with this hunk, and Sage immediately asked, "Hazel, who is he to you?" "Didn't you say he's my pretty boy?" Hazel smirked.