I Rejected Being The Investor's Mistress

The man stood at the bottom of the stairs on the sidewalk, his gaze on Evelyn Howard steady and warm. Evelyn's heart unexpectedly skipped a beat. Lately, she had been so overwhelmed by gossip and work that the thought of a whirlwind marriage didn't seem entirely out of the question.

"Mr. Scott, this is quite sudden..."

Everett Scott raised an eyebrow slightly and stepped forward to shield her from the chilly wind. "A lifelong decision does call for some deliberation. How about I take you out for dinner, Miss Howard?"

"No..." Evelyn started to decline, but her stomach betrayed her with an audible growl. Standing so close, he must have heard it.

She awkwardly rubbed her stomach, trying to brush it off. Everett didn't laugh; he simply turned and opened the car door, leaning against the frame. "Come on, there's a great little place nearby that serves amazing lasagna."

In the glow of the streetlights, he wore a black shirt, buttoned all the way up, his well-built physique visible—broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs, with hints of muscles beneath. Evelyn quickly glanced away.

Alright, she admitted, she was a bit taken by his appearance. Coupled with the good impression he left at their first meeting, the man standing before her exuded the charm of a perfect gentleman. After a day filled with unpleasantness, her appetite had vanished, but now, she was genuinely hungry.

Seeing no good reason to refuse, Evelyn decided not to be overly polite. She stepped off the curb toward the car, intending to open the back door, but Everett had already opened the passenger side. "The backseat's full, sit up front."

Evelyn glanced through the window at the backseat, which was indeed cluttered, so she swallowed her refusal. Everett stepped back to give her room. His gaze inadvertently caught her delicate earlobe. Her dark, thick hair contrasted her fair skin, and the strands that fell across her face added a playful and lively touch.

She sat down and buckled her seatbelt on her own. Only then did Everett calmly shut the door for her. Evelyn assumed Everett was just inviting her for a casual meal and didn't expect him to bring her to The Savory Willow.

As the most exclusive and discreet restaurant in Manchester, The Savory Willow's interior boasted top-of-the-line decor, radiating elegance and luxury, with shimmering lights and wood-paneled floors that seemed too delicate to step on.

As soon as the valet drove off, the restaurant manager at the entrance eagerly approached with a beaming smile. "Mr. Scott, what a pleasure to have you. The private room upstairs is ready."

Everett nodded politely but distantly. "I’m just here for a laid-back meal with a friend, no need to go all out."

At his words, the manager glanced at Evelyn with keen interest. "This is the first time Mr. Scott has brought a lady here."

Hearing this, Evelyn couldn't help but recall a classic line from billionaire romance novels: The young master brings a guest for the first time... She stifled a laugh, quickly lowering her head to hide her amusement.

Unaware of her internal monologue, the manager gestured courteously. "Right this way, please."

Everett turned to her, his voice warm. "It's too late for anything heavy. This place has excellent lasagna. You should give it a try."

"Alright," Evelyn replied with a reserved nod.

The private room didn't have assigned waitstaff. After they sat across from each other, the server brought over two menus. Evelyn took a deep breath as she opened hers, quickly closing it again in disbelief.

A plate of lasagna for $998? Outrageous! Evelyn opened the menu again for confirmation. Good news, she wasn't mistaken. Bad news, it was still the cheapest item!

Even if someone else was treating her, the thought of a $998 plate of lasagna was hard to digest.

"What's wrong? Nothing appealing?" Everett's calm voice held a hint of concern.

Evelyn glanced around to ensure the waiter was out of earshot before leaning closer and pointing at the menu with a perplexed expression. "Mr. Scott, maybe we should try somewhere else?"

She gestured toward the menu. "This place seems more about showing off elegance. It can't compare to the homemade spaghetti from my local café."

Her words stopped just short of calling the restaurant a rip-off for the wealthy. Everett paused, and a subtle amusement crept into his voice. "Well, since we’re here, maybe you can humor this 'wealthy man' with some elegance?”

Evelyn awkwardly scratched her nose. "Ah, right, I forgot you're one of them."

Another day envying the rich, yet a $998 lasagna was a tough pill to swallow. "And the dessert prices are sky-high! It's daylight robbery!"

Unbeknownst to her, the waitstaff heard her loud and clear and exchanged a knowing glance, sharing in her sentiment. As fellow workers, Miss Howard had voiced their inner thoughts perfectly!

Everett remained silent, watching her animated critique with an appreciative gaze. Over his uneventful thirty years, he'd witnessed plenty of people trying to curry favor. This was the first time someone was so candid and straightforward with him.

As Evelyn continued, she suddenly realized her mistake. She looked up at him, and his attentive gaze made her cover her mouth in delayed realization.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Scott, I didn't mean to spoil the mood, I..."

Everett, unfazed, returned to his menu, his tone unchanged. "No need to apologize. I think you’re right."

He looked at the menu thoughtfully. "The prices are indeed excessive! I'll pass along your feedback to my sister to make some adjustments."

Evelyn's heart skipped a beat. "Your sister?"

Everett nodded calmly. "Yes, The Savory Willow is my sister's business."

Evelyn: ???

Her mind went blank, unraveling like a bomb detonating. The Savory Willow was owned by his sister? What had she just said? About putting on airs? About ripping off the wealthy? Was it too late to backtrack on her words?