CEO’s Seduction Trap

After saying that, Caleb didn’t give Mason a chance to ask further and hung up.

Leila had just heard Mason mention Shirley during the phone call.

Seeing him hang up, she asked, “What’s wrong with Shirley?”

Mason turned his head to look at Leila, “Does Shirley like to fight?”

“Not really. Why?”

Leila wasn’t lying; Shirley was impulsive, but she never started trouble.

“I find it strange. Could it be that she has a thing with Caleb? Whenever she starts a fight, Caleb is always around.”

“Shirley got into a fight?”

“Let’s go to Willow Bistro.”

When the two arrived at Willow Bistro, which should have been at its peak hour, the restaurant was already closed.

There were over a dozen security guards stationed at the entrance, with a general manager overseeing everything.

Seeing Mason, the general manager hurriedly came forward to greet him, “Mr. Ramirez.”

“You’re not open at this hour?”

The general manager had been sent out to handle important guests, and he lowered his voice and said, “Mr. Ramirez, to be honest, we had a small incident today, so we can’t open tonight. Perhaps you’d like to come another day…”

Before he could finish, Mason interrupted in a stern voice, “Is Alvin here?”

“He is, but…”

“Open the door.”All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“Mr. Ramirez, given the situation tonight…”

Mason gave him a cold glance, silencing him immediately, and stepped forward to open the door himself.

As Mason had suspected, the situation was indeed grim.

Shirley hadn’t just caused trouble in a private room; she had wreaked havoc in the main hall of Willow Bistro.

The hall was a mess, especially the lounge area, which was in shambles.

The first person to spot Mason was Caleb. Or rather, Caleb had been waiting for Mason to arrive.

“Over here.”

Seeing Mason, Caleb waved his hand.

As they walked over, Mason chuckled softly to Leila, “Won’t you beg me to save Shirley?”

“Would you?”

From what she knew, Mason had a good relationship with Alvin. Would he risk offending his friend for her?

Mason lowered his head to look at her and teased, “Are you underestimating yourself? Or overestimating others?”

As they spoke, the two walked into the lounge area of the hall. The lounge was a complete mess by now, with no seats left; Caleb and a few rich-looking young men were sitting on chairs brought in by their bodyguards.

Leila followed Mason closely and immediately spotted a man in the center of the crowd with an injury on his forehead. He was dressed in a suit and looked visibly upset, clearly still angry.

Leila guessed he must be Alvin.

Seeing Mason, he stood up and greeted him, “Mason.”

Mason took a cigarette from Alvin’s hand, placed it in his mouth, and while lighting it, he casually prodded the injured area on Alvin’s forehead with his hand, asking with a deep voice tinged with a smile, “What happened?”

With a hiss of pain, Alvin replied, “Bad luck.”

He continued, “Tonight, a partner’s boss said he was sending a woman to me. I thought she was coming willingly, but it turned out to be a setup.”

Mason had initially thought Shirley had caused trouble, but upon hearing this, he frowned.

Noticing Mason’s expression, Alvin caught on and asked, “Do you know that girl?”

Mason didn’t immediately answer. He glanced at Leila, then at Caleb, who was sitting among the crowd with a carefree smile.

Mason lifted the cigarette from his mouth and flicked off the ashes. “Didn’t Caleb tell you?”

“What?”

Mason chuckled lightly, “That girl’s name is Shirley. She’s his girlfriend.”

As Mason’s words sank in, the hall fell momentarily silent.

People looked at Mason with incredulous eyes.

Immediately after, there were murmurs of teasing and mockin.

“No wonder Caleb didn’t want us to call the cops earlier. Turns out that’s the reason.”

“Caleb, why didn’t you just tell us she’s your woman? Had a fight with her? Trying to scare her?”

Caleb had never expected the situation to end up like this, with the focus turning on him.

Facing the teasing from the crowd, Caleb hesitated for a moment, then leaned back in his chair and looked at Mason with a smile.

“Yeah, she’s my girlfriend.”

Alvin turned his head and asked, “Really your girlfriend?”

“Yeah, otherwise, why would I stop you from calling the cops just now?”

“Then what about…”

Caleb interrupted him, lying without changing his expression, “We had an argument last night.”

Saying that, Caleb stood up and walked over to Mason, reaching out to grab his shoulder and pinching it hard.

“It’s no fun to expose me so quickly.”

About ten minutes later, the seven or eight people at the scene moved to a private room.

During a break in the conversation, Leila tilted her head and asked Caleb, “Caleb, where’s Shirley?”

“She drank too much and is resting upstairs. Don’t worry, she’s safe.”

Relieved that Shirley hadn’t been in an accident, Leila sighed, “Thanks for tonight.”

Caleb chuckled lightly, reached behind the back of Leila’s chair, and said, “No need to thank me. Even if you didn’t come, I wouldn’t let Shirley get into trouble. I’m not like Mason; I’m kind.”

He raised his voice intentionally, adding, “Just like when I sponsored you back then, I’m soft-hearted.”

After Caleb finished speaking, he glanced provocatively at Mason.

Leila didn’t notice the undercurrents between Caleb and Mason, and quietly thanked him again.

Her phone, tucked in her pocket, suddenly buzzed.

—[Miss Patel, there are things you’re unwilling to do, but your family is very willing.]

The message was from a securely encrypted network number-read-only, no reply possible.

In just a few seconds, she managed to compose herself.

A month ago, she wouldn’t have taken such a message lightly, but now, it was routine.

It was just the mention of “family” in the text that gave her pause…

After dinner, Alvin personally escorted Mason and Leila out to their car.

Mason had been drinking, so Leila had to drive.

Leila sat in the driver’s seat while Alvin stood at the passenger side window talking to Mason.

Mason leaned on the car window, “Your loss tonight counts as mine.”

Alvin quickly replied, “No need.”

Mason said, “Don’t rush to refuse. There’s something else I need your help with.”

Hearing that there was something he needed help with, Alvin leaned forward slightly, “Go on.”

Mason reached out and pressed down on the back of Alvin’s neck, his voice deep, “Who sent the woman tonight?”

Alvin stiffened and locked eyes with Mason.

Mason smirked, “Not convenient to say?”

“It’s not that it’s not convenient, it’s just that it’s an old client. I’m afraid…”

“He’s an old client of yours, am I not? You’re afraid of offending him, not me?”

“It’s from the Nova Group.”

“Hmm?”

Alvin continued, “It’s Mr. Lee from the Nova Group. He wants me to invest in a project.”

Mason asked, “Him?”

Alvin nodded, “Yes, it’s him.”

Mason released his grip on Alvin’s neck, said coldly, “Keep it secret.”

Alvin nodded, “You can trust me.”

A few minutes later, the car was on the road.

Mason unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt collar and asked, “What do you think about Shirley’s situation?”

“This is because of me.”

Mason chuckled lightly.

Leila picked up her phone and showed the message to him.

On the other side, Caleb, as Shirley’s boyfriend, swiped the room key to enter the room where she was resting. Just as he raised his hand to turn on the light, a soft body suddenly collided with his. Before Caleb could react, the person in his arms suddenly tiptoed and kissed him on the corner of his lips.

“Let’s get back together, okay?”

“I promise, I won’t argue with you anymore.”

Shirley was quite intoxicated, Caleb immediately realized she mistook him for someone else.

Leaning against the door panel, he kept one arm around her waist to steady her, while using the other to gently remove her hand from around his neck, “Shirley.”

Shirley looked at the man before her in the moonlight.

“I still regret breaking up with you.”

“Really.”

“I’ve dated so many boyfriends, and you’re the only one who treated me the best.”

As Shirley spoke, she moved closer to Caleb’s lips again.

Seeing her like this, Caleb suddenly felt playful. Leaning back against the door, he teasingly asked, “Tell me, why is it that out of all your boyfriends, I’m the only one who treated you the best?”

Shirley answered earnestly, “Because only you didn’t cheat on me.”

Caleb paused for a few seconds, then chuckled, “Shirley.”

“Yeah?”

“Wow, sounds like you are miserable.”

Shirley couldn’t tell who was in front of her, nor could she clearly hear what was being said.

Seeing Caleb lower his head, she leaned in to kiss his lips softly, once, twice.

Caleb’s breath hitched, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

After a while, Caleb spoke hoarsely, “Shirley, you’ve had too much to drink.”

Confused, Shirley asked, “Can’t we get back together if I’ve had too much to drink?”

“Nope.”