Chapter 96 Inexplicably Flustered


    "What? For...Mr. Xi?" the manager asked in a loud voice, in utter disbelief. James was one of the


    frequent patrons here. But he had never asked for a barmaid. Why would he suddenly want a group


    of women to keep himpany?


    "Hush! Shut up!" Ethan kicked the manager''s heels to stop him from talking.


    The manager understood at once. He scratched his head and said in a low voice, "Yes, Mr. Nan. I''ll


    bring some barmaids here." Indeed, the manager''s most important task tonight was to find some


    barmaids that would suit James'' taste the most. He racked his brains to remember the most


    excellent women in their club and called them one by one.


    After talking to the manager, Ethan went back to the private room where James was waiting.


    James had already taken off his jacket. He was only wearing a white shirt with sleeves rolled to his


    elbows. There was a ss of wine in his hand.


    When the door of the private room was pushed open, his deep-set ck eyes fixed on Ethan, but


    he didn''t say anything.


    Ethan trotted towards him, sat down next to him, and asked, "James, are you really sure about


    this?"


    James just gave him a cold nce and replied nasally, "Hmm."


    Stilling astonished, Ethan asked, "Are you celebrating the end of your bachelor''s life again this


    way?"


    Everyone in H City knew that James and Alina were soon to be engaged, so Ethan thought that it


    could be the reason.


    But James didn''t want to answer his nonsense question.


    For a while, there was a pin-drop silence inside the private room. Ethan got bored, so he stood up


    and went outside to make a phone call.


    He looked for a quiet ce and called Lawrence. "Lowrie, is something wrong with James?"


    Lawrence, who hadn''t heard anything from James for a few days now, was a bit surprised. "Why?


    What happened?"


    Ethan was so engrossed in his conversation with Lawrence that he didn''t even notice the crick-


    cracks of the high heels getting closer and closer to him. He continued, "We are in Leopard Club


    right now, and James has just asked me to find some women for him. You know, just for the night.


    Don''t you think he''s crazy?"


    Lawrence raised his eyebrows upon hearing what Ethan said. He was shocked as well. He smelled


    something fishy, so he said, "I''ll call him."


    "Oh, please don''t! I don''t want him to call me nosy again. I just thought you knew the reason, that''s


    why I called you." Ethan knew that James always disliked him for being too nosy and kind-hearted.


    "Well, if that''s what you want. I''ll hang up now. Bye." Lawrence didn''t insist anymore.


    "Okay." Ethan knew that Lawrence was also busy like James. Among the three of them, he was the


    one who had a lot of time.


    "Good evening, Mr. Nan." A gentle voice rang out behind him.


    Ethan froze. The voice sounded so soft that it sent a chill down his spine. Even without turning,


    Ethan recognized it at once. ''Why is this temptress standing behind me? When did she arrive? Did


    she hear me talk to Lawrence?'' he thought inwardly.


    "Hello? Mr. Nan?" Maria called again. She wondered why Ethan didn''t respond to her for a long


    time.


    Knowing that he couldn''t avoid her so easily, Ethan turned around and smiled brightly. He then


    greeted her in a sweet voice, "Oh, Maria, it''s you. I didn''t know that you''re here too. What a


    coincidence."


    Maria smiled even brighter than he did. "Indeed, it''s such a coincidence. Are you alone?"


    "Well..." For a moment, Ethan didn''t know how to answer her question. But eventually, he decided to


    tell the truth upon looking at her curious eyes. "I''m...with James."


    "Oh, James is also here?" Maria deliberately put on a surprised look on her face. "Come on. Take


    me to your room. I want to say hi to him." She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at his


    nervous face interestingly.


    Ethan''s gaze wandered around, not daring to meet Maria''s eyes. But then, he thought, ''Maria is


    already James'' ex-wife. She has no rights over him anymore. Why should I feel like a guilty pimp


    caught by her? I should not.''


    The realization made him calm down, so he answered in a tough tone, "Sure. You can go and say hi


    to him. But I have to let him know first. Is that okay with you?"


    Much to his surprise, Maria had no objection at all. Instead, she nodded with a smile and said, "Of


    course. No problem with me. I''ll go with you, but I''ll just wait outside the door."


    Ethan nced at her seven-centimeter high heels and shrugged. He then led her the way to their


    private room.


    Ethan deliberately walked fast, leaving Maria behind. He thought that with her high heels, she


    couldn''t possibly keep pace with him. When his distance from her was far enough, he sneaked into


    their private room before she could notice. He then rushed to James and hurriedly said, "James,


    bad news!"


    James had always known that Ethan was indiscreet and childish, so he frowned and said unhappily,


    "Go ahead."


    "The enchantress Maria! She''s there outside. What shall we do?"


    With a poker face, James nced at the group of women who had juste in. But when he heard


    Maria''s name, he got inexplicably flustered.


    He put down his ss and quickly adjusted his mood. He cleared his throat and asked, "So, what


    does it have to do with me?"


    Ethan looked at James'' calm face with confusion. ''Why is he so calm? Am I worried for nothing?''


    James'' calmness also helped him calm down. He sat on the sofa and said, "She said that she


    wants to say hi to you. Is it okay to let her in?"


    "No," James decisively refused. He scanned the line of women standing in front and added, "I''m


    busy right now."


    "Okay," Ethan replied understandingly. Since Maria''s presence in that bar seemed not a big deal to


    James, he shouldn''t panic either.


    He stood up to go out and inform Maria of James'' decision. But before he could even move, the


    door of the private room was pushed open from the outside.


    Then Maria came in and stood in the middle of the room.


    The manager, who was about to introduce the women he brought, looked at her confusedly. He


    wanted to scold her, but he was also afraid that she was personally called by Ethan toe here.


    So, he asked politely, "Excuse me, ma''am. You are?"


    Maria smiled, pointed at James, and answered, "I''m here for Mr. Xi."


    Upon hearing what she said, the manager got more convinced that she was also called here by


    Ethan for James. He nodded. However, he also wondered if James would still want to have a look


    at the women he brought. The woman who had just arrived was already enchantingly beautiful.


    Eventually, he asked, "Mr. Xi, Mr. Nan, these are the best women we have. They are all college


    students. Do you like any of them?"


    With a weird expression, Ethan''s gaze swept Maria and the other women. He wanted to say


    something, but he suddenly realized that they were all for James. Hence, he zipped his mouth and


    just watched.


    James picked up his ss from the table and took a sip of wine. With a straight face, he randomly


    pointed at two women. "You two, stay here." The manager happily asked the two young women to


    stay and took the other four out of the room.


    Maria just watched the scene with a smile. Although she told Ethan that she wanted to say hi to


    James, she hadn''t spared a nce at him yet since she entered. She then walked towards Ethan


    and sat down beside him. Pouring some wine in his ss, she said, "Mr. Nan,e, have a drink."


    "What?" Ethan couldn''t hide the disbelief in his voice and on his face. He didn''t expect that Maria


    would want to drink with him. He cast a nce at James and stammered, "Well... Maria, I have to


    go. James has something to do now, so I can''t stay here to disturb him."


    Other women would definitely understand what he meant and would leave with him.


    But Maria was different.


    She moved closer to Ethan, tugged the hemline of his shirt, and said in a coquettish tone, "Gee, Mr.


    Nan. Look at Mr. Xi. He has chosen two young women for himself. Why are you so shy? I''ll be your


    date tonight."


    Ethan shivered as he looked at Maria. He wondered how a beautiful and mature woman like her


    could be so cute. But he clearly knew that she was James'' ex-wife. How could he dare to agree to


    have her as his date tonight? "Maria, why don''t we just leave?" Maria filled two sses, one for


    Ethan and the other for herself. She then gave James a sidelong nce and found out that the two


    women he''d chosen were already starting to press themselves on his body.


    Heedless of Ethan''s objection, she held his arm. "Come on, Mr. Nan. Let''s enjoy drinking together."


    Ethan looked at James, who remained motionless in his seat. He wanted to ask for help. "James,


    I..." Indeed, he was panic-stricken. He couldn''t fathom what was in Maria''s mind, but he felt that she


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