CHAPTER 118: CHAPTER 118: COMPENSATION

The tea flowed out of the cup, soaking the carpet and leaving a water stain.

Ryan glanced at the cup in surprise and clicked his tongue.

"Bro, don’t worry, Talia isn’t that kind of person."

Adrian stared blankly, and with a hoarse voice asked, "She really agreed?"

Ryan paused before replying, "You know on New Year’s Eve, she saw you with your little cousin. You even said you were going to get a room together. If it were me, I couldn’t stand it either. Probably Talia agreed out of spite, or she was drunk and talking nonsense, doesn’t count for anything."

"I didn’t...," Adrian’s voice tightened, "I didn’t say I was going to get a room."

"Your cousin said it. It’s all the same."

A moment of silence.

Adrian composed his emotions and spoke, "Help me with something."

...

Talia had just left the law firm after work when she saw a white McLaren parked nearby.

Ryan was leaning against the car, looking down at his phone, seemingly waiting for someone.

During off-work hours, at the law firm’s entrance, he should be waiting for her. Talia stepped over, just as Ryan looked up and saw her, smiling as he approached to greet her.

"Talia, you’re finally off work."

"Ryan, you’re looking for me?" Talia looked behind Ryan, "Where’s Yvonne? Didn’t she come with you?"

Ryan said, "Ah, no, I’m here alone today, I have something to discuss with you."

"What is it?"

"Sis, about New Year’s Eve, I didn’t think it through. I was being impulsive by inviting Adrian, making everyone unhappy. I sincerely apologize. I’ve booked a restaurant, would you do me the honor of joining me for dinner? Are you free?"

Talia frowned slightly, "No need, Ryan, I understand you, it’s all in the past. No need for dinner, I have plans tonight."

"What plans?" Ryan asked instinctively.

"Uh..."

Talia was just randomly making up an excuse to decline, not expecting Ryan to ask further. She hesitated before replying, "Meeting with friends."

"Male or female?"

"..."

Talia was speechless for a moment, isn’t he asking too much, as if it’s any of his business?

Given their years of friendship, she couldn’t say this directly, so she continued to fabricate earnestly, "Both males and females."

Ryan’s thoughts instantly conjured up the image of his good buddy Adrian’s sad and melancholic face when he heard there were males; he had to help his buddy figure things out.

"Sis, do you have other male friends besides me and Zachary? How come I’ve never heard you mention them? What’s their name? What do they do? How old are they? What’s their height and weight? Are they handsome? Do you have a photo?"

Talia’s eye twitched, "Ryan, what’s wrong with you? You’re acting weird today."

Ryan chuckled awkwardly, "Just concerned about you, aren’t we friends?"

Talia looked into Ryan’s eyes, her expression very calm, "Did he send you?"

This "he," they both knew who she meant.

Ryan, faced with Talia’s keen eyes, felt his schemes laid bare and looked away guiltily.

Dealing with lawyers is terrifying, those eyes seem to see through everything.

"No...how could I, I just wanted to apologize on my own, nothing to do with others."

Talia was noncommittal.

Ryan pulled out a set of keys and handed them over, "Sis, this is a small gift from your brother as an apology, accept it, please."

Talia lowered her eyes, gazing at the keys before lifting her eyes to the distant white McLaren, speaking slowly and calmly, "Ryan, if I remember correctly, this McLaren P1 starts at over twelve million. It’s not necessary to spend that kind of money to apologize over what happened on New Year’s Eve, is it?"

Ryan, still calm and collected, continued lying, "How is it not necessary? That night I made you angry, and Yvonne has been reciting scriptures at me every day, scarier than a monk’s mantra. A million or so is nothing. I know you don’t lack anything, it’s just a token, accept it, please, or Yvonne will nag at me later. If you accept it, you’d be helping me out too, okay?"

Talia’s face remained calm, her clear bright eyes shining softly, she looked quietly at Ryan, "Ryan, be honest, did Adrian buy this car? Tell him I don’t want it. Since we’ve broken up, let’s end it cleanly, no dragging things out."

Ryan felt his scalp tighten, lamenting how difficult it was to deceive a lawyer.

Luckily, he had given Yvonne a heads up in advance.

Yvonne hadn’t stopped ranting about Adrian in front of him these past few days, so today when Adrian asked him to help deliver the car, he immediately told Yvonne, saying Adrian felt guilty and bought the car as a breakup compensation.

Yvonne rolled her eyes at that, saying bitterly, "Just a lousy car? Adrian is too stingy."

"Of course, there’s more, there are several limited edition Hermes bags in the car too. Adrian said, one’s for you, one’s for Winter, and the rest are all for Talia. You need to help persuade Talia that those bags are from you and Winter, bought to comfort her injured heart, and not that they’re from Adrian."

Yvonne’s eyes sparkled at the mention of limited edition Hermes bags, "Bags? Let me see them!"

Ryan showed her the bags, Yvonne was so excited that tears almost spilled from her mouth, "Oh gosh, I couldn’t buy this white one when I wanted it. The Jennings’ Crown Prince has some real abilities, getting three right off the bat! Great taste! Winter and Talia like this style too, one bag each, Adrian thought of everything."

Ryan took out a black card and said, "Also, take this card. When Talia’s law firm goes on holiday soon, take her out to relax, all expenses covered by Adrian."

Yvonne extended her index and middle fingers to grab the black card from Ryan’s hand, snorting, "That’s more like it. But don’t think I’ll stand by his side just because I’ve accepted his stuff. In my book, Adrian is always a heartbreaker and a scumbag!"

Ryan sighed and rubbed his temples, agreeing, "Yes, yes, whatever you say. Thanks for taking care of Talia with Winter during this time."

He couldn’t tell Yvonne the real reason for Adrian and Talia’s breakup.

Let Adrian be a jerk, it’s his own fault after all.

Getting scolded is no big deal, right?

Meanwhile, in Adrian’s office.

"Achoo—"

Adrian frowned, pulled out a tissue to wipe his nose, then got up to wash his hands in the restroom.

Strange, he wasn’t sick, why the sudden sneeze?

...

"Yes, Talia, the car was bought by my brother as an apology. Just accept it, a million or so is nothing. If you don’t accept it, I’ll keep nagging him," Yvonne’s voice came through the phone.

Talia didn’t trust Ryan, but she trusted her best friend Yvonne.

Talia said, "Well... alright, it wasn’t a big deal really. Stop blaming Ryan, he’s just scatter-brained and doesn’t think things through, I know it wasn’t intentional."

Ryan, standing nearby, felt both moved and guilty when he heard this.

Talia, I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to deceive you. It’s just a well-intentioned lie. I hope you won’t blame me when you find out in the future.

After hanging up, Talia handed Ryan’s phone back to him and said, "Alright Ryan, I’ll accept the car, thank you."

Ryan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "No need to thank me."

Talia took the keys and walked over to open the car door, seeing the passenger seat piled high with Hermes bags, she was momentarily stunned, then turned to Ryan and asked, "What’s this?"

Ryan blurted out, "Oh, those are bags Yvonne and Winter bought for you, they said they were to comfort your injured heart."

Talia snapped a photo and sent it to Yvonne and Winter, the responses were already coordinated, matching Ryan’s explanation exactly, which made Talia believe them, her heart warmed, she thanked her two best friends and exchanged some sentimental words.

Seeing that everything was settled, Ryan spoke up, "Well, since you have plans tonight, I won’t disturb you. You can drive the car back."

Talia asked, "Ryan, you drove this car here, if I take it, how will you get back? Should I drop you off?"

Ryan waved his hand hurriedly, "No need, I’ll call a driver from home to pick me up. I’ll first go to the nearby milk tea shop to get Yvonne a cheese berry drink, you know she loves the cheese berry drink from the shop up ahead."

Adrian’s car was parked in the underground parking of a nearby mall, he still had to meet him there.

Talia didn’t suspect anything, waved and said, "Okay then, I’m heading off, bye."

"Bye-bye."