Chapter 72 One More Bite Won't Hurt

Luke, propping his head with his right hand, watched her from the side. "Why aren't you eating anymore?" Charlotte's expression turned serious. "I just remembered I've been dieting. If I continue eating like this, wouldn't my recent efforts be in vain? No, I must control myself." Luke picked more items from the table and placed them on her plate. "You've eaten today, one more bite won't hurt. Tell me, do you feel happy when you're eating?" Charlotte pondered for a moment, then earnestly replied, "Indeed, I'm happy, but also anxious." "You needn't be anxious. Look at you, your figure is even better than anyone here. If you want to eat, then eat. Don't suppress your appetite." Charlotte was moved by his words, feeling that he indeed made sense. She rarely enjoyed such delicious desserts; missing out now would be a pity. "Charlotte!" Caelan, who was also invited to the evening's party, had brought Sofia along. They hadn't expected to see Luke and Charlotte here. Charlotte's face lit up with surprise. "How did you two get here?" "He wanted to meet old friends, so I joined him. I'm surprised to see you here," Sofia said. Caelan sat down beside Luke, picking up the decanter from the table and pouring himself a glass. "Old friends? Are you both old friends with Daniel?" Caelan feigned contemplation before nodding. "We've known each other for many years, since our college days. We've always been close." Charlotte turned to Luke and asked, "Why didn't you tell me about this during the contract signing?" Knowing he couldn't hide it any longer, Luke confessed, "That was your first business deal, right? I was worried that others might take advantage of you. So, we agreed instantly, and I took over the diamond mine contract. Then, I naturally brought you along." Charlotte suddenly recalled her formal demeanor that day. "You should tell me next time. I completely treated it as a business interaction, which didn't feel natural at all. What if your friend thought ill of me?" Luke, sensing her anxiety, reassured her, "What's the issue with that? That's appropriate client behavior. Don't feel pressured due to our friendship." Caelan also nodded in agreement. "It's alright. Daniel wouldn't mind such trivial matters." After greeting his friends, Daniel approached them. "Hey, Caelan!" Caelan put down his glass and waved, acknowledging the greeting. Daniel seemed surprised to see him. "I thought you wouldn't make it this time, considering how busy you are, always on the go. You must be flying 25 hours a day, not just 24. How did you find the time to come here?" "It's all to spend time at home with my girlfriend. My dad temporarily assigned my business trips to someone else, so now I have some free time. But you don't need to be so excited to see me, right?" "How can I not be excited? It's been so long since we last met. And this must be your girlfriend?" Sofia, shedding her usual flamboyance, greeted him politely. "Hello, I'm Sofia." Daniel looked at his two friends, settled in their own ways, feeling genuinely happy for them. They had once vowed to remain bachelors together, but now both of his friends had moved on, breaking that youthful pact. "Now it's just me, the lone single guy. I'm really envious of you both. You don't know how much my dad nags me, saying that one of you has a child and the other has a girlfriend. I don't even want to go home anymore." Caelan, with a sense of understanding, said, "These things depend on fate. There's no need to rush; just let it happen naturally." Daniel looked dejected. "I'd like to take it slow, but if I delay any longer, my dad won't even let me in the house." Caelan laughed mercilessly. "I'm actually fine, as I often travel for work and rarely spend time with my parents. They press me about marriage when I'm home, but since I'm hardly there for more than two days, I don't suffer like you." Luke didn't join in their conversation. His parents were always concerned about his marital status but seldom mentioned it in his presence. "Sometimes, I envy you, wishing to find a love like yours," Daniel said. Caelan gestured toward the crowded area. "There are a lot of people here today. Maybe you'll find your love tonight." Daniel glanced over and quickly shook his head. "Most people here are for business reasons. Even if someone did want to be with me, it would likely be for a business alliance, which I find meaningless." Caelan nodded. "That's true. Then you just wait and see. There will be someone right for you eventually." Daniel turned his attention to Sofia and Charlotte sitting nearby, and said, "If you know any suitable girls, please introduce them to me." Sofia readily agreed. "Sure, but I'm not sure what type of girl you're interested in." "Someone like you two would be fine. I'm easy-going and not too picky." Luke chimed in. "Exactly, our personalities are quite similar, that's why we've been friends for so many years." Charlotte nodded; she had someone in mind who seemed perfect, though she wasn't sure if Daniel would mind her family background. She thought their yoga instructor, who was quite striking in appearance and had an excellent figure due to regular exercise, would be a great match. Although she had this idea, Charlotte didn't immediately voice it. Instead, she asked, "Does your family expect you to find someone from a similar background, or is it enough that you love her?" "They don't have any strong preferences about that. It doesn't matter; as long as I like her, that's enough." Charlotte nodded. "Then I do have someone in mind." Sofia, guessing her thoughts, blurted out, "You mean Julianne, right?" Charlotte, surprised that Sofia had the same idea, exclaimed, "How did you know? I was just about to suggest her." Sofia smiled smugly. "I don't have many friends; neither do you. Besides Julianne, who we've been interacting with recently, there aren't many other women around us." Daniel's interest was piqued. "What's she like?"