Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary - Chapter 6: Chapter 6

Julian's smile faded. His eyes grew cold, but he replied lightly, "Can't I just do this to see you?"
Elara frowned, pointing at herself. "Me? Do you need to wear such a nice suit just to see me? I've seen you at your worst—no need to dress up like this."
"Whatever," Julian muttered, his grip on the steering wheel tightening until his knuckles turned white. His laid-back tone returned. "I dress like this every day now—not for you. Quit imagining things."
It was true. He managed a branch under the Quinn Group and was the future heir—his suit and watch alone were worth millions. Any other woman would be all over him just for the outfit.
But Elara took half an hour after he picked her up to even notice his suit. He couldn't help but wonder if Alex was really that amazing.
"Oh, so Ruby was right. Our rebellious heir really did go back to take over the family business, huh?" Elara said, her stunning eyes twinkling.
Julian glanced at her, his heart still racing. 'Damn it! Julian, so many years later, why are you still crazy about her?' He quickly looked away, bit the inside of his cheek, let out a bitter laugh, and fell silent.
Elara noticed he was dressed to impress, but she wasn't about to compliment him. His suit had no visible brand, but one could tell it was expensive just by the feel.
And then there was the Rolls-Royce he drove... She shifted a bit. "Hmm, gotta admit, luxury cars ride real smooth."
Elara's family was well-off, but not quite in the same league as the Quinn family. Her dad had been a physics professor there since getting his Ph.D.
While her mom was a big name in finance, rumored to have been a major player in her youth. But after Elara was born, she quit her high-powered job and taught at Veritasiton University with her dad. It was strange how two such different worlds had matched up.
Elara wasn't part of Veritasiton's elite circle. However, the Quinn family had an unusual way of raising kids. From age five, Julian lived with his grandma among ordinary people.
They were neighbors, going to the same schools from kindergarten through high school. When college came, Elara followed Alex abroad, but Ruby and Julian stayed home.
The car pulled up to Aurora Club, Veritasiton's most luxurious entertainment venue. She used to love nights like these, but now she was over it. Walking in, she didn't even spare a glance at the glamorous scene.
Julian pushed open the door to a plush VIP room. Noisy chatter spilled out, and instantly, Ruby's laugh stood out.
As soon as the door opened, Ruby squealed. She jumped up from the table, rushed over, and hugged Elara tightly. "Elara, you're finally back!"
Elara tried to dodge Ruby's enthusiastic hug but was caught and held tight. She knew Ruby was up to something. "What are you up to now?"
After all, they had been texting constantly, both annoyed. They had just spent two weeks touring abroad when Ruby had left early to flirt with some guy back home. So, the exaggerated hug felt a bit weird.
Ruby pressed her lips close to Elara's ear and whispered, "Victor's here."
"Ha!" Elara said, exasperated. "So what?"
Ruby twisted playfully and begged, "Elara, I really like this guy! Please help me."
"What about everything I've been through?" Elara countered.
"Oh, hush. I know you were wronged," Ruby said. "That's why I had Victor bring that guy here to apologize to you in person."
Elara was confused at first. Then she glanced toward the private booth and saw that annoying face. Yeah, it was Adrian again. Elara's face darkened instantly.
In the back of the booth, Adrian looked completely at ease. He was wearing an expensive black suit with subtle patterns, lounging lazily on the couch. The top buttons of his crisp white shirt were undone, revealing his collarbone and Adam's apple.
His long legs were casually crossed, exuding a cool, detached vibe. A cigarette dangled from his slender fingers as his sharp eyes locked onto Elara's annoyed expression.
Adrian had just gotten off the plane, and Victor had picked him up from the airport. As soon as Adrian got into Victor's car, Victor drove straight to Aurora Club without asking.
Adrian had wanted to leave, but Victor insisted. After all his bad experiences, he'd finally met "The One" and wanted Adrian to check her out.
But Adrian'd only been there for ten minutes. His cigarette had just been lit when he ran into his "rival" from yesterday. He realized Victor had set him up.
Elara couldn't believe Ruby even got Adrian here—they might really fight! Elara's voice turned cold. "Ruby, what's wrong with you?"
With their lifelong bond, Ruby could tell Elara was upset. She shook Elara's arm, putting on a cute act. She pleaded, "Come on, Elara, help me out here. I'm really into Victor. If it weren't for you, he'd never have come.
"His friend is super attractive and single. Why not make a move? You're at this age, but you're still single. How lame is that?"
Julian overheard this. He yanked Ruby away from Elara, giving her a warning look. Ruby quickly fell silent, remembering his major crush on Elara.
Ruby pulled Elara over to sit down, and then took a seat beside Victor. "Elara, this is Victor. He owns Dolphin Bay Hotel."
She then introduced Elara to Victor. "And this is Elara Langton, my best friend."
Victor's eyes lit up when he saw Elara. "Elara, nice to see you. I've heard so much about you. You look even better than on video."
Victor was trying to flatter Elara, and he genuinely meant it. Elara was stunning, but as Ruby had said, even with her incredible looks, her heart belonged to Alex.
Elara gave a faint, forced smile and stayed silent.
Victor leaned back to reveal Adrian sitting beside him. "And this is my friend Adrian Hartley. He's one of the top lawyers here and owns Anchor Law Firm, the biggest one in town. If you ever have any legal issues, he's the guy to call."
Ruby chimed in, "Awesome! Elara and I are running our coffee shops. I was wondering if Mr. Hartley and your firm could handle our legal work?"
Adrian was taken aback and didn't respond immediately.
Ruby looked awkward and glanced at Victor, hoping he could smooth things over.
Victor nudged Adrian with his elbow. "You caused this mess—aren't you gonna fix it?"
Adrian replied flatly, "The mess is yours. Not my problem."
"Okay, fair enough. Even if the mess is mine, you started it, right?"
Adrian shrugged. "Hmm, so? I didn't lose anything."