Chapter 72: Jealousy

Andy sighed. “Too bad I can’t just kidnap you and keep you for myself. Guess I’ll have to settle for being your friend. Looks like I’ll be stuck regretting this for life.”

He wasn’t joking. His tone was dead serious.

Tilda pursed her lips, then lifted her glass for another sip of red wine.

“I’m glad you think of me that way, Andy. You’re my most important partner."

“From now on, no matter what, you’ll always be an exception to me."

“Take that as my reply to your ‘All thoughts are stars, and all stars are you.’”

Andy blinked in surprise. Then, his red lips curled into a slow smile.

“Well, that’s not bad either.”

Neither of them noticed someone at the bar secretly snapping a photo and sending it off.

Maurice had already told his staff that if Tilda ever showed up, they must let him know right away. Nobody dared slack off. Everyone assumed the boss must have a thing for her. She was gorgeous, after all. She danced beautifully, too. The carefree spirit she showed on the dance floor that day still lingered in everyone’s memory. She was also good at fighting. Perhaps she was Maurice’s type.

The staff made sure Andy was also in the shot. The photo of the two of them together was immediately forwarded to Maurice.

At that moment, he was playing cards with Alfie. Jude stood by the window, not playing. Moonlight spilled across him, his shirt and pants perfectly tailored to his frame. His side profile looked carved by the gods, every angle flawless. He had the kind of unforgettable looks that could make women go wild–mysterious, powerful, too tempting to touch. If it wasn’t so dangerous, someone might’ve tried jumping him right then.

Ding! Maurice’s phone buzzed.

He tossed his cards down with a smug grin. “Pair of twos. I win. You just lost me two million, Alfie.”

Ignoring Alfie’s whining, Maurice glanced at his phone. With just one glance, he froze.

“Holy shit!”

The outburst made Alfie jump. “Dude! Why are you yelling? I just lost millions and didn’t scream like that. I’m playing with my paycheck here. My family doesn’t give me a dime. I’m out here grinding through the tough life.”

Alfie pouted, but then noticed Maurice staring at Jude instead of him. That “holy shit” wasn’t about the game–it was about Jude. Alfie perked up curiously.

Jude felt Maurice’s stare as well and turned his head slightly. “Maurice, what happened?” His voice was calm, but there was a faint tension under it.

Maurice cleared his throat. “Uh… Maybe you should just look for yourself.”

He couldn’t bring himself to explain. He was honestly scared Jude might lose it and kill him. Part of him didn’t even want Jude to see the photo, worried he’d storm into Nightingale Bar and do something reckless. But they were friends. If he hid it and Jude found out later, Maurice was done for.

Jude frowned, then walked over and took the phone. When he saw the photo, his face went cold. A sharp, dangerous aura rolled off him, heavy with jealousy.

Maurice shivered. “Uh… Jude, take it easy.” He was worried Jude would smash his phone. It wasn’t worth much, but everything inside it was. Losing it would be a nightmare.

“What’s going on?” Alfie leaned closer.

The moment he saw the photo, his eyes went wide. He yelled just like Maurice, “Holy shit!”

Maurice shot back, “See? You’re also yelling. You have no manners at all.”

They looked like they were possessed by a string of curse words.

“No wonder I smell jealousy in the air,” Alfie teased Jude fearlessly.

“But the guy in the photo is a foreigner, right? Looks kinda familiar. That’s weird. Tilda even brought him to Nightingale Bar. Tsk, tsk.”

Jude tossed the phone back to Maurice, saying coldly, “That’s Andy Saville.”

“Andy?! That famous lawyer?! Oh, right–the blond guy with the pale skin!”

The photo hadn’t caught Andy’s signature green eyes, or he would’ve been even easier to spot.

“Tilda actually knows Andy? And she’s hanging out with him?” Maurice was also shocked now. Meeting Andy was nearly impossible for him. It wasn’t up to Maurice. He had to request an appointment and pray Andy was in the mood. It was a privilege. As a businessman, he knew he’d need a lawyer at some point.