Bait for a Gentleman novel Chapter 133

With her phone still pressed to her ear, Audrina instinctively turned around.

Zachary's gaze followed hers.

Only then did he notice the custom Aston Martin parked quietly just behind them. It lacked the obnoxious, screaming presence of his orange supercar, but it sat there with an effortless, imposing aura that commanded total respect.

Just a few feet away, the driver's side window was rolled down. Sebastian sat behind the wheel, one arm resting casually on the door frame. A lit cigarette was pinched between his long fingers, exposing a glimpse of his lean, powerful wrist.

His eyes were locked squarely on Audrina.

The moment their gazes collided, Audrina's grip on her phone tightened. Her eyes curved into two beautiful crescents.

In the span of a two-second stare, the dark mood Zachary had dragged her into instantly evaporated.

Sebastian's voice came through the receiver again. "Get in."

Audrina pulled her eyes away and hung up the call. "My ride's here. I'm leaving."

Zachary stared at Sebastian, panic bleeding into his voice. "You're just going to leave with him? Do you have any idea what your coworkers will say?"

"That's my business, Zachary. Worry about yourself."

Audrina spun on her heel, pulled open the passenger door of Sebastian's car, and slid inside. Her movements were crisp and decisive; she didn't look back once.

The thud of the closing door acted like a hard boundary, cleanly shutting out the bright orange supercar and the chaotic murmurs of envy.

Sebastian hit the gas. The engine roared, and the car peeled away, leaving everything else in the dust.

A wave of gossip instantly rippled through the crowd of onlookers: "Did Ms. Monroe and Mr. Sutton get into a fight?"

The young woman clutching the bouquet looked down at the champagne roses in her arms.

She blinked, a realization dawning on her. "Probably! She gave away the flowers he sent her."

Someone else chimed in, "Who was that guy in the other car?"

"Couldn't see him. Let's just go home; it's none of our business. It's just a lovers' quarrel, no need to overthink it."

The crowd gradually dispersed.

Zachary stood frozen in place, glaring at the spot where the Aston Martin had disappeared. His chest heaved. With a violent curse, he slammed his fist onto the hood of his car.

Two seconds later, he pulled out his phone and made a call.

...

But just as the nose of the car turned the corner, Audrina's phone buzzed.

She looked down at the screen. The name 'Waldo' flashed brightly. She frowned, hesitating for a long moment.

Sebastian glanced at the screen. "Why aren't you answering?"

As the ringtone echoed relentlessly through the cabin, Audrina quickly hushed him. "Don't say a word."

She answered the call. Before she could even say hello, Waldo's voice came through the line, carrying that familiar, affectionate warmth of a grandfather.

"Audrina, where are you? Zachary said you have tomorrow off, so I'm having him bring you back to the estate for dinner. I had the chef prepare all your favorites."

Audrina froze.

Instinctively, her eyes darted to Sebastian.

The man kept his gaze fixed firmly on the road ahead, his hands resting on the steering wheel, his expression completely unreadable.

"Waldo, I..." She stalled, her mind racing.

Zachary's move was incredibly underhanded. He knew she would never rudely reject the old man, so he had gone straight over her head and used Waldo to trap her.