She Was Never Just a Pretty Face novel Chapter 81

Hilda was past the age of agonizing over things.

She thought for a moment and said, "I've been working on a few things. I'll let you know when there's progress."

The conversation ended there.

Luther focused on driving.

Half an hour later, the car pulled up to the entrance of the private club.

Luther stepped out and handed the keys to the valet.

He led Hilda into the elevator, heading straight for the private room on the fifth floor. When he pushed the door open, it was surprisingly quiet inside, mainly because Jolie was there.

Jolie had clearly dressed up for the occasion tonight.

She wore a form-fitting black dress.

The top portion was sheer black lace, and her vintage makeup made her look dangerously sexy, though she was noticeably thinner, having lost a bit of her high-society elegance.

Jolie had come specifically for Luther.

Her eyes lit up the moment she saw him.

—And then she saw Hilda.

Hilda was wearing a long velvet dress draped in a men's overcoat, completely hiding her figure. But she was wearing Luther's coat, and that detail alone meant she had already won. Jolie's face paled as her gaze dropped to Luther's hand. He had his arm lightly around his wife; it wasn't overly intimate, but it was enough to prove they were on good terms.

Tears welled up in the other woman's eyes.

Luther's gaze landed on her face.

Hilda stood quietly by his side, not saying a word, even wearing a polite, social smile.

After a long moment, Luther gently guided her forward. "Let's go sit."

Yorick's scalp prickled.

He had set up this gathering purely for business.

He hadn't invited Jolie, and he had no idea who leaked the location and drew her here.

He scrambled to do damage control, seating everyone far apart. Then, he quickly pulled Luther into a conversation about a plot of land in the west side of the city. Aegis Group had bought it at auction for a steal a few years back, but recently, their focus had shifted away from real estate. Yorick wanted to take this lucrative deal off Luther's hands. Word on the inside was that the area would skyrocket in value within two years.

Luther leaned back on the sofa, shuffling a deck of cards.

He listened half-heartedly.

Outside the private room.

Luther and Yorick stood together, smoking.

Yorick still wasn't ready to give up.

Luther slowly took a drag of his cigarette, lowering his voice. "New banking regulations on loans are coming down within the next six months. The old playbook won't work anymore. Yorick, I'm only telling you this. Real estate is going to be dead weight soon. It's best to get out while you can."

After Yorick asked a few pressing questions.

His face drained of color.

Luther patted his shoulder and turned back toward the private room, but as he rounded the corner, he bumped into Jolie. She looked as though she had been waiting for him for a long time, her voice shattered in the dimly lit hallway: "Luther."

Luther stared at her for a few seconds.

He brushed past her.

A pair of arms wrapped around him from behind.

The woman broke down sobbing. "I've been by your side for so long. I refuse to believe I'd lose to her. Luther, I can't bear to let you go."