The Manipulated Villainess

Nicole already returned to work as she had recovered and rested enough. She was in her office, preparing to go home when she received a call from Aston.

"You're free tonight, right?" Aston asked her the moment she answered the call.

"Yeah. I'm about to go home." She said as she rose from her seat and took her overcoat.

"Then will you come and have dinner with me? I will introduce you to a friend." Aston said in an exciting voice.

"Alright. Tell me the address and I will be right there." She said and walked out of her office.

"I will get you. You just returned to work today. You only rest for three days, so you should still be careful."

Nicole slightly smiled. "Three days? Adding the time I spent on a hospital, it's 5 days." She paused and said, "Don't worry. I will arrive there safe and sound."

"Alright." Aston's displeasure was quite evident but he ended the call and send her the address right away.

"Is she coming?" Mario Aris who was sitting opposite him instantly asked him the moment he puts down the phone.

Aston nodded his head. "She's always stubborn." He said with a slight chuckle.

"What's her name? Do I know her?" Mario asked, unable to hide his excitement.

Aston laughed at his reaction. "She will take about half an hour. You will see her anyway. Why are you so impatient?"

Mario slightly frowned. "I can't wait to know who managed to tie you down. That's why." He paused and smiled again right away. "Is she that amazing?"

Aston nodded. "She's unique."

"Unique?" Mario mused. "I'm also drawn to unique women. I will see if she's really unique as you said or... " His lips curved into a smile. "If you're just blinded by your feelings for her."

"Go on. I'm confident but... she's not that good with strangers. If you overact, she will steer clear of you right away." The actor told his friend and laughed.

"It feels good to see you happy, Aston Kang. You're really in love." Mario remarked with a smile.

The two friends continued having a small chat, talking about their life and their days in the orphanage. Time flies by and in no time, the door to the private room where they were sitting was opened and a waitress ushered Nicole inside. Then the waitress left again right away.

"You're here," Aston said and rose from his seat. He walked to Nicole and wrapped his arm around her waist.

Mario glanced at the familiar woman who was standing beside his friend. She was Aston's girlfriend?! When he sat still glancing at the couple, he felt an unfamiliar pain in his heart.

"This is the friend I'm talking about," Aston said to Nicole as he turned to Mario. "Mario Aris, but for me, he's Zander Choi."

Nicole turned to the man who just rose from his seat to greet her. She instantly raised a brow when she recognized him.

"Zander, this is - "

"I know," Mario said with a smile and took a step towards the couple. "I don't expect that it would be you, Chairwoman Yang."

"Mr. Aris." Nicole greeted him and slightly bowed.

"You know each other?" Aston asked.

Nicole looked at him and nodded. "We recently signed a contract which made us business partners."

"That's great." Aston mused. "Let's sit down. I already ordered the dishes. It will be here soon." He added and helped Nicole took a seat. Mario sat down with a bit of reluctance.

"How do you know each other?" Nicole promptly asked Aston.

Aston glanced at Mario and the latter nodded. "We are from the same orphanage. He came back this time and tracked me down." He playfully said and Nicole smiled.

"Childhood friend?" The Chairwoman mused. "You appeared lonelier than me but it turned out that you have many friends."

"You're still my number one, so you have nothing to worry about," Aston muttered and it was followed by a light chuckle.

"Then I will believe you." Nicole simply said with a smile and turned to Mario.

"I don't know that you are the childhood friend of my boyfriend. To be honest, it's quite unimaginable." She calmly said.

Mario recalled the rude and arrogant young Chairwoman on his memory. She doesn't have any resemblance with the woman sitting opposite him. What's more, she even talked to him calmly. Was Aston that important to her, to the point where she was willing to treat even his friend with calmness and kindness?

"I also don't know that you have this side in you, Miss Yang." He remarked, forcing a little smile.

Nicole looked at Aston before he turned back to Mario. "I want Aston to be surrounded by reliable and good friends. That's why I ought to treat his friends well."

"Wow, Zander! She has never said that to me." Aston suddenly said with his eyes widened a bit.

Nicole turned to him and slightly frowned. "I always show it through my actions. Remember?"

The actor quickly nodded with an appeasing smile. "I know. Thanks." His words were instantly followed by a laughter and she finally smiled again.

Mario stared at Nicole who seemed to be so much in love with his friend and the exact friend who was completely smitten with her. He witnessed the rare smile of the Chairwoman many times in just a few minutes and every single smile was caused by his friend.

"Zander, don't you say that you will see if I was telling the truth or simply blinded by love?" Aston jokingly said to his friend who was a bit quiet.

Mario shifted his gaze from his friend to the woman beside him who looked at him with a confused face. "I've met Miss Yang a few times before. I also visited her in the hospital. So, I think that's not necessary anymore."

"Does that mean you agree with me?" The actor asked and Mario nodded.

"Talking about the hospital... " Aston uttered and turned to Nicole. "Don't move your head too much. You already start working again and that alone makes me more than worried."

Nicole sighed with displeasure. "Your trust in me is too thin. I'm not a kid without a conscience."

"Then you should start acting like an adult," Aston said with a playful smile.

Nicole helplessly shook her head but before she could speak up, the door was opened and dinner was brought in.

She turned to Aston and the latter patted his head with his index finger and shook his head with a smile. It was his way of telling her not to shook her head and she understands it, which made her sigh in defeat.

"Zander, you said that you will stay for a few weeks, right? Do you have any place you want to visit?" Aston asked his friend after the waitress left.

"I'm not sure," Mario said with a slight smile. "I was quite young when I left, so I don't have much memory. When I wander around by myself, I often get lost."

"Alright," Aston said. "If there is anything, you can just tell me. I will try to make the time for you."

"Thinking of it, it would be great to visit the orphanage again. Last time, I went there alone to ask about you." A hint of excitement was on Mario Aris face.

The actor promptly nodded. "We can go there if you want." He turned to Nicole. "Would you like to come too? After all, it's a place where I spent years."

"That would be great. I will also prepare some donations for the children there." Nicole agreed.

"Let's do that together. It will be better." Aston suggested and Nicole nodded.

"Count me in," Mario said with a smile. "I also spent years there. I ought to do something for them."

"Alright. The Director will be very happy." Aston remarked.

"I'm just curious," Mario said as he glanced at the couple sitting opposite him. "How did you two met? I read some articles about Aston being the model and ambassador for Yang Apparel. Is it through that?"

"No." Aston instantly said. "It's before that. We met at a party and she rejected me right away."

"What kind of woman will be entertained by such sudden confession from a stranger?" Nicole argued with a sigh.

"Even after that, you rejected me many times," Aston said and let out a laughter. Feeling helpless, Nicole just turned away from him.

Aston chuckled and looked at his friend. "At the party, she rejected me saying that she didn't know me. So, I was determined to solve the problem. I made up my mind to make her know me. As such, I went home and told my manager to accept the meeting with Yang Group on one condition. I will only meet with the Chairwoman. That's how it goes on."

Raising a brow, Nicole turned to him. "That was your plan? When my assistant told me that Aston Kang will only meet with me, I find it a bit strange but I don't think much." She shook her head in disappointment. "You're so sly, Aston Kang."

Aston smiled and tilted his head to her. "Think about it, Nicole. If I don't do that, we won't be here sitting together today." His lips curved into a menacing smile.

Once again, Nicole sigh in defeat. "I'll give you that."

Staring at them, Mario could only think of one sentence. What a perfect match! However, he still felt a little hurt when seeing them being so comfortable and smitten with each other.....