Bride Behind the Mask novel Chapter 815

The man blinked in surprise, "Are you the owner of this steakhouse?"

Marguerite looked at him without saying a word. Strictly speaking, she wasn't exactly the owner. Frederick had a place called Bluebell Bistro in Stonebridge City, but when they moved to Cresthaven a few months ago, Jocelyn had relocated the restaurant here. They changed the name, but the team remained the same.

Seeing her silence, the man quickly changed his demeanor, smiling broadly as he plopped down in a chair. "You should have said you were the owner! But your steaks are ridiculously overpriced, only for the rich. Regular folks can't afford them."

As he spoke, he shrugged off his suit jacket, tossing it aside casually. That's when Marguerite noticed his cartoon t-shirt, with its faded white and yellow fabric, the collar looking like it hadn't seen a wash in ages. She instinctively felt the urge to leave.

Whoever set her up with this guy must be completely unreliable. What kind of characters were they introducing her to?

Marguerite was mentally scrambling for an excuse to escape when the server inconveniently arrived with the steaks she had ordered earlier. "Ms. Lockwood, here are your steaks."

Marguerite maintained her composure, while the man assumed a pompous attitude, tapping the table and giving the server a condescending look, as if she were his servant.

Facing him, Marguerite found her appetite non-existent. He, however, struggled to cut into the steak and chew a couple of bites before clearing his throat to get to the point.

"My name's Charlie Watson," he said, "a senior member of Harmony Network. I'm thirty, from the countryside, but I managed to get into Cresthaven College all on my own. Don't let the fact I'm a few years older than you fool you; men get more attractive with age, while women only have a short-lived youth before it fades away. That's why I'm so popular on Harmony Network."

He stuffed another piece of steak into his mouth, chewing noisily, then glanced at his watch. "I'm on a tight schedule. Sorry for being late; my last date wouldn't let me leave. She wasn't my type, though. City girl, but didn't look as nice as you or seem as easygoing."

He continued, "You know, no matter how much a woman earns, her place is still at home. Why have such a strong career drive? It's not like you won't have to bear children for my family."