Chapter 17 Cindy's Request

• When Ian saw Cindy approaching him, he knew that trouble was on the way. He laughed bitterly and said, "Why are you here Ms. Jones? This is no place to be for a rich young lady like you."
• Cindy crinkled her nose as she replied, "It's none of your business. Follow me!" She grabbed Ian by the arm and dragged him onto the Mercedes-Benz 600. She made sure to tighten her grip to prevent the man from running away.
• The chauffeur was a middle-aged man wearing a pristine white shirt and gray vest. He turned around and smiled at Ian when he entered the vehicle.
• "Mr. Barnaby, let's head to the Canali flagship store," Cindy instructed.
• "All right!" Barnaby nodded his head and off they went to the mall.
• Cindy then turned her attention to Ian and hissed, "Hey liar! I need your help with something. You can't turn me down this time."
• "What's the matter?" Ian asked helplessly while scratching his head.
• "Answer me first. Do you agree to help me?" Cindy replied firmly.
• Ian pondered for a moment before replying, "Well, that depends. There's no reason for me to turn you down if I can be of help." He felt a little guilty for annoying Cindy the previous time. As a result, he decided to take the chance to make amends with her.
• Cindy looked at Ian and said with great admiration, "Great, you'll definitely be able to help me out. However, we will need to get you dressed up first. I don't wish for anyone to look down on my hero."
• "Okay, I was thinking of getting a new outfit anyway." Ian decided not to press Cindy any further when she did not share any more details. Even though she acted like a spoiled brat, Ian was grateful that she trusted him.
• Thirty minutes later, Ian and Cindy arrived at their destination. The Canali flagship store was a massive building that stood in the center of town. The grand architecture was befitting of its status as an upscale luxurious man-wear store. They were greeted by a saleswoman wearing a skin-tight black dress when they entered the shop. She had been eager to serve the distinguished visitors when she noticed the luxurious Mercedes-Benz 600. Despite being surprised and slightly disgusted by Ian's unkempt appearance, she maintained a professional smile and welcomed her guests. "Good day, and welcome to Canali!"
• Cindy did not seem to mind Ian's disheveled state. She pulled him by the arm and walked toward the saleswoman. "You have one hour to fix him up. I want him to look polished and suave."
• When the saleswoman saw the black platinum card Cindy handed Ian, she dared not look down on him because she knew it was the purchasing card for the wealthy. She put on her best smile and led them into the waiting room to notify her boss of Cindy's demands.
• Apart from being a retail shop, Canali offered its customers personalized makeover services if they were wealthy. Cindy was well-deserving of such a service because she possessed the black platinum card, which was worth at least 5 million dollars.
• An hour later, the store manager returned the black platinum card to Cindy and said politely, "There's no need for you to pay, Ms. Jones. This shop belongs to Saint Corporation."
• "All right, thanks for the hard work." Cindy kept the card and dug out a stack of cash from her purse. "Get yourself some refreshments. It's my treat."
• "Thank you, Ms. Jones!" the store manager replied delightfully before leaving the room.
• Ian showed up a short while later after finishing the makeover service. He felt his body was noticeably relaxed after taking a hot bath and receiving a soothing massage. Although the store manager had suggested a tailored suit, Ian decided it would be best to go with a simple white T-shirt and a pair of jeans. After all, given his circumstances, he hoped to keep a low profile.
• Cindy nodded her head in approval as she studied the new and refreshed Ian. "Not bad! You look great!"
• Ian chuckled and ruffled his neatly trimmed hair. "Where are we going?"
• "We are going to have a meal at my house!" Afraid that Ian would change his mind, Cindy immediately clung to the man and dragged him out of the store.
• "Can you let go of me, please?" Ian said, awkwardly looking at Cindy. Even though he was a capable and accomplished man in the past, he did not know how to deal with relationships. He gasped when the attractive and alluring Cindy leaned against his arm.
• Noticing Ian's flushed face, Cindy teased, "Are you shy, liar?"
• "No, I'm not." Ian tried to keep his cool and replied calmly.
• "Your face is so red. Aren't you Rosie's husband? Don't tell me you've never slept together." Even though Cindy was aware that Ian was married, she was not afraid of seducing him because she knew that a woman like Rosie would never be interested in Ian. No one could see the value of Ian except for her.
• The mention of Rosie made Ian's heart ache. He sighed to himself before replying with a cold glint in his eyes, "Mind your own business."
• "Hmph! Don't think I'm unaware that Rosie chased you away. It's okay though. I'm supportive of your divorce. You can marry me instead," Cindy said gleefully.
• "It's all right. I can't afford your lavish lifestyle." Even though Ian had marital problems, he was not a disloyal man. As a result, he was careful to keep his distance even from attractive women like Cindy. Feeling bitter about the rejection, the woman pouted her lips and replied, "Hmph, what a bummer!"
• The duo soon arrived at the palace-like mansion. Cindy immediately pulled Ian out of the car and headed into the living room. When Desmond saw that his daughter was home, he beamed with joy. However, the smile was instantly replaced with a slight frown when he saw Ian standing next to her. Nonetheless, he attempted to be cordial and asked gently, "Cindy, I see you've brought a visitor with you. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
• "Ian isn't an outsider, Dad. Gloria can whip up some more dishes if there isn't enough food. I can do the cooking too if necessary," Cindy lamented.
• Desmond made the decision not to lose his temper in front of Ian. After heading to the dining hall and instructing Gloria to cook two more dishes, he announced, "All right, let's eat."
• Cindy stared adoringly at Ian and said, "Make yourself at home. There's no need to be shy."
• Looking at how his daughter was obsessed with the man, Desmond seethed inwardly, he's really worthless and good for nothing. He had been relying on the Young family for more than twenty years. It seems like he's now planning to take advantage of the Jones family. How can I, Desmond Jones, allow my daughter to marry a married man! Perhaps Cindy isn't aware of his true identity and is deceived by him.
• Feeling proud of himself for making sense of the situation, Desmond replied casually, "There's no need to be shy, Mr Griffin. Feel free to make yourself at home. By the way, how are you related to the girl at the villa's entrance from before?"
• Desmond's attempt to sour the situation was detected by Ian. However, he chose to remain calm in order to avoid upsetting Cindy. "She's my wife," he said flatly.
• "How long have you guys been married? Do you have any children?" Desmond continued to probe with a polite smile.
• Before Ian could answer, Cindy glared at Desmond and chided, "I asked him over because I needed his assistance. Why are you interrogating him like he's a criminal?"
• "It was just a mindless chit-chat," Desmond replied helplessly. He could not comprehend why a smart girl like Cindy would fall for a useless man like Ian.
• Ian, on the other hand, seemed unaffected by Desmond's questioning. He was used to sarcastic remarks, and Desmond's were insignificant in comparison. However, Cindy's repeated mention of requesting his assistance piqued his interest. He could not help but ask, "I don't think there's anything that I can help with."
• "Yeah, Mr. Griffin is a busy man. Stop fooling around, Cindy," Desmond quickly added. He hoped that Ian would leave the Jones residence as soon as possible.
• Cindy said in annoyance, "Is your memory failing you, Dad? You mentioned last night that someone is planning to harm you. As your daughter, I should find someone to assist you in solving your issue."
• "Well…" Desmond said hesitantly. He was indeed troubled by his business competitor's vow to end his life. Hence, he did not dare to go to the company for the past few days and requested Aiden to play chest with him the whole night.
• Now, Ian understood Cindy's plea for assistance. She wanted him to protect Desmond for the coming days. Cindy trusted Ian unconditionally despite his refusal to acknowledge his identity.
• Feeling moved by her support, Ian nodded his head and said, "All right, I'll see what I can do."
• Before anyone could reply, a tall dark figure entered the door. He exclaimed, "Get out of here, liar!"