Quentin Quinn stopped talking, looking at the phone in Poe Vaughn’s hand, and remained silent. Poe Vaughn picked up the phone; it was Ethan Ainsworth. Still Ethan Ainsworth’s call. Poe Vaughn didn’t hang up, he answered, "Hello." Ethan Ainsworth was quite annoyed when Poe Vaughn hung up on him, hence he insisted on calling again. The most important thing was he still had things left unsaid. "Why are you in such a hurry?" "Could Ava be over there? You’re rushing to hang up, is it to enjoy your night with her?" At this hour, it’s usually the time for couples, isn’t it? Of course, he knew Poe Vaughn wasn’t busy with that, he could tell just by listening to Poe Vaughn’s voice. He said this purely to express his annoyance at being hung up on without reason. Poe Vaughn arrived at the elevator, and Quentin Quinn immediately pressed the button to go down. Soon, the elevator doors opened, Poe Vaughn stepped inside: "Get to the point." Concise and direct, he didn’t have much patience. Ethan Ainsworth: "..." Knowing Poe Vaughn’s temperament, and indeed not daring to provoke him, Ethan Ainsworth went straight to the matter and said: "Why didn’t you come to tonight’s dinner? People knew you were in Melbourne and specially invited you." "I thought you would show up." Without waiting for Poe Vaughn to reply, Ethan Ainsworth continued: "The third son of AQ is quite a character. Although the current market isn’t as strong as it once was, it’s still better than ordinary companies, and they’re stable for decades. "I heard he wants to collaborate with you, but hasn’t found the chance yet. Upon hearing you were in Melbourne to acquire GO, he’s made a bit of effort for it." "Although you are currently a hot commodity in the business world, many are after you, but sometimes good opportunities shouldn’t be missed, AQ could be a viable partner." "He specifically invited you tonight; at least come by for a drink." "If the collaboration doesn’t happen now, there’s always the next time." Ethan Ainsworth’s words came through the phone one after another, clearly reaching Poe Vaughn’s ears. Poe Vaughn’s eyes were fixed on the elevator, his deep gaze remained unchanged, one could say, completely unmoved. He parted his lips: "Occupied." "Occupied? What’s so urgent? Your business in Melbourne isn’t settled yet?" "Impossible? I heard everything is sorted out, you’ve always handled things swiftly; there’s nothing you can’t accomplish." "What else do you need? Tell me, I’ll help you solve it." Friends naturally help each other without hesitation. The elevator stopped on the first floor, doors opened, Poe Vaughn stepped out. Ethan Ainsworth, hearing his words, surprisingly found himself speechless. No need, what could he say to that? Naturally, he wouldn’t push further, but: "Where are you headed now? When do you have time? Shall we grab a drink?" Since he was in Melbourne, as was Poe Vaughn, they should at least meet up. Furthermore, Poe Vaughn still hadn’t officially introduced Ava to them. Already married, yet still keeping things under wraps; what does that imply? Listening to the voice coming from the phone, Poe Vaughn walked out of the elevator; at night, his leather shoes tapped on the lobby’s polished stone floor, producing steady, powerful sounds. He said: "Next time." Ethan Ainsworth heard Poe Vaughn’s footsteps, he was obviously busy. If he continued talking, Poe Vaughn might hang up again, so he quickly said: "Alright, alright, we’ll meet when you have time." "But, next time we get together, I hope you bring your—spouse, and introduce her properly." "You’re married now, claimed by someone; even if you don’t announce it to the world, at least let us know, shouldn’t you?" "Of course, it’s fine if you don’t. Next time I run into Ava, I’ll tease her." "She’s certainly got a strong personality." Saying this, Ethan Ainsworth imagined Ava’s proud face. Not someone easy to converse with. Poe Vaughn actually found such a fiery-tempered person, and coincidentally, he is also cold-hearted; he finds it hard to imagine how they interact. He’s incredibly curious. The driver had already been waiting outside the hotel’s entrance, upon seeing Poe Vaughn emerge, promptly opened the car door. Poe Vaughn got in the car, his voice cold, without a hint of warmth: "You can try." After finishing, he hung up. The busy tone echoed through the phone, Ethan Ainsworth still hadn’t processed Poe Vaughn’s last words, when he heard the abrupt sound of the busy tone. He was momentarily stunned, then took his phone down, chuckling. That man dared him to try; he wasn’t sure if it was a genuine dare or a threat, but it sparked Ethan Ainsworth’s interest. He genuinely wanted to tease Ava. To find out what kind of remarkable woman Ava was, one who could have such a temper yet make Poe Vaughn marry her, cherish her, even care immensely. At that moment, despite being hung up by Poe Vaughn, Ethan Ainsworth felt not a bit of anger; instead, he smiled, with deep interest in his expression. He picked up his glass, drank the wine, and his eyes flashed brightly. It seemed he hadn’t been back to his country for some time; perhaps, it was time for a visit? The car departed the hotel, Poe Vaughn sat in the back seat, holding his phone and looking at the screen. There were no unread messages, not a single one; his eyes deepened in thought. Quentin Quinn hadn’t heard any conversation from behind, glancing at Poe Vaughn through the rear-view mirror, seeing him put down his phone, Quentin continued his work report. The car silently moved forward, outside the neon lights flashed; the night carried a chill, making the atmosphere here completely different from back home. After Quentin finished reporting, half an hour had passed. Poe Vaughn was no longer looking at the phone but at the scenery swiftly passing by outside the window, cold air infiltrating, even the city’s lights seemed tinged with chill. "The temperature over there should be a few degrees, maybe in the teens; the difference compared to here is great, I think you should take skincare products, or your skin might suffer." "But it seems you don’t have any skincare products; want to use mine?" "Men can use women’s skincare too, just to moisturize, so the skin doesn’t dry out." Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn novｅlfire.net "I left you some lotion; if you feel your skin drying out there, use it; don’t let your skin get damaged by the cold." Unconsciously, thoughts arose of these mundane words, nothing particularly special; yet, at the moment they emerged, they were like the lights outside, settling into his heart. A trickle of warmth emerged, carrying subtle warmth, spreading from his heart to his body, reaching every corner. At that moment, he wanted to call her, wanted to hear her voice. In fact, he’d wanted to for quite some time. However, he wanted her to call him, wanted her to send him a message. She liked him, but just a little, not much.