One night stand with my president(chapter 321)

 

Chapter 321: Miss Hensley is With Me

Jasmine looked at her, smiling calmly. "Miss Hensley, it's just a meal. Don't overthink it.

Please, have a seat. Manuel, you two sit down as well."

Adeline was curious to see what Jasmine's true intentions were.

It was broad daylight, and plenty of people had seen them enter the restaurant. Jasmine was pregnant and unlikely to try anything reckless.

So, Adeline confidently sat down.

Anna and Manuel followed suit.

"I've already ordered some dishes earlier,"

Jasmine said with a smile. "Miss Hensley, let me know if you'd like anything else."

"No, thank you," Adeline replied coolly.

Anna was visibly uneasy.

She had heard Adeline call Manuel's aunt "Mrs. Hunt." "Could this be the chairwoman of the Hunter Group?" Anna thought.

But Manuel had never mentioned this to her.

Anna was Manuel's girlfriend, yet Jasmine hadn't acknowledged her at all and was focused solely on Adeline.

Anna thought, "Could this dinner have been orchestrated just to lure Adeline out? Am I merely a pawn in their plan? Has Manuel's sudden interest in me been nothing more than a ploy?"

Anna felt a mix of anger and heartbreak, accompanied by a deep sense of guilt toward Adeline.

If it hadn't been for her, Adeline wouldn't have ended up at this dinner.

But she genuinely hadn't expected this. She thought she'd finally found romance, only to discover it was all a scheme.

Jasmine, however, didn't seem to mind Adeline's cold demeanor.

While waiting for the food, Jasmine casually chatted with Adeline as if this was a normal social gathering.

Yet, beneath the table, she was secretly sending text messages on her phone.

She was texting Russell. "Miss Hensley is with me."

After sending that message, she followed up with the restaurant's address.

Russell was at the office when Jasmine's text came through.

The Hunter Group was also starting its holiday break the next day, and most employees had already left. Russell, however, was still working, pouring all his energy into his tasks.

He was about to open another project file when his phone lit up.

Glancing at the screen, he saw it was a message from Jasmine.

He wasn't planning to respond.

But in that brief glance, he caught sight of the name "Hensley."

Russell immediately picked up his phone.

He read Jasmine's message.

The phrasing of her message was ambiguous.

Taken in a certain tone, it almost sounded like Jasmine had kidnapped Adeline and was using her as leverage against him.

Russell's expression darkened.

He quickly stood up, grabbed his coat, and headed out the door.

Back at the restaurant, the food had been served.

Jasmine remained composed, urging everyone to eat.

But aside from Jasmine, no one else had any appetite for the meal.

Anna was already thinking about leaving with Adeline.

Just then, Jasmine, while ladling soup, said, "Miss Hensley, there's really no need to treat me like an enemy. Let me be direct. I invited you here because I want you to help me talk to Russell."

Jasmine's statement aligned with what Adeline previously suspected.

But now, Adeline wasn't so sure.

If this was her goal, was it really necessary to go to such lengths-having her nephew deliberately approach Anna just to lure Adeline here?

"You know I'm pregnant," Jasmine continued.

"This child means everything to me and Russell's father. It's the child we've long hoped for. But with Russell acting like this, we can't feel at ease. was hoping you could persuade him to consider our feelings."

Adeline stayed silent.

She thought, "Did Rogelio and Jasmine ever consider Russell's feelings? What gives them the right to demand his consideration now?"

Besides, Russell hadn't tried to stop them from having the baby. He was simply keeping his distance.

"Miss Hensley, please help us," Jasmine pleaded.

Adeline finally spoke. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I don't think I have the qualification or position to convince Russell."

"How can you say that?" Jasmine

countered. "I know Russell has feelings for you."

She stopped herself mid-sentence. 

"Apologies, that was out of line." Adeline's gaze grew colder.

"I'm sorry, Jasmine," Adeline said, standing up.

"Since I can't help you, there's no point in staying.

I'll take my leave now."

"Miss Hensley!"

Jasmine quickly got up and grabbed Adeline's wrist.

"Don't go. Since you're already here, at least finish the meal."

Jasmine was pregnant, and Adeline didn't want to risk causing her any harm. 

Reluctantly, she said, "Fine, let go of me first."

Jasmine breathed a sigh of relief and released her grip. She then subtly signaled to Manuel.

Manuel immediately understood and turned to Anna. "Sweetheart, why don't we leave first? I'!! take you shopping and buy you a bag."

"I'll leave with Miss Hensley," Anna replied firmly.

"My aunt and Miss Hensley still have things to discuss," Manuel coaxed. "Come on, I'll buy you anything you want."

But Anna wasn't so easily swayed. As someone who worked in the Thomson Group's executive office, she wasn't about to be bought off with empty promises. She stayed put in her seat.

Manuel was starting to lose patience.

Jasmine frowned slightly. She calculated that enough time had passed.

The Hunter Group wasn't far from this restaurant.

Just then, the door to the private room was flung open.

A man strode in, bringing with him a gust of cold air.

It was Russell.

His eyes swept the room, and when he saw Adeline standing unharmed, he let out a small sigh of relief.

Without hesitation, he marched over to her and pulled her behind him.

"What are you trying to do?" he demanded angrily, glaring at Jasmine.

"Russell, I wasn't trying to do anything," Jasmine replied with feigned innocence. "I just wanted to invite Miss Hensley for a meal. Did you misunderstand?"

Spotting an opportunity, Manuel suddenly grabbed the unguarded Anna and began dragging her out of the room.

"What are you doing?" Anna struggled, but Manuel's strength far exceeded hers.

"Sweetheart, this is their business. It has nothing to do with us. Let's go," Manuel said as he tried to calm her down.

"But..."

Adeline saw Anna being taken away and wanted to follow, but Jasmine blocked her path.

"Miss Hensley, please stay. I haven't finished what I wanted to say."

“That’s enough,” Russell snapped, his expression dark. “This is a family matter. Stop involving innocent people. Miss Hensley, my apologies. You can leave.”

Adeline nodded slightly and was about to leave when a sudden scream echoed from outside.