The man was smiling, his eyes twinkling with a mischievous yet passionate glint Seeing Bartlett Rex, whom she hadnât seen for ages, Ellinor frowned in suspicion, âWhat are you doing here?â
Bartlett, in his finely tailored deep brown suit, exuded an elegance that was subtly tainted with a devilish charm deep within.
âI heard there were two paintings by Lady Lotus here, so I thought Iâd try my luck.â
âTry your luck? Mr. Rex, youâre not exactly known for being lucky! Unfortunately for you, Iâve already bought the two paintings by Lady Lotus Ellinor raised an eyebrow Bartlett took a step closer to her, his smile deepening his gaze like an alluring invisible thread, âNo, I am lucky I came here hoping to bump into you, and here you are!â
Ellinor pulled a face, finding him as irritating and flirty as ever.
She had previously expressed interest in buying the three paintings of Lady Lotus in Bartlettâs gallery, but he not only refused to sell them to her but also flirted with her. Eventually she got those paintings through Theo.
So, it wasnât surprising that Bartlett knew about her fondness for Lady Lotusâs paintings.
Plus, Bartlett and Theo were long time buddies, making it hard not to think they were in cahoots.
With these thoughts, a hint of caution flickered in Ellinorâs eyes. âYou came here to see me? Mr. Rex, what do you want?â
Bartlett squinted at her, looking deep into her eyes, âYes, I need somethingâ
âWhat is it?â
Bartlett chuckled, âWhy donât we finish the exhibition first and then go grab a bite? Itâs been a long time, we can talk more over dinner, how about that?â
Ellinor wasnât interested in his invitation, âSorry, I donât have that much time. Mr. Rex, if you have something to say, say it now! If itâs not convenient to talk here, then I guess itâs not urgent, and it doesnât matter if you donât say it!â
Bartlett was a bit hurt by her cold and indifferent attitude, and he didnât know whether to laugh or cry.
âEllinor, weâre friends, right?â
Ellinor remembered that when she fell into the water at Jonah Wytonâs villa, it was Bartlett who helped her borrow clothes. She had agreed to be his friend at that time.
âYeah, we are.â
âAs friends, could you be a little less cold to me?â
Ellinor frowned, âJust spit it out, what do you want? I donât like beating around the bush!*
Bartlett gave a wry smile and sighed, looking quite troubled, âEllinor, stop treating me like a wolf, I just want to help you.â
âHelp me? With what?â
Bartlett leaned in a bit closer, staring intently at her face.
âEllinor, while I donât know the specific reasons yet, I can tell that youâve been wanting to find Lady Lotus. Maybe I can help you with this!â
Ellinorâs eyes were focused, clearly intrigued by what he had to say âYou know where Lady Lotus is?â
Bartlett gave a mysterious smile, whetting her appetite, then purposely stopped talking. âNow, are you willing to have dinner with me?â
Ellinor furrowed her brows, not liking the suspense.