Page 145 of King of Ruin

Elise looked at him in surprise.

"Your favorite car," Benjamin continued, his smile growing. "He asked me to bring this one out instead of the usual car. He even told me to spray your favorite scent inside."

He gestured toward the interior.

"I adjusted your seat as well and added a few small pillows so you would be more comfortable during the drive. I thought it might be too much, but Mr. Chen specifically asked me to make sure everything was arranged according to your comfort."

Benjamin paused, then leaned a little closer, his expression becoming even more secretive.

"And, Miss Foster..." he added, lowering his voice further, "he also asked me to make lunch reservations."

Elise blinked.

"Lunch reservations?"

Benjamin nodded enthusiastically.

"For the two of you."

He looked almost pleased with himself as he continued,

“Mr. Chen wanted to spend the day with you. He wanted it to be a private date with you.”

Elise remained silent for a moment, absorbing his words.

Then, almost instinctively, her eyes shifted toward the car.

Xavier was already seated inside.

As though he had sensed her gaze, his eyes lifted and met hers for the briefest second. The moment their eyes connected, he seemed to realize Benjamin was telling her everything.

A faint flicker of embarrassment crossed his otherwise composed face.

Immediately, he turned his head away, his gaze moving toward the window as though suddenly finding the outside scenery far more interesting.

Elise walked closer to the car, her steps slowing slightly as she looked inside.

The moment her eyes fell on the seat, she stopped.

A beautiful bouquet of flowers rested there, carefully arranged in the place where she was supposed to sit. The arrangement was elegant, filled with flowers she loved—delicate lilies mixed with a colorful assortment that made the entire car feel warmer and more personal.

For a brief moment, she simply stared at it.

Then, as she moved closer, Xavier's gaze finally shifted toward her.

He had been waiting.

His eyes met hers, and there was an unmistakable expectation in them, as though he was silently inviting her to get inside and notice everything he had prepared. For once, he wasn't hiding his intention behind his usual cold expression.

But Elise only stood there for a moment.

Then, instead of getting into the car, she turned around.

Her eyes moved toward Astrid, who was standing nearby.

"Come on, Astrid," Elise said, pointing toward the open car door. "It's getting late. You should get to the office on time."

The change was immediate.