Chapter 131 - 129: The Professional Filter Really Exists
Lily Sterling was naive, not stupid. She could still tell a compliment from a veiled insult.
It was just that Jessica had always been quite friendly to her before, so her sudden, passive-aggressive tone left Lily at a loss for a moment. She could only offer an awkward smile.
Meanwhile, Yuna Sutton, who was standing beside her, shot Jessica a sideways glance and let out a silent, cold scoff. ’Is she so mad she can’t even pretend anymore?’
She gently tugged on Lily Sterling’s sleeve, gesturing for her to come stand to her right.
Lily Sterling nodded gratefully and moved to Yuna Sutton’s right, putting some distance between herself and Jessica.
"Don’t mind her. She’s just jealous of you,"
Yuna Sutton suddenly whispered.
Hearing this, Lily Sterling looked at Yuna Sutton, who gave her a small smile. It was a smile with the power of an idol, and it instantly put her heart at ease.
"Thank you, Yuna."
Yuna Sutton’s delicate eyebrows arched playfully. "Don’t mention it!"
*
After several days of high temperatures in Lorcain, a light rain finally began to fall this evening, cooling the entire city down.
Cecilia Sterling had taken great care in getting ready. She had originally planned to wear a dress and high heels, but the sudden rain made her change her mind. She switched to a pair of light-blue skinny jeans and flats, and toned down her makeup as well.
"You look so pure and innocent, my dear."
Estelle Goodman came up from behind, rested her chin on Cecilia Sterling’s shoulder, and admired her reflection in the mirror. "I’m so jealous. You can totally weaponize your beauty. When you want to be sexy, you’re captivating enough to drive everyone wild. When you want that innocent-yet-seductive look, you’re completely irresistible. Unlike me, my beauty is so one-dimensional."
Cecilia Sterling laughed at the praise and patted her friend’s cheek. "Try not to fall in love with me."
"Too late. I’m already hooked."
Just then, Cecilia Sterling’s phone buzzed. It was a message from Saul Thorne; he was already downstairs from her dorm.
Estelle Goodman saw the message on the screen and clicked her tongue in amazement. "He seemed so serious when we saw him at the police station. I never thought he’d be the type to know how to charm a girl, coming all the way to your dorm to pick you up."
She then looked at Cecilia Sterling and sighed, "But that’s you, sweetie. You see someone you like and you dare to ask for their WhatsApp. Not even afraid of a police officer!"
"Police officers are people too. We’re all the same with our clothes off," Cecilia Sterling said.
"Fair point, but I still admire you. If it were me, I’d definitely wait for the other person to make the first move."
Cecilia Sterling thought back to that day. Saul Thorne had actually been the one to approach her and hand her his precinct’s business card. In her eyes, that move was a not-so-subtle hint.
’So how could you say Saul wasn’t the one who made the first move?’
"Go on, don’t keep our handsome police officer waiting."
Cecilia Sterling nodded, picked out an "oceanic" perfume suitable for a rainy day, spritzed it on twice, and then went downstairs.
Downstairs, Saul Thorne stood ramrod straight by the road, holding an umbrella. When he saw Cecilia Sterling coming down, he quickly walked over to shield her with it.
Cecilia Sterling looked up at him with a smile in her eyes. Such a handsome face was truly a pleasant sight. She said softly, "With the sudden rain, I thought you might reschedule."
"With my job, my schedule chooses me, not the other way around. It’s rare that I get a day off."
Perhaps it was because of the rain, but Saul Thorne’s voice sounded particularly pleasant mixed with the patter of the downpour. "The car’s at the school gate. Let’s go."
Upstairs, Estelle Goodman was leaning over the dorm balcony, spying on them. Although she could only see the top of a black umbrella, she could feel the palpable, turbulent chemistry between the two people beneath it.
She stomped her feet in excitement, watching until their figures, huddled under the umbrella, disappeared into the distance.
After getting into Saul Thorne’s Jeep, he first grabbed a soft cushion from the back seat and tucked it behind Cecilia Sterling’s lower back. "The car’s a bit old, and the seats are pretty hard. This should make it more comfortable."
Then, she watched as he steered with one hand while looking back to reverse and turn the car around.
’This car really is old. It’s a full manual, and it doesn’t even have a reverse camera.’
They didn’t talk much on the way, but neither of them felt awkward. Saul Thorne drove with focus, catching faint, pleasant whiffs of Cecilia Sterling’s perfume. That alone was enough to lift his spirits, his usual serious demeanor unknowingly softening.
About half an hour later, the car slowly pulled into the underground garage of Omnia Tower.
Cecilia Sterling knew this place; she had been here several times with Estelle Goodman. It was known as "Lorcain’s Michelin Hub."
Choosing to eat here showed how much importance Saul Thorne placed on their first date.
But Cecilia also couldn’t help but wonder, ’Could a police captain’s salary really afford a restaurant with such a high price per person?’
However, her intuition told her that Saul Thorne wasn’t the type to spend beyond his means just to show off, so she kept her thoughts to herself.
On the eighth floor was Fusion Private Dining. Saul Thorne had already made a reservation, and a waitress in a Chinese-style cheongsam led them to a table by the window.
The restaurant was busy, but the atmosphere was very quiet. The diners were not only elegantly dressed but also deliberately kept their voices low.
After they were seated, Cecilia Sterling said half-jokingly, "If I’d known you were bringing me here, I would’ve worn a dress."
A smile crept into Saul Thorne’s eyes as he looked at her and said softly, "You look beautiful just like this."
Cecilia Sterling had heard compliments like that all her life, but this was the first time she’d heard it from a police officer.
’I have to admit, it really feels different. There’s a unique kind of thrill to it.’
’Looks like the "professional filter" is a real thing. And I’m really enjoying it!’
The menu was indeed expensive. In the currency of her past life, it would be about 800 dollars per person on average. If you only ordered the signature dishes, it would be around 1500 dollars per person.
But Saul Thorne’s expression didn’t change at all when he opened the menu, so Cecilia Sterling knew this wasn’t his first time here.
"Have you brought other girls here before?"
Saul Thorne looked up at her and, after a moment, admitted, "Yes. An ex-girlfriend."
Cecilia Sterling looked back at him and asked, "How many?"
"One."
"Me too."
And just like that, they laid their cards on the table.
Just then, Saul Thorne’s phone rang. He glanced at it, his brow furrowing involuntarily. Still, he stood up as he swiped to answer, giving Cecilia Sterling a look that said he was stepping out to take the call.
Cecilia Sterling nodded in understanding, watching as his long legs carried him away quickly, disappearing in just a few strides.
He returned about ten minutes later and explained to Cecilia Sterling, "Sorry, that was the station."
"Was it something urgent?" Cecilia Sterling asked.
"Not this time." Saul Thorne let out a soft breath and looked at Cecilia Sterling seriously. "But if, in the future—and I mean if—if we were to be together, there will probably be times on our dates when I’ll have to leave in the middle of things."
He was certainly being upfront about it, but Cecilia Sterling was already mentally prepared.
"I understand. You’re a police officer. Your whole purpose is to handle emergencies, and what makes an emergency an emergency is that it happens suddenly."