Chapter 143 - Derek And Bella's Date

During Bella and Derek's dinner date...

Bella cleared her throat, gazing at the man across from her. Derek was simply keeping his silence while slicing through the steak.

"Was the security helped you?" Derek raised his gaze, arching his brows. She nearly jump in his question as it came abruptly for her.

"Ye — yes, thank you." She sported a smile, breathing in and out as she was nervous. Bella was never been so nervous on a date, but there's just something in him that made her feel she had to be cautious.

"You're already thanking me," He said, as a matter of fact, shrugging his shoulders. "You're paying, right?"

"Yes!" 

A subtle smile appeared on his face. "Are you're nervous, Miss Chang?"

"What? No, I mean, of course not." Bella shook her head, mentally telling herself to get a grip. This wasn't her first date, and she was not an infatuated teenager anymore. 

"Hmm. alright. If that's what you say." He didn't press further as he shrugged, continuing to eat in silence.

Meanwhile, Bella kept yelling at herself internally. This felt embarrassing for her as he had cleared his schedule for this dinner. Also, she had mustered a lot of courage to ask him out, but now she was embarrassing herself. 

'Just what will he think of me now?' she wondered, clicking her tongue faintly as she hung her head low. 'Right... I should think that I am simply shooting a scene.'

Her eyes brightened up at the idea that crossed her mind. If she acted as some character she had to play, Bella was confident she could pull this off. 

While she internalized, Derek glanced at her. The side of his lips curled up, chuckling weakly as he shook his head sideways.

'No wonder she got closed with Miss Lin,' he thought. 'She's silly.'

The dinner continued in silence until Bella raised her head. As soon as their eyes met, Derek arched his brow as she seemed different. 

"By the way, thank you for accepting my request, Mister Wang. I know you are a busy man." Bella's tone was modest, smiling subtly at him. "The security you recommend is very helpful. It's convenient, and I never felt so secure before."

"You're welcome." Derek nodded, studying her demeanor. 

Bella just smiled in response and continued eating elegantly. A moment ago, she was like a teenager on her first date with her ultimate crush. But now, she was like someone untouchable. 

"I hope you don't misunderstand my intentions," Bella muttered, glancing up at him. 

Derek smiled. "I'm not the kind of person who assumes unnecessarily. I did you a favor and returning it is a simple courtesy. What's there to misunderstand?"

"I'm just making sure."

"Then you can rest assured no word will come out about tonight's dinner."

"Thank you. I owe you again." Bella chuckled as she reached for the wine, raising it a little as a toasting gesture. She turned her head to the side, sipping a small amount of wine while he gazed at her. 

"Since you are paying for dinner, shall we grab a drink after?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

Bella raised her brows, pursing her lips as she licked them. She placed down the wine glass carefully.

"Well, just so you know, I don't want to be seen in nightclubs. Especially with a man." 

"Don't worry. I dislike nightclubs." His smile remained, raising his brows as he waited for her response. "Those places are not for me. Too much noise. It's annoying."

"It's a date then." She bit her lower lip, delighted more than what was seen on the surface.

Derek's eyes glinted as he nodded, resuming to eat just like Bella. They would talk every once in a while, but not that important matter until they finished their meal and departed the premises.

"Thank you." Bella gazed at him as Derek opened the door for her. He just cocked his head, going out of the establishment after her. 

"Shall we use your car or do you trust me enough to hitch in my car?" Derek inquired, walking right beside her.

Bella looked up at him, pondering over his question. "Do you plan on taking advantage of me?"

"If I say I don't, will you believe it?" 

Her answer was a shrugged as they stopped in the parking space. Bella pivoted on her heel, facing him squarely.

"So, can I trust you won't hurt me?" she asked bravely, staring deep into his eyes. 

Derek narrowed his eyes, bending over a little. Unlike before, Bella didn't back away.

"A devil never admits he is evil, Miss Chang." He drew his head back, shoving his hand inside his pocket. "He will twist his words to make it logical. So, yes, you can trust me... but I hope not blindly."

"Well, I'm not really the kindest person, nor do I have a heart of gold." Bella shrugging, grinning mischievously at him. "I don't hear the red flags just yet."

"You will only hear them when you're already in that tricky situation." He smirked, offering his arm to her. "Shall we?"

"They say the devil is a handsome man. I guess it's not just hearsay." Bella humored, hooking her arms around him as they trudged towards his car.

When they reached the black sedan car, Bella nodded approvingly.

"You have a nice car," she complimented, setting her eyes on him as he opened the door for her.

"I have a high-paying job, Miss Chang." He shrugged, gesturing for her to come in. "And I don't have a lot of expenses."

"Good for you." A short chuckle slipped past her lips, pausing before she hitched inside. "Just so you know, my security will be notified if I'm in danger."

"I hope they can rescue you in time."

Bella chuckled, shaking her head lightly as she went inside the front passenger seat. She watched Derek from the windshield as he walked over, buttoning his suit before reaching into the driver's seat.

He turned to her as soon as he perched in the driver's seat. "Seatbelt."

"I know." Bella smiled, but she didn't buckle up her seat. "I like romance stories, and even though I had acted many scenes like this cliche scene, I still wanted to experience it in real life."

Derek pressed his lips together before he bent over to her. Bella's back fused against the leather interior of the seat, getting a whiff of his faint musky perfume.

"You're not a good actress, as everyone says." He pointed out under his breath, locking her seatbelt carefully. "Or rather, you are, but you chose the wrong character to portray."

He didn't draw his head back immediately as he gazed up at her. Bella furrowed her brows, tilting her head a little. 

"I had made poor decisions in my life, Mister Wang. One of them is playing the bad roles during the start of my career." Bella sighed weakly and watched him return to his seat. 

"By the looks of it, you don't regret them."

"Because I don't." Bella peeled her eyes away from him. "I didn't have a choice back then. If I want to have a break, I just had to take whatever role that will land on my lap and do my best."

Derek stared at her side profile for a minute. The side of his lips curled up, nodding approvingly as he started the engine.

"If not for those poor decisions, you won't be the Chang Bella everyone knows," He commented as he drove slowly. 

"Everyone knows..." Bella glanced at him with a bitter smile on her lips before turning her eyes towards the window. "... they know the Bella they see, not the real me."

Silence enveloped the car after her last murmur. Bella was used to portraying this elegant, sophisticated, and mature person. This was her image to the public, and everyone loved and accepted this image of her. 

Her personality was far from that, though. Still, she hid behind that image, afraid she would embarrass herself in front of her date.

"I don't like you, Miss Chang." Derek broke the ice after some time, making her look at him. His blunt remarks made her bit her lip tightly, taking deep breaths as she rocked her head lightly.

"I don't need you to like me."

"At least, not this version of you." Derek glanced at her for a second before he pulled over. Bella raised her brows in confusion before turning her head to him.

Derek unbuckled his seat, draping his arm over the steering wheel as he faced her squarely. "I don't think I will last another second with someone who can't be real to me. However, I respect your worries. So..."

As soon as he dropped those words, Derek stretched his body towards her. Before she could react, his lips had already claimed hers. Her eyes widened as her back instantly stiffened.

Slowly, Derek drew away with eyes as sharp as a dagger. "So, I'm giving you the excuse. Now, you have reason to feel a little distraught." A smirk appeared on his lips as he went back to his seat.

Bella blinked her eyes, couldn't believe what just happened. His last remarks repeated in her head like a broken record.

A reason to feel a little distraught? Her eyes slowly veered to him, blushing as he had this charming smile plastered on his face.

"What..." she trailed off as Derek cocked his head to her.

"I kissed you all of a sudden. I will understand if you act a little... out of character." He winked, buckling up his seat as he resumed on driving. 

Bella just stared at him before a subtle smile resurfaced on her lips. Her eyes softened as her heart warmed up.

"How dare you..." She bit her lower lip, looking away from him to hide her blushing face.

"Sorry.. Can't help it."