Chapter 154 - Underhanded Tricks (3)

As Shen spent the entire day at work, Lina came home early for a quick dinner and then went back the bedroom to get dressed. 

She showered, washed her hair and blow dried it. Since her coma, she had cared for herself well and under her husband's watchful eye, had taken all her medications and supplements, and ate and drank very well. 

Her hair was now glossy and voluminous as it had once been before the attempts on her life. Almost all signs of her coma were gone besides the huge gaps in her memories. 

She had only remembered everything involving Shen and Mana. Her work memories and memories about her extraordinary skills were still a mystery. 

Her past, her family and everything else remained unknown to her. 

She felt like half a person, but still, her husband and his parents had never made her feel like there was a dearth of love and family around her. 

She breathed deeply and took a look in the mirror. She squinted as she wondered what to wear, she didn't have much experience going to these sorts of events. Shen was supposed to come home and help her pick her outfit, but he had called saying something urgent had come up so she wasn't expecting him back early. 

As she opened her wardrobe she noticed voices downstairs. It seemed like someone had come to the house. 

Imagining the new arrival to be her husband, Lina ran down in just her bathrobe and her freshly blow dried hair bouncing around her shoulders. 

But it wasn't her husband. It was Ayu. 

She was holding a stack of files and papers, which was usual. She often came to the house before or even after Shen made an entrance to drop off work that he didn't have time to bring home himself. 

As Ayu saw Lina run down with an eager expression on her face, her heart stopped in her chest and expression remained frozen. Her breath felt heavy as she stood wonderstruck at the beautiful madam of the house. 

"Oh, Ayu, it's you!" Lina laughed, "I thought it was Shen, I'm sorry for scaring you by running down so quickly!" 

Ayu's face became hot and red as she realised how awful her frozen expression must have seemed to Lina, but she couldn't seem to move because of the pace of her heartbeat. 

"Okay…well…I'll be going back upstairs, I have an event to get dressed for!" Lina said a little awkwardly, berating herself internally for Ayu's shocked reaction. 

As she turned around to walk back sheepishly, up the stairs, the assistant's cracked voice managed a few words. 

"Ahh..no, madam, it's alright" Ayu said, as she pulled herself together. 

Lina turned around, a big bright smile on her face. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, winking at Ayu playfully. 

She seemed completely oblivious at the havoc she was causing in the other woman's chest. Ayu bit her lip as she composed herself, her usual stony expression and tight voice worked back into her demeanour. 

"Yes, I am sure." 

"Well, then you're just in time to help me pick out my outfit for tonight!" Lina clapped her hands delightedly. 

The last time she had interacted with her husband's stoic assistant, she had seen a gentler, more caring side to her that had refused to leave her side when she had felt lost and alone. 

Even though Ayu was still her awkward, inflexible, unsmiling self, she trusted her more. Ayu had this air of trustworthiness about her that made Lina feel safe and protected. 

Since the Moshis never allowed anyone into their bedroom, Ayu sat on a comfortable sofa out in the hallway while Lina tried on dresses and walked out to get her approval. 

"Ayu, do you know what girls wear to nightclub events? I don't think I have ever been to one, and I'm not sure my wardrobe has something appropriate…" Lina pondered, still lounging around in her bathrobe. 

"I don't really party very much, I spend my time at work, Madam" was Ayu's plain answer. 

Internally, she wanted tell Lina how she'd be the most beautiful woman in the room no matter what she wore. 

"Come on Ayu, you've got to help me! Isn't this what my husband's assistant should be doing? By assisting me, you're assisting your boss!" Lina prodded. 

Ayu sighed. The quicker she gave the madam what she wanted, the sooner she could leave the Moshi mansion. Being around Lina was getting far too difficult lately, and she had been trying to avoid her at every opportunity. 

The more time she spent around Lina, the more she was in danger of telling her how she felt. 

She knew, typically girls who partied wore s.e.xy outfits like short black dresses that showed off their legs and chests. 

But there was no way she was going to recommend such things to her precious madam. Also, the demon boss might fire her if she got his wife to go around looking like every man's fantasy to nightclub with alcohol and perhaps drugs. 

"Madam, I suggest you wear something elegant. I'm sure the place you are going to is high-end, and it's chilly tonight so something to cover your legs and arms would be an appropriate choice. If you pick a darker colour like navy blue, maroon or black, it would go with the theme." 

Ayu's answer seemed to please Lina, and the way her eyes sparkled, Ayu knew that Lina had the perfect outfit planned. 

As she walked out to show her husband's dedicated assistant the final look, she did not know how Ayu's already delicate heart almost went into cardiac arrest. 

Lina walked out in a backless, full-sleeved top tucked into dark silk pants with wide leg bottoms. Beneath she wore Louboutin pumps, with her neck and slender wrists adorned with small strings of diamonds. Her hair lay loose on her shoulders, but the simple look was devastating enough to send Ayu into a coma. 

How could she let the madam go out at all. She suddenly sympathised with Shen. Having a wife like that on the loose must keep him paranoid all the time. 

Ayu choked on her own saliva as she tried to talk and ended up coughing. As Lina came closer to pat her back and help her, her delicate scent wafted towards Ayu, intoxicating her even more. 

"Ayu are you okay! Did you swallow something?" she asked in a concerned voice as she rubbed Ayu's back. 

But Ayu shook her head and pushed herself away from Lina. She was too close! Her lips were too pretty, making her mouth look like a small strawberry she wanted to eat! 

But Ayu's mind was made up, Lina was going nowhere alone tonight. She would go with her. 

For Shen's sake, she had to look out for her boss' wife. 

'I'm doing this for my boss. It is my duty.' Ayu tried to convince herself. 

As she cleared her throat and composed herself, she decided to ask Lina to let her tag along. 

"Madam, is it okay if I come to this opening night with you?" she knew Lina always pitied her for being overworked by Shen. Maybe she would allow her to come along. 

Lina looked confused. She knew her husband's assistant was warming up to her, but she didn't think tough and down-to-business Ayu would want to go to nightclub with her. 

Then suddenly a thought struck her. 

'Did my husband set her up to do this?' but it didn't seem realistic. Shen and Lina had talked through these things and decided to be open with each other. If he was sending his right hand woman to keep an eye out for Lina, he would have mentioned it.

"Are you sure? I thought you just said you didn't party much." Lina questioned. 

"Yes madam, because I spend all my time at work, as I said. Thankfully boss let me off early and I would like to see what nightclubs are like, if that's okay with you." 

Lina pondered for a moment. She was invited by Mana, but Mana should not mind. She was agreeing to her idea of going to a nightclub, even though she had protested it at first. 

So Mana should also comply and allow her to bring someone along. 

"Okay! You can come along!" she grinned at Ayu, giving her a thumbs up.