291: It was fun while it lasted

It was fun while it lasted

"What… are you two doing?"2

Paula could feel her heart slowly sinking, watching Primo look back at her. She held her breath, darting her eyes between Primo and the woman with him. 

Heaven. 

Of course. Heaven.

Heaven always steals what was hers or at least, what should be hers. 

"Miss Shen." Surprise turned up on Primo's face before he nervously approached Paula. "Miss Shen, it's not what you think it is."

"And what do you think I think is going on?" Paula backed away from his touch. 

"Hah…" Heaven let out a dry laugh, watching those two in disbelief. She couldn't help but shake her head, knowing Primo was shamelessly doing an act of his life while Paula was foolishly buying it. 

"Primo." Paula clenched her teeth, but the rage in her eyes shone brighter upon setting her attention to her. "Heaven, what is the meaning of this?"

Her hand slowly balled into a tight fist until they shook. "Don't tell me you're seducing my man? Heaven, just how greedy are you to steal other people's man? You won't even spare your best friend's boyfriend now, hah?!"

"Paula." Heaven paused as she let out another deep exhale. She blinked ever so slowly, assessing the rage dominating Paula's face before casting the cunning Primo with a quick look.

'Of course,'she told herself. 'In this sort of situation, the other woman is always to blame while the man who was in a committed relationship gets a lighter sentence. People always forget it takes two to tango, but in this case… never mind.' 

"What?" Paula scoffed, raising her chin. "What kind of excuse are you going to say now, hah? I've caught you seducing my man! How are you going to explain that?!"

The more Paula spoke, the more hysterical she became. Adding all the grudges she held against Heaven, the veins in her sclera turned red. One more push and she would definitely grab Heaven's hair for everything that the latter stole from her. 

"Paula Shen." Heaven's voice was low but firm, keeping a stoic expression despite the slander thrown at her. She trudged toward Paula, unafraid of whether Paula would attack her or she would go crazy. 

Standing in front of Paula, Heaven straightened her back and raised her chin, slightly looking down at her. 

"You said you were my best friend and yet you easily accused me of seducing your man. You didn't even consider that it might be the opposite." Heaven cast Primo a glance, only to see an annoying smirk turn up on his face for a split second. "Explaining myself is a waste of breath since you already believed what you wanted to believe."

She set her eyes back to Paula, holding the latter's gaze icily. "However, let me tell you one thing. There's nothing you have that I want, Paula. Be it wealth, fame, or this buffoon right here. Nothing."

Heaven watched how Paula's face turned red as a thin layer of tears coated the latter's eyes. 

"You!" Paula's breath hitched as her emotion overtook her and before she know it, she already raised her hand to strike Heaven. 

But alas…

Heaven swiftly caught Paula's wrist midair, only to raise her left hand to slap Paula on the cheek. 

SLAP!

The resounding slap echoed through the private dining as Paula's face was tossed to the side. The latter had her eyes wide open, surprised at the striking pain on her slowly swelling cheek. 

"You!" Paula growled as she looked back at Heaven. "How dare you!"

"Hit me with that hand and that'll be the last time you'll have one." Heaven was unfazed while Paula's other hand stopped midair. Her eyes showed no trace of emotion, and just her gaze alone was enough to freeze Paula on the spot. 

"Paula Shen, do you think I am that dumb?" Heaven's firm grip around Paula's wrist tightened. "I know everything, but I chose to turn a blind eye to it because you were my friend. Yet, you accused me even before hearing my side. If there is someone who is offended here and has the right to be angry, that should be me."

She tossed Paula's wrist back to her while the latter held her wrist on instinct. "Don't show your face to me again." She then cast Primo a glare. 

"You two suit each other. A pervert and a fool." Heaven smirked in ridicule, picking up her bag from the floor. "I can't believe I spared you my time, thinking I'm doing you two a favor."

Heaven didn't idle longer, brushing her shoulder against Paula's as she walked away. Anger burned in her eyes as she left the two of them, storming out of the establishment without looking back.

Meanwhile, as Heaven walked out, Paula held the wrist Heaven gripped earlier. The latter left her print, displaying how tight her grip was. 

"Dear," Primo spoke as silence slowly embraced them. "I'm sorry, but you're mistaken. Miss Liu wasn't seducing me."

Paula kept her gaze on her wrist, on the brink of breaking down. 

Seeing this, Primo dragged his feet closer to her. He carefully held her shoulders, sighing deeply. 

"Miss Shen… Paula, can you please look at me, dear?" Primo tilted his head to the side, patiently waiting for her to raise her head. "Please?"

Paula pressed her lips into a thin line before she slowly raised her head to him. A tear immediately rolled down her cheek the moment their eyes met. 

"Oh, dear. This is my fault." Primo wiped her tears with his thumb, brushing her slightly swollen cheek right after. "Miss Liu wouldn't have slapped you if I explained it properly."

"Primo." Her voice was quiet and shaky, receiving a hum from him. "Did you… seduce Heaven?"

"What?"

Pain flickered across her eyes as she momentarily clenched her teeth. "Do you like her?"

"Darling —"

"Tell me the truth, Primo!" Another wave of tears covered Paula's eyes as it unhesitatingly flooded her face. "Did you approach me just because you want to get closer to her? Did you use me, Primo?!" 

Paula aggressively brushed his arms before clutching his suit tightly. "Please… Primo, tell me. Tell me that I am wrong. During those short times together… tell me you fell for me."

Primo and Paula stared at each other in silence, with the latter looking at him with hope and desperation. Paula might be foolish, but she knew Heaven more than anyone. Even so, she didn't care. Even if Primo tried to seduce Heaven, she would try to forget about it. If only Primo would tell her he loved her. Or that he was growing genuine feelings for her. 

However, the moment the corner of his lips curled up into a cunning smirk, the thin thread she was hanging on broke without mercy. 

"You're not wrong, Miss Shen." Primo's eyes drooped, smirking in amusement. "I did approach you because of Heaven Liu. I wanted her, but it was hard to approach her without a bridge."

Primo cupped her face while her lips turned pale. "You compare yourself with Miss Liu every day. So, you are aware that between you two, you lack in every aspect."

"It was fun, though, while it lasted." He smacked his lips, wiping her tears with his thumb. "I'm sorry, Miss Shen. But this is as far as we can go."

Primo slowly bent over, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. "Poor little innocent thing," he whispered, before releasing her and leaving her all alone to tend to her broken heart. 

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