Husband With Benefits-Chapter 855: A Chance Meeting

No one, absolutely no one, would have ever imagined that His Highness Prince Rafael Ignis would fall in love with a woman who literally fell at his feet. Especially when she was dressed in an outfit that could easily be mistaken for something far more daring than it was intended to be. Granted, it wasn’t her falling at his feet in the traditional sense, but in the most literal one where she was now almost lying on top of his shoes.

As she collided with a waiter hurrying by, her body crashing to the floor, he immediately bent down to help her up. That was when his gaze met hers, and he was caught off guard by the depth of her large, beautiful eyes. They were captivating. If not for the unmistakable irritation blazing in her gaze, he might have foolishly wondered if she were some sort of fallen angel sent to upend his carefully structured world. The thought made him pause. When had his mind started conjuring such ridiculous, almost fantastical ideas? He inwardly scoffed at himself. Clearly, something was wrong with his head. Might have something to do with all the couples around him these days.

Before his security personnel could step forward to escort her away, their instincts on high alert, he raised a hand to signal them to hold back. There was no need for unnecessary commotion. Instead, he turned his attention back to the woman. With a flicker of amusement that he worked hard to suppress, he noticed the remnants of her mishap— as she pulled the salad leaves out of her hair.

Without thinking things through, he reached out and pulled a few leaves out himself. She stared at his extended hand, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then, after a slight hesitation, she took it. With a soft, almost embarrassed murmur of thanks, she managed to steady herself. Her eyes flickered to the waiter who was now profusely apologizing, his face flushed with embarrassment.

Rafael braced himself. Girls like here were not really known to be polite to the staff and could breate for far less. And he would definitely need to make her step back if needed.

As she straightened up, he watched as her irritation turned to scowl. But then, something happened that had him frozen in place as she spoke fiercely," Mister, you’re hurt, and you’re worrying about apologizing to me?"

The waiter froze, his face now ashen. She took a step closer, pointing at the red welt forming on his forearm, likely from where the tray had slipped. "I’m sure you didn’t mean to pour that salad over me," she continued, her tone softening just enough to be reassuring. "So stop worrying about it and get some first aid before that bruise gets worse."

The waiter blinked, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air. Before he could find his words, the woman turned sharply and flagged another passing waiter. "You," she said briskly, pointing at him. "Take him to the kitchen and make sure he gets proper first aid. When you’re done, I want you to report back and let me know he’s doing okay. Understood?"

The second waiter nodded, clearly startled but quick to obey. He took the injured waiter by the arm and guided him away, the first still stammering a quiet, "Thank you, miss," as he disappeared through the doorway.

Rafael stood rooted to the spot, thoroughly shocked by what he had just witnessed. The ease with which she had taken control of the situation—and her unexpected grace in handling it—caught him entirely off guard. Where he had expected drama, there was poise. Where he had anticipated entitlement, there was kindness. He found himself studying her anew, his earlier thoughts about fallen angels stirring again in his mind.

Before he could recover or find words to talk to her, she turned her attention back to him. Her gaze flicked over him briefly and then instead of greeting him as he would expect, she gave him a curt nod and then spun on her heel and strode off toward the direction of the private rooms without so much as a backward glance.

Rafael watched her go, his lips twitching with the hint of a smile. This woman, whoever she was, had just managed to intrigue him in a way no one else had in years. Rafael’s gaze lingered on the woman that was walking away and he found it difficult to even move his gaze away. He didn’t know what it was that captured his attention- the striking line of her bare long legs or the way she held her head high, as though daring the world to challenge her, that captured his attention most.

As she disappeared through the door leading to the private rooms, Rafael realized he was still watching, his lips curving into a bemused smile. He gestured towards his security and the man quickly followed behind her. Of course, anyone who served Rafael knew what the man wanted. Information.

Rafael glanced down at his watch, noting the time. He knew that Cai must have already arrived by now and was likely waiting for him in the private room. Normally, Rafael would have made it a point to be punctual; he prided himself on it, in fact. But at that moment, the urgency of meeting Cai could wait just a little longer.

Somehow, he just knew that this woman was going to be his future. However, his anticipation turned to disappointment when the personnel returned with no information," "Sorry, sir. She disappeared."

"What do you mean she disappeared?" he asked in confusion.

The man shifted uncomfortably, clearly unaccustomed to delivering disappointing news. "She turned the corner, Your Highness, but by the time I followed, the hallway was empty. There was no sign of her anywhere."

Rafael stared at him, the words not quite registering at first. How could someone vanish so quickly in a place like this? It was almost absurd. For a brief, irrational moment, his mind flitted back to the fleeting thought he’d had earlier—that she might be some kind of angel or ethereal being.

But then he sighed. A sense of disappointment settled over him, heavier than he would have expected from such a short meeting. Some things were just not fated. If he was meant to meet her again, he would.freewebnoveℓ.com