CHAPTER 12

A car pulled up in front of a big restaurant, with glass walls, allowing passersby to have a view of the beautifully decorated restaurant.

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From the second floor, it was a completely different design. The glasses were tinted with shining lights decorating the outside. Anyone passing could tell it was the VIP lounge.

To the sides, were several buildings and houses are all magnificently built. One could see that Star Cross city had great architecture designs for its buildings.

The car doors opened and a pair of red heels stepped out, followed by the owner of the slender legs.

She closed the door, bidding the driver bye and turned around on her heels to face the big restaurant.

She wore her backpack on one shoulder and brought out her phone from her trouser pocket. She stared at her phone screen for some seconds before lifting her head up to read what was on the sign board.

"Lina's Delicacies. I guess I am at the right place then."

Without a second thought, she closed her phone screen and headed straight for the restaurant. Within a minute, Jade was standing at the entrance, with her shade on as her gaze swept through the tables in the ground floor.

Immediately, a waiter rushed up to Jade's front and greeted politely.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. Welcome. Do you have a reservation?" The young man asked, awaiting her reply, patiently.

'Nice hospitality.' She thought to herself, looking at him up close before responding to his greetings. "Thanks, afternoon to you too. I believe I do. Miss Michael?"

"Oh yes, she has been expecting you. Please this way, ma'am."

Jade nodded and allowed the young waiter to show her the way. They walked to her left and took the staircase leading up to the second floor.

On getting to the second floor, Jade was amazed by the beautiful delicate designs the VIP lounge had. While downstairs had a modern-day setting, upstairs had the traditional Chinese decorations, giving you the eastern feel.

She was led towards the right and taken to a table at the far end of the big hall. A lady was seated there, with a magazine covering her face.

The waiter bowed his head to Jade and took his leave. Slowly, the lady sitting down dropped her magazine as she gazed up to see the person in front of her.

Her brows furrowed as she saw an unknown face staring right back at her. She was about calling the waiter when Jade removed her sunglasses and smiled at her.

"Can I help you?" the lady asked her, arching her brows at Jade. She didn't know this lady, but the way she smiled at her, it was obvious she knew her.

She wasn't too surprised though, she had quite a lot of experiences like this. Women would just show up when she is meeting up with someone and ask her for an interview or to do business with her.

She was the vice president to one of the top leading fashion brands, a marketing business group and a gorgeously exquisite hotel here in Star Cross City.

She was one of the top businesswomen in the city. Everyone wanted to meet her. She returned her gaze back to what she was reading as she couldn't place the face and the lady wasn't willing to speak.

"Hello, Macy," Jade said, leaving her trademark smile after she spoke.

At the mention of her name, her brows furrowed deeper into a frown and she looked back up.

'Wait a minute, that voice and smile. I would recognize that voice any day.' Macy thought to herself.

"Jade?"

"It's been a while, old friend."

"Jade!" she exclaimed and immediately got up from her seat to hug the lady before her.

Luckily for them, their set was situated towards the extreme and a few guests were up at this hour, if not they would have been getting so many glares their way by now.

"Jade I missed you," Macy confessed, hugging her tighter.

"Hehe, I missed you too," Jade replied, wrapping her arms around her slender waist.

After some seconds, they separated with their hands now joined together. Macy's eyes raked up and down her friend's body with Jade doing the same.

It had been years since they last saw each other and after many years, Jade came to the city, looking completely different.

"You changed a lot!" Macy exclaimed her surprise, her eyes moving back to look into her friend's own.

"Macy, you didn't change at all, except you added some skin in the right places."

"Hahahahaha… You never change. Of course, I couldn't lose to you. Please have your sit."

Macy gestured for Jade to seat down in the chair opposite of hers. By the time they were seated, a female waitress walked up to them and took their orders, then left.

"Now tell me the question I have been dying to know. What's up with the new look? I almost didn't recognize you anymore, if not for your voice and charming smile."

"A lot of things happened that required it."

"And what did your dad and mum say? I know they would have gone bonkers seeing you like this."

Macy adjusted herself in her seat, waiting for the thrilling query Mr Frost and his wife would have given her best friend but rather than a smiling face, Jade's face fell as she relaxed in her seat.

Her sudden change only piqued Macy's curiosity, making her probe for an answer.

"What is it, Jade? Why the sudden change in expression? Did they disown you?"

She asked her friend with concern filled eyes. Jade didn't respond at first, she just shook her head at the girl, giving her a pained smile.

"Then what is wrong? You are scaring me."

By now the air around them felt bad and awkward. Macy leaned in and reached for Jade's hand. "You know you could always talk to me."

Jade sat back up, resting her hands on the table, getting ready to break the sad news to her friend.

"They are gone."