Chapter 12 His Aesthetic Preferences
Hunter Vaughn opened the car door and stepped out.
Finished
He was dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, a luxury watch on his wrist. His strides were steady and confident, exuding the aura of a successful man.
“Ms. Hayes, dinner together?”
Estella had no interest in being his mistress and declined politely.
Hunter raised an eyebrow. “Ms. Hayes, are you not giving me any respect?”
He moved closer, reaching for her hand. Estella quickly took a step back.
The scent of his cologne made her feel uneasy.
Seeing her reaction, the gaze behind Hunter’s gold–rimmed glasses darkened. “Ms. Hayes, I thought that since you accepted a week’s worth of flowers from me, it meant you accepted my pursuit.”
Estella found this absurd.
There was no name on the flowers, and she hadn’t even had the chance to return them.
And now, he was using them as proof that she had agreed to his advances.
“Mr. Hunter,” she said coldly, “I can give you the money for the flowers.”
Hunter’s expression flickered. He felt humiliated. He looked down at her with the arrogance of a man used to getting his way. “Ms. Hayes, my patience in pursuing you is a courtesy. Don’t mistake kindness for weakness. In Javerton, there isn’t a woman I can’t have.”
Estella knew the ways of men like him.
They thought that having money gave them the right to force women into submission.
She pulled out her phone, found Hunter’s PayPal account on WhatsApp, and transferred him 70 dollars.
“Mr. Hunter, here’s the money for the flowers. Is that enough?
She knew those flowers had cost more than 70 dollars, but this was as much as she was willing to part with.
“You!” Hunter felt utterly insulted.
If there weren’t so many people around, he would have dragged her into his car and taught her how to be an obedient
woman.
He swallowed his anger. There was no rush.
“Ms. Hayes, I won’t give up,” he said with a smirk before turning to leave.
Estella found him utterly repulsive. She had made herself perfectly clear. Surely, he would take the hint and back off.
Not long after she left, Jocelyn, who had been hiding nearby, lowered her phone, having recorded everything.
“Messing around with a married man, who is also a student’s parent, no less. Estella, let’s see how you survive at Serenade Music Hub.”
A gleam of malice flashed in Jocelyn’s eyes.
From the moment Estella arrived at Serenade Music Hub, Jocelyn had felt threatened.
Estella was beautiful, graceful, and an excellent pianist. Students adored her, renewal rates were high, and she was even
howing potential to become the most popular instructor of the new quarter.
That title had always belonged to Jocelyn. There was no way she would let Estella take it.
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Chapter 12 His Aesthetic Preferences
She had to get rid of Estella before she became a real threat.
Finished
Estella ran into Jonathan in the elevator. Since he had helped her last time, she had been wanting to thank him in person.
“Mr. Bennett, have you had dinner?”
Jonathan’s voice was refined and restrained. “Not yet. I was planning to just eat something simple at home.”
“If you don’t mind, Mr. Bennett, could I bring you dinner? I wanted to thank you for helping me before…”
Jonathan had intended to decline her kindness, but when he saw the anticipation in her eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
“Well, thank you then.”
Seeing him agree. Estella let out a breath of relief.
She had grown up in a well–off family and had a decent sense of aesthetics.
Jonathan’s suit was tasteful, clearly not from an ordinary brand. It was likely from a niche luxury designer.
But she had no interest in looking into his background.
After parting ways with Jonathan, Estella went home, prepared the meal, packed a portion for him, and then headed out again to ring his doorbell.
Jonathan opened the door quickly.
He had taken off his suit jacket and was wearing a light blue dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing well- defined forearm muscles.
“Mr. Bennett, this is your dinner.”
Thank you.” Jonathan expressed his gratitude and took the food container.
Estella nodded and turned to leave, but suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit her.
She steadied herself against the wall, barely managing to stay upright.
The past few days had been stressful at work, and running into Hunter that evening had shaken her more than she expected. Now, her head throbbed intensely.
“Ms. Hayes, are you alright?”
Estella had already recovered. “Thanks for your concern. I’m fine.”
“You don’t look well. Do you need to go to the hospital?” Jonathan frowned.
He wasn’t someone who meddled in others‘ affairs, but Estella looked truly unwell.
As a neighbor, and since he had just accepted her dinner, he felt it wouldn’t be right to ignore her condition.
Estella was about to decline, but another wave of dizziness clouded her mind.
She pressed her palm, trying to stay alert.
Jonathan set the food container down on the entryway cabinet and reached out his hand. “Let me take you to the hospital.”
Estella wanted to refuse, but her headache was unbearable.
If she didn’t go tonight, she might not make it to work tomorrow.
His hand remained outstretched, waiting for her to take it.
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Chapter 12 His Aesthetic Preferences
Estella hesitated for a moment before placing her hand in his.
Jonathan drove her to the city hospital.
She was exhausted and fell asleep as soon as she got into the car.
At a red light, Jonathan glanced at her.
Her face was pale, her lips almost colorless. Faint blue shadows rested beneath her slightly drooping eyelashes.
Jonathan worked late every night and had run into her several times.
He wasn’t the type to pay much attention to others.
Yet somehow, his radar always picked up on her.
She had an excellent figure and an undeniable elegance.
His social circle was full of beautiful women.
But none of them ever made him feel anything.
Only Estella stirred something in him every time he saw her.
Still, he didn’t think much of it.
She was strikingly beautiful and happened to match his aesthetic preferences. That was all.
Physical attraction alone meant nothing.
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