Dakota wanted to hang up the phone then.
But then she remembered that in situations where only Curtis was present, she didn't know what he might say to everyone.
So she hesitated, "What are you guys doing? Has Curtis... said anything to you?"
"What did he say?"
Lailah blinked blankly, "We're just drinking and chatting casually. However, Jasiah Preston is indeed trying to dig up some gossip about Curtis right now."
Dakota's already nervous heart immediately tightened, "What kind of gossip?"
"It's about the bite mark on his clavicle! Did you know? Curtis was actually bitten, and right on the clavicle too. I'm sure he's secretly dating someone!"
Dakota: "..."
The culprit couldn't help but lick her small canine tooth guiltily, "Did he mention who left the bite mark?"
"Not yet, but Jasiah is asking. Given how persistent he is, I bet he'll get an answer tonight!"
Dakota: Oh, no! How could she let them get an answer! If they really find out, how will she have any face left!
Dakota felt she couldn't continue hiding like a turtle.
For the sake of her own innocence, she had to go over there and keep an eye on Curtis to prevent him from saying anything.
"Where are you guys?"
At Jasiah's new bar on T Street, it's called—Tonight She Will Be There.
"Got it." Dakota quickly got out of bed to freshen up and dress, "Keep an eye on things for me, and if there's any gossip about Curtis, let me know right away—I'll be there soon!"
She hung up as soon as she finished speaking.
Very decisively.
Lailah held the phone, hearing the busy signal, blinking in confusion.
That's so peculiar.
She claims to be curious about the gossip, but why does it feel like she's nervous about this interrogation about the bite mark?
……
When Dakota arrived, the party was still going strong.
The room was full of familiar faces, but she immediately noticed Curtis.
He was sitting on a high-end leather sofa, his long legs stretched out carelessly, the collar of his shirt open, revealing the ambiguous bite mark on his clavicle.
Curtis's posture wasn't particularly elegant.
He slumped into the sofa almost bonelessly, exuding a lazy, carefree air.
Yet, he had an outstanding aura, paired with a smart black shirt, which gave off a sense of arrogance mixed with a touch of nobility.
Neither quite evil nor quite proper.
It was hard to tell whether he was an unapproachable financial newcomer or a carefree young master of the Pineda family.
Sure enough, Jasiah was scratching his head beside him.
Faced with the biggest gossip topic of the night, he wracked his brains to ask, "Who was it? Who bit you?"
"Judging by the bite mark, it doesn't seem like it was some gentlewoman, right? An outsider? The flight attendant who asked for your number on the plane? Or the Hollywood star who tried to hit on you a few days ago?"
Curtis hadn't noticed Dakota coming in yet.
He lazily pulled down his eyelids, lit a cigarette, and seemed rather impatient by the questions: "Stop associating every person with me. I've already said it was a puppy."
As soon as Dakota walked into the room, before she had a chance to greet everyone, she heard those words first.
She had been worried that Curtis, this bking, would ruin her reputation by spreading rumors, but in the blink of an eye, she found herself inexplicably referred to as a puppy.
The young mistress was extremely annoyed.
But she couldn't just rush up and expose him directly.
So, in a fit of pique, she tossed her designer bag onto the sofa, hitting Curtis's thigh perfectly.
Curtis: "..."
His teeth, which were holding the cigarette, paused, and he slowly lowered his eyelids to look at the exquisite handbag.
Then his eyebrow twitched slightly.
Oh, the Dakota-named puppy who bit him has arrived.
Dakota was wearing a dark green satin spaghetti-strap dress, arms crossed arrogantly, "A puppy bit you, huh? So, was the puppy pretty?"
Everyone looked up.
But Curtis was the slowest to look up.
He seemed very relaxed, casually exhaling a smoke ring, then slowly leaning forward to extinguish the half-smoked cigarette.
"Tock tock—"
Curtis tapped the side table with his knuckles, without saying anything, but it seemed like a reminder.
Noe was taken aback for a moment, seeing Dakota, he quickly put out his cigarette and waved his hand for the others to do the same.
The atmosphere in the room changed instantly.
Everyone knew that the young mistress disliked the smell of smoke, and the scene of hastily extinguishing cigarettes resembled a drug bust scene.
"Dakota?"
Jasiah was also distracted, "Hey! You are really hard to invite. We were almost ready to have Curtis carry you in on a sedan chair. You finally showed up tonight."
Lailah also excitedly jumped up, rushing to hug her neck, "Baby, you're finally back!"
Dakota reached out to embrace her.
Her arrogance disappeared instantly in front of her good friend, becoming soft and affectionate,
"Aww... Lailah, I missed you so much!"
"Me too, baby!"
The atmosphere became lively again, but no one paid much attention to the words Dakota said when she came in.
At most, Jasiah curiously asked, "After all these years without seeing each other, why do you two still start off fighting?"
Dakota didn't join in the men's conversation.
Lailah pulled her over to taste the cake, insisting she share some fun stories from her time studying in Italy.
Curtis naturally picked up the handbag Dakota had thrown and asked, "Did you fight?"
Isn't that considered fighting? When she mocked the bite mark on your collarbone just now, wasn't that being passive-aggressive?
Curtis let out an ambiguous chuckle.
He turned his head towards Dakota, "She wasn't mocking the bite mark, but the name."
Jasiah: Huh?
I knew it wasn't a dog! It must have been a woman! You two must have been playing around, and you called her 'puppy'!
The room suddenly went quiet again.
Everyone turned to look.
Dakota, who had just put a piece of cake in her mouth, nearly choked on it because of what Jasiah said.
Not that I'm saying anything, Noe was confused, "Curtis, what's the big deal? If you're dating, you're dating. Is she really an outsider, or are we all acquainted, and that's why you're hesitant to say?"
What's wrong with saying if we all know her?
Jasiah had a different opinion, "Unless, Dakota?"
Pfft, cough cough cough—
Dakota, who had just swallowed the cake, nearly choked again, turning red in the face as Lailah helped pat her back.
Curtis lifted his eyelids to look at her.
He slowly stood up, reaching out to push a bowl of tea towards her, "Calm down."
Dakota instinctively reached out to take the tea.
But unexpectedly, her fingertips touched Curtis's, the heat making her heart skip a beat.
She lifted her gaze.
Just in time to meet Curtis's dark pupils.
The man's expression was lazy and indifferent, his eyelids lowering as he looked at her, a half-smile on his lips that carried a hint of flirtatiousness.
The room was noisy, but only they were secretly looking at each other.
Dakota suddenly felt a shameful sense of sneaking around.
She hurriedly gripped the teacup, pulling her hand and gaze back, turning to glare at Jasiah, "Me and Curtis? Are you crazy?"
"Then why are you so worked up?"
Jasiah was utterly confused, "And besides, it's not me who's crazy. Didn't the media spread rumors a few days ago, saying that you two spent a passionate night together at a hotel!"
"Cough."
Dakota choked on another sip of tea.
