Chapter 235 * 68% Alex and Haley picked a four-person booth by the window, while Diana dragged Aaron to sit at the table parallel to theirs. The two tables were separated by a narrow aisle. Diana crumpled up a wet wipe she had used to clean her hands and aimed it right into Haley's juice glass. Haley's face tensed, though she tried hard to keep her composure. Diana clung to Aaron, using him as her personal trophy. Ellie sat alone at a table diagonally across from Alex, never once sparing him or Haley a glance. Haley's gaze wandered toward Aaron involuntarily. Seeing Diana cling to him, even leaning her shoulder against his while they were ordering, she took deep breaths to calm herself down "Just have a drink; it's fine. If you get drunk, you can sleep at my place," Diana said casually as she ordered a bottle of red wine priced at over one million dollars. Aaron frowned. "Ms. Grant, are you planning to sellto this restaurant to pay the bill?" Diana laughed loudly and gave Aaron a playful pat on the chest. "Relax! Even if I sold my dad, I wouldn't have the heart to sell you." She turned to the waiter. "Five deluxe meal sets and one of every dessert on the menu, please." Aaron froze for a moment. "Ms. Grant, why are you ordering five sets?" Ellie finally spoke, her nervousness evident as beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Aaron had pre-ordered a standard meal at this restaurant, knowing Diana might not like ordinary dishes. It was already stretching his budget, but Diana's extravagance, starting with the wine, was way over the top. Selling both of them wouldn't cover the cost. Diana explained casually, "Lacey's flight is at eleven tonight. I asked her to stop by early so we could all have dinner together. Layton is dropping her off and joining us, too." After ordering, Diana pointed toward Alex. "This table's bill? He'll cover it," she declared. The waiter looked at Alex, then at Haley, who was fluttering her lashes suggestively, and finally back at the tat Diana's table. "Oh, well..." Diana noticed the waiter's hesitation and scribbled down Nancy's phone number on the menu. "If he refuses to pay, call his mom to settle it." The waiter, wide-eyed, accepted the menu and quickly walked off. Ellie and Aaron exchanged uneasy glances. "Alex, how can you let her get away with this?" Haley's face was past the point of being merely uncomfortable as Diana's repeated habit of dragging Nancy into things grated on her. Alex poured a glass of wine and pushed it toward Haley. "It's just the cost of one meal. Don't let it bother you." Haley hesitated as she accepted the glass from him. "My mom is sick. I'll take care of her." 1/2 Ad-Free Exclusive Profile Badae 9/2 08:35 Mon, Feb 10 B Chapter 235 246838 Alex regarded Haley calmly. "Didn't you say you've been having trouble sleeping lately? A little wine can help with that Besides, the Owens family has plenty of servants; they'll take beer care of her than you ever could." His words coaxed a small smile from Haley, who relaxed as they elinked glasses, seemingly lost in their own world. Haley set her glass down, and Alex promptly refilled it. Watching his attentiveness, she glanced toward Ellie, a self-satisfied smirk creeping across her face. However, Ellie sat quietly, not once looking in their direction. Haley shifted her gaze to Diana with a taunting expresion. Deliberately holding onto Alex's hand, she didn't let him pull away. "Alex, you're so sweet to me," she said coyly. At that moment, Lacey walked in, her voice cutting through the atmosphere like a knife as the deliberately spoke loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. "Haley, Ethan was just sentenced to life in prison, and your mom's fallen seriously ill "How do you still have the nerve to be here, flirting with a man? AD Comment Send gift No Ads Exclusive Profile Badge 08:35 Mon, Feb 10 B Chapter 236