You Can Run But You Can't Hide My Contractual Wife
Chapter 311: A Night To Remember

"Eric, who is she?" Rosy was the second demotion. Everyone's eyes landed on the girl beside Eric wondering about her identity.

Earlier, Eric Grant arrived at the restaurant under his reservation. Tonight, he decided to end up his affection for the masked girl. He wanted to have a formal apology for his bad behavior. Buying her with an empty check and trapping her inside the bar was just too absurd. He didn't even know he could do such dirty tricks until she came into his life unexpectedly. She came and pissed off his lonely life. For an unknown reason, he liked her existence. She made him enraged but at the same time, she made him want to see her more. His focus was on his anger for her that he forgot about Arabella and Bill Sky. He completely forgot his wife. It made Eric very guilty realizing what he became recently.

"You're here." The woman's soft voice came out cold mixing the air.

Eric looked at the stunning lady who was wearing a silky white long dress perfectly matching her white half mask. He smiled at the beautiful scenery.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I'm a bit late." Eric muttered directly. Making his decision took him a long time. For him, it was the hardest decision among all the business dealings he had.

"It's okay... I'm totally fine." Along with her words was a very sweet smile. He liked her smile a lot. It gave him deep calmness in his soul. Eric sat on the chair opposite her.

"Hmmm..." Eric muttered softly as he poured wine into their glasses. "How's your brother?" Eric asked handing her a glass half-filled with red wine.

"Oh, thanks to you. He was out already. Well, he promised me to stay in the house for a while and then he will look for a good job. Hopefully, he will change this time." Hanna heaved a deep sigh while she rolled her eyes cutely.

Even though her face was beneath a half-mask Eric could see her cuteness behind it.

Their food was brought by the servants and they started eating.

A deafening silence circulated at their table. Until Hanna could no longer hold her worries. "Eric, is there something wrong? Are you, okay?" She knew there is something wrong with Eric tonight. His expression was gloomy and he was not in his usual self who's cheerful and confidently handsome. Tonight, his eyes were sad. His mood was awkward that she could not easily tell.

"How's your work?" Instead of answering Hanna, Eric asked. It seemed Eric didn't want to talk about him. Hanna didn't miss it but she didn't intend to ruin the night. She sensed Eric was not in the mood tonight.

"Well, It ended well and easy so I came back early." She answered suppressing her fast heartbeat. Actually, she was just lying. She just spent the time in her place and Marga's grave. She didn't go out of time for work but then in her work, she get used to lying. Eric was just good to her and maybe that's why she felt nervous when lying to him.

"That's good to know." Eric smiled but his eyes could not fake it.

Then another deafening silence in the air passed. They ate and no one dared to talk. They seemed to think about how to handle each other's company tonight or shall we say how can they survive the night with the awkward atmosphere.

After a while, the sound of utensils clanking with plates sounded. Eric finished their dinner followed by her. The servants quickly got all the plates and utensils on the table leaving only the bottle of wine and their glasses filled in half.

They continued drinking without talking. When Eric asked Hanna for dinner over the phone, admittedly, she got excited but at the same time scared. She was scared and had no trust in people, especially men. Plus, she had no time for a date and love life. She still had to work hard and give her brother, Anthony a good life but what she didn't understand was she went there for dinner tonight with him. She could always lie as she was used to it. She could always hide from him as she was also used to it. She could always turn off her phone so he could not call and disturb her. Why she could not resist Eric? His handsome face and sexy figure plus his eyes carried lots of emotions and mysteries. His smile gave calmness to her heart and also gave her nervousness at the same time. She knew this feeling was her first.

Is she in love with Eric?

Realizing her thoughts, Hanna shook her head to get rid away of the weird things in her mind.

Eric looked at her seriously. He seemed to study her keenly. His eyes were seeking something in her being. Hanna looked at him too and coincidently their eyes met.

For a while, their eyes talked. Subconsciously, they stared at each other lovingly until Eric averted his gaze. Hanna followed.

"Cheers?" Eric raised her glass for a toast. Hanna quickly reached out to toast. Then they sipped on their glasses at the same time.

A deafening silence came in again until Eric already got the courage to say what he came for.

"Hanna..." He called her name. Hanna looked at him with a question but somehow her expression was waiting for the exact words he was about to say. Somewhat she felt sad because Eric was the only stranger guy she had given her real name to. For an inexplicable reason, she felt comfortable with him especially when he offered help to solve her brother's case. She and her brother grew up with the cruelty in the world so it's hard for them to give trust to someone, especially a stranger but with Eric, she felt warm with his presence.

"I..." Eric's voice snapped her back to her senses. He was talking to her eyes. He was serious but she could see uneasiness in him.

"Pls. go on... I'm listening." Hanna uttered softly as the air was filled with tension.

"Hanna..." He called again putting his glass down then he interlocked his fingers on the table. His eyes fixated on her. "I came here to say goodbye." Eric's words were powerful like he was dealing with a business transaction in a room strictly.

"Hmmm..." Hanna muttered softly.

"Hanna... Sorry but I am not the one you..." Eric continued but his words were cut. He was about to say that he didn't deserve her but Hanna raised her hand in the air to stop him.

"I know..." Hanna sounded like she already understood it all then she smiled sweetly. Eric was a bit taken aback. He didn't expect that Hanna would react coolly. She had no awkward expression as her sweet smile never left her face.

"Eric, I wish you well and thank you very much for helping me out. As I promised, I will give back the help to you one day." Hanna said sweetly. Her tone had no trace of bitterness and uneasiness. Hearing Hanna, Eric felt sadder as he felt they were not in the same boat. Hanna had no feelings for him. He could not blame her as he knew he got hooked on her unexpectedly.

Having affection for another girl was beyond his expectation either.

"I told you to forget it. It's a help." Eric firmly responded.

"Tell me, would you help anyone if it wasn't me?" Hanna seemed to want to know something from him. She asked with her beautiful smile.

Eric didn't answer. He looked at Hanna seriously. His eyes were not blinking like he was memorizing her face with the mask and he seemed to see her true face beneath her mask.

"I help those in need." He answered not leaving her masked face.

Hanna felt a bit disappointed with his answer as she thought she was special to him. Guessed she was mistaken. Trying hard to keep up her cool, she widened her smile. Eric was really a good guy. She was trying to hold back her disappointment with his goodbye.

"Well, I guess this is our last night. So... Maybe we can chill somewhere. No talking of problems and goodbyes. Just pure fun! Are you in?" Hanna was trying to maximize the night with her stranger friend. Just pure fun and just enjoy the night with him for the last time.

"Fine. Let's go!" Eric was quite happy with her suggestion. Perhaps, it was a night to remember. He held her hand. Hanna was a bit stunned by his action. She could feel the warmth of his skin and unfamiliar millions of sensations were running inside her body. Admittedly, she had been with many men before but this was the only time she felt electrified by a man's touch. All she could do was hide her burning cheeks from him and tried to act as if his touch didn't matter to her.

Meanwhile, at the bar, a deafening silence invaded the atmosphere between Arabella, Rosy, Ginger, Bill, Eric, and the masked girl though there was party music from the sound system of the bar. They looked at the stranger who was wearing a mask.

Hanna was also looking frozen at what she saw. A girl kissed Eric in front of her. It pained her so much that she could not decipher why. Why she's hurt so bad? Why she's so disappointed? Why she didn't know that Eric had a girl? Why was she so dumbed not knowing about it? Hanna had so many whys in her mind and she felt so bad. She just wanted to go away and leave all the people there but her feet weren't cooperating. She couldn't move even an inch.

"Eric! Oh! Eric Grant! It was so nice to see you again my handsome mate!" Ginger broke the silence. She strode toward Eric and got him from Arabella. Arabella stepped aside to give way to the two old friends. The spotlight was successfully snatched by Ginger. All eyes transferred to Ginger hugging Eric in a friendly welcome except for Bill Sky whose sharp eyes were fixated on Arabella.

"It's nice to see you, Ginger!" Eric civilly answered but his eyes were glancing at the girl on his side.

"Mind if we join you?" Ginger asked nonchalantly. She had the most friendly tone that no one could resist when she asks.

Eric looked at Hanna who was still unmoved. Hanna looked at him too. Her eyes were sad and he could clearly see it. Eric was worried about her. He didn't want to hurt her but what happened was unexpected He never expected that Arabella and the rest would appear and most of all he didn't expect that Arabella would kiss him which was very impossible to imagine.

"Of course, you can! Right honey? He called us to join him so he would not mind if you guys join us!" Without hearing Eric's reply, Arabella said sweetly putting up a show for Bill Sky.

'He called us.'

'Eric called them.'

Arabella's words kept on bugging Hanna's mind. She just thought the night was just for the two of us since they had agreed to spend it having fun for the last time but why she could not feel the fun? Before she went to the restroom, everything was so perfect. They drank, and she even taught him to dance on the dance floor. At first, he didn't want to dance but a little push made him agree. They had fun and laughter like they were the only people left in the world. Now, everything crumbled in an instant.

"Sure you can." Eric's answer snapped Hanna back to her senses. She was speechless. Seeing the people around Eric, Hanna felt intimidated. She could see clearly that she didn't belong in Eric's world. Hanna's eyes landed on the woman who kissed Eric. For her, Arabella was very beautiful and elegant and she was just nothing. A bar girl. A bar performer. They called her a hooker. A slut, gold digger, and everything bad. The lowest class in society. And his friends were all elite. They belong to the highest class in society.

With all of these thoughts she had in mind, Hanna gritted her teeth to muster her courage to leave. It was the only choice she got to avoid humiliation. She accepted already that she would never fit in Eric's world and good thing it was their last night. Yeah, she should be happy! But she couldn't. She could not feel any happiness from it. The pain in her heart was too extreme. She had to flee right away but when she was about to go, Eric had caught her.

"Don't go!" He whispered seriously while his hand gripping tightly on her wrist.

"Let me go, Eric, please." This time, her voice had lost its cool. She could not help the pain and the fright of being humiliated if she would not run away.

Eric looked at her pleadingly but Hanna snatched her arm away from him.

"I'm sorry," Hanna uttered glanced at him for the last time then she fled.

Eric wanted to chase her but Rosy suddenly held his shoulder.

"Your wife is waiting for you," Rosy announced meaningfully.

'Your wife.'

Hanna didn't miss those words. She halted and then she turned around to see Eric who was also looking in her direction. Their eyes met. A drop of tear skipped from her eyes. Good thing, she was wearing a mask and it covered the tear. For a while, their eyes talk. It was like they were saying goodbyes for the last time.

In the next second, Hanna left like a Cinderella. She hurriedly ran away carrying a promise to herself that she would never ever step into Eric Grant's life again.