Chapter 1666:

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Afraid she might accidentally reveal too much, Stella quickly changed the subject. “Let’s not dwell on this now. We should head to the restaurant before Carly starts waiting impatiently.”

Bella seemed reluctant to let the topic drop, but Stella was already pulling her and Alissa toward the door. On the way, Stella kept the conversation flowing with Alissa, asking about Carly’s embroidery class preparations and updating her about Doreen’s recent work performance. Her deliberate chatter left no opening for Bella to revisit the chandelier incident.

It wasn’t until they stepped into the private dining room that Stella finally felt a sense of relief.

Inside the private room of the restaurant, Carly was already seated, but Doreen had yet to arrive.

As they settled in, Alissa quipped, “Doreen is usually so punctual! It’s rare for her to be late. When she gets here, we absolutely need to ask her what kept her.”

Meanwhile, Doreen was rushing out of a taxi, practically sprinting toward the restaurant.

In her haste, she accidentally collided with someone. “Sorry!” she exclaimed, looking up—only to realize she had bumped into Dexter.

Doreen’s eyes widened in shock when she spotted Dexter, her heart fluttering in her chest.

Without thinking, she froze in place, quickly straightened her clothes, and flashed a bright smile, her voice warm as she said, “Dexter, what a surprise!”

Just as she anticipated, Dexter’s response was as distant as a winter chill. He gave a brief nod, his expression unmoved.

Doreen had long been used to Dexter’s distant attitude. Trying to act casual, she asked, “What brings you here? Did Stella send you?”

Dexter’s face tightened a little when he heard Stella’s name. He responded, “Is Stella here as well?”

Noticing the confused look on his face, Doreen quickly understood that his visit had nothing to do with Stella.

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Nonetheless, she didn’t mind. Her excitement to have a chance to talk to him a little longer overpowered any other thoughts, hoping to make a stronger impression.

Dexter, however, gave her no more attention. With a simple “I have other things to do,” he turned and walked away without looking back.

As she observed Dexter walking away, Doreen’s smile slowly faded. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she whispered to herself, “They say it’s easy for a woman to win a man over, but with Dexter, it feels like an impossible task.”

Shaking her head, she turned and made her way to the private room.

As soon as Doreen walked in, Carly flashed a playful smile and teased, “Doreen, you’re finally here! Did a handsome guy stop you on the way, making you late?” Doreen’s cheeks instantly flushed red, and she looked down, embarrassed.

Carly, catching sight of Doreen’s reaction, gasped and said, “Wait, there’s definitely something happening! Come on, who’s the handsome guy?”

Stella, who had been deep in conversation with Alissa, suddenly became alert and glanced at Doreen, curiosity in her eyes.

Flustered, Doreen quickly waved her hands, insisting, “There’s nothing like that! Don’t start imagining things.” Then, she shifted her attention to Stella and added, “By the way, I just saw Dexter downstairs. I thought maybe you invited him too.”

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