Ariel had no intention of giving Samson any room for misinterpretion. She spoke plainly, cutting straight to the point.
But Samson wasn’t surprised. After spending time around her, he had gotten a sense of the kind of person Ariel was.
Still, he wasn’t the type to quietly pine from the sidelines. And getting turned down didn’t rattle him. Liking someone meant also respecting their choice, whether it led somewhere or not..
So…
Samson’s eyes softened with a quiet smile. “I know. A confession doesn’t guarantee an outcome. That’s not how relationships work. If I can’t show enough sincerity, why should you accept me?
Ariel gave it some thought. “Mr. Pryce, I’m not testing you. I just genuinely have no interest in dating anyone right now.”
Samson could tell that Ariel genuinely didn’t want to waste his time. Even her rejection left no room for misunderstanding.
But that, in itself, was part of what made her so precious.
He didn’t feel discouraged at all. Instead, he gave her a knowing smile. “Alright. Then can you just forget I said anything about pursuing you? Let’s just be friends for now. If you start avoiding me over this, I think I’d be a little hurt.”
Ariel had never met someone quite like Samson before.
He was passionate, direct, and self–assured. Having grown up abroad, he was never one to hold back when it came to expressing himself.
Ariel felt she had said all she needed to. As for Samson…
“Don’t look at me like that.” Samson tilted his head slightly, watching her as he gave a carefree shrug. “You don’t need to worry about me. Just be yourself. If we ever end up working together, don’t feel guilty for rejecting me or let it make things awkward. Honestly, I’m fine.”
Since he had put it that way, Ariel didn’t overthink it. She nodded. “Alright.”
She had always been straightforward, never the type to get flustered over things like this.
Samson watched as Ariel went back to studying the data. He wasn’t upset at all.
After a moment of staring at her fair profile, he raised an eyebrow.
He was starting to think that maybe taking it slow wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Work at the site continued. Samson didn’t interrupt Ariel again. Instead, he headed back to finish what he came for.
By the time everything wrapped up, Ariel was heading toward her car when she spotted Samson standing nearby.
When he saw her approaching, he asked calmly, “Ariel, do you mind giving me a ride? My car broke down. It just got towed.”
Ariel looked around suspiciously. Samson’s assistant, driver, and even the higher–ups from Yeager Group were nowhere to be
seen.
But Samson remained completely composed. Not wanting to be rude, she just nodded. “Sure. Where to?”
Samson opened the door and got in smoothly. “Wherever you’re going.”
Ariel was rendered speechless. She didn’t bother asking more.
On the drive back toward World Trade Center, Samson didn’t try to create any awkward tension. He didn’t bring up anything personal; instead, he steered the conversation toward work and topics he knew Ariel would be interested in.
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Chapter 430
+25 BONUS
She responded with genuine focus. As she spoke, Samson glanced over at her, watching her with a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
Ariel had already made plans with Janice to try out a new restaurant that had been getting buzz lately, so she headed straight
there.
When they arrived, Samson didn’t linger. He opened the door and stepped out.
He leaned down slightly, one hand resting on the car window as he said, “I meant what I said about taking you to Yeager Group’s exhibition zone. The offer still stands. You can reach out anytime. Well, let’s just call it a pause between us.”
Although Ariel had no real intention of going again, she showed no sign of it. With a calm expression, she stepped out of the car and gave him a polite nod.
Samson could guess what she was thinking but didn’t expose her. He tapped the window lightly. “Then I’ll see you next time. Strictly for business.”
Without waiting for her to respond, he turned and walked away.
Ariel didn’t dwell on it either. After all, she had said what needed to be said.
Chapter 431
