Ice and Fire

Chapter 912 You Are The Reason

Lawrence took a step forward and placed the shining pearl necklace around Anna's neck.

Anna lifted the necklace and lowered her head to take a peek. She smiled as she looked back on her

memories of Lawrence and her and their time together.

A wide grin showed up on Anna's face. Her happiness brought tears of joy in her eyes. Despite the

crowd around them, she wrapped her arms around Lawrence and hugged him tightly. Her eyes were

closed as she breathed in his scent.

Lawrence responded by giving her a tighter hug.

Thunderous applause from the guests exploded around them while they chitchatted about the couple.

"That's why Lawrence spent so much for a necklace. It was going to be for this lovely woman," one of

the couples said to his partner.

"I heard that her father is the CEO of BD Investment Group. They are indeed a good match."

"They must have known each other for quite some time now and must have feelings for each other."

"A handsome man and a stunning woman, such a perfect match. They will definitely be a happy

couple, if they get together."

At the edge of the crowd, Mike and everyone at his table were all shocked.

"Mike, did you know about this? Who is this woman?" Greg asked one question after the other, as he

watched Lawrence and Anna with their arms around each other.

"Ask Lawrence," Mike replied. He didn't know Lawrence's reunion with Anna was a good news or bad

one.

"They look so happy together," Melisa exclaimed. She could only dream to experience the same

romantic moment with a man she loved.

"She's obviously with Lawrence now. He wouldn't spend that much money if this was nothing," Tim

bemused.

"That pearl necklace is definitely more than what someone is wearing," Alice responded as she

deliberately landed her eyes on Ivy and her dress.

"I really thought Ivy was a little special to Lawrence. But now I guess he only views her as an

employee."

"She can never be Lawrence's girlfriend or wife. She can never reach Lawrence's level. In fact, if she

didn't work for the JC Group, she wouldn't even be in this party."

Ivy heard the whispers about her from the people in the party. And she wished she could just be

invisible. She actually thought Aria was her opponent. But Anna was the true competition. 'I was so

naive, ' she thought to herself.

She rose from her seat without making a sound and slipped away from the crowd.

Anna whispered in Lawrence's ear, "Thank you, Lawrence."

Lawrence whispered in her ear, "I will do anything for you."

...

Soon, the party was over and the guests began to leave one by one. Lawrence asked Anna if he could

take her home and she agreed.

When she saw Lawrence escort Anna inside his car, Ivy unconsciously gritted her teeth and balled up

her fist. She wished she could pull Anna out of the passenger's seat. 'That's supposed to be my seat, '

Ivy thought to herself.

Lawrence drove away and Ivy could only stare after them. Alice and Tim came out from the hall, arm in

arm. They walked towards Ivy and, with an eyebrow raised, Alice told her, "Don't worry. Lawrence

asked to arrange for a driver to take you home and he's on his way. So just wait here."

Alice and Tim walked away before Ivy could reply.

In the car, Anna smiled while she gazed at Lawrence's perfectly structured face.

Lawrence snuck a peek at Anna and caught her stare. "Are you going to just stare at me the whole

way?" Lawrence teased her. He looked straight ahead on the road but knew Anna was still watching

him.

"They say you're very much a ladies' man," Anna blurted out before she could stop herself. Many years

have passed but she still worried about his love life. At the back of her mind, she still wondered if he'd

love her as much as he did before.

"Does it matter now?" Lawrence asked.

"How many women are in your life now?" Anna continued to interrogate Lawrence. "What about Ivy

Li?"

She kept her eyes fixed on Lawrence.

"Ivy?" Lawrence said, "She's my assistant."

"Just your assistant?" Anna repeated. She knew how Ivy looked at Lawrence and she could tell that

woman had eyes for Lawrence. But she couldn't tell if Lawrence liked Ivy, too.

"Do I really need to say it again?" Lawrence asked. He turned to glance at Anna and then looked back

ahead on the road.

Anna exhaled and smiled. She replied, "No, you don't have to. It's okay. I'm okay."

She knew Lawrence and his temper very well. He never repeated his words. And she didn't want to find

out what he'd do if he did repeat them.

"Why did you come back, Anna?" Lawrence eventually asked after they bathed in silence since Anna

last spoke. His mind was filled with so many questions of her return. He was caught unprepared but he

knew he had to face her. And now, he had no intention of leaving her.

"What if I told you I came back for you?" Anna asked, in reply to Lawrence's question.

"But didn't you say..." Anna held up her hand to cut off his words.

"I remember what I told you before. I know what I said. I came back from abroad for a reason. That is

all," Anna said. She didn't like to mention the past and her regrets. And one regret was leaving the man

she loved and breaking his heart. But now, she wanted to make things right with him again.

Lawrence didn't say anything. He already knew why she came back.

He turned off the engine when they reached the village. "Here you are," he softly announced.

Anna stayed where she was and grabbed Lawrence's arm. "Can we start over, Lawrence?" she asked

with uncertainty, her eyes full of expectation.

Everything was silent. Anna's words echoed in Lawrence's ears. She waited but didn't receive a

response from Lawrence. Anna's words seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

Lawrence removed Anna's hands from his arm and gestured to the villa. "It's late. You should go

inside," he said, while he looked straight ahead.

Anna knew Lawrence wanted to ignore her question. But this was the moment she was waiting for to

explain everything.

"I know I shouldn't have done what I have done to break your heart. But I needed to pursue my dream

of studies. I know I gave up on you, on us, and left you. But I realized you're the only one I want to be

with. That's why I came back. I want to be by your side for the rest of our lives!" Anna narrated her

thoughts to Lawrence because she just wanted him to understand what she felt.

"Go inside, Anna," Lawrence replied without a glance at Anna.

Anna didn't move and stayed inside the car. She continued to gaze at his face, looking for answers, but Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

she knew she wouldn't be getting any from Lawrence tonight.

"Give me your number," Anna requested. When she decided to move back, she knew she wanted to be

in touch with Lawrence. She wasn't going to let him go this time.

Lawrence kept silent but he took out a business card from his jacket pocket and handed it to Anna.

She placed the card inside her bag before she alighted from the car.

As soon as Anna shut the door behind her, Lawrence sped away. Anna watched as the car

disappeared from her sight. 'Is he still mad at me for what I did to him? Or is there someone else?' she

wondered in her mind.

When Lawrence arrived at the apartment, he ran to the living room to search for Aria. When he didn't

find her there, he went straight to the bedroom. He turned on the lights and found her on the bed,

sleeping.

The bright lights woke Aria and she raised her hand to shield her eyes. She strained to open her eyes

and found Lawrence by the door.

"Ow, Lawrence, why did you turn on the ceiling lights? They're too bright. Turn on the wall lights and

turn that one off," Aria told him. She moved to her side and closed her eyes again to go back to sleep.

Lawrence did what Aria said and turned on the wall lights before he turned off the ceiling lights. He

changed out of his suit and into his pajamas before he climbed into bed.

Lawrence laid against Aria's back and threw his arm around her waist. To be beside Aria left him

satisfied. 'She is here beside me. She is mine, ' he thought.

Aria sensed that something was bothering Lawrence. She couldn't sleep anymore so she turned to

face Lawrence and snuggled in his arms.

"What's going on? Why do you look at me like that?" Aria murmured as she looked into his eyes.

"How was your day? Did something special happen today?" Lawrence ignored Aria's question.

Aria nodded and continued, "Everything went good. You know me, I'm so good at sales and marketing.

I'm always articulate. My supervisors all love me. I never fail my work."

When Lawrence didn't say anything, she knew something was definitely bothering Lawrence. She

looked into his eyes, and asked, "Why are you suddenly interested in my work?"

"It's nothing, just forget about it," Lawrence tried to change the subject. Lawrence didn't know how to

tell her what was going on. He just wanted a peaceful life and he didn't want anyone or anything to

disrupt his life.

Aria wrapped her arm around Lawrence. "Wow, is Mr. Lawrence now interested in my work? I'm

flattered," she teased.

"But I'm always interested in your work," Lawrence protested. He always was interested in her work.

But when he was in front of Aria, he found it hard to explain himself rationally.

"No, it's not that. But you don't like it when I work all the time. And then today, you asked me about my

work. I was just surprised," Aria explained.

"I worry that someone at your work will sweep you off your feet and you'll leave me. It's hard for me to

share you with other men," Lawrence professed with his eyes on Aria's.

Aria's heart melted at Lawrence's words. Since they became a couple, Lawrence had loved her with all

his heart and had always treated her well. He was so infatuated with her. That was why it was so easy

for her to give her whole heart and body to him, too.

"Lawrence Chu," Aria stated his full name proudly.

Lawrence turned to gaze at Aria.

"You're a very rich and powerful man. So many women try to win your graces and affection every day.

Why didn't you ever look at them?" Aria asked, with all honesty. She wanted to know.

Lawrence was silent, his eyes still on Aria's, but unsure what to say.

"Why me? Why do you love me?" Aria continued. She was filled with curiosity.

"Do you really want to know why?" Lawrence finally opened his mouth to answer Aria's question.

"Yes, I do," Aria responded almost too quickly.

"I love you for no reason. But you're the reason I won't even look at another woman," he replied.