17 Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder

Phoenix was looking at the tall, handsome man in a sleek business suit in front of her. They just looked at each other without blinking, as if someone would lose if they blinked.

"What happened?" Ashton asked sternly in his deep voice to Phoenix.

"She's drunk."

"How did she get drunk?"

"She drinks beer"

"Why did she drink beer?"

"Because she wants to drink beer."

"Why does she want to drink beer?"

"Because she doesn't want to drink wine."

"....."

Ashton stared at Phoenix, dumbfounded.

'This girl is really weird.'

Ashton looks at Mia, who was sprawling on the sofa. He creased his forehead and mumbled in a low voice, "What makes her drink till she is drunk?"

Even though it was low, Phoenix heard him.

Phoenix contemplated whether to either tell him or not, but she decided to at least say something because she could see that Ashton was really worried about Mia.

"This is not my place to say….. but…. she was crying."

Ashton snapped his head to look at Phoenix in surprise, he cleared his throat and asked.

"Why was she crying?"

"I don't know. I don't ask."

"She came to see you and…. cry?" he asked, feeling weird about the situation.

"No. We bump into each other at the park. At Le Graff Shopping Mall park"

Ashton nodded in understanding.

'Mia must have been in a mess after crying and didn't want to go home, so they came here.'

Ashton looked at Phoenix again.

"Well… thank you for taking care of her….again."

"You're welcome." What else can she say? She also wonders how she ended up with this girl again.

Ashton looked at the girl that was lying on the sofa, drunk and disheveled.

'Why are you crying? What happened Mia?'

While Ashton was wondering about Mia's condition, Phoenix was staring at Ashton, recollecting the nonsense that Mia said before she passed out.

*****

An hour ago…

"Let's have a drink!"

"You want to have a drink?"

"Yes! Let's order beer."

Mia and Phoenix had just finished their dinner in Phoenix's hotel room. Mia was too tired to go out for dinner, so after she took a shower and changed, they decided to order the in-room dining. Right now, Mia suggested they get a beer.

It was a weekday night, and Phoenix has work tomorrow. She wasn't fond of drinking, even though it was not easy for her to get drunk.

But Mia must have some grievance left and wanted to have a drink to let it go, so she relented and ordered some beer and accompanied Mia.

"Do you like it here?" Mia suddenly asked while she looked around the room with a bottle of beer in her hand.

Phoenix followed her sight and asked in puzzlement.

"Do you mean the room or the city?"

Mia giggles drunkenly, "The room".

"Yes. It's a nice room."

"It's my brother's hotel. Of course it's nice!"

Suddenly Mia's smile froze, and her face turned downcast.

"I shouldn't say that." She looked at Phoenix and shook her head violently, looking scared. "I'm sorry. I'm not bragging. I'm so sorry," Mia repeatedly shook her head and apologized.

Phoenix startled at Mia's sudden change of mood. She stopped Mia from shaking her head and made Mia looked at her.

"It's fine. I know this hotel is under Glorious Han's Group."

Mia looked at Phoenix with glittering eyes, "They said I'm pretentious and .... like to brag. I'm not bragging…., I'm just proud of my brothers," Mia said while hiccupping.

"Yeah. I know. You are proud of your brother." Phoenix nodded her head, giving Mia assurance.

'Is this what happened today? Someone said she was bragging?'

"They… said… I'm showing off…. my wealth." Mia continued while still hiccupping.

"I think you have had enough to drink." Phoenix was trying to take the beer bottle out of Mia's hold, but before she could grab the bottle,

"I know!" Mia suddenly said enthusiastically.

"….."

'This girl is really good at switching moods in a blink of an eye.'

"You should date my brother!"

"….."

'What the hell?! Where's that coming from?'

"Ethan has a girlfriend, but Ashton is single. So you should date!"

"What makes you think I'm single?" Phoenix asked Mia.

Mia's face fell, "You're not?"

Phoenix didn't answer that and just looked at Mia.

"Ermm…. I thought you'll be great with my brother." Mia pouted.

"What makes you think that?"

"Because you didn't look at him like a lovestruck teenager."

"….."

'What's with that logic?'

Phoenix didn't take Mia's word seriously. Well…. Mia was drunk. Really drunk. This must be why she talked nonsense.

*****

At the present time,

Phoenix looked at Ashton, who was kneeling in front of Mia, trying to wake Mia up.

She narrowed her eyes and scrutinized Ashton's side profile.

'Deep dark eyes, tall nose, thin lips, and sharp chiseled jawline, and broad shoulders. I have to admit, he is one fine specimen. No wonder those men and women were gawking at him the other day in front of the Scrumptious Restaurant.'

While staring at Ashton, Phoenix's mind was lost in other things.

For the last five years, other than meeting men for work, Phoenix only spent her days with Sky and Sienna.

Therefore, there was another thing that her boss urged her to do, other than she should live her life.

'Go out, and date. Find a boyfriend. Fall in love, and get married.'

And that was the most impossible thing that Phoenix thought she could do.

Her sister also told her the same thing. Her sister was hoping she would meet someone who she loved and loved her back and be together forever.

'But sis, that's… impossible,' she said it in her mind.

"Nothing impossible, everything is possible, Phoenix."

Well… She could guess what her sister would say.

She thought that she already found people she loved with all her heart; she was already content with that love.

Truthfully, Phoenix was a beautiful lady, with beautiful almond eyes, a cute, pointed nose, and pink lips. She was not the earth shattering kinda beauty, but overall she was pleasant in the eyes. But it was debatable because,

'Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,'

So… it was hard to say.

Some might think she was really pretty, some might think she was just another face in the crowd.

What truly could separate her from others was her aura.

She had this certain aura that she carried with herself wherever she goes.

It was hard to explain, her aura attracted people to look her way, but her aloof face repelled others from approaching her. Her aura was simply... regal, like an empress.

Men did get attracted to Phoenix, but she was either too clueless, simply didn't care or just made them run away from her with her aloofness.

Her boss, Sky, and even Sienna had tried to set her up with men multiple times, but Phoenix just brushed them off.

Why would she? She already knew that it was just a waste of time. No one would love her. Never.

Well…

Never say never Phoenix.

Little that she knew, her journey towards love might just have begun.