World Order's Malicious Guide

A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! I hope 2025 will be a great year for you! ٩(^ᗜ^ )و '-

...

An hour later, Jun and Xavier entered her cafe after parking the car nearby. As they entered inside, Xavier bumped into Mei, who was fumbling with her change after making payment for her coffee. Spotting a familiar face, Mei's scowl turned into a broad smile.

"Xavier! You're also getting coffee here?" Mei called out.

Surprised, Xavier instinctively stepped aside, preventing Mei from seeing Jun. Unaware of his subtle gesture, Mei continued her rambling. "Xavier, do you know what Liam has been up to—"

"Liam?" A gentle voice came from behind Xavier. Jun moved aside, curiously watching Mei, who so offhandedly mentioned Liam's name. She didn't recognise her, nor recall Liam mentioning her previously.

All of a sudden, Xavier felt as though he was caught between a rock and a hard place. His worst fear had still come true. He wanted to dismiss Mei immediately after she finished speaking to prevent any more interaction between the two women, but he failed. In the end, Xavier hid his grimace and quickly urged Jun, "Let's go..."

But Mei wouldn't let Xavier escape without an explanation. Almost immediately, she noticed the way Xavier looked at Jun. There was a hint of protectiveness in his eyes, convincing her that Jun was someone special.

"Wait, Xavier. Don't you think you should introduce your girlfriend to me first? Don't be in such a hurry to leave." Mei whined as her fingers lightly tugged at his sleeve. Knowing Xavier, who had a soft spot for her, she knew he would find it hard to refuse her request. After all, he had always given in to her, unable to resist her pleading eyes.

As expected, Xavier hesitated. Just as he was about to pull away from her, Jun stepped in. With a kind smile, she approached Mei and offered a handshake. She said, "I'm not his girlfriend, but it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss. I'm Jun Lee, and you?"

Surprised by Jun's unexpected friendliness, Mei took a second to collect herself. She quickly reciprocated, shaking her hands with a similar warm smile. "Oh, you don't need to be so polite! A friend of Xavier is certainly a friend of mine, too. I'm Mei Grene. Nice to meet you too, Jun."

Hearing her warm and enthusiastic introduction, Jun's smile widened. But only Xavier knew the smile was anything but insidious. Although she knew Mei's identity all along, she acted as if she didn't, trying to get to know her. Since he didn't understand her thoughts, he planned to observe from the sidelines. Either way, he wouldn't be so foolishly supportive of Mei anymore. If Jun wants to do things her way, he'll let her.

After a few more pleasantries were exchanged, they went to Liam's company's sixth-floor garden to enjoy their cups of coffee together. Open to the public, the garden was a popular spot for couples' romantic picnics and evening walks.

Taking a sip of her coffee, Mei looked at Jun with admiration. She glanced at Jun, from her stylish black blouse down to her elegant heels, envying each article of her clothing. Since the clothing was from her all-time favourite brand, recognising it wasn't difficult. But sadly, many of them were incredibly overpriced, with some pieces costing as high as a thousand dollars.

Mei sighed, feeling the chill of poverty.

Jun gently put down her coffee and asked her in a concerned tone. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, it's nothing." Mei brushed it off. She knew it wasn't Jun's fault for dressing so well, so she honestly said, "I'm just in love with your style, so I can't help but admire it."

The envy in her tone didn't go unnoticed by Jun, but she didn't expose it out. Instead, she said, "Is that so? I'm tired of wearing this brand so I was thinking of donating them to charity. If you don't mind, I would be happy to give them to you after getting them cleaned."