Chapter 18 - 18

When Ian saw who was approaching there was no doubt in his mind that this was Raymund Laurence, the owner of the Bamboo Room.

"Mr. Laurence." The manager greeted her boss as he arrived. "Mr. Lim seems to be confused, he doesn't think he should have a discount."

Ian watched as Raymund Laurence seized him up and looked at him from head to toe.

What surprised Ian was the way that the man looked at him, it wasn't one of disgust, rather it was simply Mr. Laurence trying to figure out what kind of a person he was.

"Ian Lim?" Raymund Laurence asked as he kept stern look on his face.

Ian tried his best to guess why Raymund Laurence was speaking to him and what the man could possibly want with him.

In the end he just gave up and decided to see where the conversation would go.

"Yes." Ian said with a nod as Raymund Laurence's face remained expressionless.

"They didn't get it wrong." Raymund Laurence said. "We'll be working closely soon, you work for someone who has been like a father to me."

At that Raymund Laurence turned and left, leaving Ian and Jas stunned at what he had just said.

So it was true that Ian would have a free meal at Bamboo Room, even Raymund Laurence himself had confirmed it with them.

The manager remained standing by their table with a respectful smile.

"So. . ." Jas said as she tried to remove the awkward atmosphere around them.

"Mr. Lim, is there anything else you would like to order?" The manager asked.

"No, we're fine." Ian said with a nod. "So we just stand up and leave?" Ian asked.

"Yes sir." The manager said as she tried to hold back her smile.

"You can laugh." Ian told the manager as he gave her a charming smile.

"No, sir." The manager said, shaking her head. "It's just quite interesting how you reacted. Most people would be thrilled that they get to eat here for free, you just seem worried."

"You do seem worried, babe." Jas said as she reached out to hold Ian's hand.

Ian simply smiled at his girlfriend and shook his head. He was no longer confused about his free meal. But now his worries were replaced with an odd feeling about meeting Raymund Laurence for the first time.

The man was quite intimidating, and even though he and Ian were the same age and went to the same schools. Something about him gave off an aura of someone who had been though a lot.

"Do a lot of people get free meals here?" Jas said as she turned to ask the manager.

"No miss." The manager said with a slight laugh. "Even most of Mr. Laurence's relatives have to pay when they eat here."

"Oh." Jas said, quite surprised at what the manager had told them.

"We should go." Ian told Jas as he got up. "Thank you." Ian told the manager as he tried to hand her and the waiter a tip.

He only thought it was fair since they didn't even have to pay for the meal they ate.

"Oh, no sir." The waiter said as he refused the money Ian was handing to them. "We would rather not take tips from clients like you. No offense sir, but we are paid quite well here."

"Seriously?" Ian asked, completely at a loss with the situation.

"Yes, sir." The manager said with a laugh. "Shall I ask for the valet to bring up your car? I'll have a waiter serve you wine while you wait."

"Yes please." Jas quickly said. She was worried that Ian would say something that would make the staff laugh at them again.

"Very well miss." The manager said as she and the waiter turned and left.

"We don't need wine while we wait, we can wait outside." Ian complained as Jas rolled her eyes at his reaction.

"Ian, you are acting as if you don't belong to this world, what has gotten into you?" Jas asked in an annoyed tone.

"What are you talking about Jas?" Ian asked. "I'm human, of course I belong here." Ian teased.

The waiter soon returned with a glass of wine for each of them, Ian refused his since he still had to drive.

It didn't take long for the waiter to come back and inform them that Ian's car was already out front and ready for them.

Ian thanked the waiter again as they left.

"I'm not staying at your palace." Ian told Jas as they exited the restaurant's driveway.

"What? Why?" Jas asked. "Where are you going to stay?"

"At my new place." Ian said as he sped down the mountain. He knew that Jas wouldn't like his news, but he wanted some time alone to process everything that had happened so far.

"But your things." Jas said as she thought of a reason for him to stay.

"I already packed everything." Ian informed her. "I didn't have much and I wanted to stop looking like I depended on you for everything." He tried to explain.

"But you aren't." Jas said with a frown.

"You can move in with me eventually if you want." Ian said with a sigh. He decided to make the offer against his better judgement.

In all honesty Ian wanted to live alone, to experience what it was like not having to share everything, not having to adjust his own habits for others. But he knew he had to make the offer in order to keep the peace.

"Really?" Jas asked as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Yeah, I mean you've given me a place to stay all these years. It's about time I let you stay with me this time." Ian said as he smiled at Jas.

"Of course, yes I'll move in with you. But I still have to ask dad's permission." Jas said as she began to think of how she would convince her father to let her live with Ian.

"My new place is quite far from your work though." Ian said with a frown as he realized that Jas' office was at the other end of the city.

"It'll be fine." Jas told him, waving off his concern.

"Okay it's decided then." Ian said with a nod.

"Oh, and babe, we need to talk about how you behaved in Bamboo Room earlier. It's really not proper. You look like a poor boy." Jas said with a frown.

Ian sighed as he began to dread the conversation, he was a poor boy.

He was a poor boy that was once a prince.