Just the sight of Cline made Luana's heart race with anxiety, and she dared not even lift her head, her small frame instinctively hiding behind Calvert.
This act of hiding only served to enrage further Cline, his gaze towards her becoming even colder.
Calvert, however, failed to notice the tension between them and politely extended his hand, greeting, "Mr. Moriarty."
Cline barely glanced at the hand extended towards him and coldly remarked, "I have a phobia of germs."
His demeanor was the epitome of arrogance and disrespect.
Fortunately, Calvert had always been extremely composed and did not feel embarrassed by this. He retracted his hand and responded with a smile, "No problem."
Ignoring Calvert's response, Cline's icy eyes turned directly towards Luana, who was hiding behind him.
"Luana is here too?" he said.
Having been called out, Luana could no longer continue to hide.
She reluctantly stepped out from behind Calvert and greeted him with the same respect she would show a regular business partner, "Mr. Moriarty, hello."
Cline shifted his position and scrutinized Luana from head to toe with his cold gaze.
"Luana, quite the talent you have," he sneered before pushing past her and striding towards the elevator.
[$]
It seemed his greeting to Calvert was merely a pretext to mock Luana.
His mockery likely stemmed from seeing her with Calvert at the hotel, leading to a misunderstanding.
Luana did not intend to explain further. Her relationship with Cline was long over, and who she was with now was none of his concern.
"Miss Hammond, Mr. Moriarty doesn't seem very friendly towards you. Are you and he..." Calvert began to inquire.
"In this circle, everyone knows I'm a call girl. Someone of Mr. Moriarty's high status naturally looks down on me," Luana interrupted him coldly, not allowing him to finish his question.
[$]
Calvert was surprised by Luana's blunt admission.
However, ever since the photo had spread, several wealthy young men in Los Angeles had messaged him, saying Luana was Travis's woman.
He had heard about Travis's cruel ways with women while in Washington. Those who followed him were undoubtedly after money.
If Luana could be with Travis, it suggested she was likely after money as well.
This aligned with what the orphanage director had told him years ago—she was always trying to climb the social ladder.
No wonder she disappeared after he didn't fall for her tricks five years ago.
She probably realized he was too tough a nut to crack and decided not to waste any more time on him.
He didn't expect Luana to admit it so openly, which left him somewhat shocked.
After all, few women in her line of work could be so forthright.
Seeing the change in Calvert's gaze, Luana knew what he was thinking.
She coldly asked, "So, Mr. Coburn, do you still want to have dinner with a call girl like me?"
Knowing her background, Calvert would surely refuse without hesitation.
To her surprise, he firmly said, "Of course."
He then headed straight for the hotel restaurant.
Luana hesitated for a moment but followed him.
[$]
The restaurant manager, seeing it was Calvert, quickly welcomed them personally.
"Mr. Coburn, this way, please."
The manager led them to a quiet and comfortable spot, courteously pulled out the chairs, and respectfully handed them the menus.
Calvert took the menu and asked Luana, "What would you like to eat?"
Luana nonchalantly replied, "I'm not hungry. Mr. Coburn, you can order whatever you like."
Heart failure patients often have gastrointestinal congestion, leading to a decreased appetite and difficulty eating much.
Seeing her cold demeanor, Calvert didn't say much and casually ordered a few light dishes before returning the menu to the manager.
After the manager left, Calvert picked up a glass of water and poured some for Luana.
His movements were elegant, always reflecting his excellent upbringing.
This hadn't changed. From childhood, he had always been different from the other children at the orphanage.
He was quiet, polite, and a top student.
Back then, she thought he was the best gift God had given her, and she was overjoyed.
But now, Luana touched her chest, which still ached slightly.
Noticing the sudden dimness in Luana's eyes, Calvert frowned and asked, "Miss Hammond, what are you thinking about?"
"I was thinking about a popular saying I saw earlier," Luana responded indifferently.
Intrigued, Calvert pressed, "What saying?"
Luana said, "When you achieve success and fame, the first thing you abandon is those around you."
Calvert didn't grasp the deeper meaning behind her words but felt that Luana's remark seemed to be alluding to him.
"Miss Hammond, you're not referring to me, are you?" he tentatively asked.