Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 15

By the time I realized what was happening, I hastily switched the camera.

Through the earpiece, Hilary’s voice had an unmistakable hint of disbelief, “Sorry about that, Xaviera. You see, I got carried away chatting your ear off. Let’s catch up some other time, shall we?”

Before I could even respond, Hilary had already hung up.

I awkwardly turned to Darren and said, “Sorry about that, Hogan’s mom might have…”

“Rough, huh?” Darren blurted out unexpectedly, with a touch of concern in his voice.

I looked up at him, unsure which kind of ‘rough‘ he was referring to.

Work, or dealing with my ex–boyfriend’s mother.

Seeing that I didn’t say anything. Darren handed me a blueberry, “For your eyes, they help with the fatigue. Have some more.”

I felt a bit off inside but changed the subject, “It’s about time for lunch, let’s go.”

Darren tactfully dropped the topic.

At the restaurant, I looked at the mountain of plates in front of me and sheepishly said, “Darren, it’s not often I treat someone, so please eat up.”

After speaking. I politely pushed the salmon his way.

Darren gave me a look and said, “Xaviera, you’re too skinny. Health is the real wealth, especially

if you want to conquer the business world. You can’t afford to be under the weather.”

And he pushed the salmon back to me.

and said,

meal was actually quite

pay, the server politely informed me that Darren

about you treat next

gentle and modest, and as he spoke, he

we go Dutch, to which Darren chuckled as if he

at a

up, it was already 9 PM, and Darren insisted on walking me down

11-38

Chapter 15

a moment, he adjusted his silver–rimmed glasses and said, “You see, aside from coding. there’s

game he’d taken

his bubble, so I went along, and it was clear he was having a blast.

was not really used to this kind of attention, so I just said, “Thanks for today, be careful

when to retreat, wished me goodnight and

off.

quietly returned to my place and turned in early for a change, but as

words came to

the night Hogan would formally introduce

been humble for six years, didn’t even know which way

contrast was stark.

and I were on different

was something else

knock interrupted

I was totally confused.

“It’s me.”

barely made it through the crack of

Hogan’s voice,

to be at the