Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 35

Hilary and I went up to greet him at the same time.

“Didn’t you say you’ll stay for several days?” she asked, taking the rolling suitcase from Hogan’s hand. “Have you eaten?”

His piercing eyes suddenly landed on my face, and Hogan frowned. “Why is she here?”

The disdain in his voice couldn’t be more obvious.

It seemed that he was about to show me the door.

“Xaviera was invited over by me.” Hilary defended firmly. “Be nice.”

Hogan glanced at the red wine on the table, his frown deepening. “Drinking again?”

Clearly not pleased.

I admitted casually. “Just had a bit with Mrs. Hilary.”

Hogan’s face turned to steel a look demanding an explanation.

Hilary couldn’t stand it said soothingly. “Come on, it’s just a minor slip–up at work, isn’t it? Is it really such a big deal?”

She thought the beef between Hogan and me had to do with work

But Hogan, smart cookie that he was, smelled a rat from just one sentence and scoffed coldly. “Now you’ve started snitching too?”

“Xaviera didn’t say anything, it’s my guess.” Hilary cut in standing up for me with a glare at Hogan, “Now that it’s out in the open, let’s just put it behind us.”

Hogan kept at it. “Encouraging subordinates to badmouth others, shouldn’t there be a lesson?”

Just a few fair words from me, and in Hogan’s eyes, I was stirring up the troops.

I bowed my head, forcefully swallowing the discomfort in my heart..

But Hilary caught the crux of the matter, incredulous. “The “others you’re talking about, you don’t mean Ms. Irwin, do you?”

Hogan paused for a moment.

Not my fault, he’s the one who let it slip.

Hilary switched into

out of place, so I carefully said, “Mrs. Hilary, Mr. Zade, it’s getting late,

pointing at Hogan she said. “It’s so late, you should see

out.”

C35

must’ve called a cab

“Yes, it’s almost here.”

that, I

big iron gate, I had to steady myself on a green plant

the wine

a ride, but this was the suburbs,

end. I resigned myself to trudging forward with feet that seemed to float.

temperature difference between day and night in Rivertown was huge, and the chilly night

and, in a prankish spirit, told myself I was

Alone.

I stopped, puzzled, only to see a sedan had

window slowly rolled down, revealing the man’s

smooth facial lines, definitely

was just that his appearance reminded me of that icy, merciless God–like man from my

memony.

“Get in

actually spoke

has finally come to save

my head to look at those hands gripping the steering wheel the more I looked, the more familiar

pale, just like Hogan’s

snowy mountains

much did you

was beside the point.

turned my face away in frustration, quietly watching outside the window, then heard Hogan warn. “Don’t

closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and asked,

1219

Chapter 5

ic “Thinking of achieving your goals through indirect

is right or not.”

so he knew

couldn’t keep anything from