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.

enough, in no time, Hilary switched into

“Mrs. Hilary, Mr. Zade, it’s getting late, I’ll take my

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

out.”

C35

called a cab already.”

“Yes, it’s almost here.”

I left.

gate, I had to steady myself on a green plant at the entrance, barely standing

the

but this was the suburbs, cabs

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

and night in Rivertown was huge, and the chilly night breeze was freely

and, in

Alone.

light inexplicably shone from behind, and I stopped, puzzled, only to see a

down, revealing the man’s sharply carved profile.

bone structure, smooth facial lines,

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

memony.

“Get in

actually spoke to

“My God has finally come to save

head to look at those hands gripping the steering wheel the

like Hogan’s

the snowy

much did you drink?”

answer was beside the

the window, then heard Hogan warn. “Don’t say I

took a deep breath, and asked, “What

1219

Chapter 5

was ic “Thinking of achieving your goals through

right

so he knew

anything