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.

time, Hilary switched

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

Hogan she said. “It’s so late, you

out.”

C35

called a cab already.”

hint. “Yes, it’s

I

big iron gate, I had to steady

the

but this was the suburbs, cabs were

trudging forward with feet

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

and, in a prankish spirit, told

Alone.

stopped, puzzled, only to see a sedan had pulled up

slowly rolled down, revealing

good bone structure, smooth facial

just that his appearance reminded me of that

memony.

“Get in

spoke to

finally come to save me.”

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

like Hogan’s

the snowy

did

answer was beside the

outside the window, then heard Hogan warn. “Don’t say I didn’t remind you, keep your

deep breath, and asked,

1219

Chapter 5

of achieving your goals through indirect

right

so he

couldn’t keep anything