"Lenny..." Chris cautiously approached her after a prolonged silence, sensing something was wrong. If she didn't
want to talk about it, there was little anyone could do. Anxiety gripped him, but he had to restrain himself.
The slap didn't hurt much, but he was willing to endure it if it eased her distress.
Lena curled up, unable to meet his eyes, and repeatedly apologized, "I'm sorry, Chris. I'm so sorry."
"What's bothering you today?" Chris asked.
Lena hugged her head, shoulders trembling.
"Lenny, please tell me. I can help you!"
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"I need some time alone."
Chris' hand, suspended mid-air, stopped just short of touching her head. That tiny distance became an
insurmountable chasm the moment she spoke.
It felt like the world's greatest distance now separated them. Chris sighed deeply, eyes filled with pain. He
reluctantly got off the bed, picked up his coat, glanced back at her, and walked away.
The sound of the door locking outside crushed Lena's heart. A sudden, painful sensation overwhelmed her, and
tears streamed down her cheeks.
She didn't know how long she sat on the bed. When she finally calmed down, she quietly entered the living room.
The two-tiered cake sat in the center, rose petals covering the floor. Chris' gift, the pink diamond ring, sparkled.
This should have been a beautiful, romantic evening, but time could never be turned back.
With red eyes, Lena tidied up. She sliced the cake and stored it in the refrigerator. She then carefully placed the
diamond ring in a drawer and lay down on the carpet, exhausted.
A chill ran down her spine, but she closed her eyes, wishing she could sleep through it all and never wake up again.
-
When Bianca found Drake at the hotel, he was sneaking into the lobby with a bottle of cheap liquor. She called out
to him, and he froze like a thief, turning to face her with an awkward smile.
Bianca noticed the bottle in his hand, the cheap kind one would find at a street-side store. She made a disdainful
sound. Old habits died hard. She'd offered Drake wine worth thousands of dollars, but nothing compared to the raw
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmintensity of cheap liquor in his eyes.
"Some people never change," Bianca mocked.
Drake didn't take offense and just nodded obsequiously.
"Ms. Bianca, are you here for me today?"
Bianca gave him a sidelong glance and gestured to the hotel's backyard. It was quiet there, and one surveillance
camera was broken. They could talk privately without being noticed.
"This is..." Drake looked at the photo Bianca handed him, clearly puzzled.
"This is a photo of the eldest Hamerton heir's child," Bianca said, smirking slightly. "This child's mother is none other
than Ms. Pamela Thompson, the Thompson Group's decision maker."