Dorothy couldn't lag behind when she saw Langston muster up his confidence like that, so she quickly said, "Mr. Lopez, I'll just wait outside for you, then! We wouldn't want to disappoint the little guy.” She had expected Everett to show some sort of reaction, but he simply nodded, "Sure." Dorothy stepped out of the Bay Residence, her mind racing with doubts about Everett's strange demeanor, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what was off! Wasn't the whole point of bringing her here to meet Langston to test her? Yet, he didn't seem to do anything suspicious. In fact, he went straight to the kitchen to cook as soon as they got home! What hidden trap had she failed to detect? With a heart full of unease, Dorothy waited in the car for a while until she saw Everett come out from the house with a paper bag in hand.
Once in the car, he handed the bag to her.
"Got you some takeout." "It's okay, | can skip a meal. I'l eat after work!" Everett glanced at her, his lips barely moving, "You need to work overtime tonight. Triple pay.” The mention of overtime had her protesting in an instant, "I can't tonight; I've got plans!" Kenneth had finally secured her a meeting with Byte 7, and she couldn't miss it.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtBut Everett wasn't asking, he was informing.
"Dorothy, it's a new project you've just taken on; overtime is to be expected. Be professional.” "Can't it wait until tomorrow? Any time, late, whatever, just not today. | have plans with Kenneth..." "No." His response was sharp, leaving no room for discussion.
Dorothy's brow furrowed, sensing that he was deliberately making things difficult for her.
Ever since the acquisition of East Star Enterprises, it seemed like he was set on getting back at her! "Mr. Lopez, even if you want me to work overtime, you should at least consider your employee's opinion. And with such short notice, | have the right to refuse.” "You can certainly refuse. | have plenty of other ways to make him disappear from Eldorria City." Everett delivered this threat with a gentlemanly poise that almost disguised its menacing undertone.
Dorothy, however, knew exactly what he meant and who he was referring to.
"Don't you dare touch Kenneth!" Everett's gaze darkened in the rear-view mirror.
"On what grounds do you make that demand?" Dorothy's mind raced for the right words, but she eventually realized she had to tear down the wall of pretense between them.
"We've both moved on with our lives. What's the point of doing this?" Everett remained silent, just staring at her through the mirror.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAfter a long pause, Everett let out a barely audible sigh.
"Dorothy, | never married anyone else. All these years, I've been waiting right here." He had tried many times to move on, to forget Dorothy, to let go of the past, but every time he tried, he realized he couldn't do it.
He'd rather be trapped in a hopeless wait than convince himself to move on.
Dorothy was astonished.
Maybe, had she heard these words earlier, she would have believed them without hesitation.
But after witnessing the ambiguous traces on him, she was skeptical.
He must have another woman! The kind he shared a bed with, intimately! So after a few seconds of shock, she let out a laugh, "Mr. Lopez, it seems you have learned the art of sweet-talking women with lies after all these years."