Nora Ainsworth looked away. For once, she didn’t argue with him. "Leon, you can head back first. I want to sit here by myself for a little while."
He got up. "Alright. I have sothing to take care of at ho anyway. Don’t stay too long. Head back in a bit."
Nora Ainsworth nodded.
She watched him slowly disappear through the doorway, then turned to look at the figure by the bar.
His back was to her, making him look even taller and more devilishly handso. His expression was even more aloof.
Even from so far away, she could still make out his expression perfectly.
Nora Ainsworth slipped off her sandals. She hugged her legs, sitting sideways, and for so reason, she just couldn’t tear her eyes away.
It was because he wasn’t alone. Beside him stood a beautiful woman with an exceptionally elegant air.
Their relationship didn’t seem casual. The two appeared to be discussing sothing, but they were struggling to communicate clearly.
Nora Ainsworth had already guessed it. ’He probably has a new fla. He got tired of so quickly, not even needing the full three years. Oh, what wonderfully uplifting news!’
And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to smile.
’I should be laughing hysterically! I’m finally free!’
’No one is holding captive anymore!’
’No one is controlling !’
’Isn’t this a great thing?’
But then where was this strange, unidentifiable emotion that kept nagging at her coming from?!
’Shouldn’t I go over there and get a clear answer, so I can leave with my mind at ease?’
’Failing that, I should just sneak away, find so place to live my own life in peace.’
’So why the hell can’t I move? Why does it feel like my gaze is frozen on them?’
’What is going on?’
The unidentifiable foreign music playing in the bar was replaced by a song called "Expired Love."
The music was sowhat lancholic, and for so unknown reason, the other patrons in the bar quickly began to leave.
The bar grew quiet.
The singer’s voice seeped into Nora Ainsworth’s heart, and she understood the lyrics perfectly.
"Ti has stripped away our sweetness, leaving only silent replies. I’m so glad your love for has expired—"
Nora Ainsworth let out a long breath, her mind a chaotic ss. She cursed under her breath, "Who put this song on? What love? What sweetness?"
’There was no sweetness between us, no love! Only coercion! I was forced into this!’
’Don’t tell that just because he’s stopped forcing for a little while, I’ve actually gotten addicted to it?!’
She turned and leaned back against the sofa. Looking out, it seed as if no one else was left in the bar.
Quentin Grant looked at the woman before him, his voice detached and aloof. "It’s been months. That’s enough. I don’t have ti to play these kinds of love gas with you."
Catherine Callahan stepped forward and grabbed his hand. "Quentin, even if we can’t go back to how things were, I still hope we can be friends. Is that too much to ask?"
A cold sneer touched Quentin Grant’s lips. "Is that necessary? From the day we ended things, I never planned on seeing you again. By the way, you’ve left Warner with all this ti. Co get him when you’re free."
Tears welled in Catherine Callahan’s eyes and began to stream down her face. "Aren’t you even going to ask why? Why I did what I did? I regret it. I regret not explaining things clearly to you."
Quentin Grant froze. "You don’t have to say it, and I don’t want to hear it. I have no desire to dwell on the past. This is the last ti we’re eting. You’re on your own."
He was about to leave, but Catherine Callahan grabbed his arm, hugging it tightly. "Quentin, give one more chance. I’ll tell you everything."
Quentin Grant’s eyes darkened. He reached out and, finger by finger, pried her hands off his arm. "Even if you were to tell , I don’t want to hear it. It’s been too long. Just let the past be the past."
He shook her hand off, but she latched onto him again like a vine, choking back sobs. "Quentin, please, just listen to for a little while, won’t you? These past few years, I’ve been drowning in the pain of having left you. I haven’t suffered any less than you have! I’ve always loved you. Back then, you spent two years folding paper cranes for every single day. Why won’t you give just a little bit of your ti now?"
Nora Ainsworth stared at them, and every single word of their conversation reached her ears.
’She couldn’t imagine a man as flashy, narcissistic, and arrogant as Quentin Grant folding paper cranes for two years.’
"Quentin, just let Catherine finish," Herman Hawthorne’s voice rang out. He erged from the back of the bar, making it seem as if this whole encounter had been planned. "I think you have a right to know. At the very least, you can make your decision after you’ve heard her out."
Quentin Grant looked up at him. "You knew?"
Herman Hawthorne’s expression was composed. "I just found out myself."
Catherine Callahan’s hand gradually loosened its grip. Quentin Grant started to turn away, but as he lifted his head, his gaze t a pair of eyes in the shadows.
He knew those eyes all too well.
Nora Ainsworth’s heart skipped a beat. ’I’ve been caught.’ But she didn’t imdiately look away. Her gaze locked with his, and in that instant, she felt a sharp, stinging pain.
She didn’t move, confident that he wouldn’t reveal her presence to the others.
But Nora Ainsworth was being too naive. Just because she kept quiet didn’t an he would be so kind as to do the sa.
"Whoever’s on the sofa, co out!"
’He’s just asking for trouble,’ Nora Ainsworth thought. ’Instead of listening to his old fla’s explanation, he’s calling out? Isn’t that just wasting ti?’
And so, the gazes of the other two people turned in unison toward Nora Ainsworth.
When Herman Hawthorne saw it was her, he looked like he wanted to bang his head against the wall.
Catherine Callahan’s expression was unreadable.
"What are you dawdling for? Get out here," Quentin Grant said, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.
Nora Ainsworth quickly slipped her shoes back on and walked out sheepishly.
"Uh, well, I was just having a drink here with a friend. He left, so I was just sitting by myself. I didn’t realize everyone else had cleared out. I’ll get going now," she said, plastering a smile on her face as she made to leave.
But Quentin Grant had no intention of letting her leave.
"Who said you could leave? Get back here!"
Nora Ainsworth paused and asked, "What for?"
Quentin Grant’s gaze darkened. "Your boss is right here. You’re not even going to say hello?"
She had no choice but to walk over to the three of them. She bead at Herman Hawthorne. "Boss! My eyesight must have been failing ; I didn’t see you. I was just thinking to myself, ’Wow, that handso guy over there looks super familiar.’ I can’t believe it was actually you!"
Herman Hawthorne’s lip twitched. "Your eyesight was failing you? Is it any better now?"
Nora Ainsworth quickly replied, "Much better, much better! I can see perfectly clearly now. Isn’t the man standing before none other than my incredibly handso, unbelievably suave boss, the heartthrob of countless young won?"
Herman Hawthorne waved a dismissive hand. "Alright, that’s enough flattery. Let make so introductions. This is my subordinate, Nora Ainsworth. She’s also my girlfriend. And this," he said, gesturing to the other woman, "is Catherine Callahan."
He averted his eyes and glanced up at the ceiling.
Nora Ainsworth extended her hand. "Hello, I’m Nora Ainsworth. It’s a pleasure to et you."
Catherine Callahan visibly relaxed when she heard Herman Hawthorne introduce Nora Ainsworth as his girlfriend. She extended her own hand, a faint smile on her lips. "Hello, I’m Catherine Callahan."
Quentin Grant spoke bluntly, right in front of Catherine Callahan. "Nora Ainsworth is a subordinate I value greatly. Once she passes her evaluation, she’ll be working directly for . Herman, the results of that evaluation are up to you."
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