Chapter 64
Chapter 84
Justin’s face was dark with anger. He swung the door open and shoved Emily out of the bathroom with enough force that she stumbled to the floor.
Yet, her expression remained indifferent, as if entirely unaffected. Calmly, she picked up her clothes from the floor and began dressing herself. Supporting herself against the wall, she staggered out of the bedroom in the dark.
She found her way to the guest bathroom and cleaned herself up. As she scrubbed away the remnants of the evening, a smirk crept onto her face. Once again, she had managed to frustrate Justin. The thought amused her, and she couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
After her shower, Emily wrapped herself in a towel and headed to the living room to retrieve her suitcase. She carried it back to the guest room, rummaged through her belongings, and changed into a fresh pair of pajamas.
By the time she was settled, it was past 3 a.m. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, and all she could think about was the ravioli Mrs. Zimmer used to make.
Emily wandered into the kitchen and started rummaging through the fridge. “No frozen ravioli? Really?” she muttered, disappointed.
Resigned, she settled for a bowl of noodles and made do with what was available.
At the entrance of Majestic Bar, Zac gripped Helen’s arm, guiding her toward his car.
“Let go of me, Zac!” Helen protested as she tried to pull her arm free.
“You’re a young woman, Helen. What are you doing hiring male companions at a bar? Is this how you usually have fun?” Zac’s frustration boiled over as he opened the passenger door and gently but firmly pushed her into the seat. Blocking her exit, he leaned an arm against the doorframe, caging her in.
Shrinking into the seat, Helen glanced away, avoiding his intense gaze. Her voice wavered as she tried to justify herself. “They’re not male companions! They’re just juniors from my college. They’re perfectly clean!”
Zac’s temple twitched in frustration.
Clean?
What did she mean by that?
Did she think he wasn’t clean?
He clenched his jaw, silently fuming. He hadn’t even kissed anyone before!
All this time, he had been nothing but respectful, careful not to cross any boundaries or scare her away. And here she was, hanging out at a bar, drinking with a bunch of younger men?
Since meeting Helen at the seaside villa, Zac had fallen for her at first sight. He began pursuing her, and the two had stayed in contact ever since.
His intense gaze, however, was now unnerving Helen. She avoided his eyes, her own darting around in discomfort. Despite her flustered demeanor, she couldn’t deny her feelings for him.
Pouting, she mumbled her grievance. “And what about you? Spending all that time with that female patient, letting her lean on your arm. I saw it all!”
1/2
Chapter 84
Zac frowned, puzzled. “What female patient leaning on me?” He thought back carefully and eventually remembered a young woman, a family friend of his father’s who had been visiting him frequently for checkups recently.
“She’s my dad’s friend’s daughter. I don’t like her. That day she was about to fall, so I helped her, but I let go immediately,” Zac explained, his tone exasperated.
He rubbed his temples, frustrated. Was this why Helen had been avoiding him, barely replying to his messages and acting distant for days?
He had assumed she had lost interest in him, leaving him brooding for days. Seeing her surrounded by younger men in the lounge earlier had even made him question whether he was too old for her tastes.
“Alright, calm down. I don’t have anything going on with her, and I don’t like her. I can make my own decisions about marriage and my parents won’t meddle,” Zac said as he gently pinched Helen’s pouty, sulking cheeks. Helen swatted his hand away with a light huff, muttering, Who said I wanted to marry you?”
“Who do you like, then?” Zac asked, his brows furrowing and his expression darkening with concern.
“I’m not telling you.”
“Fine. If you won’t tell me, I’ll just assume no one exists!” Zac replied, his tone laced with an ominous edge.
In one swift motion, he buckled her seatbelt, slammed the passenger door shut, and climbed into the driver’s seat. As he drove Helen home, a thought struck him.
Now he finally understood why Justin would sometimes look conflicted and on edge when talking about Emily.
HOLL
