Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 282

Well, since Neil had put it that way, there was no room for negotiation.

We were talking big shots from Rosemont. Making a fool of yourself in front of them? Heavy consequences.

Gloria's face turned ugly; all her usual grace and dignity was gone. She was looking at Bonnie, her eyes full of disappointment.

The host whispered to Bonnie, "Ms. Tueley, please return to your seat."

"Okay..." Bonnie responded with a downcast head, placed her speech on the podium, and quickly exited the stage.

I picked up her discarded speech, gave it a once-over, and tossed it into the nearby trash. Then, I continued where Bonnie had left off.

I was pretty pleased with Bonnie's performance. It got my gears turning; my delivery was light but powerful.

About ten minutes later, my talk was over. The room burst into applause.

I knew I did good that day.

Bonnie, on the other hand, was a mess. From the moment she returned to her seat to the end of the summit, she had kept her head down, staring at the table. Her mind clearly elsewhere.

"Ms. Finch, hold up." Everyone else had left, but Gloria stopped me. She brought Bonnie over. "This was Bonnie's fault today. She shouldn't have taken your speech."

Bonnie glanced at me, but I didn't see any regret in her eyes.

I simply gave a cold laugh without saying a word and left.

On the way back, I had someone look into the mysterious phone number to see who called me. It might have given the cops a lead.

All I could do then was to wait for the investigation to bear fruit or for the caller to contact me again.

When I got back to Sterling Estates, I couldn't help but think of the ring Neil tossed. It had been a few days; I wondered if anyone found it.

I headed out alone, in the direction Neil tossed the ring. If I was not mistaken, it should have been somewhere in the green space.

But the recent snowfall had made the ground a thin layer of white, making the search difficult. Soon enough, my hands were freezing.

"What are you doing?" Neil's voice suddenly came from behind me. I was startled and turned quickly.

He was still in his suit from the meeting, but then he'd gotten a black coat on top, adding a touch of elegance to his cold demeanor.

Against the snow and black clothes, Neil's skin had a soft glow. He didn't look like he was in his thirties.

I rubbed my hands together and said, "Nothing. I heard a puppy whining. I was afraid it might freeze to death, so I came to look."

"A puppy?" Neil rolled his eyes at the snow I've disturbed.

"Aren't you looking for the engagement ring Russel Dawson gave you?"

Talking to him was exhausting. He made lying hard.

But I was getting better at acting, so I just brushed off my hands and said, "Am I crazy? Do I need more trouble from you?"

"Hum, good to know." Neil's gaze fell on my red, cold hands. He took off his leather gloves, "Put these on and let's go home."

I put on his gloves. They were soft inside, still warm from his hands, and suddenly my hands felt warm again.

Neil took my hand and led me back towards the mansion.

Winter days were short, and nights were long.