Boyd's grip on the car door handle tightened abruptly.
Yasmine leaned to the side to fasten her seatbelt. The man straightened up and casually remarked to Boyd, "Drive safe, buddy." But the moment he caught a glimpse of Boyd's dark, brooding eyes, he paused, a flicker of confusion crossing his gaze as he looked Boyd over.
Boyd shut the car door, lingering there for a long moment before he walked around the vehicle and got in.
The car started silently. Yasmine noticed the strain in Boyd's grip on the steering wheel, the veins on the back of his hand standing out, a clear sign of his tension. Yet his expression was unchanged, calm, without a ripple of emotion.
"How's the food at this place?" Boyd finally asked, after they had been on the road for a while.
"It's decent."d2
"I'll take you here next time."
"No need. I'd rather not come back anytime soon."
"We'll come back when you feel like it then."
"You don't have to drive me around next time."
"Next time..." Boyd repeated the words, his eyes seeming to darken.
Back at the villa, the two entered the house. Boyd told the housekeeper, "Make sure she has dinner on time," before heading upstairs without another word.
The unspoken message was clear: he wouldn't be joining for dinner.
This is exclusive content from Noveldrama.com (Swnovel). Please read it on Noveldrama.com to support the author and the translation team!. Indeed, he didn't show up for dinner or even later that night, and the usual glass of milk he brought to her himself was instead delivered by the housekeeper.
Yasmine held the milk glass, noting its temperature was almost the same as when Boyd brought it.
"Ma'am, I've watched Mr. Boyd warm the milk every day. I know exactly how much to pour, how to set the heat setting, and how many minutes to warm it. You usually read for another ten minutes before drinking it, right? The first time I reminded him it might be too hot, he just told me offhand."
Yasmine gazed down at the glass, her fingers tightening slightly.
After a moment of hesitation, the housekeeper added, "But ma'am, Mr. Boyd hasn't had dinner yet tonight. He ordered me to bring you this milk. He's been in the study for nearly eight hours now, not eating or drinking anything. Is he really all right?"
Yasmine glanced at the clock beside her and remained silent for a moment before telling the housekeeper to get some rest.
The housekeeper left with a soft "Goodnight."
Yasmine didn't read as usual. Instead, she got out of bed, glass in hand, and walked to the window.
The night was clear, the moon and stars shining brightly. The yard lights below were still on, and two housekeepers were taking out the trash, their voices and occasional laughter drifting up.
They were young, living their lives in their own way. Did they have difficult pasts? Perhaps. Maybe they had gone hungry, couldn't afford their favorite dress, stumbled on the path to their dreams, or endured an unrequited first love...
But they seemed to be doing alright now.
Taking a deep breath, Yasmine took a sip of milk. Indeed, after all these years of getting used to the temperature of the milk, this was unexpectedly hot.
She pulled the glass away slightly and saw an empty glass bottle on the windowsill. She had found it when she first moved in but thought... it couldn't be possible.
She took the empty glass bottle he gave her at the orphanage with her and kept it at Peck's Manor. She hadn't brought it to Summers, and she hadn't noticed what became of it when Bryson's family moved.
Besides, even if Bryson had taken it, how could it have ended up with Boyd? It couldn't be the same one.
However, seeing her name etched on the wooden lid of the bottle, she was at a loss for words. After all these years, the bottle had somehow made its way back to her. He had placed it right in front of her.
Since receiving that birthday gift, she never made a wish.
He had promised to fulfill any wish she put in the bottle, and she hadn't taken it lightly. It was just that they had spent so much time arguing. By the time they met again, there wasn't much she wanted. The Pecks never denied her anything, and Boyd... well, there was no need for the bottle then.
Now, her fingertips traced the smooth surface of the glass. She wondered if the bottle would be as useful as he once said.
Outside, the housekeepers finished with the trash and laughed as they walked back. She turned away, placing the bottle back on the sill, and picked up her milk again.
After finishing the milk, it was nine o'clock, and Boyd still hadn't appeared.
Nine-thirty, still nothing.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Enticing CEO's Chosen Bride