Episode 146
As she took a leisurely sip, she stated with a sly grin, “This drink is hardly worthy of someone with such refined tastes as you, Mr. James.”
Elijah’s witty retorts deserted him, a flash of embarrassment crossing his features as he remembered his own snide comments about Stewart’s choice of drink.
The corners of Elizabeth’s mouth twitched upwards, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she delighted in his embarrassment.
Suddenly, the room’s atmosphere was ripped apart by the roar of thunder, a brilliant streak of lightning illuminating the darkening sky, followed by a torrential downpour.
Startled, Elizabeth’s focus momentarily shifted away from their banter, a lapse Elijah exploited to snatch the cola from her grip.
He noticed a faint lip print where her mouth had touched the can. As he sipped from the same spot, memories of her soft lips lingered unexpectedly.
When Elizabeth collected herself, she found Elijah smirking, the cola can nearly empty as he flaunted it, saying, “Sometimes, trying something new isn’t such a bad idea.”
“Childish,” she retorted dismissively, rolling her eyes.
Pulling out her phone, she decided it was time for him to leave. “I’m calling Oliver to take you home.”
His expression soured as she dialed, her voice brisk in the damp air. “It’s pouring outside. Can you come and pick up your boss?”
On the other end, Oliver’s response was unexpectedly noncommittal. “I apologize, Mrs. Norris, but I’m tied up right now.”
Elizabeth was standing close by, so Elijah caught Oliver’s reply.
He shifted, sinking further into the sofa, his cola in hand, sipping with a relaxed air.
Elizabeth threw a glance toward Elijah, her skepticism evident. She couldn’t drop the matter, insisting, “Isn’t there a driver or perhaps an assistant who could fetch him?”
Oliver responded with measured respect, “Every car’s under maintenance, and everyone’s gone for the day.”
The coincidence struck Elizabeth as implausible.
Yet, she realized she had never kept tabs on the vehicle maintenance schedules and thus lacked the evidence to challenge his claim.
Retreating toward the bathroom, she lowered her tone, her words for Oliver alone. “If this is your attempt to set us up, it’s pointless. His presence will only stir further up disputes.”
Oliver’s voice held a steady calmness. “Mrs. Norris, you might be reading too much into this. I really am tied up. Could you possibly have him wait a little longer? I’ll be there as soon as I finish up.”
Elizabeth, unable to mask her irritation, retorted sharply, “Oliver, the audacity to make your boss wait is quite bold.”
With a scoff, she ended the call.
Returning to where Elijah lounged, her expression blank, she declared, “I’m weary of this charade. Remember, this apartment is leased. I can leave whenever I choose.”
Elijah eyed her with an unexpected look of surprise. “You really think I’d waste my time following you?” he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Elizabeth was taken aback by his response. She paused, scrutinizing him carefully, yet his expression remained genuinely baffled.
Hesitantly, she ventured, “So, you’re saying this is just a coincidence?”
He shifted in his seat, his tone gentle. “Actually, I’m here assisting Albin’s cousin in her search for an apartment. She’s studying at the international school just down the road.”
A wave of embarrassment washed over Elizabeth as she realized she might have inflated her significance in his eyes again.
Without a word, she moved toward the door to sort through the shopping bags she had brought in earlier.
Elijah, meanwhile, withdrew his phone and began to manage some business affairs.
They each retreated to their own corners of the room, enveloped in a silence that was both awkward and oddly comforting.
As Elizabeth arranged her purchases, she briefly lost awareness of Elijah’s presence. She took solace in the rhythmic motion of stocking the cabinet, which lent her a reassuring sense of order.
After spending a good half hour tidying up, her stomach protested with a loud grumble.
Retrieving a pack of noodles from the newly filled cabinet, she made her way to the kitchen.
