Chapter<b>159</b>PersonalNurse


    ArrivinginWimustourCity,EneliewassurprisedbyhowmuchcolderitwaparedtoCapebatt City.Sherealizedherclothesweren’t warmenough,<b>so</b>shedecidedtogoshoppingforadownjacketatthenearestmall.


    Coincidentally,shemetSamuelinthehotellobby.Theyjokedaboutnotbringingenoughwarmclothesanddecidedto<b>go</b>tothemalltogether.


    Emeliepickedoutabeigedownjacket,whileSamuelchosethesamestyleinck.


    ShewasworriedthatSamuelmighttrytopayforherjacket,soshequicklypaidforherswhilehewasbusylookingatotherthings.


    “Emelie,”Samuelcalledouttoherfrombehind.


    Sheturned,andhewrappedascarfaroundherneck.“Here,addingascarfwillkeepyouevenwarmer.”


    AsSamuelhelpedEmeliefixherscarf,shenoticedherhairwasgettingloose.Withoutmuchthought,shequicklytieditagain.Shewasunawareoftheintimategesturethatmadethemseemlikea coupledeeplyinlove.


    Meanwhile,WilliamandPatricia,whowerealsoshoppingatthemall,happenedtowitnessthescene.


    Afterobservingforawhile,Patriciachuckledandremarked,“LookslikeIcanteaseMr.Bryanaboutthis.Hemagbehind Nehemiahinhislovelife<b>,</b>butnowhecan’tevenkeepupwithSamuel.”


    EmelieandSamuelncedover together.TheyspottedWilliaminasuit,pushingashoppingcart,whilePatricia,inareddress<b>,</b>heldontohis arm.


    Samuelsmiled.“Whatacoincidence.Mr.MiddletonandMs.May,areyoualsohereforsomeshopping?”


    Emelie,notwantinganypersonalinteractionwithWilliam<b>,</b>politelysmiledandsaid,“We’realldonehere,sowe’llheadoutfirst.”


    “Comeon,let’sleavetogether.We’refinishedtoo,”Patriciasuggested.ItleftEmeliewithnooptionbuttoapanythemtothecheckout.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Patriciaboughtsomeeverydayitemsandsnacks.William’spresenceonamereshoppingtrip addedanintriguingdynamictohisrtionshipwithPatricia.


    Bythecounter,therewerecondomsondisy,andPatricianudgedWilliamteasinglywithherelbow.“Hey,Will,areyougettinganyofthese?”


    Williamgaveheranindifferentnce.


    Thewayshesaidhisnamecarriedaflirtatiousundertone.


    TurningbacktoEmelieandSamuel,Patriciaasked,“Mr.SwansonandMs.Hoven,doyoutwoneedthese?”


    Samudjustedhissses,hisexpressionremainingcalm.Butgivenhistypicallygood–natureddemeanor,thissubtlechangeindicatedhisannoyance.“Pleaserefrainfromsuchjokes,Ms.May.”


    “What’stheretobeshyabout?Weallknoweachother’srtionships,”Patriciasaidcasually.


    Shewasreferringtothecruisepartyincident.Duringthecruise,EmeliespentthenightwithSamuel,whilePatriciaspentitwithWilliam.


    William’sstarepiercedEmelielikeanarrowmadeofice.Itinstantlybroughtbackmemoriesofhiswarningattheracetrack.


    Hewouldmakeherpayforher“betrayal“.


    Emelieavoidedhisgaze.


    Afterpayingthebill,theyheadedbacktothehoteltogether.EmelieandSamuelwerestayingonthe17thfloor,whileWilliamandPatriciawereonthe19th,sotheygotofftheelevatorfirst.


    Thus,bothPatriciaandWilliamwitnessedEmelieenteringSamuel’sroom.


    Hummingatune,Patriciaremarked,“Wouldn’titbeeasieriftheyjustbookedoneroominthefirstce?”


    Williamremainedsilent,buthiseyesbetrayedaweightyfrostiness.


    –


    EmelieandSamuel neededtodiscusssomework–rtedmatters.


    Intheworldofresearch,itwasoftencrucialtoconducton–siteinvestigationstouncoverproblems.Forinstance,thecoldertemperaturesinWimstourCitycouldbeamajor factor.


    Theirdiscussionscontinueduntildinnertime,promptingthemtochooseroomservice.Afterenjoyingtheir foodandconversation<b>,</b>theybidfarewell,onlytorealizeitwasalreadypast9:00pm.


    EmelieendedupspendingmorethanthreehoursinSamuel’sroomwithoutevenrealizingit.


    Thoughtheirroomswereonthesamefloor,theyweren’tnexttoeachother.


    Navigatingthroughthehotelcorridors,shefollowedthesignsonthewallsanddidn’tencounter anyone alongtheway<b>.</b>


    However,atthatmoment,sheexperiencedthatunsettlingsensationagain.Itwasasifshewasbeingwatched,perhapsevenphotographed.


    Emeliequicklyturnedherhead,onlytofindnothingthere.


    Ifithappenedonce,itcouldbedismissedasatrickofthemind,buttwice?Shecouldn’tignorethefeelinganylonger.Shewassuresomeonewastailing her.Insteadofrushingbacktoherroom<b>,</b>Emeliechosetoconfrontthetracker.


    Thefeelingofbeingwatchedwasn’texclusivetoWimstourCity.EmelieexperienceditafewtimesbackinCapebattCitytoo.


    Ifitturnedouttobetrue,itwouldbeabsolutelyterrifying.Ifshe<b>didn’t</b>catchthepersonnow,sheknewshe’dbeconstantlyonedgeinthefuture.


    Emeliegrabbedherpeppersprayfromherbagandcautiouslymovedtowardthehallway’er.


    Chapter159PersonalNurse


    Asshegotcloser,shenoticedashadowontheground.


    Withherlipspressedtogether,Emelietightenedhergriponthepeppersprayandchargedforwardwithoutasecondthought,aimingitdirectlyattheperson-


    Thesuddenactionstartledtheperson,whoswiftlygrabbedherhandandraiseditabovetheirhead,causingthespraytoshoottowardtheceiling.


    Despitethis,apotentstinginggasstilllingeredintheair.


    Themanwastednotimeinpullingheraside.Takingafewstepsback,hepressedherhandsagainstthewall.


    Emelieinstinctivelyfoughtback,butheeffortlesslypinnedherdown.


    Loweringhishead,heasked,“Howmany timesareyounningtousethesametacticonme?”


    Thevoicesoundedeerilyfamiliar.


    “Ormaybeyou’reupforanothernightofbeingmypersonalnurse?”hejoked.


    Emelielookedupinastonishment.William?


    Sheblurtedout,“Whyisityou?”