Chapter160<b>Good</b>Taste
<b>“</b>Whoelsewoulditbe?<b>”</b>William’sexpressionturnedfrosty.<b>“</b>Doyouthinkmesendingamessagehereis<b>getting</b>inyour<b>way</b><b>?</b><b>”</b>
EmelieTellsilent.
Itdidn’tmakesense.JaydenandAlexiswereonthe20thfloor.WilliamandAshton,<b>along</b>withPatricia<b>,</b>wereonthe19thfloor<b>,</b>andshewaswith Samuelonthe17th
floor.
Whyonearthwouldhebeonthe17thfloor?Isheactuallyhere<b>to</b>meetSamuel?Hecan’t possiblybe<b>here</b>forher<b>,</b>couldhe?
Emelle’seyesbrieflyflickered<b>,</b><b>but</b>thosedetailsdidn’tmattermuchatthemoment.Sherealizedtheircurrent<b>position</b>wasimproper,andshealsonoticedastrongsmell<b>of</b>alcoholon<b>him</b>,
Shecouldn’t help butwonder<b>if</b>he went<b>out</b>drinkingafterreturningfromthemall.
<b>“</b>Mr.Middleton,pleaseletmego,”Emelierequested.
William’sfocuslingeredonthescarfadorningherneck.ItwastheveryoneSamuelhadhelpedherputon.
AsherecalledthevariousincidentsbetweenherandSamuel,hisexpressiongrewincreasinglyfrosty.Hisgazethenshifteddownwardonceagain.
Thebagshe’dbeencarryingamomentagoslippedfromhergrasp,scatteringitscontentsonthefloor.Atthetoyabra.Itwaspinkandadornedwitce.
Seeinghisgazeonherclothes,Emeliegrittedherteethandsnapped,“Mr.Middleton!Letmego!”
Williamncedatherfaceandremarked,“You’renotgettinganyyounger,yetyoustilldresslikeateenager.ButIhavetoadmit,you’vegotgoodtaste<b>.</b><b>”</b>
Emelie,clearlyangry,shotback,“Mr.Middleton,verbalharassmentisstillharassment.Showsomerespect<b>!</b>”
“Howdoyoudefineharassment? I’mjustsayingyouhavegoodtaste,”William’sexpressionremainedserious,thoughhistoneheldahintofmalice.
Hecontinued,“Whenotherplimentyou,it’spraise.ButwhenIdoit,suddenlyit’sharassment?”
Emelierefusedtounderstandhislogic.ShetriedtofreeherselffromWilliam’sgrip,butheheldontight.
“YouwentshoppingwithSamuel,gotmatchingoutfits,andevenboughtunderwear?Thenyoutwospentthreehoursaloneintheroom?”
Emeliepressedherlipstogether.
SheboughttheunderwearbecausesheknewWimstourCity’sweathercouldbechillywithlittlesunlight,makingithard<b>for</b>clothestodry.Shehadn’tpackedmanychanges,soshegotthemjustincase.Andwhenshedid,Samuelwasbusycheckingoutotherstuff.
Butshedidn’tfeeltheneedtoexinallofthistoWilliam.Outoftheblue,sheshouted,“Mr.Swanson,”<b>from</b>behindhim.
William’sattentionfalteredforamoment,allowingEmelietoslipaway.Swiftly,shegrabbedtheclothesfromthegroundandhurriedoff.
Herexpressionwasicycold.
Shewasalready sickenedbyhisrtionshipwithDaphneandPatricia–anyonewithaspeckofdecencywould feelthesame–andyet,hestillwentthroughwithit.
<b>It</b>onlyintensifiedherdisgust.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.
William’svoicecamefrombehindher,“IfmyrtionshipwithPatriciabothersyou,whynoeandaskmeaboutit?”
Emeliefoundthissituationincrediblybaffling.
Whendidsheeverindicatethatshecared?
Shechosetoignoreitandtookouttheroomkeycardtoopenthedoor.
AshadowfelloverWilliam’sgaze<b>.</b>
Emeliesuddenlyfelthimclosinginfast.Justassheturnedbackwarily,Williamwasalreadybehindher.
Beforeshecouldreact,hepushedherintotheroom.Andthen,thedoormmedshut.
Theroomwasplungedintodarkness,withnolightsilluminatingthespace.
Emeliecouldn’tseeathing.Shedidn’tknowwherehewas,butshecouldfeelhimaroundher.Suddenly,hehadherpinnedagainstthewall.
She felthimyankoffherscarfandtossitaway,followedbyhimpullingoutthehairtie.
<b>“</b>Howmessy!”hesneered.
Emelie’smindinstantlyshedbacktowhatPatriciahadsaidonthene.
<b>To</b>Emelie,howWilliamchosetotreathiswomenwashisbusiness.Whyshouldshe bedraggedintoit?Didhereallythinkshehadanythingtodowithhim?Emelieclenchedherteeth,silentlystrugglinginthedarkness.
Herphonesuddenlyrang.Shehadleftitinhercoatpocket.Williamreachedinandpulleditout.
“William!<b>”</b>Emelieeximed.Shewassurprisedbyhickofrespect.
ItwasSamuelcalling.
“Someone’scallingright afteryoulefthisroom.Ms.Hoven,you’requiteclosewithyour newboss,”William said.
<b>He</b>clearlyimpliedthatwhenshewashissecretary,shewasalsovery“close”tohimasherboss.
Emeliewaslivid.“Mr.Middleton,mindyourownbusiness<b>!</b>”
Williamchuckled,thensuddenlyletgoofherandsteppedbackwithherphone<b>in</b>hand.
Chapter160GoodTaste
AfraidofwhatWilliammight sayifheansweredthecall,Emelierushedafterhimanddemanded,“Givethatbacktome!”