Chapter167YouCareAboutMe
Intheafternoon,Emeliewasengrossedinhertablet.Shewasmeticulously<b>organizing</b>datawhenPatriciasuddenlycameupbesideher.
“Hmm,<b>looks</b>likesomething’snotrighthere,”Patricimentedcasually,pointingatthescreen.
Emelie,<b>taking</b>Patricia’s<b>word</b>forit,lookedover.“oh?Where’sthemistake?
Patriciagestured<b>vaguely</b>,usingitasaseguetochatandgossip
Leaningin,shecasuallyasked,“So,you’retheonewholeftthatmarkonMr.Middleton’sfacstnight,huh?”
SensingPatricia’srealintention,Emeliechosenottoindulgeherfurther
Speakingsoftly,Patriciapersisted,“What madeyouthinkyoucoulddothat?
Emeliedidn’thaveanyjustification.ItwasWilliamwholostcontrfterafewdrinks.
Patriciasnorted,saying,“You’requitebold.”
EmeliencedatWilliamacrosstheroom.Despiteitonlybeingthenextday,therewasnosignofthealtercationonhisface.
Heseemeposedandsobernow.Dressedsharplyinacksust,hewapletelydifferentfrostnight
WhenWilliamcaughthereye,Emeliequicklyreturnedherattentiontoherwork.
ButitalsohintedthatPatriciahadseenWilliamthepreviousnight,leavingroomforspectionaboutwhethertheyspentthenighttogether.
Feeling<b>unsure</b>herself,Emeliecouldn’thelpbutthink thatothersmightbeinthesameboat.
Theprojectwasquiteextensive.Withmanydifferenponents,noteveryoneworkedcloselytogether.
Forexample,Emelie,whowasresponsiblefordatadetection,andrecurding,onlyjoinedtheteambrieflyatthebeginningtomeetMrs. ParkerfromZI’sside.
Throughouttheentireafternoon,shedidnLencounterWilliamagain.Itaffordedherasenseofort,
Laterthatnight,backatthehotel,sheorganizedthe dataintotablesandpromptlysentitback totheteam.Samuelmessagedherprivately,expressinggratitudeforherhardwork
Emelietookthechancetoaskhimaboutthboratory
“Therewasafire,andwelostsomedata.Theyreworkingonsalvagingwhattheycan,”Samuelreplied.
Emmeliecouldn’thelpbutthinkWilliamhadgoofarN?velDrama.Org holds ? this.
Samuelcheckedinonce<b>more</b><b>,</b>asking,“Mr.Middletondidn’tgiveyouahardtime,didhe?”
Readinghismessage,EmelierecalledWilliam’swordsfromthepreviousnightanddecidedtoaddresstheissuedirectly.“Areyouengaged?”sheasked.
Thoughsheinitiallytoyedwithamoresubtleapproach,EmeliefeltthatbeingstraightforwardwasasignofrespectforSamuel’susualsincerity.
Ifhedid<b>have</b>ncée,itwouldbebestforthemtomaintainsomedistance.EmelieunderstoodtheimportanceofboundariesfortheirfutureinteractionsSamoeldidn’treply,butafter fiveminutes,hecalledher.Emellequicklyanswered.
“Howdidyoufindoutaboutthefancething?”Samusked
Emeliereplied,“Justheardsomerumors.Sinceyou’venevermentioneditbefore,Iwasabitsurprised.I’mjustasking casually.Ifyou’renofortableanswering,forgebroughtit<b>up</b>
“No,it’sfine”Samuel’svoiceremainedgentle,reflectinghisamiablenature.Idohaveone!
<b>Emelie</b>stayedsilent
Samuelchuckledlightlyasherified.Butit’sjustanarrangementmadebyourfamilies.So<b>,</b><b>it’s</b><b>not</b>reallyabigdeal.
“Neitherofushasanyfeelingsforeachotheranyway.Thatwomanactually<b>has</b>athingformyolderbrother,BryanThey’vegottenprettyclostely,<b>so</b>it’sevenlessofapossibilitybetweenus,”
“Ah,Isee.”EmeliewasreassuredthatSamuelwasn’tthepersonWilliamhadportrayedhimtobe.
Her<b>mind</b>driftedtoPatricia.IturredtoherthatBryanmighthaveotherwomenbesidesPatriciainhislife,
Alternatively,perhapsPatriciawasinsignificanttoBryan,sohepassedherofftoWilliamwithoutmuchthought.
Whileshemused<b>,</b>Samuelchuckedsoftlyontheotherend,asifseeingtheseedshehadntedfinallybeginningtosprout
“<b>Emelie</b>,I’mactuallydyouaskedmeaboutthis,”he<b>said</b>
Emeliewaspuzzled“Huh“Why?”
“Itshows<b>you</b>careaboutme.”