Chapter<b>293</b>
Mostfolksknockedwitharhythmofeithertwoquicktapsfollowedbyalongeroneortwolongknocksfollowedbyaquick<b>tap</b>Butthepersonoutsidemydoorwasyingawholedifferenttune“Knock–knock,knock–knock,knock–knock,knock–knack,knock–knock<b>,</b>knock”Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.
“<b>Knock</b><b>,</b>knock,knock!Knock,knock,knock.”
Theknockingsomehowmorphedintoamelodyreminiscentofachildhoodjingle.Still,itdidn’tmakemeany!wokenup.
less
grumpyaboutbeing
Shufflinginmyslippers,Iwenttothedoorandyankeditopen,onlytofindGregoryatthedont<b>his</b>hairamess,drapedinanoversizedhoodie
Seeingmestillinmypajamas,hesmirked,“Jane,yourememberwe’vegotthattriptoVistaTowntoday,right?”
Iwasimpatient.“Yeah,ofcourse.Itextedyostnight,askingwhenwewereleaving.Younevergotbacktome,remember?”
TheprospectofhittinguptheVistaTownmarket hadtogothroughhim,andsuddenly,mymominggrumpinessvanished,recedbyasenseofurgencyandperhapsevenatouchofappreciation.“Ifiguredyou’reusuallyupatoddhoursandthoughtIshouldletyoucatchsomeextra2’s.And thenagain,what’sgotyou upsoearly<b>today</b>?”
Heleanezilyagainstmydoorframewithhiseyeshalf–closed.“Haven’tsleptyet”
Isaid,“Thenmaybeyoushouldheadbackandgetsomesleep.”
Icoulduseabitmoreshut–eyemyself.Workhadbeenabeast,and goodsleepwasaluxuryIhadn’tindulgedinfordays.
Gregoryeyedme.“So,amIgoingbacktosleep,orareyou?”
Hencedathiswristwatch,casuallyadding,“Twentyminutes.IfIdon’tseeyouwithyourluggagereadytogo,considerthatbusinessopportunitygone.”
Bang!Thatsnappedmeawake.Immedthedoorshut,rushed<b>back</b>tomyroom<b>,</b>andpackedmyclothesintomysuitcase
Afteraquickwash–upandgrabbingafewsandwichesandyogurtsfromthefridgeforbreakfastonthego,Ireopenedthedoortofind Gregoryhadvanished.Whencheckingmyphone,Isawamessagefromhimsenttenminutesago.Waitingdownstairs]
Thatwastruetohisstylewithoutunnecessarywords,notanextrapunctuationmarkinsight.
Iheadeddownstairs,expectingtoseehisusualshysportscar,butinstead,aluxurioussedanparkedoutfront.
Standingbythecat,thedriverpolitelyinquired,“Ms.Webster?”
Inodded,replying.“That’sme.”
“Mr.Fordisalreadyinside.The drivertookmyluggage,openedthecar doorforme,andtherewasGregory,fastasleepwithaneyemaskon,oblivioustotheworld.
ThejourneyfromRiverCitytoVistaCitywasshort, barelytwohoursonthehighway.
Seeinghimsopeaceful,Ifinishedmymakeshiftbreakfastand,findingfortableposition,driftedoffmyself.
“Lily”
Inalightsleep,Ifaintly heardamurmurbesideme.Andalmostinstinctively,Irespondedwithasoft“Hmm….”
Thatresponsejerkedmeawake.Openingmyeyes,Isaw<b>a</b>pairofblue<b>,</b>scrutinizingeyesstaringrightatme!
Startled,Ipattedmychest,tryingtocalmmyracingheart.“Gosh,whyareyoulookingatmelikethat?”
ThatwasadifferentGregory,hisusualcarefreedemeanorrecedwithanuncharacteristic<b>chill</b>.“Didyoujustrespond?”
“No,notatall.Hisintensegazemademeuneasy,andIalmostinstinctivelydeniedit.
Thatseemed
Meanwhile,the carsmoothlyenteredagrandestate,passingthroughaseaofflowersbeforestoppingbeforeamansionthetoleapoutofafairytale.
Itappearedhehadnotifiedthemofourarrival,asabutler,dressedinthepart,wasalreadywaitingforusatthedoor
“Mr.Ford,LadyRamonaheard ofyourreturnandhasbeenwaitingoryouheresincedawn.”
GregoryseemedtohaveaclosertionshipwithRamona,hiseyeslightingup,“Ramona’shere?”