bChapter /bb651 /b

    281

    ine clearly noticed it too. She squinted her tipsy eyes at me, teasing, “Ms. Murphy, is there a fox chasing after you? What kind of wolf is it–the biting kind, the devouring kind, or the protective kind?”

    “You’re drunk. Just a client, that’s all,” I replied, trying to keep my cool.

    ine blinked in surprise. “Calling a client a fox is kind of weird.”

    gave a faint smile. “Nothing weird about it. Some clients are tougher to handle than any fox.”

    ine immediately nodded in agreement. “Totally. The ones I’ve run into are even tougher than ifoxes/i–they’re basically

    bears.”

    On the outside, I kept my cool, but my heart was pounding. ‘Edward’s back in the United Kingdom?‘

    Just then, my phone started ringing again. I ignored it, but ine snatched it up and turned it off. “Seriously, what time is it? Do they have any manners? Who calls someone about business in the middle of the night? Ms. Murphy, you let them get

    away with too much. If it were me, I’d have cursed them out already, she snapped.

    I had no idea what to say.

    It was not that let him get away with too much; it’s just one of Edward’s annoying habits–he always liked to call me in

    the middle of the night.

    I was still debating how to dodge the call, but ine’s move was quick and solved the problem. With that, I didn’t have to

    be in a dilemma anymore.

    It was almost midnight, and to be safe, Lfigured I’d better get ine home.

    ine could really hold her liquor. Even after all those drinks, she was still surprisingly sober.

    On the way, she wouldn’t stop telling me about all the romantic stuff her ex did. ine said, “Skiing… yeah, he taught me

    how to ski. And… he even promised to take me on a cruise…”

    She just kept talking, and I quietly listened, helping her downstairs to her apartment.

    A ck Rolls–Royce sat silently at the entrance of the apartment building, its headlights cutting through the faint mist.

    The beamsnded right across the path we needed to take to get home.

    As soon as I looked up and spotted the car, my heart started thudding in my chest.

    “Seriously, who parks with their headlights on? It’s hurting my eyes,” ine grumbled, clearly annoyed.

    I quickly steered her to the side, making sure the headlights wouldn’t shine in her face.

    bAs /bbI /bwalked past the car, the back window slid down.

    Edward’s authoritative, striking face appeared under the dim streetlights, his expression aloof and untouchable.

    b15:37 /bbThu/bb, /bb18 /bbSept /b

    04 ???? b29/bb%/b}

    He fixed his gaze on me, giving me that look that said I’d crossed the line by ignoring his calls and even shutting off my

    phone.

    I shot him a quick nce, but ine was already clinging to my arm, groaning that she felt sick and needed to get upstairs.

    . I didn’t even bother with Edward–just hurried ine inside the apartment.

    ine hunched over the toilet, throwing up for quite a while. Then she shrugged off her coat, sprawled out on the bed,

    and fell asleep immediately.

    Watching her, it struck me that everyone has to taste the bitterness of love sooner orter.

    I gently closed the door and turned to go downstairs.

    Downstairs, Edward’s car was still parked quietly, the engine off.

    Not far away, someone was crouched down, smoking–a guy who looked like his driver.

    I stood by the car door, and Edward opened it, his voice low. “Get in.”

    I bent down and got inside. Edward said, “Still out drinking thiste?”

    I hesitated for a moment, guessing he must’ve smelled the alcohol on me.

    “My roommate was feeling downb, /bso I went with her to cheer her up,” I exined.

    “I’m not feeling great either. Can you keep mepany?” Edward asked softly.

    I shot him a confused look. “What’s up with you? You don’t look like anything’s wrong.”

    Edward fell silentb, /bstaring out the window. “Do you know what my dad said to me at Ryan’s wedding?”

    My heart skipped a beatb, /bbut I quickly yed it cool. “Is that something I’m allowed to ask?”

    色