Norah stared at the spot, her mind going blank. She slumped, feeling utterly defeated.
Focused on driving, Sean asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Do you need more water?” He handed her the thermos from beside him and said, “Here is more warm water. We’ll be home before you know it.”
Norah took the thermos in her hands. In the air-conditioned car, she felt a warmth spreading in her chest as she held it. She blinked and hesitated before speaking up.
“Mr. Scott, how would you handle it if your car got dirty?”
Sean was puzzled. “What do you mean?”
With a shy tone, Norah confessed, “I’m on my period, and I accidentally stained your seat.”
After admitting this, Norah shut her eyes, too anxious to see Sean’s reaction, feeling embarrassed by the unfortunate incident. Mortified by the thought of the mess, she could sense the discomfort growing as she sat there, uneasy in Sean’s presence.
Sean’s cheeks turned pink as he awkwardly reassured her, “No worries. I’ll get it cleaned.”
Feeling embarrassed, Norah offered, “Please let me know the cost, so I can cover it.”
“Money isn’t an issue. What kind of person do you take me for?”
Norah was taken aback. She recalled her time with the Carter family, where she had to ask for money for any purchase. Initially, Derek complied every time she asked, but as time passed, he became increasingly impatient with it.
At that time, she tried to be the ideal wife, learning from novels and dramas, and stopped asking Derek for money. Derek never showed interest in her personal life or how she managed her finances, focusing only on himself and Madeline.
Norah had been Derek’s wife in name, but for two years, she had simply been his caregiver, ending up with nothing to show for it.
“Don’t worry. We have about an hour and a half left,” Sean said, checking the navigation. “If you’re uncomfortable, we can stop at the service area ahead.”
Norah declined. “Let’s head back to Dreamview Villas.” She doubted she’d feel comfortable leaving the car even at a service area, considering the visibility of the stain. It seemed wiser to change her outfit.
“Understood,” Sean replied, steering toward Dreamview Villas.
“You should consider hiring a bodyguard for trips to the Glamour Club next time. I might not always be there to save you.”
Norah was caught off guard by Sean’s words and retorted sharply, “That’s my concern, Mr. Scott. It doesn’t seem to involve you.”
Her harsh words darkened Sean’s expression instantly. “Can’t I worry about you as a friend? I just don’t want you to face such situations again.”
After a brief silence, he added, “Glophia is generally safe, but it has its dangers. Wouldn’t it be wise to take precautions?”
Clutching her stomach and feeling the onset of sweat, Norah acknowledged, “I understand. I’ll be more cautious next time.”
Norah figured she didn’t have to change just yet. Echoing Aaron’s words, roses were meant to flourish. During the two years with the Carter family, Norah had picked up plenty of lessons and a hefty dose of life wisdom.
Such as the fact that men often stretch the truth, and their promises can be fleeting. In other words, even when a woman ties the knot, she shouldn’t put all her trust in a man. Otherwise, she might find herself feeling quite vulnerable.
Looking back, Norah considered those two years a waste of time.
Sean could tell that Norah was feeling down, so he remained silent. Adding more words would only irritate her further. He decided to step up and do more for her when needed. Through their shared experiences, Sean had come to recognize Norah’s self-reliance. She preferred to handle her challenges alone.
He was grateful to be there for her today. Otherwise…
Norah’s foul mood seemed tied to her menstrual cycle. She figured it wasn’t so bad to have been alone all her life. With this thought in mind, Norah rested her chin on her hand and gazed out the window. The highway lay dark below, while a bright moon hung in the sky, casting its gentle glow.
She reached around for her phone, only to realize her bag was still in her car, along with her phone. Without it, Norah felt somewhat lost.
“Are you bored? There’s a laptop here you could use to watch TV,” Sean said, looking in the rearview mirror. He noticed that Norah seemed a bit dull. Maybe the water helped, and he was glad she wasn’t in as much pain. Initially, Sean had feared that her condition might require a hospital visit.
Norah felt bored. She grabbed the laptop and placed it on her lap.
If Phillip caught sight of this, his eyes would surely widen in surprise. Sean’s laptop was strictly private. Even Phillip had only touched it a few times. Plus, it was strictly for work, containing lots of confidential information.
The laptop was a sleek silver-gray, the epitome of the latest style. As Norah powered it on, she discovered that the transportation system had been hacked. Without commenting, she searched for a comedy through the browser, seeking a distraction.
Laughter filled the car, creating a bit of fuss, but Sean thought it sounded pleasant.
“Mr. Scott, do you happen to know the Dreamview Villas’ property management? My phone is left behind in my car,” Norah asked, her attention drifting from the comedy as her interest waned. “I was too flustered at that moment.”
Norah felt that if she had remembered to grab her bag at that moment, she would have given herself away.
After a moment, Sean offered, “I can call Phillip to retrieve your belongings for you. We might as well head to my place directly.”
“No, thank you, Mr. Scott. I’ll just ask them to let me into my place,” Norah quickly declined.
When Norah had caught a cold, had a fever, and passed out the other day, she had been carried back to the Scott family’s house, possibly into Sean’s room. She hoped it wouldn’t happen again.
Running into Susanna again would just be embarrassing for Norah. She wasn’t sure if she was okay with doing that.
Sean spoke without a hint of emotion, making it hard to gauge his feelings. Norah found it difficult to read him. She was certain that once he had decided on something, he would stand his ground. So, she agreed, “Alright. I’ll listen to you, Mr. Scott.”
After giving her consent, Norah came up with another question. “Mr. Scott, do you have that thing at your house?” She had sanitary napkins at her place, but she couldn’t get in at the moment.
Norah’s expression turned into a frown. The situation was more uncomfortable than she had anticipated.
“Give Phillip a call. He’ll see to it that someone gets it ready for you,” Sean said, handing her his phone. “Call him now so it’s ready by the time we get back.”
Norah put the TV drama on hold and reached for his phone. Sean’s phone was the latest model from an international brand. Its silver-gray color tone was very fitting for his cold personality. The screen showed the route back to Dreamview Villas.
As Norah was about to call Phillip, a new message flashed on the screen. “Sean, I’m coming back from abroad. Let’s catch up when you’re free.” The name attached to the message was Bel.
Norah chose to ignore it and proceeded to inform Phillip of her request. Upon handing back Sean’s phone, Norah casually mentioned, “You’ve received a message.”
“Alright.” Sean accepted his phone without a glance, swiped back to the map, and placed the phone down.
“Um, aren’t you curious about the message? I couldn’t help but notice it just now. Someone’s invited you out to dinner.”
“Oh, it’s probably just someone unimportant.” Leaning back, his fingers casually resting on the steering wheel, Sean responded, “I’ll check it after we reach the destination.”
The sleek black car entered the luxurious villa complex, coming to a stop in the underground parking. A casual glance from Norah revealed a collection of more than twenty high-end vehicles in the garage. It dawned on her just how wealthy Sean truly was.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.