<b>Chapter </b><b>195 </b>
Last night, he was still out under the stars with his old me, spending the whole night in that romantic haze.
And now, first thing in the morning, he’s here at her house, ying the attentive gentleman.
If that’s not master–level time management, what is?
But what exactly was his goal?
“I’m pretty sure I made myself clear, Seth. We’re done, over, finished. Our lives are supposed to stay separate. So why are you at my mom’s ce now? What kind of game are <i>you </i>ying?” Noreen’s voice was sharp, her eyes shing. “Do you think this little roundabout approach is going to make me go soft?”
If so, he seriously underestimated her.
She, Noreen, didn’t do second chances–and she definitely didn’t go crawling back to old mistakes.
Seth didn’t get angry at her barrage of questions. He just cocked an eyebrow and asked, “Do you really hate me that much?”
Noreen didn’t hesitate for a second. “Of course. If you were locked in a room with a murderer and I had two bullets, I’d shoot you. Twice.”
Seth just smiled–a fleeting, enigmatic curve of his lips that almost gave him an air of sincerity.
“So, you really do hate me.”
Noreen had no interest in dragging this out any longer.
The elevator doors slid open and she strode out, not even ncing back to see if he’d follow.
Seth’s long legs made up for lost time; even though he got off the elevator a beatter, he caught up with her in just a few steps.
“Did you take that lucky charm from my car?” he asked, matching her pace.
Noreen quickened her stride, refusing to look at him. “No! Don’t try to pin that on me. And another thing–stop bothering my mom, and stop interfering with my life.”
He just responded with a nomittal, “Alright.”
She had no idea if he was actually listening, but she’d said everything that needed saying.
There was nothing left to discuss.
And she sure as hell didn’t want anything more to do with him.
The day was bright and clear, and the two o’clock sun poured down between them–casting a literal line in the sand, dividing their shadows sharply on the sidewalk.
“My dad’s birthday ising up,” Seth said suddenly, his gaze fixed on the two shadows moving apart. “He’s not exactly fond of me. If you can… would you go see him?”
Noreen stopped in her tracks.
1/2hrshal
19:36
Only then did it click–this was why Seth had shown up at her house, putting on that act.
Trading in a favor, was he?
She didn’t bother giving him an answer. She just got in her car and drove away.
In the rearview mirror, Seth stood there, unmoving.
He just stood, staring off in the direction she’d gone, lost in thought.
She hadn’t hesitated for a second–walking away with the air of someone finally,pletely free.
Noreen went straight back to the office to work overtime, and while she was at it, cleared out her overflowing inbox of résumés.
One of them caught her eye–a familiar name.
Ruby Wilder.
Must have been let go by Aurelion Group.
Noreen wasn’t surprised. Seth was always strict when it came to personnel decisions.
Well–except for Bianca.
Noreen rejected Ruby Wilder’s application outright.
Sure, Ruby waspetent–otherwise she wouldn’t have made it through Aurelion Group’s notoriously tough screening process.
But she was a schemer, the kind of trouble Noreen had no intention of inviting in.
By the time she finished thest résumé, it was nearly eight o’clock.
She stretched, wincing at the stiffness in her lower back, and grabbed her bag to head home.
It was New Year’s break, so the whole building was eerily quiet.
She waited by the elevator for a while before it finally made its way down.
When the doors opened, there was someone inside.
Someone she knew.
Scott looked just as surprised to see her. “Secretary Gilmore? What are you doing here?”
He was carrying a cardboard box filled with personal items.
Looked like he’d just cleared out his desk.
“I resigned from Aurelion Group,” Noreen exined as she stepped in.
Scott hadn’t heard. He looked genuinely shocked.
After all, to most people, Aurelion Group was a dream job–great benefits, high pay. People fought tooth and nail to get in.