Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Verge of withering
A faint wave of irritation washed over him.
Nevertheless, he pulled over to the kerb.
His tone grew slightly colder. "Get out."
“Thank you for treating us tonight, Mr Hudson, As for the coat, I’ve washed it already. I’ll return it once it’s dry. Of course. If you wish to have it now..."
Before Alana could finish, Stephan cut her off, his expression still impassive. "Just return it once it’s dry."
Alana choked slightly before finally uttering, "Oh."
“Right then, I’ll be off. Goodnight.”
Alana unbuckled her seatbelt, stepped out of the car, and walked away without looking back. Stephan stared at the girl’s slender, graceful silhouette, lost in thought, his mind wandering to who knows where.
The sweet, delicious scent lingering in the car from the girl’s presence refused to dissipate for a long while.
Suddenly, a call came through, interrupting his thoughts.
He glanced at his phone to see it was his mother calling.
His brow furrowed, a sense of
reluctance mingled with resignation washing over him.
Swiping to answer, his voice was measured. "Hello, Mum."
Mrs Hudson cut straight to the point, “Where are you now?"
Stephan “At home."
“You’re lying. I just saw you at a restaurant. And you were with a girl. Who is she? What’s your relationship with her?"
Stephan’s eyes dilated.
Cynthia pressed on. “Don’t play dumb. Tell me, is that girl your secret girlfriend?"
Stephan paused briefly. "No."
“No. You were not taking that young lady out for a private meal? I had no idea you, a man too busy to even attend arranged meetings, would have time to dine
with a young lady!"
“It was merely dinner. Not a date."
“I don’t care! That girl must have some connection to you. Bring her home so I can have a proper look at her."
Stephan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mum, you’re asking too much."
Cynthia laughed in exasperation. "How is that unreasonable? I simply wish to meet my future daughter-in-law!"
Hearing the words ’future daughter-in-law’ sent an inexplicable flutter through Stephan’s chest, leaving his throat feeling oddly ticklish. "Me and her... it’s nothing serious."
“Still pursuing her?"
Stephan didn’t know what to say.
“If you’re pursuing her, put your foot down. Get her secured quickly. I’m waiting to hold my grandchild, understand?"
“If you want babies, go have some with my father. Don’t come whining to me."
“If I had one with your father, would it be the same as holding your own child. Don’t change the subject. Get her to commit already. I’m waiting for you to bring her home to meet the parents."
Stephan knew his mother’s relentless nature. He gave a perfunctory reply, "Right then." He didn’t take it to heart.
Cynthia hung up satisfied, already dreaming of cradling grandchildren in both arms.
Stephan lingered for a moment before driving back to his flat.
Upon returning to the flat, he saw the black chaise longue in the living room.
Suddenly, he recalled the girl lying beneath him on that very sofa, a blend of innocence and allure, emitting soft, seductive moans that were utterly bewitching.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as a surge of heat raged through his body, refusing to subside...
He was actually, relishing it madly.
***********
Alana returned home, pondering Stephan’s invitation to dinner that evening. It felt rather inexplicable.
But baffling though it was, she didn’t dwell on it. She went to her room to organise her work materials, and when the hour came, she lay down to rest.
In the dead of night.
Alana stirred in a daze, feeling a feverish heat in her head and a chill throughout her body. She felt terribly unwell.
She must have caught a cold.
She tried to struggle out of bed to take some medicine, but she simply didn’t have the strength. Thus, by the following day, Alana’s cold had unhesitatingly worsened.
Not only did her head feel heavy and her legs light, but she was utterly exhausted and couldn’t stop sneezing.
She struggled to her feet, swallowed a cold tablet, and only after tidying herself up did she set off for work.
She rode her electric scooter, buying steamed buns and soy milk on the way to take to work. Upon arriving at the office, Alana ate her steamed buns while still unable to suppress her frequent sneezing.
Carla shot her a concerned look. "Lana, you don’t look too well. You’ve been
sneezing constantly, have you caught a cold?"
Alana sniffed. "A bit. I’ve already taken some medicine, so it’s nothing serious."
Carla nodded. "Right then."
“But if you’re genuinely feeling unwell, you ought to take a day off."
“It’s only work. No need to push yourself so hard. Your health comes first."
Alana smiled. "Thank you."
At that moment, Dane emerged from the office and approached Alana.
“Alana, the HG representative requested your contact details yesterday. Has he been in touch?"
Alana shook her head. "No."
“I see..."
Dane’s tone carried a hint of regret.
“Then keep an eye on your phone. Should the HG representative contact you, inform me immediately."
Alana nodded. "Right."
Her phone was already set to ring mode; any incoming calls or messages would catch her attention immediately.
Dane departed.
Alana immersed herself in her work.
The entire morning passed without the HG representative contacting her.
She’d probably only asked for her contact details on a whim.
Yet Alana still found herself glancing at her phone from time to time.
What if the HG representative did get in touch?
Noticing Alana’s frequent glances at her phone, Vera couldn’t resist a sarcastic
remark.
“Alana, stop looking. What if HG representative did ask for your contact details? She might just be teasing you, having a bit of fun. You’re taking it far too seriously, aren’t you?"
“How utterly foolish. HG is a busy person. Why on earth would she bother contacting a lowly nobody like you?"
“Have you no sense of your own standing?"
Alana frowned. "Vera, have you eaten shit? Your mouth stinks. Get away from me." Carla chimed in, "Vera, shut your trap. Can’t get green to ask for your number
yourself? So jealous you’re dripping with sourness. Whether he contacts Alana or not is none of your business! Always sticking your nose in where it doesn’t belong!"
“You!"
“You lot!"
Vera’s face twisted with fury as she turned and stormed off.
Alana and Carla, relieved to have peace, shared a knowing smile.
The entire day passed.
Not only had Alana’s cold failed to improve, it seemed to have worsened.
On her way home from work, she sneezed while cycling and nearly collided with a car. Fortunately, she managed to swerve in time, otherwise a collision might well have occurred. Upon reaching a chemist near her neighbourhood, Alana went inside to purchase some stronger cold medicine.
The chemist, noticing the unhealthy flush on her cheeks, advised her that if the medication proved ineffective, she should seek hospital treatment for an intravenous drip rather than persisting with it.
Alana nodded, collected her medicine, paid, and headed home.
Back home, enduring dizziness and discomfort, she boiled some noodles for sustenance before immediately taking the medicine.
Just as she was about to retire to her room, she noticed the black coat hanging on the balcony. She walked over and touched it, it was already dry.
Worried that returning it too late might upset him, Alana hesitated only briefly before taking out her phone to send him a message.
Alana: Your coat is dry. When would you like to collect it?
The message was sent, but there was no reply for a long time.
Having taken her medication, Alana felt drowsy. She lay down on the sofa, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.
Her head pounded so fiercely she didn’t noticed the phone screen lighting up repeatedly.
*********
Stephan was entertaining several business partners. Amidst the clinking of glasses, he happened to glance at his phone and saw Alana’s message.
Picking up his phone, he found, unsurprisingly, that it was about returning the coat.
However, he had engagements that evening, and even if he went to retrieve the coat, it would be very late.
Stephan: Can’t make it tonight, let’s reschedule.
The message was drafted, yet he hesitated to send it.
For some reason, she was still on his mind, and he fancied popping around to see her.
Perhaps it was because he’d had a bit too much to drink.
In the silence, he deleted the message he’d just composed and replaced it with:
Stephan: I’ll come around later to pick up my coat.
He sent it and waited a while, but no reply came. He couldn’t tell if she’d seen it or not.
Stephan furrowed his brow, set his phone aside, and ceased staring at it.
The social engagement concluded an hour later, nearing nine o’clock.
Settling into the backseat of the car, Stephan pressed his fingers to his temples.
Only then did he recall something. He picked up his phone and glanced at it, that woman still hadn’t replied.
He paused briefly before composing another message.
Stephan: I’m coming over now.
The message was sent, only to vanish without a trace.
He felt a vague unease. That woman didn’t seem the type to ignore a message.
Besides, she was the one who’d asked when he’d like his coat back, there was no reason for her to ignore him.
Did something happened?
*******
Alana had no idea how long she’d been asleep when, in a daze, she faintly heard her phone ringing.
But her head ached so badly she couldn’t tell whether it was the throbbing in her skull or the phone ringing.
She let it ring on.
Yet the ringing persisted relentlessly, as though determined to keep sounding until she answered.
Finally certain it was her phone, she reached out, found it, and answered without checking who was calling.
“Hello...Who is this?"
“It’s me."
The man’s deep voice reached her, clearing the fog in her head slightly.
“Mr Hud...Mr Hudson.”
“I’m terribly sorry, I’d just fallen asleep and didn’t hear your calls..."
Stephan was exasperated. He’d called her so many times, and she’d simply been asleep?
He’d been genuinely worried something might have happened to her, nearly calling the police in desperation.
He couldn’t help but grow angry. "I’ve called you over a dozen times just now. Are you a pig? Sleeping so soundly?"
“Yes, yes, I’m sorry....” Alana started to apologise, but was suddenly overcome by a fit of coughing, her cheeks flushing crimson.
The violent coughing made the man’s heart tighten, inexplicably. “What’s wrong?
Alana coughed, trying to control it but she couldn’t. “It’s nothing...I...caught cold...that’s...”
Stephan frowned. She had a cold? How serious was it?
“Have you taken any medicine?"
“I have...”
Still coughing like that after taking medicine?!
“I’m currently downstairs at your building. Tell me which block and flat number you’re at?"
“Ahem, Mr Hudson...there’s no need for you to come looking for me. I’ll just bring your coat over..."
Stephan had no patience for this. "Tell me your door number, or I’ll go knocking on every door myself!"
Stephan replied instinctively, "Block B, flat 513."
The moment the words left her mouth, the man hung up.
Realizing he might be coming round, Alana struggled to her feet from the sofa. Forcing herself upright, she went to the balcony to retrieve the coat, folded it neatly, and placed it in a bag. No sooner had she finished than the doorbell chimed.
Carrying the bag, Alana walked to open the door.
A dark figure burst into her field of vision.
The man seemed to have rushed over, slightly out of breath, looking weary from his journey. His black suit carried the chill of the night wind.
His deep, dark eyes fixed upon her, holding her gaze with an intensity that made her feel uneasy.
She tugged at the bag in her hand, prompting him, "Mr Hudson, I’m terribly sorry. It’s my fault for not feeling well and making you come all this way. Here’s your coat..."
Stephan ignored the coat she offered, his gaze fixed intently on her instead.
Her complexion was poor, her face flushed and puffy, her spirits low. She looked utterly wilted, like a flower on the verge of withering.
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