Chapter 104: Chapter 102: Crashing into a Pair of Smiling Eyes (6)
Pulling open the curtains to let the sunlight stream in, Nora Ainsworth stretched her arms. As of today, she was officially free—much sooner than she had ever imagined.
She glanced at the time—it was already a little past three in the afternoon. She needed to go to the market, and since it was close by, she headed out with a shopping basket in hand.
She wore a black long-sleeved shirt with a pink, short-sleeved sweater over it and a pair of jeans. The casual, comfortable outfit made her look much more cheerful.
The market wasn’t crowded at this hour. She picked out the vegetables, meat, and some household essentials she needed, and soon found herself at a street corner, carrying two large bags.
Just as she was about to get home, a familiar car stopped across from her. It was someone she hadn’t seen in a long time—and someone Nora Ainsworth had no particular desire to see.
He opened the car door and looked at her. "I’ve been looking for you for a long time. I never expected to run into you here."
Nora Ainsworth’s expression was flat. "Why were you looking for me? We have nothing to do with each other now."
Nicholas Ainsworth gave a resigned smile. "You’re right, we don’t. That’s why I’m looking for you. Get in."
Nora Ainsworth rolled her eyes. "If you have something to say, say it here. My teachers always taught us not to get into cars with people we don’t know well. You can get into trouble that way."
Nicholas Ainsworth chuckled. "And did your teachers tell you that it’s okay to get in a car with someone who’s like a brother to you?"
"If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving." Nora Ainsworth didn’t want to talk to him any more. After all, they had an unpleasant past, and there was really nothing for her to say to him.
He took a step forward and grabbed her arm. "Get in the car. Or I’ll carry you in."
Nora Ainsworth had no choice but to get in the car, grocery basket and all. "Fine. What do you want to say?"
"Where are you living now? What’s your phone number?"
"Are you running a background check on me? I don’t want to tell you. We’re not that close."
"Just tell me," he said bluntly. "I’m just concerned about you."
"Well, thank you for the kind thought, but I’m doing great. I don’t need your concern." Nora Ainsworth was completely unappreciative. She had no goodwill toward the Ainsworth Family to begin with; after what Sharon Ainsworth and her father had pulled, there was no way she could have a pleasant conversation with him.
Nicholas Ainsworth leaned closer, and Nora Ainsworth flinched back. "What are you doing?"
"You can either give them to me, or you can sit in this car all day. Your choice."
Nora Ainsworth’s eyes widened. "You’re threatening me again? What gives you the right? Who are you to me, anyway? What gives you the right?"
A smile touched his lips. "The right comes from the fact that I can keep you from getting out of this car. Simple as that."
Nora Ainsworth was speechless. She had no choice but to rattle off a random string of numbers, but to her surprise, he dialed it immediately. The call failed—it was a non-existent number.
Nicholas Ainsworth shot her a look, his meaning perfectly clear.
She gave a sheepish laugh. "My mistake, I must have misremembered. I’ll tell you again."
After giving him her phone number and home address, she said, "Don’t come to my house unless it’s important. I’m going back to school now, and I need to get home."
She picked up her grocery basket, ready to get out, but it was clear he wasn’t ready to let her leave.
"Is it really that hard for you to talk to me for a little while?"
Nora Ainsworth looked at him. "Have you lost your mind? You’re such a busy man; what could you possibly have to say to me?"
Something she couldn’t quite decipher flickered in his eyes—it was faint, but it was there.
"I have a lot to say to you."
Nora Ainsworth felt uneasy. When she had lived with the Ainsworth Family, she’d had very little contact with him. She couldn’t understand what he could possibly want to say to her.
"We don’t really have much to talk about."
Nicholas Ainsworth changed the subject. "Nora, I’m so sorry about what happened with your mother. And to you... I’m sorry, too."
Nora Ainsworth gave a wry smile. "What does that have to do with you?"
"Could you not use that tone with me?" he said, frowning.
"Then what tone should I use?" A hint of contempt flashed in Nora Ainsworth’s eyes. "I’m grateful for the time I stayed at your home, but that doesn’t mean I liked it. There’s nothing for you and me to talk about, don’t you get it? I don’t like your dad, I don’t like your sister, and I’m indifferent to you. Is that clear enough? So from now on, let’s just pretend we’re strangers if we see each other."
She tried the door, found it was unlocked, and got out.
Nicholas Ainsworth watched her retreating figure, unable to find any words to refute her tirade.
Nora Ainsworth closed her front door and started to cook. But the more she thought about it, the more upset she became, and the more she felt that Nicholas Ainsworth, with his stone face, was a little unhinged.
After dinner, she lay in bed reviewing her old course material. A few hours passed without her realizing it. She glanced at the clock—it was only eight, but she figured she might as well go to sleep.
For some reason, she logged into MSN, setting her status to invisible, and was surprised to see that Quentin Grant was online.
’It was completely over between them. They were strangers now—no need to even say hello.’
Nora Ainsworth tossed and turned in bed for a while. The more she thought about it, the more she felt she was the one who always lost out. She kicked her legs in frustration for a bit, trying to fall asleep, only to find that she now had insomnia.
She put on some music to help her fall asleep. Just as she was finally drifting off, her phone suddenly rang, the sound jarring in the silent night.
Nora Ainsworth immediately checked her phone and saw that it was Chloe Marshall calling.
"Hey, Chloe, what’s up?"
Chloe Marshall asked in a hushed voice, "Nora, did you really move out of Young Master Grant’s place? Where are you living now?"
"I’m living not far from the school entrance. I’m planning to finish my degree," Nora Ainsworth answered honestly.
Chloe Marshall glanced at Ethan Ellsworth for a cue before saying, "Nora, it’s only a little after eight. Boss Ellsworth is hosting a barbecue at his place tonight. It’s just a few of us, want to come?"
Figuring that Quentin Grant would be there too, Nora Ainsworth refused. "I’ll pass. I’m already in bed."
Chloe Marshall pointed to her phone and looked at Ethan Ellsworth, her eyes asking, ’She won’t come. What now?’
Ethan Ellsworth made a few hand gestures, leaving Chloe Marshall to say, "Nora, Young Master Grant isn’t coming. Boss Ellsworth already called him, and he said he wouldn’t make it. It’ll just be us. We don’t know if Young Master Hawthorne will be here, but Boss Ellsworth is insisting we all get together and have some fun. You should come too, Nora, please?"
Hearing this, Nora Ainsworth finally agreed. "Alright, then. Send me the address."
After hanging up, Chloe Marshall flashed an "OK" sign at Ethan Ellsworth, though she still looked a little worried. "Boss Ellsworth, is this really okay?"
Ethan Ellsworth waved her concern away. "Young Master Grant isn’t coming; he already said he wouldn’t. With Nora here, we can all have a good time. What’s the harm?"
"But what if Young Master Grant shows up anyway?"
Ethan Ellsworth shrugged. "Usually, when he says he’s not coming, he doesn’t."
He had barely finished speaking when his eyes widened in shock.
"Oh, we’re screwed. He actually came!"
Chloe Marshall turned around and saw that he was, in fact, there. She reached for her phone to call Nora Ainsworth and tell her not to come, but Ethan Ellsworth stopped her.
"Don’t call her. People can still be friends after breaking up, right? Why act like enemies? It’s fine. Just play it by ear and be careful what you say."
