Chapter 291: How’s The Soundproofing?
"Generally speaking, when does Miss Swift leave the office every day?" Michael was most concerned that Wendy was working irregular hours.
"Miss Swift is well known throughout the company as a workaholic," the receptionist replied honestly, adding, "Recently, she had often worked through the night into early hours of the morning. Sometimes, when it’s too late to go home, she would just sleep in her office.
"Also, there had been a few times when she had to be hospitalized because she had passed out from overwork..."
As she spoke, the receptionist noted a visible change in Michael’s expression.
There seemed to be aura of icy chill emanating from his entire being, making him look very scary.
By then, the receptionist knew that she had blabbered something that she should not have.
To be exact, she realized that she should not have been so utterly honest with him.
Hastily, she smiled and tried to salvage the situation, "But these days, Miss Swift no longer works long hours and leaves the office fairly early."
"She leaves the office early these days?" Michael asked. Inhaling sharply, he tried to control his emotions and continued, "Didn’t she just leave not long ago?"
"Erm ...," the receptionist mumbled, deeply regretting rattling her mouth off at Michael. "Perhaps she was a tad busy today but generally speaking, she...she..."
Just when the receptionist was about to speak up, Michael said thanks curtly and walked out with the kids.
The receptionist watched as Michael walked away in a huff and typed a few lines in the chat group.
[Hey sisters! Mr. Lucas just turned up with the two kids, looking for Miss Swift. But I fear that I might have put my shoe in my mouth! Oh, what should I do? What should I do?]
[That was the first time I’d met Mr. Lucas. Oh, why, why did I have to be such a darned motor mouth!]
[It was all because of that handsome face of his. I was so captivated by it that my mind had gone blank.]
[Mr. Lucas? What Mr. Lucas? What did he want with Miss Swift?]
[Mr. Lucas, aka Miss Swift’s husband! He was just here, in the office, with Jake and Leah. They’ve just left!!]
[OMG! Mr. Lucas? He was at HG?]
[Aarrgghh! Send us a photo of his face. Does he look like his photos on the internet?]
[Nope!]
[Haiz! So all those photos posted online are fakes!]
[Yep, because he looks soooo much better in the flesh! I was captivated at first sight! Ohhh, if I had not been so enthralled by his looks, I would not have blabbered the wrong things. Pray that Miss Swift will not fire me tomorrow.]
[What exactly did you say to him?]
Oblivious to the lively conversations in the chat group, Michael’s anger was smoldering away with no signs of being appeased.
Even little Leah had sensed the tension in her dad.
Usually very chatty, she opted to remain silent.
With his two kids in tow, Michael went back the way they came.
He recalled the times when he had spoken with Wendy on the phone.
He knew now why she had always been reluctant to switch to video calls.
She always had an excuse to explain away why she would not use the video call -she was in the tub, or jogging, or relaxing with a facial mask.
So now, it appeared that all the excuses were not true.
When in fact, she had been doing overtime in the office all along.
If he had not made this trip personally, he would not have found out that she had been working such long hours.
"Daddy...," Leah finally protested, no longer able to withstand the pain in her hand from being gripped too tightly by Michael. Caught up in his anger about Wendy’s work hours, he had inadvertently increased his grip on her hand, hurting her.
Sounding like she was suffering, she asked, "Can you please not grip me so tightly? My hand hurts!"
When he heard Leah’s voice, Michael realized that, in his fury, he had neglected his two kids.
Suddenly, he loosened his grip on his kids’ hands.
"I’m sorry... Im really sorry," he closed his eyes, trying desperately to compose himself.
He had to remember that he had the kids with him.
Biting her lip, Leah replied softly, "It’s OK.’
...
Meanwhile, Wendy was feeling a tad disappointed.
She had thought that Michael had come to see her.
Even though the probability of that happening was really low.
She had indeed harbored a glimpse of hope.
And was feeling a little dejected now that her sliver of hope had evaporated into thin air.
Truth be told, leaving work at this hour was considered early, as far as she was concerned.
So she decided to have a bubble bath to relax.
When the tub was almost filled, she walked towards it and was about to undress when the doorbell rang.
Who could it be, coming to her home at this time of the night?
She put her coat back on and, in her slippers, went to answer the door.
As a safety precaution, she first looked at the display screen to see who was at the door.
She was stunned, unable to move, when she saw Michael’s very familiar face on the screen.
The continued ringing of the doorbell brought her to her senses and she immediately opened the door.
And there, right in front of her eyes, were Michael and their two children.
Instantly, Leah and Jake tugged their hands away from Michael’s grip and ran towards her, "Mummy..."
Overjoyed, they hugged her around the legs, one for each of them.
In the next instant, Wendy’s eyes welled up with tears.
She sat on her hunches and touched their cheeks tenderly.
Initially thinking that this was a dream, she was finally convinced that they were really here when she felt their warm and tender cheeks.
"Why are you guys here?" Wendy asked, surprised and shedding tears of happiness.
"We came to see you , Mummy," Leah wrapped her arms around Wendy’s neck and gave her a big kiss on the cheek.
Then she reached up and gently wiped away the tears on her mother’s face, asking, "Are you not happy that we are here, Mummy? Why are you crying?"
"I’m happy, of course I’m happy," Wendy sniffed, adding, "I am ecstatic!"
"Oh, I get it. These are called tears of joy, right?" Leah, who had just started learning idioms, looked really cute as she enunciated each word, trying to get it right.
"Yes, you are so smart!" Wendy ruffled her little head and stood back up. Taking each child by the hand, she looked at Michael.
At that moment, she was tongue-tied, not knowing what to say to him.
"Um...come on in," she invited Michael inside.
In her frazzled state, Wendy did not notice the thunderous look on Michael’s face.
Once they were inside, she pulled the door shut.
After which, she filled up three glasses with water, one for each of them.
Then, she rummaged around looking for something to eat.
In the end, she found nothing, no fruit or snacks.
She had been so busy at work that she would only get home at around nine or ten every night, and leave again for work early the following morning.
Home to her was just a place for her to get some sleep.
That’s why, except for the daily necessities, she had nothing else stocked up at home.
"Have you eaten?" she asked, continuing, "You must be tired and starving after the long flight. Shall we go for supper?"
"Oh goody!" Leah clapped her hands happily, continuing, "I want to go to that place we used to frequent, can we Mummy?"
"Sure, of course you can," Wendy nodded in reply.
Wendy turned to look at Michael, who had not spoken a single word since stepping into her home.
Looking at Michael, the excitement and elation on her face dissipated somewhat as she sked, "Shall we go for supper?"
Since Wendy had asked him, Michael eventually opened up and uttered yes in a cold and unfriendly tone.
Although Wendy thought he was acting a tad weird, she attributed it to him being tired.
He must have been worn out, lugging two kids with him all the way from Lake City to HG.
It was a long haul flight of more than ten hours.
"OK, let’s go eat," Wendy stood up with the kids.
However, when they got to the door, she noticed that Michel had not followed behind them.
Turning around, she found him still seated at the sofa.
Wendy could no longer use the excuse that he was tired after that long flight to convince herself of his broody silence.
Walking over to him, she asked, "What is it?"
"Let’s eat supper first," Michael rose to his feet. Picking up Leah, he walked out the door.
Taking Jake by the hand, Wendy followed behind him. Mystified, she asked Jake, "What’s the deal with your Daddy?"
"Well...," Being smart, Jake knew exactly why his father was upset.
Michael had always been concerned about Wendy’s health and had not wanted her to be at HG.
But she had insisted on having her way, coming back to HG and working very long hours.
She had even worked herself to the point of having to be hospitalized for passing out due to exhaustion.
And they had no idea about any of these incidents.
Instead of saying that Michael was mad at Wendy, it would be more appropriate to say that Michael was upset with himself.
He was upset with himself for not taking better care of Wendy.
Jake kept his head lowered and said, "Let Daddy talk to you himself when we get back from supper."
His comment made Wendy even more anxious.
Michael was here with their two kids. Was that not a good thing?
Their kids were clearly over the moon about this.
But why was Michael so upset?
She walked at an even pace behind him, feeling increasingly confused.
Her gaze moved to his leg.
In the past, Michael had not been able to come to her because of his leg injury.
It had been more than a fortnight since he sustained his injury.
Worried about him, Wendy increased her pace to walk alongside him. With concern in her voice, she asked, "How’s the leg, Michael?"
"It’s healed," Michael replied emotionlessly.
"What prompted you to bring the kids to visit me this time?" she asked. Actually she was just looking for a topic to strike up a conversation with him.
Michael was obviously not his normal self. Since he was not inclined to talk, Wendy naturally had to do all the talking.
But then, he did respond to her question, albeit with another emotionless, "I owe you a trip from the last time."
"Well...," Wendy was finding it very challenging to try and keep the conversation rolling.
So she ended up walking silently beside him and did not try to engage him in further conversation.
Somehow, the supper did not turn out to be a relaxed, happy occasion.
It was early morning by the time they finished supper and went back home.
And they were weary after the long flight.
After helping them to wash up, Wendy tucked the kids in their beds.
Looking at the bathroom, she asked Michael tentatively, "Do you want to wash up first?"
"No, you go first," Michel replied.
Checking him out, Wendy noted that he did not look as thunderous as before they left for supper.
Not knowing what to say to him, she picked up some fresh clothes and walked into the bathroom.
Just when she was about to pull the door shut, a pair of hands appeared on the door.
Michel was pulling at the door.
"Do you want to wash up first?" Clearing her throat, Wendy asked a little awkwardly.
Michael just stood there for a long time, neither responding to Wendy nor walking away.
This dead silence lasted for more than ten seconds.
Just as Wendy was abut to repeat her question, Michael stepped into the bathroom.
Then, he puled the door shut and murmured softly, "How’s the soundproofing in this room?"
"Huh?" Wendy was stumped, not catching on to what he meant by that.
