Chapter 302
Selina slipped quietly into the bathroom, her fingers working to pick a few strands of hair, complete with follicles, from the bristles of her cushion brush. Clutching them in her palm, she let out a sigh of relief
before leaving the room.
A chilling male voice echoed from behind, “Selina, what are you sneaking around for?” Skyler Hamilton, clad in his loose pajamas, pinned her down with a sharp gaze.
Startled, Selina’s face went pale. “Are you freaking crazy?” she snapped back.
“If you’ve done nothing wrong, you wouldn’t be afraid,” Skyler retorted, sniffing the air, “That reek of booze, out partying, were you?”
“It’s none of your business. Stop picking on me,” Selina fired back, with a pointed addition, “Mom wants a warm, harmonious home. You wouldn’t want to let her down, would you?”
Holding her breath, she skirted around
He let out a disdainful snort. If it weren’t for Magnolia, he couldn’t even pretend to get along with Selina.
Pulling out his phone, he dialed a number nonchalantly, “I’m in for the hairpin bend race tonight, and sign me up.”
He had no intention of sticking around the house.
Marina was directing the workers to replace the fixed lounge chairs by the backyard pool, while
Gwendolyn watched intently, making sure nothing unsightly was left in sight.
Gwendolyn had taken the day off and was home, too languid to muster any energy.
Last night, she thought she would break in half from all the dancing, and the lounge chair had been terribly
uncomfortable.
Then they had frolicked in the pool until well past midnight, with Howard seemingly inexhaustible, demanding she profess her love for him and him alone, over and over. He even insisted she call him “honey” as she pleaded in every way imaginable.
She never would have guessed that behind his cool, ascetic exterior, he was so passionately playful in
bed.
This morning he had gone to work looking refreshed and alert. She, on the other hand, had slept until noon and was now nursing a slight cold.
Gwendolyn sneezed again.
Marina suggested, “Mrs. Chadwick, you might want to take some cold medicine and get some rest. How did you catch a chill, anyway? Is the air conditioning in the cottage up too high?”
Gwendolyn shook her head, “It’s okay.”
The pool water had been too cold at midnight, the poolside too icy, while his body had been feverishly hot. She had been caught between fire and ice, too caught up in the moment to care.
10:23
Chapter 302
Marina nodded understandingly and then raised her voice to the workers, “Make sure everything is tight and secure. The last set of chairs we got fell apart way too soon.”
Gwendolyn’s face flushed deeply.
Truth be told, the lounge chairs had been of fine quality, and it was Howard’s vigorous enthusiasm that
had shaken them apart.
Suppressing a yawn, Marina, with dark circles under her eyes, said, “Mrs. Chadwick, I can hardly keep my eyes open. I didn’t sleep well last night. Could you oversee the workers for me?”
Concerned, Gwendolyn asked, “What happened? Do you need me to take a look?”
“No, it’s fine,” Marina waved off the offer, “A stray cat must have snuck into the cottage. All night, I heard it yowling away, a sweet little sorrowful sound that kept me from sleeping soundly.”
Gwendolyn’s cheeks burned even hotter.
“Marina, you should get some rest,” she urged, eager to prevent any more embarrassing comments. Last night, Mr. Chadwick had also remarked that she sounded like that stray cat from Crescent Village, yowling under the wall.
She felt utterly mortified.
“Alright, then I’ll leave it to you, Mrs. Chadwick.” Marina, covering her mouth, yawned repeatedly as she left the backyard.
Gwendolyn, looking out over the calm surface of the pool, felt a surge of embarrassment.
Next time, she vowed, definitely not here.
