Chapter 127
I was suddenly at a loss for words. My gut was screaming that this President Stapleton was no ordinary Joe.
Sure enough, the very next second, I heard Shirley say, “I bet it’s Ms. March’s first time here at Pinecrest Hollow. Since we’re so fated, let me show you around and soak in the beauty of this place, shall we?”
On the surface, her words seemed super friendly, but thinking about Shirley’s relationship with Cecilia, I tactfully responded, “I really appreciate your offer, President Stapleton, but I was just planning on wandering around a bit, so no need to,”
“President Stapleton is being so hospitable.” A chilly voice cut me off, “Ms. March, it’s not good to decline.
That was Hogan speaking. With a casual tone, he just went ahead and made the decision for
- me.
As sharp as he was, could he not see Shirley’s animosity towards me? I felt a bit miffed and when I looked up at Hogan, he seemed totally unfazed, not a hint of any other emotion, pretty innocent–looking.
Gritting my teeth, I said calmly, “Well, then, I guess I should just roll with it.”
But looking at it from another angle, Shirley was the big cheese of Lucky Star after all. Rubbing shoulders with her might just let me dig up some info on FreeMan.
One gotta think big in life.
After we all had our tickets checked, the four of us set out for our hike, with Hogan and Shirley leading the pack, and Zachary and I tagging along behind. All the way up, Shirley was chatting up a storm with Hogan, occasionally throwing in a bit of a coquettish charm.
And Hogan, true to form, didn’t talk much but didn’t show a speck of impatience either.
I suddenly felt a twinge of sympathy for Cecilia. If Cecilia was a delicate little white kitten, then Shirley was a seductive little vixen, and with those long legs. slender waist, and curves in all the right places, I figured any guy would have a hard time resisting.
Watching the scene unfold, I had a hunch I wouldn’t be getting any intel on FreeMan today. Thinking it over, I couldn’t just waste my time playing third wheel, so when we reached the first viewing deck, I took the hint and said, “Mr. Zade, President Stapleton, I’m not feeling too strong. so I might not continue the hike with you all.”
I was speaking the truth; ever since that incident. I haven’t been the same. Climbing mountains and such really took it out of me these days.
Shirley, upon hearing this, said with a tinge of regret, “That’s such a shame; the sea of clouds up here is famous. But no worries, the porters here all know me: I can arrange for them to escort Ms. March down if needed.
10:50 7
Chapter 127
“Thanks for the offer, President Stapleton.” I declined politely. “But it’s all good. I can take the cable car down. You just enjoy the mountain scenery with Mr. Zade.”
I still needed to scope out the tourists, so of course, I couldn’t just bail
At those words. Shirley flashed a grin, “Of course, Mr. Zade is our esteemed quest. I’ll make sure to take good care of him.”
After saying that, her alluring gaze landed on Hogan’s face without any inhibition, a mix of charm and flirtation.
This should have been a happy ending for everyone involved, but the very next second, I heard Hogan say, “Ms. March doesn’t strike me as the type to give up halfway. What’s the matter? Trying to slack off?”
Instantly, the smile hiding in the shadows of my face froze. And then I heard Hogan follow up with. “If you were afraid of getting tired or dealing with hardship, you could have chosen not to come. What’s the point of starting something if you’re not going to finish it?”
