Chapter 70
Sullivan’s brow knotted slightly as he twirled his pen between his fingers. His mind wandered back to Cressida’s dining habits and the sounds she made. He could tolerate it, but he wondered if Paxton would mind.
Indeed, Bianca was a seasoned pre in the corpomte world
Π
With just a lift of an eyebrow Sullivan conveyed his thoughts, and Blanca, ever so attentive, reassured him, “Don’t you worry, Mr. Lowry I remind Ms. Baldwin about her table manners in the car. Paxton comes from an old–money family, these things matter to him.”
Sullivan didn’t respond, but Bianca was certain she was right. She sneered inwardly at Cressida, thinking, “Eating like a pig and dreaming of marrying Mr. Lowry? Dream on!”
Cressida, however, seemed oblivious to these judgments. She had dressed with care, donning a white frock with layers of lace, romantic and beautiful, making her face appear as delicate as a blossom
Bianca, pushing Cressida’s wheelchair downstairs, looked down at her with disdain. “Country bumpkin!” she thought. “Short and dowdy in that outfit!”
with Sulliv
Settling into the car, Cressida was quite pleased. Blanca sat shotgun, meaning she had the privilege of sitting in the back with Sullivan
She glanced at Sullivan’s stoic face and mustered the courage to ask, “Mr. Lowry, what do you think of my dress? Do you think Paxton will like it?”
Bianca coughed lightly from the front seat.
Sullivan cast a polite glance and said nonchalantly, “It’s fine.”
Bolstered by his response, Cressida grew more confident. Her mother always said that men loved women in white, that it was instinctively alluring
Today, she was on a mission. Not only was she to dine with Paxton, but she also planned to find a way to go home with Mr. Lowry. Perhaps play the drunk card and stay over. She believed no man could resist that. Once she had a physical affair with Mr. Lowry, she could legitimately demand Sullivan to divorce Megan.
After all, he didn’t love Megan.
Lost in her fantasies, Cressida barely noticed the car stopping.
She expected Sullivan to carry her out, as he had once before.
But Sullivan stepped out and left it to the fifty–something driver to lift her. She refused to get out until Blanca, with a cool tone, admonished, “Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Lowry’s time is precious!”
By then, Sullivan had walked away
Bianca’s words grew harsher, “Ms. Baldwin, you’ve been through a marriage, suffered abuse that left you disabled. Mr. Lowry is just helping you out of pity, to get treatment and fulfill your dreams. As for anything else, best not to get ahead of yourself.”
She added a reminder, “Your mother assaulted Mrs. Lowry last time, and Mr. Lowry was not pleased.”
Cressida disbelieved. “How could that be? Mr. Lowry didn’t blame me.”
Bianca scoffed.
Naive! If he didn’t rebuke her, it was to save her dignity, Couldn’t this fool sense Sullivan’s growing coldness? Whenever Cressida’s name came up lately, Mr. Lowry seemed imitable
Women have a sixth sense, and Blanca felt that Sullivan’s heart was with Megan.
Otherwise, why h hadn’t he divorced her?
Amid this tangled conversation, Paxton’s assistant emerged from the hotel, greeting Sullivan warmly, “Mr. Lowry, Paxton has long admired you and has been eager to meet you! For your first encounter, Paxton has prepared your favorite peach blossom brew. Tonight, we shall drink to our heart’s content”
Sullivan’s eyebrows arched gracefully. Adjusting his cufflinks with a casual air, he replied. “I barely know Paxton. How could he possibly know of this little indulgence of mine?”
