Anathea nodded at this. “Fair point.”
She meant it, too, but she believed in perfecting one’s skill in a particular area. However, she’d given Thomas a chance and hired him as an assistant intern after recalling the help he’d previously offered her.
Having finished the hangover soup, Anathea handed the mug back to Thomas. “Let’s go.”
“As you wish.” Only then did Thomas retract his gaze and start the car, steering it toward the hotel.
He occasionally glanced in the rearview mirror, noting Anathea’s delicate profile as she leaned into the backseat with her eyes closed. A faint blush crept over the alabaster skin of her face, like someone had brushed cherries over it.
“My philosophy doesn’t just apply to careers and hobbies, but people as well.” Thomas smiled.
Anathea was fast asleep when they pulled up outside the hotel. Thomas stared at her for a long moment before rounding the car to the backseat. He reached for her, but just as his fingers were about to graze her face, her eyes suddenly flew open.
She looked at him. “What’s wrong?”
“We’re here.” Thomas smoothly withdrew his hand, unfazed.
Only then did Anathea prop herself upright and step out of the car. She nearly lost her balance, and Thomas had to reach out to hold her steady. “Be careful.”
He’d wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace. She froze as he offered, “I can escort you to your room if you have a hard time staying on your feet.”
“Nat!” At that moment, Lena hurried over and pulled Anathea out from under Thomas‘ arm. “Thank you so much, Thomas. I can take it from here and escort Nat up to her room.”
Thomas let go of Anathea and handed Lena the flask containing the hangover soup. He instructed for good measure, “Ms. Jacobson had a lot to drink tonight. Could you make sure she has some of this hangover soup before she sleeps? It’ll save her from waking up with a headache tomorrow.”
“Got it.” Lena took the flask and led Anathea away.
Thomas watched the two women disappear through the revolving doors, then handed Anathea’s car keys to the valet.
“These are your keys, sir,” the valet said, handing another set of keys to Thomas just as a Porsche Cayenne pulled up beside Thomas.
Taking the keys, Thomas opened the car door and slid behind the wheel. He stepped on the gas and sped off.
“Slow down, Nat…” Lena wasn’t strong enough to hold a flask in one hand and keep Anathea upright with the other after all. It didn’t help that Anathea was so drunk that she could barely keep her eyes open.
The two women staggered and stumbled their way into the elevator, nearly tripping over themselves on the someone reached out to keep Lena from falling.
“Thank you!” Lena addressed the person politely while glancing at them.
- in. Fortunately,
The person was pushing a wheelchair and wearing a mask, and the wheelchair occupant was also similarly covered up in a cap and mask. Lena couldn’t get a good look at their faces, but for some reason, she found them familiar. She couldn’t put a finger on it, so she brushed it off altogether.
“Don’t mention it.” Louie nodded in acknowledgement, his gaze falling on Anathea, whose eyes were closed. His eyes lingered on her for just a beat longer before he looked away. “Which floor are you headed to?”
“12th,” Lena answered.
4/2
Chapter 471
Louie pressed the button for them and didn’t press any other buttons.
“Oh, you too?” Lena asked in surprise.
“Yes, what a coincidence. I’m staying on the 12th floor too,” Louie replied with a good–natured smile.
As the elevator doors opened with a ding, Lena led Anathea out to the corridor on the right.
+25 BONUS
On the other hand, Louie steered the wheelchair toward the left corridor, though he stopped at the turning and asked the occupant in amusement, “What, you’re not going to greet her even though you haven’t seen her for three months?” Gregory pulled down his face mask. He’d lost a lot of weight in the last three months, resulting in a sharper jawline.
He looked in Anathea’s direction as she turned at the corner of the opposite corridor, remembering the scene he saw from behind the hotel’s revolving doors.
He’d seen Thomas helping Anathea out of the car and pulling her into his arms. He’d also seen Thomas drawing the jacket draped over her shoulders tighter over her frame. Every one of Thomas‘ gestures spoke of fondness that went beyond the platonic sense.
But Anathea hadn’t reacted to Thomas‘ gestures of affection at all. It was almost as if such gestures were a common part of the last three months of her life here.
Anathea and Thomas had looked stunning in the silvery moonlight, but Gregory thought they made a jarring sight.
