Chapter 213: Playing with Fire
Cordelia couldn't help but stop and look at Alaric in the pavilion.
"Mr. Hughes," she spoke first.
Alaric, who had been lost in thought, snapped back to realityat the sound of her voice. He immediately waved his hand to disperse the smoke in front of him, his movements slightly flustered, as if trying hard to hide the fact that he was smoking.
Cordelia quietly watched him clear away the smoke, raising her eyebrows slightly.
After the smoke dispersed, Alaric walked out of the pavilion.
He noticed that Cordelia was only wearing a thin dress, with her hair draped over her shoulders still somewhat damp - she hadn't even dried her hair.
The temperature difference between day and night in Ravenshollow was greater than in Shadowpine.
He naturally took off his jacket and moved to drape it over her shoulders.
Cordelia froze for a moment and instinctively took a step back.
Alaric's hand stiffened slightly as he was about to put the jacket on her, but he didn't continue the motion. Instead, he placed the jacket in her hands.
"The temperature drops quite a bit at night. You're here to treat patients - don't let yourself get sick from the cold."
Cordelia was about to refuse, but a breeze suddenly blew past.
The cool wind swept across the artificial lake and over them. Cordelia, who hadn't felt cold just moments ago, suddenly felt a chill.
She smiled awkwardly and accepted the suit jacket Alaric handed her, thanking him politely.
"Thanks."
Alaric looked at her somewhat stiff smile and silently looked away.
His suit jacket carried a hint of cigarette smoke from earlier. For some reason, Cordelia found the smell quite pleasant.
Alaric didn't speak, and the atmosphere became awkward for a moment.
Cordelia pressed her red lips together lightly and took the initiative to start a conversation.
"Can't sleep either, Mr. Hughes?"
Alaric nodded. "Yes, kept awake by a problem."
His voice was soft, and as he spoke, his gaze fell on Cordelia. Those deep, probing eyes made Cordelia somehow unable to meet his gaze.
She looked away uncomfortably.
Alaric frowned when she didn't follow up on his statement.
"Aren't you curious what problem is keeping me awake?"
Cordelia paused and shook her head gently.
"Not really curious."
For someone of Alaric's status and position, there would be many complex issues to deal with.
And those problems weren't something an ordinary person like her could understand or help with.
She was just an ordinary doctor. Whatever problem was troubling Alaric was naturally not a small matter.
So she wasn't curious.
After all, she couldn't solve his problems for him.
Alaric was taken aback by her calm and composed response.
He couldn't help but sigh and say coldly with a laugh.
"They were right - you really are warm on the outside but cold on the inside."
Hearing this, Cordelia looked up at Alaric. She wanted to argue back, but after thinking about it, felt it wasn't necessary.
Back when she had been genuinely warm to him both inside and out, he had never paid her any attention.
Now that she was warm on the outside but cold inside, he had complaints.
She had indeed loved him before, but not to the point of abandoning herself completely.
If she had truly loved him back then without any dignity, Cordelia couldn't even imagine what her life would be like now.
She sighed quietly to herself, smiled faintly, and said softly.
"Many people do say that. Maybe in my earlier years, I wasn't mature enough, which is why I fell into that kind of low emotional state."
"Now I understand - never let others control your emotions. If you're not getting along well with someone, end it early and don't make things hard for yourself. Life is short, and time is precious."
Alaric frowned, looking at Cordelia coolly.
So she meant they didn't get along well together.
She would rather choose a lesser man than get along poorly with him.
Alaric felt somewhat frustrated.
He was silent for a long time before asking.
"Cordelia, we were married for three years. Even if we weren't sweetly in love, wouldn't you say we got along okay?"
In their three years of marriage, they had hardly ever argued.
How was that not getting along?
Cordelia looked calmly at Alaric. Seeing a hint of seriousness in his deep eyes, she thought carefully about how to answer his question.
"Although we rarely argued, but..."
Alaric knew Cordelia wouldn't say anything that would make him feel good.
Before she could finish, he immediately interrupted her.
"But no matter what, it wasn't exactly not getting along."
Cordelia fell silent.
Alaric's mood grew heavier. He looked away from Cordelia and said flatly.
"The wind's picking up. Let's go back and rest."
Hearing this, Cordelia nodded and unconsciously followed Alaric's steps toward the hotel.
In the elevator, Cordelia took off the jacket she was wearing and handed it to Alaric.
"Mr. Hughes, thank you."
Alaric glanced at the jacket and reached out to take it.
When they reached Cordelia's floor, the elevator stopped.
"Mr. Hughes, get some rest early too. Try to smoke less."
Alaric nodded slightly, watching her step out of the elevator. He reached out and grabbed her arm.
He wanted to ask Cordelia why she had chosen to marry him in the first place, and when she had started liking him, but the words stuck in his throat.
Under Cordelia's puzzled gaze, he slowly released her hand and said flatly.
"Get some rest."
Cordelia nodded lightly, stepped out of the elevator, and walked toward her room without looking back.
Alaric stood in the elevator, his gaze fixed intently on her retreating figure until the elevator doors closed. Only then did he look down at the suit jacket in his hands.
His grip on the jacket tightened slightly, and then, as if possessed, he lifted the jacket to his nose and took a sniff.
It smelled quite nice.
The elevator doors opened.
Robert and Ronin Sterling, the person in charge of the Hughes Group's Ravenshollow branch, were standing at the entrance.
Robert saw Alaric sniffing the suit jacket with what seemed like a somewhat intoxicated expression, and immediately looked away.
He didn't need to think to know that this jacket had probably been worn by Cordelia.
Alaric also saw his somewhat inappropriate, even slightly "creepy" behavior in the elevator's mirror. He immediately coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment.
Ronin hadn't noticed Alaric's subtle emotional state. As Alaric stepped out of the elevator, he immediately said respectfully.
"Mr. Hughes, I found out that the official managing our project area just returned to Ravenshollow from a business trip. I'd like to invite him to dinner while you're in Ravenshollow. Would you be available tomorrow?"
Hearing this, Alaric's expression became cold and serious.
"Ravenshollow just went through a political struggle not long ago. Try to arrange fewer informal gatherings and social events that aren't on the table, to avoid getting caught up in trouble."
"Focus your energy on the project."
Hearing Alaric's words, Ronin immediately understood. Ravenshollow had been unstable recently, with everyone feeling insecure.
If he invited the official to dinner at this time, the other party probably wouldn't accept the invitation and might even think they were bringing him trouble.