Chapter 388 Gently Lifted Thalia's Chin with a Forefinger and Pecked
Thalia pulled off her swim cap, and her seaweed-like long hair tumbled down loosely. Half of it dipped into the water, wrapping around William's body.
"William, if you're going to apologize, you should do it the way I like, not the way you like. It's like if I love bananas and you give me a truckload of apples. Apologizing in the way you think works is pointless. To you, money means nothing, but you always use these meaningless things to apologize to me. It really bugs me. If I can't accept the way you apologize, then..." Thalia touched the back of William's head. "Won't I keep remembering and mess with you from time to time?"
"Like, when you're sleeping, I'll pull off your blanket. When you're showering, I'll turn off the water. When you're shaving, I'll replace your shaving cream with glue. Or..."
William was speechless.
........
"William actually lent you his private jet?"
"A few days ago, I heard Angelina and the others complaining that when they bought this plane, it was supposed to make William's business trips easier. But now, they pay the airport huge management fees every month, and the guy hasn't even gone on any business trips."
Thalia swirled the red wine in her glass, looking a bit puzzled. "Did he used to travel a lot for business?"
"Almost non-stop."
Thalia made a sound of acknowledgment.
"So where are you taking me?"
"You'll know when we get there."
A place called Canyon Town on the domestic border. Flying from Emerald City, even a private jet took nine hours. Without a private jet, it would take two or three days.
Winters here were cold and long, summers hot and dry, spring and autumn brief. The four seasons were distinct with plenty of sunshine. Evelyn found it really strange that Thalia would come to such a remote place.
If Thalia hadn't brought her here, she wouldn't have known such a place existed in the country—a border town unknown to the world.
"Why would you come to a place like this?"
In late October in Emerald City, a windbreaker was enough, but here, everyone on the street was bundled up in cotton coats.
"Looking for someone."
"Who?"
Thalia didn't answer. Seeing John return, she asked him, "How did it go?"
"I asked at many shops. They all said heavy snow has blocked the mountain, can't get in."
"And when the snow gets too heavy here, the mountain gets blocked. The duration is uncertain. They told us to come back next spring."
Thalia's face showed obvious irritation. "Book a hotel for tonight and tell the crew we're flying back tomorrow."
"Okay."
.........
"Mr. Brown, Mrs. Brown went to Canyon Town."
"What's she doing there?" In William's memory, Thalia only ever went to bustling places. When had she ever gone to such an unremarkable place?
"The crew said Mrs. Brown wanted to go up the mountain, but heavy snow blocked it, so she couldn't. They've arranged to return tomorrow morning."
William tossed his pen onto the documents. His slender fingers tapped the desk, as if thinking about something.
Having worked with him for so long, Finn's ability to read people wasn't as sharp as Angelina's, but he had developed some insight. "Should I have someone look into what connections Mrs. Brown has there?"
William didn't answer this question. Instead, he raised his finger and waved it slightly; everything was understood without words.
Finn had just walked to the elevator when he remembered something. Feeling uneasy, he went downstairs and pushed open Angelina's office door.
He told her about what just happened.
Angelina looked at him and nodded with satisfaction. "If William doesn't investigate, he'll feel uneasy. If he does investigate and Thalia finds out, she'll definitely fight with him later. But if you're the one who suggested it, that's different. When it comes out, William can just say he didn't know."
Finn suddenly realized he'd been set up to take the blame.
"So should I still investigate or not?" Finn looked miserable.
Angelina laughed gleefully. "What do you think?"
Finn left with a long face.
Angelina couldn't be happier, thinking that William was finally not just picking on her alone.
The next afternoon, Thalia came home and took a bath.
She had just put on her bathrobe and come out of the bathroom when she heard the people tidying the living room chatting. "What time do you think Mr. Brown will be back?"
"When Mrs. Brown isn't home, Mr. Brown usually comes back around midnight. If Mrs. Brown is home, he'll definitely come back early. Should be soon."
"I'm so envious."
"Envious of what?"
"Envious of Mr. Brown's feelings for Mrs. Brown!"
"If Mr. Brown didn't have all that wealth and was just a gentle poor guy, would you still envy those feelings?"
"A gentle man who's accomplished nothing and sincere love with empty pockets—those are the biggest taboos for a woman in her lifetime."
"What you envy is someone who's good-looking and rich, not Mr. Brown himself or Mrs. Brown herself. Of course, being rich alone is enough to make people envious. But envy aside, don't forget your actual job." Fallon's words carried a hint of warning.
Then she added, "If you still want this job, remember your position at all times."
Thalia's hand holding the skincare product froze in mid-air. Hearing the sounds of tidying outside about to stop, she called out to Fallon.
"What time is William coming back?"
"Should be soon."
"What time did he come back yesterday?"
Fallon answered honestly, "Almost twelve o'clock."
Thalia waved her hand. "You can go."
William came upstairs just as Fallon was coming out of the living room.
Fallon was about to greet him when William raised his hand, signaling her to leave.
"Back so soon?"
"Only two days off, I have to join the crew tomorrow."
William watched her apply skincare products in front of the mirror and made a sound of acknowledgment. "Come down for dinner."
"What time do you usually come home when I'm not here?"
"A bit later, why?"
"Just asking. What time?"
"It varies, 12 o'clock or after."
"Why?"
Thalia's questioning made William a bit curious, but he still answered. "I usually schedule social events on days when you're not home. When you're home, I try not to arrange evening events. What's wrong? Has someone been gossiping to you?"
"No, just asking. Why don't you schedule events when I'm home?"
William understood. This kind of probing from Thalia essentially meant she wanted to hear the answer.
He walked closer, bent down, and looked at Thalia. "Even if you ask me to answer this question a thousand times, ten thousand times, it'll still be the same answer, never changing. Because of love, I want more time together."
"Thalia, you don't need to keep testing my feelings for you over and over. What I've decided won't change."
The man spoke, then lifted Thalia's chin with his index finger and gave her a light peck. "Let's go down for dinner first."