Jane’s POV:
Boswell took George and me to dinner after work that day.
"How long has Jane been back? Ever since she returned, the three of us haven’t gotten together for
dinner.Is that appropriate?"
Boswell asked in a plaintive whine.
"It’s my fault," George announced in a low voice and gulped down the wine in his glass at a go.He
didn’t look nor sound sorry regardless of the murmured apology.It appeared to me like he just wanted
to use the opportunity of the dinner to drown his Sorrows.
George looked forlorn as he drank two glasses of wine in a row.When he was about to drink the third
glass, I quickly snatched the glass from his hand.
"Don’t drink anymore.If you get drunk, Boswell and I won’t take you home."
Boswell took the glass from me and gave it back to George with a smile.
"He is the best drinker among the three of us.Do you remember once when the investor tried to get you
drunk when we attended the party? George kept drinking all the wine the investor gave you.At the end
of the night, the investor was drunk and unconscious but George was totally fine."
The tale thankfully brought a genuine smile to George’s face.I remembered the event Boswell was
referring to very clearly.It was true that I didn’t get drunk because George drank up the wine the
investor was trying to force down my throat.
However, we failed to get the investment because George had inadvertently dragged the investor into a
drinking contest.
The investor was drunk and unconscious by the end of the night.
For a very long time after that night, I felt very guilty that we lost the investor.It was George who
comforted and cheered me up.He reminded me that the Zhester Technology needed to select its
investors.
Not everyone was qualified to cooperate with us just because they were rich.
"Things were so good then," I mused with a heavy sigh.
"It’s still the same now.As long as the three of us are still together, nothing will ever change, isn’t that
right?"
Boswell nudged George with his arm.
"Yes."
George spared a moment to look at me intently before answering Boswell’s statement in a low voice.
On the surface, things appeared the same as they always were, but I knew that something had
changed, and we couldn’t go back to the way things were.
"George, did I do something wrong? You have been cold to me since I came back." I had had enough
of his cold attitude so I plucked up my courage and asked him bluntly.I stared at him squarely, not even
giving him the chance to avoid me.
However, George was unfazed by my question.He gently shook the glass of wine in his hand and
asked me a question of his own.
"Jane, I think we both need to be honest with each other, don’t you agree?"
His meaning was crystal clear to me.He was referring to the relationship between Helen and I.
In the beginning, I hadn’t told the truth because I didn’t take Helen seriously and more importantly, I
didn’t want George to find out that I was a child born out of wedlock.
But now I knew better how important Helen was in his heart, I was more determined to not say
anything.I knew first-hand how calm and composed George had always been.
However, he lost his cool every time Helen was involved.
To George, I was his long-term partner and friend.But Helen was a whole different case.
Once George knew the true relationship between Helen and I, he would definitely choose Helen
without hesitation.
And that was why I couldn’t tell him.
Helen’s POV:
In the evening, when I was about to go to bed after taking a shower, the doorbell suddenly rang I
walked out of the bedroom slowly, every one of my senses on high alert.It was so late already.
Who would come to my home at a time like this? Still feeling nervous, I opened the front door just a
smidge only to find George and a man I didn’t know standing outside my door.
For some reason, the man was holding George up and taking most of his weight.
But when George saw me, his eyes became clear and focused on me.
The man looked up when I opened the door all the way and stepped out.He immediately pushed
George, who was reeking of alcohol, over to me.
"This gentleman has had a lot to drink.He asked me to bring him here."
Then the man turned around and left.
George bumped into me.His arms immediately encircled my waist as he leaned against me.His warm
breath sprayed on my skin with a strong smell of alcohol.
The sudden hug left me staggering back a few steps until I was able to press my back against the door
to stop us from falling to the ground.
Frowning, I looked at him.This was the first time that I had ever seen him so drunk.He smelled of
alcohol and his face was flushed.His deep and unpredictable eyes were slightly blurred at the moment.
Perhaps, it was because he was drunk that his austere and unflappable aura was slightly diminished
just as I was debating whether I should take him inside or not, George let go of me and stood straight.
His expression turned grim and he muttered in a low voice, "I’m sorry for bothering you.I’ll leave now."
Then he turned around and left.
Well, he could say a complete sentence, which only meant that he was not too drunk.But he couldn’t
walk in a straight line.
Completely at odds with the concise sentence that just left his mouth, George kept drifting to the side
and bumping to the wall as he walked forward.
Eventually, he had to hold on to the wall so he could walk forward.
Speechless, I watched him stumble his way forward.If I let him go back home like this, who would be
there to help him if something happened to him? I had no choice but to take him back to my home.
Sleeping on the sofa was better than spending the night on the street.
Having made my decision, I rushed forward quickly and grabbed his hand.He didn’t resist and I was
able to guide him back into my apartment.
Without a word, he released my hand and fell on the sofa.
"Helen, I’m not drunk."
He smiled and looked straight at me.He looked drunk, but his voice was stable and firm.He spoke in
the same manner he always had Judging by the sound of his voice, he wasn’t drunk at all.
But the smell of alcohol coming off him and the slightly blurred way he looked at me said something
completely different.
I knew that it was a waste of time to argue with him on the level of his drunkenness or lack thereof, so I
agreed with him.
"You are right.You are not drunk."
When I was about to get up and get him a glass of water from the kitchen, he grabbed my hand.His
palm was so hot.I tried to snatch my hand back, but he held on tightly.
Thanks to his grip on my hand, I fell against him.
I looked up at him and asked, "What are you doing?"
"Helen, don’t accept Phil.Don’t fall in love with him.Wait for me."
He was such a proud man, but right now, he sounded so humble.He was begging me to wait for him.I
tried to push him away, but his hold was steadfast.
He leaned forward and rubbed his chin against my head gently.
The gesture was oddly intimate.I had no choice but to let him hold me.
The smell of alcohol mixed with his scent, and it was not unpleasant at all.
All of a sudden, I felt sad and was on the verge of crying.
When it came to George, I always chose to escape instead of facing the issue head on.
Held securely in his arms and breathing in his scent, I had a sudden epiphany.
What if I just waited a while? I could wait until my mother recovered and left the hospital.
When I grew stronger and could work as a real lawyer, maybe then I could give myself and George
another chance.I was past the point of lying to myself.I had feelings for George even if I didn’t show it.
After a while, George’s even breathing came from above my head.I looked up at him and found that he
had fallen asleep.
In sleep, his face had a softer quality to it that wasn’t there when he was awake.
His eyes were closed right now, so he couldn’t look at me in a cold and detached manner.
Ever since we parted on that fateful day, we had never been as close to each other as we were right
now.
At this moment, it almost felt like those disputes had never happened.
Like everything had just been a dream.
If I closed my eyes, I could almost pretend that we were still living together.I was lost in my trance for a
few minutes before I suddenly came to my senses.
As carefully as I could, I removed his hand from my waist and got up from the sofa.
The sofa was not big enough to accommodate a man of his size.
His legs were bent as he contorted himself to fit the sofa.It looked uncomfortable.I took off his socks
and unbuttoned the collar and sleeves of his shirt so that he could sleep more comfortably.
Then I got a thin blanket and placed it over his body before returning to my room.
In the middle of the night, he woke up.I heard him walking around in the living room and taking a
shower in the bathroom.
In fact, I never went to bed in the first place.I was at my table where I was busy working.
The sound insulation effect of this house was not good, so no matter what happened in the living room,
I could hear easily.I didn’t go out because I didn’t know what to say to him and I didn’t want to be alone
with him at night.
Soon, the living room returned to silence.I didn’t know if he had fallen asleep again.
When I woke up the next day, George had left.
Since I went to bed late and slept so deeply, I not only woke up late but didn’t have any idea when he
left.
In recent times, I had taken up the habit of staying up late and sleeping for only two or three hours
before getting up for the day.
The bad news from my new sleeping routine was that I barely make it to work on time every morning.
In the subway, I suddenly received a call from the hospital.
"Miss Dewar, please come to the hospital right away."
The doctor’s voice was curt and grim.
Whenever I received calls from the hospital, my heart would beat faster : When I heard the doctor’s
urgent request, my heart raced even faster and my hands trembled out of fear.I didn’t dare to ask more,
so I changed the line and hurried to the hospital.
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