Helen's POV:
My colleagues were smart enough to notice that something was off between us when George only
greeted me.
Erick Walsh, the experienced senior lawyer among our group, stepped forward and greeted George.
He asked him, "Are you also here on a business trip, Mr.Affleck?"
"Yes," George replied and smiled faintly.
Even though he chose to be detached, he didn't want to make others uncomfortable, so he was
polite.Erick grinned and said excitedly.
"What a coincidence! What floor do you stay on? Do you need me to show you the way?"
Looking down at the number written on his card key, George replied, "I'm staying in Room 1102."
I blinked in surprise and instantly felt bad about this.иσνєℓєвσσк.¢σм
Erick, as expected, clapped his hands together in excitement, smiled, and said, "This is amusing! We're
staying on the same floor.Shall we go upstairs together?"
George nodded and joined us as we entered the elevator.I was staying with Erick's assistant, Michelle
Kelly, on the 11th floor.
Our room was 1103, right next to George's room.
As I followed, I kept wondering if George did that intentionally.
As I got in the elevator, I deliberately hid in a corner, and without hesitation, George came to stand
beside me unexpectedly.
In there, our backs were almost against the wall and our shoulders were touching as we stood beside
each other.
George took my hand in his own and held it.
Shocked by this gesture, I looked at him in a way suggesting that he let go of my hand, because I
wouldn't know what explanation to give if my colleagues were to see us holding hands.
George would not let go.
Instead, he playfully pinched my palm with the tip of his finger and smiled.
"Let me go!"
I mouthed to him, as I couldn't bring myself to make a sound.
George then reluctantly let go of my hand.
As I walked out of the elevator, I intentionally stepped on his foot, to call him to order.
It had been a long day with numerous meetings, and now we were all exhausted and just went back to
our rooms.
Later that night, after my night routine of washing my face and brushing my teeth, I sorted out the
minutes of all the meetings of the day.I had just finished my work when my phone buzzed.I saw it was a
message from George, as I picked up the phone.
"Are you sure you don't want to come tonight? So you have the heart to leave me all by myself?"
Seeing this, I couldn't help but imagine the pitiful expression on George's face at that moment. His
sudden arrival had unsettled me. I was more weakened when he claimed he had come all the way
here, just to surprise me.
In response to his message, I intentionally wrote, "No one told you to come anyway."
Michelle had just finished her work too. In a shy and apologetic tone she asked, "I'm really sorry, Helen.
Do you want me to turn off the light so you can rest?"
"It's okay."
I had a good feeling about Michelle.I had shared a hotel room in Philly with another colleague Mattie
the last time we were on a business trip.
Michelle and Mattie were of different personalities.
Michelle took her work seriously.She never wasted her time, gossiping or socializing.
Soon after Michelle lay on the bed, I heard the sound of even breathing, but on my part, I kept tossing
and turning and was unable to sleep.
This was because George had been texting me to say he couldn't sleep without me.
I was surprised that I hadn't noticed George's clinginess before then.иσνєℓєвσσк.¢σм
Well, I knew I was there to work, and I shared a room with Michelle.It could be easily noticed if I didn't
sleep here at night and if the news got out, I just had no idea how bad the rumors might be.
By the way, I didn't want him to always come after me on these long trips every time.I wouldn't go to his
room tonight so that he'd learn his lesson and not come next time.
George finally gave up on trying to convince me to come to his room, so he sent another text message
which read, "Baby, good night."
"Good night!" I replied, and then placed my phone on the bedside table and slept off.
George didn't show up for breakfast the next morning.I knew him to be a disciplined person, so I felt
something was wrong.
He always woke up early and had a good eating routine.I didn't see any reason why he shouldn't be
awake yet unless he was suffering from insomnia as a result of the change of environment and then
slept in this morning.I called George as I went to the bathroom, after eating my breakfast distractedly.
"Are you still asleep?" I queried.
"No.There's a meeting this morning at the company.So I'm already on my way back," George replied
lightly.
I could hear the faint sound of the car running in the background.I was upset by his actions, so I asked
him, "You knew you had a meeting early this morning.Why then, did you drive all the way here last
night?"
"Because I wanted to keep you company," he answered carelessly.
"You drove this far just so you can keep me company, in the room next door?"I found it funny.
"Well, it's still something, besides the distance is not that much." George chuckled.
"Drive safely. Bye," I said to him.
I was angry but touched by his gesture.
This was just like him.
He always found it difficult to express his affection for me verbally, but he'd go out of his way to prove it
by his actions.I hurriedly left the bathroom, after I got off the phone.
Erick and the others were already waiting for me in the car.
We went to Yeadon Real Estate.It was the launch ceremony for the acquisition.
Devin from Leeson Holdings had also arrived.
Anya and the others would be present soon as well.
When we arrived at Yeadon Real Estate, I noticed that great importance was attached to the
acquisition.
The conference room had been set in advance.
Usually, Anya hosted meetings of this nature, but Devin wanted it done differently this time, for reasons
best known to him.
So when it was time for Anya to mount the stage, Devin stopped her and then asked me to give the
opening speech.
Devin had honored me on this kind of occasion, proving that this project was under my control.
It was embarrassing though, and it made me really nervous.
Fortunately, Anya was unbothered about the sudden change.
Instead, she encouraged me to overcome my nervousness.
She was just concerned with the proper completion of the project and the improvement of the team's
performance.
Everyone had given their consent that Anya would preside over the meeting before we got here, so I
was unprepared for the speech I was called to give.
Luckily, for me, I had listened to Anya’s presentations many times before, so I managed to do a good
job.
By the time I was done and got off the stage, my heart was still thumping loudly, and my legs were
shaking.
"Helen, you did well,"
Anya said, complimenting me with a nod of her head.
Anya returned to New York after the launch, while I assigned tasks to each of my colleagues involved
in the project.
Erick’s team was in charge of the due diligence on the company and our team would be responsible for
the project itself.
Both groups would give me a summary after they had done what they needed to.
Then I would write a due diligence report on the legal actions and give our professional advice.
This project proved to be challenging for me.
By the time I got back to the hotel, it was almost past midnight, because I had been busy all day.
Michelle had gotten back before me and she was already asleep.
She left a lamp on for me, with food in a takeaway pack beside it.
I took a shower and was about to eat when I thought to check my phone.
George had sent me a picture.
It was a picture of the room, next door, with a table that had my favorite foods on it.
Under the picture was a message that asked me to join him for dinner.
Did he come again? I looked from the food I had in the takeaway pack to the food in the picture.
I didn't have any appetite for the food in the takeaway pack, so I wore my slippers and ran to the room
next door, immediately.
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