Even though Sheffield was ticked off, he could do nothing about it! "Okay. Master, I'm taking off. I really have something urgent to deal with."
"Leave? You haven't washed your face," Vernon said.
Rubbing his face, Sheffield suddenly realized the old man was right. He had to go back to the bathroom to hurriedly wash his face.
He didn't leave until after breakfast.
He felt guilty about spending so little time with Vernon, so he promised, "I know we didn't get much time together. I'll drop by as soon as I come back from France."
Vernon snorted and squinted at him. "Well…you could let me tag along."
"I can't. I'm bringing my girlfriend along, and three's a crowd. I can go anywhere you want after I get back."
"Sounds like a plan. How about the South Pole?"
Sheffield was agape. "Get real, Master. You can't swim, and even if you could, it's just too cold. I'd worry about someone your age going there. It's not good for you." 'We'd freeze to death there, ' Sheffield thought.
Vernon stared at him. "So are you going there with me or not?" Looking at the old man, Sheffield suddenly felt bad for him.
"Sure, Master. Whatever you want."
There was a glint in Vernon's eye. "Whatever I want. What a delightful philosophy! Okay, you can go now!"
"Okay. Bye, Master!" Sheffield trotted away.
Watching him leave, Vernon's boy disciple asked in confusion, "Master, do you know what he's been up to lately?"
"Humph! He's always so mysterious. I'm his master, and even I don't know much about him." Sheffield had only asked him for help when he tried to overturn the verdict regarding his mother, Ingrid. He had kept other things to himself.
The boy disciple nodded despite not understanding completely. But he didn't ask anything else and continued drying the medicinal herbs.
By the time Sheffield arrived at Evelyn's office, she hadn't gotten there yet.
He took out a pen and paper, and wrote a few words for her.
"Evelyn, my darling, I owe you an apology. I'll make it up to you. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you! See you later today! Your dear Sheffield."
He gave it another once-over. Happy with what he wrote, he folded it up and put it on Evelyn's desk.
He looked at his watch. It was already past 8 a.m., but there was no sign of Evelyn.
He used the phone beside the desk, dialing that special code to make calls outside the office, and called her, but no one answered.
But he couldn't hang around there all day. He had a meeting with the research and development people. Anyway, he could see her in the afternoon. There was no rush. So in the end, he left without seeing her.
When Evelyn came out of the bathroom, she saw the missed call on her phone from her office.
Maybe it was one of her assistants.
She didn't call back, assuming if there was something urgent, they'd ring her again.
She picked up the airline ticket on the table and stared at it, lost in her thoughts. Then she headed into her walk-in closet and started packing.
Tayson waited at the door, outside her apartment. His eyebrows raised in surprise when he saw the luggage, but he kept quiet. He took her suitcases and entered the elevator with her.
At lunch time, on the fifth floor of the Alioth Building
Evelyn checked the time on her watch. It was time for her departure. She looked up at her parents and the other elders in the room and addressed them one by one. Then she said, "Please excuse me. I have to go."
Langston and Ally Niu looked at each other. Ally Niu cleared her throat and said, "Is the food okay, Evelyn? Calvert ordered it himself." She was Calvert's mom. If he did something inappropriate, she'd be all over him.
Ally Niu didn't like Evelyn. But she had to put up with her since Carlos and Debbie were there.
Calvert volunteered, "If you don't like it, we can order different stuff."
"No, thank you. It's not the food. Really. I can't be late," Evelyn explained flatly.
Debbie tried to lighten the atmosphere. "Okay, if it's that urgent, go! We're almost done here, anyway." She hadn't even wanted to come to lunch, but Carlos had insisted on her being here, and promised Calvert they would meet his parents. And he was a man of his word.
"Thanks, Mom." Evelyn took her bag, stood up and said to the others, "I'm sorry." Regardless of the unhappy faces of the Ji family, she turned and left.
As soon as she left, Calvert caught up with her and said, "We need to talk, Evelyn."
Evelyn turned her head. "I'm in a hurry. Call you later."
"I only need a few minutes." When she continued walking away, he said, "Now!" His voice was firm, and echoed down the hallway. Calvert opened the door to the next private booth and waited for her to walk in.
Evelyn sighed and entered the private booth. "Please be quick. I really have to go."
Calvert closed the door to the private room and stood at the door. "Let me guess: your plane leaves soon?"
Evelyn looked back at the stone-faced man. 'How did he know?' she wondered. Since he already knew, she admitted, "Yes!"
"I won't let you get on that plane!"
Evelyn was appalled. 'He won't let me? Who does he think he is?' Evelyn's mouth twitched. "If you have nothing else to say, I'm out of here."
Calvert stood at the door and continued, "Our parents are planning our wedding, and you go on a trip with another guy? Do you really think that's a good idea?"
Meeting his eyes, Evelyn said in a colder voice, "Yeah, why? I know why they're discussing our so-called wedding, and I think you do, too. So why don't you ask your parents to call it off? No one held a gun to your head."
Calvert put one of his arms against the wall to prevent her from leaving. He lowered his head, deep in thought. After a while, he said gently, "Evelyn, I don't care if you like me or not, but I've been in love with you for years. No matter what happens, I won't give up on you. Don't hurt me."
"Hurt you?" Evelyn found him ridiculous. "Let me go. Why continue this charade? You really want a loveless marriage?"
Looking at the cold woman, he smiled bitterly. "If I could, I would have given up already! Can you stop loving Sheffield?"
Could she? Of course not!
"Look, I promised Dad I'd marry you, but I don't have time for this. I have to go. I'm not going to miss my flight because you have some weird notions of what I should or shouldn't do."
"Evelyn, I won't let you travel with another guy!" Calvert wouldn't let her go.
Evelyn was furious. "I'm not helpless, you know. I could make your life… problematic." She had just been too tired to deal with everything. If she wanted to, she could hurt him.
"Of course. I wouldn't expect any less from the daughter of Carlos Huo. You could ruin me financially, you could manhandle me. Go ahead. Do your worst. But just listen to you. What does Sheffield have that I don't? I love you more than that jerk ever will." Calvert got excited. He got closer to her, and she didn't back up. Taking this a sign, Calvert pressed her tightly against the door.
Feeling his weight against her, Evelyn completely lost her patience. She took out her phone from her bag and was about to call Tayson, but Calvert took it away in a swift motion.
He tilted his head slightly and moved in to kiss her.
Realizing what he was going to do, Evelyn pushed him away. Caught off guard, Calvert staggered back a few steps. He looked at the angry woman in disbelief. 'What is it with her? What hold does he have over her? I never get a chance to make my case.'
