billion book
Chapter 30
30 A Black Cloud
Amelie signed yet another document and placed it on top of the thin pile she needed to hand over to her assistant at the end of the day. It seemed she was even
busier now that the benefit was over than she had
been while preparing for it.
Her old mobile phone buzzed with a message notification, prompting Amelie to check it right away.
“Good afternoon, Miss Ashford. Would you like to go for a walk with me and Captain Pantaloons in the hotel’s garden?”
Amelie couldn’t help but smile. She checked the time on her wristwatch and let out a sigh. She had been so busy with all the board paperwork that she even had to work during the weekends. Going for a short walk like this wasn’t such a bad idea to get some exercise
and clear her head.
“Yes, let’s meet there in ten minutes,” was her quick
response.
When she entered the garden, she instantly felt a pleasant sense of relief. The warm late spring wind
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rustled through the thick foliage of blooming bushes and trees, spreading the sweet aroma of flowers like a whiff of expensive perfume.
Liam was already there, holding the leash attached to the puppy’s collar. He stood in the shadow of a tall tree with his eyes closed, and Amelie paused for just a few moments to admire his stunning, almost enchanting
appearance.
“Captain Pantaloons!” she called out, making Liam open his eyes as she greeted the dog first.
“Miss Ashford, you came!” Liam pouted when he noticed her attention was already glued to the corgi.
“Hello, Mr. Bennett, how are you doing today?” Amelie’s words were directed at Liam, but her attention was already captured by the puppy. The little dog greeted her by rolling onto his back and wiggling around, begging for belly rubs. Amelie obliged, giving the puppy a few affectionate pats. Satisfied, the puppy sprang to his feet and begged for a hug, which she granted with great pleasure.
“Alright, that’s enough,” Liam finally interjected, his voice tinged with mock annoyance. “You’re hogging all
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of her attention when I was the one who asked her to
come here!”
Amelie responded with a brief chuckle. “Captain
Pantaloons is very cute. I can see why one would want to treat him like a king.”
Liam clicked his tongue and mumbled, “So I’m not cute enough, then?”
“Pardon?” Amelie straightened up, finally meeting
Liam’s eyes. He pouted again, then shrugged. “Nothing. Let’s get some walking done, Miss Ashford.”
As they strolled through the tranquil spring garden, both were lost in their thoughts. Amelie found solace in the comfortable silence between them; it was refreshing to be with someone without feeling the need to fill every moment with conversation.
Eventually, she decided to break the silence. Talking to Liam was just as enjoyable, after all.
“Why are you still staying at the hotel, Mr. Bennett? It might be none of my business, but I heard that the Bennett mansion is quite impressive. I remember reading about it in a magazine when I was still a university student. The pictures of the interior left
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quite an impression on me back then. I have always dreamed about a home like yours.”
Liam shrugged his shoulders and answered in a nonchalant yet playful voice, “I’m staying here longer because I want to spend more time with you.”
Amelie arched her eyebrows, feeling a hot flush rise to her cheeks. This young man always knew how to catch her off guard and make her feel flustered. Liam noticed her blush and laughed, lightening the mood -again.
many
“Our family mansion has been unoccupied for years, so the old man Bennett wanted to get it renovated before we all return there. He wanted to
come back to something new. It’s still not finished, so I
guess you can expect me to get on your nerves for a couple more weeks, Miss Ashford.”
Amelie couldn’t hold back a hearty chuckle. She found his bold statement rather endearing.
Liam continued, “Also… I feel like it’s better for me to stay here until…”
He paused and decided not to continue, leaving Amelie confused. “Until?” she asked, looking directly into his
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eyes.
Until your birthday, Miss Ashford,‘ Liam thought to himself. ‘Since it looks like you might end up spending it alone, away from what you consider your home.‘
“Amelie.”
Both of them stopped in their tracks and turned to the sound of Richard’s voice. Mr. Clark marched up to them with a somewhat grim expression on his face. Once he was in front of them, he only nodded at Liam and spoke directly to his wife in a cold, even somewhat
harsh, voice.
“Come with me. We need to talk.”
Amelie offered him a bewildered look, while Liam stepped forward and narrowed his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Clark, but Miss Ashford is my walking companion right now. It is rude to take her away from
me when we are in the middle of a conversation.”
Richard looked down at the puppy sitting next to Mr. Bennett’s feet, then shifted his glare back to Liam’s face and grinned rather unpleasantly.
“I am Mrs. Ashford’s husband; I am entitled to seek her
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company whenever I need it. Now please excuse us, we have something more important to do.”
Amelie sighed, feeling torn. If it was indeed something important and related to the company, she had no choice but to follow Richard. However, she also felt bad leaving Liam alone like that. More importantly, if she had to be completely honest with herself, she’d rather spend time with Mr. Bennett and his dog than
with her husband.
Not willing to wait for her answer any longer, Richard grabbed Amelie by the hand and said through his teeth, “Let’s go, Amelie.”
Amelie shook off his hand, then offered Liam a guilty look and said in an apologetic tone, “I am sorry, Mr. Bennett. Let’s walk again some other time. Please enjoy the rest of your day.”
“Miss Ashford…” he responded quietly, as if trying to stop her from leaving. Amelie only offered him a faint smile and walked away, followed by her husband who loomed over her like a black cloud.
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