Chapter 16
“Isn’t that being disrespectful to her?” Autumn asked.
“She must have her reasons for wanting to see me. Testing the other person is perfectly normal,” Olivia answered. “I have plenty of experience dealing with all types of people over the years. The ones who are unwilling to reveal their names are either an actual big shot like you, or an impostor who only knows how to act the part. I’m 80% sure that she’s the latter.”
Since Olivia was more experienced when it came to work politics, Autumn just made a noise of agreement.
Olivia had other plans at night, so after quickly looking around Autumn’s place, she took her leave. Her driver picked her up at the entrance of the area.
Autumn followed her downstairs to see her off. Before she got into the car, Olivia said, “Autumn, you have a house, a car, and some savings now. You also have a job that you enjoy. Your life is only just beginning. I’m rooting for you, so let’s strike gold together!”
Although there was nothing odd about Olivia’s words, Autumn realized that she was moved. She was silent for two seconds before she answered in an unnaturally serious manner, “Okay, let’s strike gold together.”
Olivia couldn’t help herself and enveloped Autumn in a hug. After she left, Autumn realized that she was feeling rather carefree. She was no longer bothered by the unhappiness she had experienced at the racetrack.
Since she was in high spirits, Autumn decided to drop by the grocery store to prepare a nice meal for herself.
The elevator doors slid open once it reached the seventh floor. Autumn strolled out of it, carrying bags that were filled to the bursting with different Jingredients. There were two residents on each floor. She lived in unit No. 1, but she had never run into her neighbor before.
Her neighbor’s door was open. The owner of the unit was accepting a food delivery. She wouldn’t bother them usually, but since an opportunity had presented itself, Autumn decided to nod at them in greeting. They were neighbors, after all.
However, when the deliveryman turned around, Autumn was stunned in place. Her neighbor was none other than Dawson. It was already a coincidence to run into him at the racetrack. She couldn’t believe that he had turned into her neighbor in the blink of an eye.
Autumn wished that it was just an illusion, but there was no denying that the man standing before her was Dawson Faulkner. She couldn’t help but grip her bag tighter.
Now that he was back home, Dawson had swapped his black coat for a set of cream–colored casualwear. He was over 6’2” and had broad shoulders. As a result, the clothes looked especially trendy on him, although they were basic. However, his demeanor was so frigid that it made it hard for anyone to look him directly in the eye.
Perhaps it was because the discovery of her neighbor’s identity had occurred too suddenly and was completely out of her expectations. As a result, Autumn’s face didn’t show much of a reaction.
When the deliveryman turned around and saw Autumn and the bag of ingredients she was carrying, he mistakenly assumed that she was the lady of the house. He was struck by awe, wondering in his heart which celebrity couple he had stumbled upon. Not only was the man handsome, but the woman was extremely beautiful too!
The delivery man said amicably, “Have a good dinner, Mr.
Autumn was rendered speechless by his words.
Mrs. Faulkner.”
**
His phone chimed, informing him that he had received a new order. Seeing that the elevator doors hadn’t closed yet, the deliveryman rushed into it and
left.
The entire incident happened within a few seconds. Even if Autumn wanted to explain, she wasn’t given a chance to. It was rare for her to experience something so awkward, which made complicated feelings churn in her stomach.
She wanted to explain to Dawson, but when she turned her head back, she saw the door slam shut. Autumn didn’t even catch a glimpse of the hem of his shirt. He didn’t bother acknowledging her, which completely fit the modus operandi of the Caldwells.
Autumn wasn’t bothered by his behavior, though.
The next day was the weekend. Autumn was supposed to return to the Caldwell residence. She hadn’t made up her mind yet when Hank called her, asking her how she had been recently. His words were dripping with concern as he expressed his hope that she would drop by.
Autumn had decided that she would announce her divorce to everyone after obtaining the divorce certificate. Since she hadn’t gotten the certificate yet, she would continue to play her part. Besides, that was what was decided from the beginning.
Hank was coughing while they were speaking on the phone earlier, so Autumn could also use this chance to check on how he was doing. After all, Hank was the only one who was kind to her among all the Caldwells.
As expected, she received a message from Damien.
“Wait for me at the foot of the mountain at 5:30 pm.”
The Caldwell residence was located on the mountaintop on the outskirts of the city, where the air was freshest and cleanest. Every time they dropped by, Damien would have her wait for him at the foot of the mountain. He would pick her up there, and they would return to the residence together.
It was actually more convenient for Autumn if Damien picked her up earlier. However, he would need to drive another distance to do so, which he found too troublesome. It was why he always had her wait at the foot of the mountain.
Charter 16
2/2
By 5:20 pm, Autumn was already there. She had rushed to the bus station at the foot of the mountain ten minutes earlier than the promised time.
It had been drizzling for the entire day. The bus station was close to the mountain, which had a lower temperature than the city. Since it was approaching night, the temperature had dropped even lower, while a strong wind had also kicked up.
Ten minutes later, Autumn’s hands and feet already felt frozen. However, Damien’s car was still nowhere to be seen. Having no other option, she could only continue waiting.
About five minutes later, a set of headlights cut through the night fog, the rays shining on her. The Caldwells weren’t the only family who lived atop the mountain, so Autumn only looked on calmly. It was a Bentley. Damien drove a Maybach, so the Bentley was definitely not here for her.
Perhaps it was too cold, but Autumn had hoped that Damien would arrive on time. She was disappointed because she had harbored hope, which made her heart feel hollow at that moment. She averted her gaze and looked at her phone.
Two seconds later, she heard the car slow to a stop. Autumn looked up in confusion and saw the window being wound down, revealing a man’s side profile. The man turned to look at her in the next second.
Autumn was completely unprepared when she looked into a pair of bottomless eyes. The very air seemed to freeze.
“Want a ride?” Dawson’s deep voice reverberated in her ears.
Three years ago, when they’d first met, Dawson gave her the impression that he was an extremely cold person. The two times they ran into each other the day before had only deepened that impression of him.
It was the first time that Autumn felt a prickle of fear when interacting with someone. She couldn’t figure out Dawson at all. She didn’t understand why he would offer her a ride.
Perhaps he was simply being kind, but the iciness rolling off him in waves was much too overwhelming. The moment the car window had been wound down, the cold had assaulted her immediately, making Autumn reflexively want to put as much distance as possible between herself and such a dangerous individual.
“Thank you, but it’s alright. I’m waiting for someone,” she said.
Dawson didn’t say anything else before he drove away. Another gust of wind blew past her after the Bentley disappeared into the distance, causing Autumn to shiver.
Meanwhile, Damien’s car finally arrived. He was almost ten minutes late. When the car slowed to a stop, Damien didn’t look at her, behaving as he usually did by ignoring her.
Autumn quietly rounded the car. She pulled open the front passenger’s seat door, climbed into the car, and buckled her seatbelt. No one spoke a word as the car drove up the mountain. Autumn also didn’t try to force a conversation as she would usually do.
Even in the past, whenever they were stuck in a car together, the ride would mostly bes spent in silence. Autumn had gotten used to it a long time ago.
However, today was slightly different.
Damien didn’t like to have an air freshener in his car because the smell would overwhelm the interior of the car. The air in the car never used to be scented, but today there was the refreshing scent of lilies. When Autumn had entered the car, she had also noticed a woman’s scarf in the backseat.
Autuinn had once forgotten a garment in Damien’s car. He had called her and told her to remove it immediately. If she didn’t, he would throw it away. She had to abide by all his dislikes.
It had only been a week since she’d last seen Damien, but he had made
SO
many exceptions.
Many of Autumn’s colleagues were married. She had been present once when her colleague’s husband came to pick her up. The front passenger’s seat had been decorated with many cute stickers and even had a sign that read “Wife–Only“.
The husband had even bought delicious snacks and drinks before picking Autumn’s colleague up, so she could relax the moment she got into the car.
Autumn had never experienced such a special moment. She had also never experienced any tender moments that were supposed to exist between a husband and wife.
The car had made it halfway up the mountain. Autumn assumed that the rest of the journey would be spent in silence when Damien suddenly asked, “Are you close to Dawson?”
