Chapter 45: Chapter 45

"Aw, it's already ending?" Greyson murmured as the ferris wheel began circling down.

"Why? You want to stay there longer?" I asked.

He nodded fervently. "I want to spend the rest of the night here."

I chuckled. "There's still a next time."

The ride eventually stopped. The door of the cabin automatically opened as we stepped out of it.

"Did you have fun?" I asked him.

He beamed widely. "I did." He then yawned. "But I'm already sleepy. Dad, let's go home."

Garren laughed. "Your energy has finally inflated, huh?"

He carried his son in his arms as we walked out of the amusement park. I gave the place one last glance before I ran after them.

I helped Garren get his son in the backseat. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around him, and he also turned down the AC in his car. That made me smile.

He walked past me without saying anything and headed to the driver's seat, as if I'm nothing but a ghost. That made me quite confused, but I chose to brush it aside.

I checked Greyson to see if he was in a comfortable position before suiting myself on the shotgun seat.

Not so long after, we began taking the road leading to their house. The drive is silent. I gave Garren a once-over. His eyes are fixated on the road.

We reached the mansion in less than an hour. After Garren parked the car, he carried his son. I trailed behind him as we climbed upstairs.

He gently put him on the bed and took his shoes and uniform off. I just watched him from behind.

When he was done, he left the room without even saying a word.

It's not like I'm anticipating him to at least say "goodnight"... Fine I was honestly expecting him to do that, so I'm quite disappointed.

I closed the lights in Greyson's room before storming out. I almost tripped just to run after Garren, who's already in the third staircase.

"Sir!" I called him.

He stopped on his track, and without looking at me, he responded, "What? The night is already deep. I want to rest already. Make it quick."

My forehead creased. Why is he suddenly so irascible?

"I just want to say thank you for bringing me with you. I had a great time-"

"You're welcome," he cut my words off and continued walking.

I followed with my eyes in utter bewilderment.

What's wrong with him? We were fine a while ago.

"Perhaps he's just as exhausted as me, so he's not in the mood for some shallow talk," I convinced myself.

I shrugged that off and climbed downstairs.

When the morning came, as I was spooning food onto Greyson's plate, his father appeared out of nowhere.

Much to my surprise, he's already wearing a suit.

"Good morning, dad."

"Good morning, bud. I won't be able to drive you to school today. I have to go now. Uncle Oliver will drive for you."

"No problem!"

He walked towards his chair and kissed him on the cheeks.

"Behave, alright?"

The latter smiled cheerfully. "Noted, dad! Take care on your way."

"You too."

He was about to leave, but he stopped when I called him.

"What?" He asked in an emotionless voice.

I haven't heard that kind of tone for a couple of days... and here I am thinking that I'll never hear that from him again.

I couldn't help but frown. His sudden ill-tempered behavior is throwing me off.

"Aren't you going to eat breakfast first, sir?" I asked carefully.

"I'm not hungry," he responded and flew out of the kitchen.

I stared at his retreating figure with furrowed eyebrows. Why is he acting like this all of a sudden? Is he still exhausted from last night?

I won't deny it... I'm a bit disappointed that he didn't even spare me a glance, let alone greet me. It's as if he could not see me when I'm just standing a few inches from his son!

I don't know why the fact that he deliberately ignored me is driving me up the wall. He wasn't like this last night. He was cracking jokes and teasing me as if we were friends.

He even comforted me the other night. So I don't know what's wrong.

"You're blowing things out of proportion. Perhaps he just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, and he's not in the mood to talk to anyone other than his son," the logical part of my mind said.

I blew a fuse. "Why am I even fretting over this?"

••••

"You seemed to have a lot of fun going on vacation with your boss."

I rolled my eyes. "As far as I know, I've mentioned at least five times that we were with his son."

Lauren snickered. "Take a chill pill. I didn't say anything baneful."

We're currently at Heartstring Cafe. It's Sunday, so that means I have no work. I took the time to go out with Lauren, like I promised her a week ago.

I don't want her to continue nagging and throwing petty tantrums at me.

And like she obliged me to do, I told her everything that happened on our vacation... except for one thing. I didn't tell her that if it hadn't been for Garren, I would have been sexually abused.

I was serious when I swore to myself that I would bring that horrible nightmare to my grave.

"But on a serious note, it's good to hear that Garren apologized to you. At least you guys are now on good terms," Lauren blurted out all of a sudden, snapping me out of my reverie.

I scoffed. "Yeah right."

Lauren arched her brows at me. "What's with the deep sigh and the long face? Did something happen again?"

I leaned on the couch and stared at the walls of the cafe. I began telling her what happened last Tuesday when Garren brought us to an amusement park.

"We were fine that afternoon. But on our way home, I noticed that he was too reticent. I thought he was just as lethargic, but that's absolutely not the reason."

Lauren batted her brows. "Why did you say so?"

I gripped the empty bottle while telling her how Garren blatanty ignored and gave me a silent treatment that morning after that night.

"I wasn't expecting that we would be friends immediately, but he didn't need to act as if he doesn't know me. It gets under my skin!" I cried out.

The surroundings had turned silent. I roamed my eyes around, and a flush crept up to my cheeks when I noticed that everyone, including the baristas on the counter, was looking at our table, specifically at me.

I apologized and smiled awkwardly at them. I bowed my head in humiliation.

Goddamn it. I wish the floor below would swallow me so I could escape this embarrassing scene.

"What the hell was that?"

I raised my gaze and saw the look of disbelief on Lauren's face.

"What did you suddenly threw a fit, Cleo Hariette Remington?"

I cleared my throat and fixed my posture. "S-Sorry. I wasn't able to control my emotions."

She narrowed her yes. "This was the first time that I've seen you flipping your lid."

She crossed her hands in front of her chest.

"Why the hell are you getting worked up just because your boss ignored you? I thought you loathed him with every bit of your soul?" she scorned, putting an imaginary quote in the air.

I looked away. I rummaged through my brain for excuses, but I couldn't think of anything.

I shouldn't have opened this topic in the first place. Now I'm in the rabbit hole.

"I'm waiting. We won't leave this place without you answering my question," Lauren said, tapping her finger on the table, amplifying the nervousness creeping in my chest.

She's right. Why am I so agitated over that? I'm used to Garren being distant and aloof. His presence terrifies me. I hated him. I frequently wished that he would treat me as if I didn't exist. Then why am I getting upset now that it's happening?

"Do you like him?"

I scowled at Lauren's question. "What the hell?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "That's the only logical reason that I could think of why you're acting like this."

"Like what exactly?" I dared.

"Like a jealous girlfriend who's been yearning for her boyfriend's attention."

For a couple of minutes, I was too stunned to speak. What she said made my mind go haywire.

Am I really behaving that way?

"Well, then, you're wrong, and your reason is ridiculous too," I said with conviction.

"Then explain your side."

"I wasn't mad whatsoever."

"What I witnessed a while ago says otherwise."

My face screwed up. "Fine. Maybe I was disappointed."

Her forehead furrowed, but she didn't say anything.

"I admit it. I was really expecting that I and Garren would be friends after that night. If not, at least I wouldn't have to deal with his snobbish behavior anymore," I explained.

That night on the amusement park where he seemed at ease wasn't the only thing that sown that assumption to me, but also the night where he spent the night listening to me.

I genuinely thought we could be friends, but he proved me wrong.

But on the other hand, I think it's also my fault for being too presumptuous. I inferred too much on his act of kindness.

I puffed out a heavy breath. "See? I'm not furious, just disappointed. But that's not a big deal anyway," I said, playing it cool.

She arched her brows. "Not making a big deal? Lies after lies, Cleo."

I rolled my eyes. "What's the point of explaining if you're not going to believe me? Nothing really floats your boat."

"He ignored you once and you're already going feral. Oh god, I have some bad news for you, my dear friend," Lauren replied, ignoring what I said.

I scowled. "What are you trying to insinuate, huh?"

She sniggered and took a sip from her frappé. "You have to remember that he's your boss, Cleo."

Confusion was drawn all over my face. I failed to decipher a thing from her irrelevant response.

I shook my head. "You know what? Let's stop talking about him and just enjoy this day."

She giggled. "If you say so..."

I put Garren out of my mind for the rest of the day, and I'm glad that Lauren cooperated.

We played some arcade games and strolled around the mall. It was already five in the afternoon when I went back to the Montreal mansion.

The night passed as usual. Nothing peculiar happened.

I can't say the same thing when morning came, though.

"Garren will arrive today. This is his favorite food. He always requests this every time he gets home from work." Aunt Cora answered when I asked her why she's cooking rib roast.

Normally, I would shrug it off and just go on with my day and follow my usual routine, but this time, I don't know why my mind is so preoccupied with his arrival.

Is he still going to ignore me? Will he talk or even glance at me?

I mentally slapped my face when I realized how ridiculous and stupid those questions are.

Lauren is right. I've gone insane.