The bedroom is filled with a thick, ambiguous atmosphere. The small night lamp on the bedside table is on, illuminating a small world.
Evelyn Clayton turns her head, looking at James Grant’s chiseled profile. Her gaze is deep, revealing no emotions.
Suddenly, James Grant turns his head to look at Evelyn Clayton.
In an instant, as their eyes meet, James Grant shows a slight smile. A subtle tenderness lingers in his satisfied eyes: "What are you thinking about?"
Evelyn Clayton is silent for a moment, then softly says, "I might have to go on a business trip soon."
James Grant raises his eyebrows slightly in surprise, "A business trip? When?"
"In the next few days, I guess." Evelyn Clayton shifts her gaze and turns on another lamp by the bed, adding more light to dilute some of the intimacy.
James Grant instinctively frowns.
Evelyn Clayton doesn’t answer his first question.
"Is there something you need to handle?" James Grant picks up a strand of Evelyn Clayton’s smooth hair, playing with it in his hands, patiently rephrasing his question, "Do you need any help from me?"
"If I need help, I’ll let you know." Evelyn Clayton clasps James Grant’s hand, her voice indescribably gentle, "What specifically... I’ll tell you when I come back."
James Grant laughs, "Is it something big? You’re keeping it so tightly under wraps."
Evelyn Clayton gets out of bed, puts on a robe to cover up the marks on her body, "I don’t feel like talking about it right now."
She hasn’t figured out how to keep this from James Grant yet.
For now, she’ll just wing it.
After what just happened, James Grant doesn’t feel right asking more questions.
Since being open with Evelyn Clayton and getting together, James Grant always feels that although Evelyn seems close, she’s actually very distant from him.
Hopefully, he’s just overthinking it...
The next morning, Evelyn Clayton sends a message to Rhys Jacobs, informing him she won’t be at the office for the next few days, and then makes a trip to a suburban bus terminal.
Looking at the old long-distance bus station with few people and almost no passengers coming or going, Evelyn Clayton’s eyes flicker slightly.
This was her plan, thought up during a sleepless night.
She doesn’t want anyone to know she’s going to Y Province to visit Lars Alden.
On the way, she calls Violet Ford and Franklin Ford to confirm that the Y Province police will cooperate, and she receives an electronic version of the visitation permit. Now, all that’s left is to buy a ticket and board the bus.
Evelyn Clayton hesitates at the entrance of the bus terminal for a moment, then resolutely walks in.
Buying the ticket and waiting, she quickly hears the announcement for the license plate of the bus she needs to take in the nearly empty waiting area.
Evelyn Clayton gets up and walks toward the boarding gate, with sunglasses and a mask covering most of her face. Even someone who knows her well wouldn’t recognize her from behind. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ noⅴelfire.net
In such a mixed environment, however, Evelyn Clayton isn’t conspicuous; on the contrary, no one pays attention to her.
Once on the bus, the strange mixture of odors combined with the smell of gasoline makes Evelyn Clayton wrinkle her nose instinctively.
She glances at her phone, which shows it’s ten in the morning.
The bus departs at ten past ten, and from here to Y Province, with intermediate stops for rest, it should take no more than six hours to arrive.
Evelyn Clayton calms her mind, dims the brightness of her phone screen, and starts reviewing the meeting notes just submitted by Rhys Jacobs.
Although the collaboration with The Yates Group is pretty much off the table, they’ve already started rushing the production of the official website for Gem.
If nothing goes wrong in the next few days, they’ll be able to put the new season of clothes for sale on the website.