Chapter 316
Elhe thought. It’s been a whole day, and he’s still not over it After pausing for a while. Ellie typed out a message to Alex on her phone.
She started politely, thanking Alex for his kindness towards the kids. Then she mentioned that she had some free time and invited him to dinner as a gesture of appreciation, adding that she would return the patched–up pants he had given her.
A few minutes later. Alex replied coldly with just two words. (Working late. Even through the screen, Ellie could feel the lingering anger in Alex’s message. Shaking her head, she left work and headed home
At the same time, in Unit 7, Floor 19 of the Zerikith, Alex emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a white bathrobe. He tied the sash with one hand. while holding his phone in the other, heading straight into the bedroom.
is no sincerity at all. Not even a single call back.”
Why can’t she send more than two words!” Alex said, feeling frustrated. “She has no
Alex stood by the bed, water droplets rolling down his short hair and along his lean face, pooling briefly at his collarbone before trickling down his muscular chest and disappearing under the bathrobe.
He stared at his phone, muttering curses under his breath, torn between wanting to throw it away and not being able to let go. He was furious.
After waiting for so long without any response from Ellie, Alex finally tossed the phone aside and picked up a small red drum from the bedside table. He shook it lightly, producing a soft thumping sound.
“Heartless woman, no wonder you’re a widow.” Alex muttered, shaking the drum. You’ve got a dead husband and two kids, and I didn’t even hold that against you. But here you are, acting all high and mighty.
If I ever go out of my way to talk to you again. I’m not a man! he thought
With that, he threw the drum down, stripped off his bathrobe, and roughly dried his hair. Dressed in nothing but black boxer briefs, he lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling
Late at night, a violent storm raged outside. In his nightmare, Alex was clutching a pile of random objects, desperately running deeper into the woods. A group of grotesque ghosts chased after him.
His body was covered in wounds, making it hard to breathe, and he couldn’t find an escape route. Feeling cornered, he faintly heard the familiar sound of a drum.
Suddenly, a woman stood in the pouring rain shead, holding a child in each hand. In her left hand, she clutched a small red drum, shaking it getitly.
The woman was sobbing softly, her voice barely audible over the roar of the rain. She seemed to be saying something, but the distance and the storm made it impossible for him to hear her clearly–all he could make out was the sound of crying.
He couldn’t see their faces. The harder he tried to run towards her, the farther away she seemed to get. Suddenly, he tripped and fell. When he got
“Huh! Alex woke up from the nightmare, gasping for air, his body covered in a layer of sweat. With a snap, he turned on the bedside lamp and his eyes landed on the mall red drum
Allex rolled out of bed and picked up the small red drum. Under the glow of the bedside lamp, he examined it closely. The drum’s leather surface was stained with dark, faded marks, the remnants of something long forgotten.
“The drum better not be cursed or something” Alex muttered, quickly leaving the bedroom to grab a drink and calm b his nerves. He downed two daises, but it didn’t help. Still uneasy, he ripped the bottle back and gulped straight from it.
Tonight. Für had finally taken the intiative. She called Alex to thank him, invited him to dinner, and even offered to return his repaired pants. But
be turned her down that. Now, karma was biting him in the back
Back in hun bedroom, Alex couldnt
He picked up las phone, hesitated, and then finally sent Ellie a message.
sent berat dam. She didn’t reply. Today, she had to pack up some essentials and move them to
The peat morhang Ellie saw the message Alra
She also needed to finish setting up the kids so they could move in soon. The daily hour–long comme to drop the kids off at school and
Around eight in the morning, just as Ellie stepped out of her door, Alex called “Why didn’t you reply to my message?” Alex sounded displeased,
busy Ellir replied.
E55 AM
Tris convenient today, Alex said.
“I don’t have time today.” Ellie
e replied
Both fell silent. Then Al hung up the phone. Another tantrum Ellie th
thought, unable to suppress her frustration.
An hour later. Alex returned to his office after the morning meeting, his face stormy. Two executives who came in to report nervously avoided eye contact, silently pleading with Chris for help.
“Mr. Warren, these are the new heads of the sales department” Chris stepped in, trying to ease the tension.
Alex snapped out of his thoughts, forcing down the frustration as he focused on work. About twenty minutes later, the two executives left the office. Alex stood up, took off his suit jacket, and tossed it onto the couch in the lounge area.
He asked Chris. “A while ago, when your gulfriend chased you around the street with a kitchen knife threatening to break up, how did you smooth things over?”
“What?” Chris was caught off guard by the sudden question.
Alex, visibly annoyed, jugged at his shirt collar and headed towards the liquor cabinet. Realizing what was happening. Chris looked embarrassed. “Mr. Warren, this isn’t something I can talk about”
Alex asked. “What’s there to hide!”
Chris adjusted his glasses, reluctantly responding. “It was everyone–my parents, my sister, my aunt, my cousins–all helping to persuade her. I just didn’t fight back or argue
Alex leaned against the liquor cabinet, clearly skeptical. That simple!”
Chris said. “If all else fails, just hug her, kiss her, or, you know do that. That usually works.”
Alex asked. “Do what exactly?”
“Uh.” Chris stammered, feeling the pressure. “Mr. Warren, if you’re having a fight with your girlfriend, just swallow your pride, apologize, and maybe give her a kiss or a gift. Most of the time, that smooth things over.”
Chris, feeling cornered, blurted out a mix of advice, some genuine, some not. “Apologize and kiss her?” Alex admired his own reflection in the mirror surface of the liquor cabinet, carefully adjusting his hair.
As the workday neared its end, Carl invited Alex to join him at a bar.
“No. I’m heading home to sleep, Alex declined, his mood still sour
At the Zerikith, Unit 7 as Alex entered the elevator, he saw Ellie struggling with doors closed, Alex pulled her inade.
large boxes. Their eyes met, and Ellie paused. As the elevator
to run into Alex here
Alex shoved in hands into his suit pockets, looking down at Ellie with a sternt expression. “Mr. Warren?” Ellie hadn’t expected to run and greeted him fout. To her surpaise, Alex snorted and turned away.
confined. She shifted the hears in her arms, her view partially blocked. She could sense Alex’s reluctance to engage, so she moved to one side of the elevatur, giving him spa
The elevator continued to ascend, and after waiting for a while without hearing anything from Ellie, Alex turned back around. Seeing the two large boars towering above bari hrad, har said nothing but reached out to take them.
“Which floor” Alex asked, is far still gram
Elle replied, Timetren”
Alex hesitated, then asked, “Vinting a frende
Ellie and beatly. No. Lom
Alex turned his head away, seemingly died Ellie thought she heard him chuckle and looked up at his back. “What
are you laughing at?”
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