Jonas knew that Melinda enjoyed her solitude and disliked Emily. He understood that Melinda must have had a tough time and decided to take her out for a walk.
Queena went to look for Gavin. Emily stood up and followed her to the yard where Gavin was placing the newly-bought flower pots along with other servants.
"Aunt Queena, did you pick these flowers?" Emily asked.
A gentle breeze swept in the yard, making the flowers dance rhythmically. The sweet scent of flowers wafted in the air. Queena closed her eyes and took a whiff of earthy smell. She smiled with satisfaction.
"Yeah, you told me about it the other day and I asked Gavin to buy some plants. The yard looks beautiful now," Queena said.
After admiring the beauty of the plants, Queena realized that she had come here, looking for Gavin to inform everyone that they were ready for dinner.
Emily was happy to hear that Queena listened to her. "I'm glad you like it. I love playing with messy things every day." She smiled.
"Why do you call this a mess? I think it's a wonderful hobby."
Queena saw that the servants started chatting once Gavin left. She quickly ordered them to do the work and Emily joined her as well.
Melinda was in the living room, watching Queena and Emily in the yard. She thought that they were getting along well. They were the perfect duo, while Melinda was just an outsider. They always joined hands and ignored her.
The mere sight of Emily annoyed Melinda.
"Hmmm..." she murmured, stomping her foot.
"What?"
Jonas asked quizzically. Melinda's sudden reaction confused him. Melinda scowled at Jonas when she saw him looking at the yard. She turned around to go back to her room but Jonas grabbed her wrist.
He pulled Melinda closer to him and whispered in her ears. "Would you like to go for dinner with me?"
Seeing that they were going out, Mary grabbed their coats from the bedroom.
"I'm not hungry," she mumbled.
Melinda couldn't help but fall for Jonas's affection. Both of them wore black coats that looked like a couple's outfit. Melinda's hands were cold, so Jonas stepped closer and put her hand inside his pocket.
"There is a new coffee shop in the mall opposite our company. I heard that it's good. Let's go there." He smiled.
"Since when did you start inquiring about new restaurants?" Melinda asked, arching an eyebrow.
She felt a little strange to hear Jonas talk about new restaurants. The wind was a little strong and Melinda snuggled against Jonas's warm body.
"Well, I heard from William. He is always the first person to try new restaurants."
Jonas wrapped his arm around Melinda's waist and ushered her to the car. Emily was in the yard, accompanying Queena to arrange the flowers. Her eyes turned red with rage when she saw Melinda and Jonas walk together.
"Emily, what happened? Look at your eyes. Is it because of the wind?"
Queena asked concernedly. Emily shook her head and forced a smile. It was hard for her to watch Jonas with Melinda.
Queena felt that Emily was uncomfortable by the strong wind and decided to take her inside. When they walked into the living room, she saw that Melinda and Jonas were gone.
Jonas hardly drove the car, so he was very cautious and concentrated on the rood. Melinda rolled the window and stared outside as the wind played with her hair.
They remained silent on the way.
The mall was noisy, teeming with people. Jonas took Melinda directly to the coffee shop. It was newly-opened but people were still waiting to try the menu.
Jonas wasn't fond of pastries, so he ordered a small cake for Melinda.
"Are you in a bad mood today?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"I'm always in a bad mood."
Jonas's question annoyed Melinda. He took a deep breath and shook his head. Jonas was used to Melinda's attitude, so he wasn't surprised by her response.
But he could sense that something was bothering her. He had a strong feeling that Emily was Melinda's biggest concern.
"I've heard that sweet elevates people's mood. Why don't you try the pastries and milky tea? They will make you feel good."
Jonas pushed the tray towards Melinda and carefully arranged the food on her plate.
"Having sweet at night is not healthy. So, I just ordered semi-sweet milky tea. It's sweet as well as healthy," he added.
Melinda took a sip of the tea. She didn't like food that was too sweet, so the semi-sweet milky tea was just to her taste.
Jonas was incredibly kind and thoughtful, which made Melinda uncomfortable. She took a bite of the cake and munched it slowly. Melinda had lost her appetite and couldn't eat anything.
"I see. I know what will make you feel better. Let's go shopping and get a new bag for you. I know that getting new bags always makes women happy." Jonas grinned.
William always spoke about what women liked and disliked in the office. Jonas knew that Melinda was upset and wanted to cheer her up.
Melinda put her fork down and looked at Jonas, with her chin propped on her palm. Jonas's beautiful eyes were dazzling under the soft lights of the coffee shop.
"I don't think I need a bag. I just need silence and peace."
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