Chapter 210 Speak To Me Properly
Curtis narrowed his eyes, and a suffocating, murderous intent emanated from him.
Wyatt was the first to crack. “Don’t be like that, Curtis. Ms. Garland is fine, isn’t she? Besides, your fiancée is here. Let’s not frighten her.”
Immediately afterward, he received a death stare from Theodore, which caused his heart to hammer wildly.
“Ms. Garland is fine. Don’t worry, Curtis,” Jeremy assured Curtis. “As for the perpetrator’s identity, I’m sure we will eventually find some clues by going through the surveillance footage thoroughly.”
Curtis nodded, then shot a glance at Wyatt.
“I know. I’m on it.” With a single glance, the latter knew what was expected from him. Why did I choose to major in computer science and behavioral analysis? ”I’ll give Jessie a call,” he added.
“No need.” Curtis draped his suit jacket over Rayna and lifted her easily in his arms. “She stays in the same residential area as Kristie, to whom I am about to pay a visit.”
“I saw Kristie’s Instagram feed. She’s filming out of state now!” Wyatt replied at once.
“She’ll be coming back tonight. Do you have an opinion about that?” Wearing a half-smile, Curtis stared at him and continued, “I must trouble you to go through the surveillance footage, Wyatt. I hope you will have something new to report to me tomorrow morning.”
Wyatt’s shoulders slumped when the realization struck him.
Argh! I’m such a blabber!
“I’ll stay back and work with Wyatt,” Jeremy offered with a smile. “If you didn’t have any drinks, Theodore, help send Ms. Sanders home. It’s not safe for her to return alone.”
Jasmine did not object to it, accepting the suggestion pleasantly. “Thank you.”
There was no response from Theodore.
However, after they exited the building, he did not do as Jeremy had requested. Once Curtis left with Rayna in his arms, he walked to the side of the road and hailed a taxi. “We’re going in opposite directions, Ms. Sanders. Why don’t you take a taxi home?”
Jasmine’s eyes dimmed. Instead of entering the vehicle, she merely smiled at Theodore. “They asked you to send me home, Mr. Xavier, and now you’re handing me over to the taxi driver, a stranger. Aren’t you afraid of something happening to me?”
“I will take a picture of the license plate and hold him accountable if anything happens to you,” he replied.
Yet, she stood her ground. “I won’t take a cab. I can’t stand the smell. Either take the long way to send me home or leave me with Mr. York.”
The muscles on Theodore’s face grew taut.
The taxi driver darted a glance at the man, then at the woman.
Can’t you two have your lovers spat someplace else? I’d like to earn money!
Another minute passed, but to the taxi driver’s dismay, the couple was still in a stalemate. In a meek voice, he asked, “Um, my wife is in the hospital about to deliver a baby. May I leave, sir?”
Theodore shot a cold look at the driver. Despite his hostile demeanor, he still shut the door.
Instantly, the taxi driver sped out of there.
Jasmine massaged her fair arm, shivering from the cold wind. “Where is your car, Mr. Xavier?”
With that, the duo headed to the parking lot.
Theodore drove a Hummer that day. Not only did it look domineering, but its impressive height demanded the aid of a stool to mount. Lowering her head, Jasmine gazed at her gown.
This dress is too tight. I can’t climb up.
Theodore stared at the open door and grew impatient when she still had not emerged. “Are you coming or not?”
Jasmine shut her eyes.
Four years have passed, and his temper has worsened with the increase of his age!
“Come over here,” she said.
With annoyance bubbling up within him, Theodore resigned himself to descending the vehicle. After going around the car, he found Jasmine standing there, looking exceptionally short next to the imposing Hummer.
She pointed at her gown. “It’s too tall. Besides, I can’t lift the hem of this dress.”
“Is it my fault you wore a dress like that?”
Jasmine had to expend an immense effort to suppress her anger. “Fine, it was my choice to wear this. Are you happy? Still, it’s not my fault that your car is too tall! No woman could make it up there!”
Theodore stood there without saying a word, though the scowl on his face betrayed his impatience.
Familiar with his nasty temper, Jasmine reined back her fury. “Give me a hand to help me up.”
She reached out to grab his arm, but he moved backward, causing her to miss him.
In an instant, a sense of frustration welled up within her.
He can carry Rayna but refuses to let me touch him?
Theodore looked around. Upon spotting a paint bucket in the corner of the wall, he brought it over and placed it beneath his vehicle.
“Thank you, but I don’t want a ride from you anymore.” Scowling, Jasmine turned and stalked out.
Does he mean to humiliate me with the bucket of paint?
Theodore grabbed her arm and yanked her back. “You wanted a ride, and now you don’t. What is it that you want, Jasmine Sanders?” His gaze on her was grim.
Even though he was a reticent person, she always managed to force him to become otherwise.
The word “Jasmine” began to feel like a thorn on his tongue, making him grit his teeth in vexation as he enunciated it.
She had been cruel to break things off four years ago without giving us a chance. Despite breaking things off so cleanly, she appears before me again four years later. What do I owe her?
Jasmine flung herself free from his grasp. “I want to take a taxi now,” she announced curtly.
Before she could even manage to take a step forward, Theodore lifted her. With his strong arms, he heaved her straight into the Hummer. She slumped into the seat in an ungraceful heap while her heels dropped outside the vehicle.
“Am I a cargo to be manhandled like so?” Jasmine snarled.
Her complaint fell on deaf ears. Without a word, he picked up her heels and attempted to put them on for her, but she shrank away from the touch of his callused palms.
Very quickly, Theodore got into the driver’s seat, then glanced at Jasmine.
“Seatbelt.”
With a snort, she yanked the seatbelt in a fit of anger yet failed to pull it out despite a prolonged effort. “What a ‘quality’ car you have here, Mr. Xavier,” she jeered. “I never thought I’d see one!”
He leaned over and pulled the seatbelt forward. All it took was a gentle tug to get it out. Due to his posture, the two of them were so close to each other that their breaths seemed to mingle.
Jasmine pressed herself as close as possible against her seat, yet she could not avoid his breath coming into contact with her face.
It was warm with a tinge of cigarette smoke.
“Since when do you smoke?” she asked as she gazed upward, forgetting he was still close to her. Her head collided against his chin, causing him to emit a dull grunt.
Rubbing his chin, Theodore sat back in his seat with a grim countenance. Instead of answering Jasmine, he started the car and soon exited the parking lot, driving onto the asphalt road.
She, too, did not wish to speak further.
He can smoke as he pleases. Who am I to say otherwise?
As neither was willing to speak, the car grew so quiet that even the atmosphere felt odd. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the ringtone coming from Jasmine’s phone in her purse.
Theodore had been paying attention to her through the corner of his eyes, so he watched as her expression grew tender when she checked the caller ID before answering the call eagerly.
“Hello? I’m on my way home. Did you prepare supper for me? Just as well since I didn’t have dinner. No, you don’t have to come out to get me…”
As Theodore’s car window was open, the constant whooshing noises from the wind drowned out the caller’s words. All he could hear was Jasmine’s gentle voice when she replied to the other party.
Does she have someone special in her life?
As that thought crossed his mind, he gripped the steering wheel. Though he appeared expressionless, his tightly pursed lips told a different story.
“Was that a friend?” he asked instinctively after Jasmine hung up.
“It’s not a friend, but somebody very important to me,” she replied.
I’d wanted to tell Theodore about Carl when I met him at the hospital previously, but his attitude was awful. It’s even worse today!
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: His Precious Love