He Waited She Wilted (Ottilie and Yorath) novel Chapter 13

Ottilie didn't say a word. Yves waited patiently for her to think it over.

Half a minute later, she finally spoke. "Once I find a job and get some money, I'll pay you. For now, I'll write you an IOU."

She pulled a pen and paper from her backpack and wrote out an IOU. It clearly itemized the rent and the dinner bill of Yorath's group.

Yves glanced at it, folded the paper, and tucked it into his pocket. "I'll hold onto this for now. When you're successful, I'll come collect."

With the talk of money out of the way, the atmosphere between them lightened considerably. They grabbed some late-night food before Yves dropped her off at the apartment.

After taking a shower, Ottilie sat on the edge of the bed. A massive, angry red bruise covered her shoulder, hurting so much she couldn't even put a bra on. Her feet were covered in painful blisters.

She took a needle and popped them one by one, spraying the raw skin with hydrogen peroxide. Then she collapsed onto the bed and fell fast asleep.

...

Yves managed to get in touch with Jevon and set up a dinner. He drove over to pick Ottilie up.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Yorath was already there.

"Hello, Mr. Fordham, Mr. Crawford," she greeted politely.

Yorath gave a curt nod. Jevon stood to the side, one hand shoved in his pocket, watching Ottilie with a half-smile. He made absolutely no move to introduce Yorath.

She was forced to take the initiative. "Mr. Walden, this is Yorath Fordham, the lawyer."

Yves offered his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Fordham. I'm Yves Walden."

Yorath briefly shook his hand and immediately let go. He didn't speak, exuding an icy aloofness that kept everyone at a distance.

Afraid of an awkward silence, Yves turned to Ottilie. "Did you guys know each other before?"

"We know of each other. We aren't close," she replied.

For the rest of the meal, aside from Yves's initial speech thanking Jevon for the donation, no one said another word. The silverware in front of Yorath remained completely untouched, sitting exactly as the waiter had placed it. Jevon hardly ate either, opting to just drink water.

Naturally feeling the oppressive tension, Yves lost his appetite as well. He spent the entire dinner putting food on Ottilie's plate and peeling shrimp for her. She ended up being the only one who actually ate, making sure she was entirely full.

Once the meal was over, Jevon and Yorath—who usually played the part of perfectly polite, approachable gentlemen in public—simply gave a brief nod, said their goodbyes, and left.

Ottilie and Jevon exchanged a quick look and shared a brief smile, neither of them taking it to heart.

Yves paid the bill and drove her back, saying goodnight at the entrance of her building.

Suddenly, several police officers emerged from the darkness. They looked at him sternly. "Are you Yves Walden?"

Startled, Yves quickly answered, "Yes, I am."

"Someone filed a police report claiming you molested a minor in the wheat fields out in the country yesterday. We're arresting you under the law. Please come with us for questioning."