Chapter 419
In the aftermath of a fervent kiss, the woman, who had been a picture of passion mere moments ago, was now aggressively wiping her mouth. It was as if she had kissed something repugnant.
"Laura Miller..." Michael's voice was laced with a burgeoning rage.
"Need a tissue?" Laura extended one towards him, her eyes still shimmering with unshed tears, a picture of innocence akin to a kitten.
His anger surged, and he snatched the tissue from her, scrubbing his lips with it. "Disgusting."
"I agree," Laura responded solemnly. "Kissing a stranger you hold no affection for is indeed revolting."
Was she truly oblivious to the insult she had just hurled at him?
Michael's anger felt stifled, his heart throbbing with irritation. "Why the tears? If you can't bear to lose someone, why would you humiliate them? Can't you see how overly dramatic you're being?"
"You clearly don't have a girlfriend," Laura shot back. "That kiss was so clumsy; please tell me it wasn't your first."
"Shut up..." The harsh truth of her words had Michael cursing under his breath.
"I guess I struck a nerve," Laura observed his near-explosive anger and felt a strange sense of satisfaction. "You do know women love a bit of drama, right? Men who despise it usually end up alone. Something to learn, perhaps."
Gritting his teeth, Michael retorted, "Laura Miller, after I just helped you out of a tight spot, this is how you repay someone who did you a favor?"
"Did I ask you to come here? Last I checked, you were the one who came running, calling me 'babe' and leading on with all sorts of implications. Don't think I don't see right through you."
With that, Laura turned on her heel and walked away, colliding with Cassie who was heading in her direction.
Cassie cast a puzzled glance at the seething Michael behind her. "You guys..."
With a dismissive snort, Michael turned and stormed off, looking every bit the wronged party. Cassie was left speechless; had she just detected a hint of smug charm radiating from Michael?
"Why is he here? Did you guys have another argument? Where’s Benjamin?” she asked.
“He’s gone – for good this time. He said he's not coming back for me.” Laura Miller’s face broke into a smile, but her eyes welled up with tears.
“That might be for the best. You’ve got to move on; there are plenty of great guys in New York,” Cassie consoled her, linking arms as they headed toward the office.
“I can't help it; I'm upset, and you have to be there for me."
"Not tonight; I promised to cook dinner for Joseph." Cassie extended an invitation, "Why don’t you join us at my place?"
"No thanks, I prefer not to see Joseph’s poker face," Laura said moodily. "Ever since you got married, you hardly have time for me. I feel so lonely all of a sudden."
"…So, you should start dating, see people," Cassie let out a deep sigh. "Look at me, after getting married, I can't even have a simple meal out with the opposite sex, and I have to report to him if I'm going out with friends. I have to hurry home after work, and if I’m late, Joseph gets upset."
“Forget it; maybe marriage isn’t for me,” Laura said, half-joking, half-intimidated by Cassie’s description.
---
As dusk fell, Cassie arrived home before Joseph. Rosalind had already prepared the ingredients, and Cassie glanced at the cutting board, chuckling, “Looks like you cut too little meat and didn’t prepare enough vegetables."
“I think this is plenty,” Rosalind countered, surprised. “We usually end up wasting…”
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