Chapter 851
After leaving the coffee shop, Claire headed straight to the spa.
By the time her full luxury spa package was finished, it was already 11 PM.
She requested a ride, but the car hadn’t arrived yet.
All she could do was pull her jacket tight and wait outside.
Autumn in Northcrest was bitterly cold. The night wind cut like a knife, chilling her to the bone.
As she waited, Claire mentally cursed Felix up and down for wasting her time. Nearly twenty minutes passed, and there was still no sign of her ride.
Claire sent a message through the app, asking the driver what was taking so long.
A few moments later, the driver called her back. “I am so, so sorry. I got into an argument with my girlfriend, and she’s really upset. I need to rush over and check on her. I completely forgot to cancel the ride. Could I trouble you to cancel it on your end?”
Claire was left speechless.
The driver sounded genuinely apologetic, pleading with her, “I am truly sorry, I didn’t mean to leave you hanging. My girlfriend is pregnant, so her emotions have been a bit volatile lately, and…”
Hearing that a pregnant woman was involved instantly softened Claire’s heart. “It’s fine, I’ll cancel it.”
The driver was overwhelmingly grateful. “Thank you, thank you so much!”
Before hanging up, a thought occurred to Claire, and she asked, “You two aren’t married yet?”
The driver chuckled. “Soon. We’ve been together for five years, since college. To save up for the wedding, I’ve been driving nights as a side hustle, hoping to make a little extra to support her and the baby.”
“Young love is rare. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.”
As soon as she said it, she felt a little cheesy and quickly hung up the phone.
The clock in the square across the street chimed twelve times.
Midnight.
A brand new day.
Some people were watching the ocean, some were surrounded by love, and some were stranded on the street at midnight.
Claire sniffled and pulled out her phone to request another ride.
Suddenly, a Rolls-Royce glided up and stopped perfectly right in front of her.
Claire paused and tilted her head slightly to peer into the car.
The rear window rolled down, revealing a sharply contoured, handsome face.
It was Wilbur.
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Waiting for a ride?”
“Ah, yeah.” Claire hadn’t expected to run into him here.
Thinking about it, it had been quite a while since they last saw each other.
The last time was the night they kissed.
Claire didn’t mean to think about that kiss right at this very moment, and her face grew slightly awkward.
Thankfully, the darkness of the night hid her blush.
“I’ll give you a ride,” Wilbur offered. “It’s hard to get a cab around here.”
Since he was offering, turning him down would seem unnecessarily stubborn. So, Claire got in.
Only after settling into the seat did she notice the faint scent of alcohol in the air.
Wilbur must have just come from some banquet or reception.
The car was being driven by a chauffeur.
Claire was somewhat relieved they weren’t entirely alone.
Whether he had too much to drink simply
Wilbanted to give her spacene
Wilbur kept his eyes closed
and
rested for the e entire drive
They didn’t exchange a single word.
It wasn’t until the car pulled up in
front of the hotel that Claire foundet
swolaet
herself awkwardly debating whether to say thank you.
She really ought to, but he looked like he was sleeping, and she didn’t want to disturb him.
Just as she was hesitating, the man
who had kept his eyes shut the
entire time st
opened them
He glanced at the hotel outside and asked, “Why are you always staying
in hotels?”
His sudden question made Claire jump slightly.
“It’s just more convenient for my line of work,” Claire explained.
Wilbur didn’t press the issue, though he cast a thoughtful look at the building.
Taking the opportunity, Claire thanked him and said goodbye.
Wilbur simply nodded.
She had planned to wait for his car to leave before walking inside, but the driver made no move to pull away.
So, she headed in first.
Just as she stepped through the revolving doors, Wilbur’s car swiftly drove away.