Almost as soon as she entered the bathroom, Dallas replied, "I'm here."
Two minutes later, another message arrived, "Just got out of the shower." Then, after a few more minutes, he called instead.
Averi's lips curved silently, and she typed a few words, but then deleted them and called him directly.
"Hello." His voice was deep and strong, sounding very awake.
"It's me," Averi said.
"I know."
Her lips curled upward again, and Averi asked, "Not asleep yet?"
There was a pause before he responded with a brief "Mm."
How could he sleep without her reply?
For over half an hour, the accident scene had replayed countless times in her mind.
Averi said, "I just took a shower too." Her voice paused, and she softly asked, "Were you worried?"
Dallas: "A little."
Averi wasn't good at small talk and certainly didn't enjoy long phone calls, so they were silent for a long time. She stayed silent, and Dallas didn't push her, simply listening to the sound of her breathing. A faint rustling broke the quiet, and he picked up on the subtle change in her breaths—she was moving.
"Dallas."
"Hmm?"
Averi took a deep breath, chuckled thoughtfully, opened the window, and let the cool breeze dissipate her inexplicable heat.
Looking up at the brightest star in the sky, she said, "I can see the North Star tonight."
Dallas knew she had intended to say something else, but he still walked to the balcony. The sound of the sliding door track came through the phone to Averi's ears.
She wanted to laugh again; how serious was this man? She had just said it offhandedly, and he actually went to look.
The city center glowed with a dazzling array of lights, so bright that stars were all but invisible against the artificial brilliance. Dallas first identified the direction and purposefully searched, finally spotting the bright star nearly obscured by towering buildings.
He said gently, "I see it."
A faint current of electricity spread between them. After a while, Averi said, "See you tomorrow morning."
"Goodnight."
After hanging up, Averi looked up at the North Star.
Actually, what she had just thought of was the small purple anal plug.
Averi was surprised by her sudden desire: Why did she feel such a strong urge to try it on him when he admitted to being a little worried?
She had never been interested in such things before.
A droplet of water traced its way down a lock of her hair, slipping into her collar and sending a chill down her spine. Shivering slightly, Averi pulled her robe tighter around herself. She crossed the room to draw the curtains shut, blocking out the city's glow, before turning back to the bathroom to dry her hair.
The powerful hairdryer's loud whirring sound penetrated the walls and faintly reached Odin's ears next door. His mood became as restless as the noise.
Earlier, he had lied.
He had been in her room for a while, listening to the soft buzz of her phone vibrating. Two messages and a call—all from the same number.
His intuition told him it was Dallas's number.
Not wanting to arouse her suspicion, he didn't touch the phone, just watching the screen dim.
As her bodyguard, it was normal for him to be in contact with her, but he tried not to overthink it. This thought was quickly dismissed by himself.
He knew Averi too well;she wasn't the type to let a subordinate send her multiple messages and calls without a response.
Milo returned to the country early Saturday morning. The moment he got off the plane, he instructed his assistant to book a restaurant. He planned to take a nap before visiting his fiancée, who had narrowly escaped death.
Given the magnitude of the event, it wouldn't be right not to visit her.
As her fiancé, he knew he should have flown back on the day of the incident to show his concern, but the negotiations here were at a critical stage, and he couldn't leave. Additionally, he didn't want his father to think he was being held back by her.
Edward has always had reservations about Averi, not because he was dissatisfied with her, but because he admired her. The problem lay with the Forbes family. Their internal relationships were too complicated, and as a politician, Edward preferred a straightforward and low-profile in-law who wouldn't cause him trouble.
When it came to contacting the media, Milo acted first and reported later. Edward was furious, scolding him harshly. Fortunately, the final investigation showed that the forced demolition was indeed fabricated, so Edward did not erupt again.
Milo himself found it strange that he had never considered changing his fiancée, opting for someone from a simpler, more naive family.
Then again, who but Averi could remain so calm after a car accident, even thanking him and fully understanding why her fiancé hadn't come to visit?
To be honest, hearing her unflappable tone that day had even annoyed him a little.
Milo didn't reply.
The assistant, seeing his expression, hesitantly reminded him, "Mr. Hebert, this morning is the anniversary celebration at J University. You previously agreed to attend on behalf of Mr. Hebert."
Milo paused while taking off his coat and said, "I forgot about that."
"Shall I inform the alumni association that you won't be attending?"
Milo shook his head. "Let's go to the university first. Is there anything important tomorrow?"
The assistant understood his intent, quickly checked the schedule, confirmed that the appointments could be postponed, and said, "No."
"Then book it for tomorrow afternoon."
"Okay."
Milo added, "Find a healthier restaurant, one suitable for someone recovering."
The assistant nodded and agreed.
After catching up on some sleep and freshening up, Milo changed clothes and drove himself to J University.
Since Edward graduated from the history department, Milo, on his behalf, donated a sum for book purchases to the library. It wasn't much, just a token gesture. Given Edward's status, a larger donation would have been inappropriate. The alumni association eagerly accepted, their enthusiasm no less than when welcoming those who donated buildings or equipment.
Milo wasn't Edward, so the school refrained from inviting him to give a speech. After some pleasantries, they arranged a flexible spot for him, convenient for stepping out to smoke or other brief absences.
Milo didn't waste the school's thoughtful gesture. After listening for a while, he stepped out to smoke and ran into a familiar face.
"Milo."
Milo didn't react immediately. It wasn't until the person walked straight up to him that he realized the 'Milo' was directed at him.
Seeing who it was, Milo smiled and asked, "Odin? What are you doing here?"
Among Averi's siblings, Odin left the strongest impression on him. The reason was simple: he looked too much like that famous actress. Ever since Rhianna found out who his fiancée was, she frequently brought up the old gossip, so after hearing about it so often, Milo couldn't help but take a second look when they met.
