NovelEnglish
However, he did not intend to exchanged pleasantries. The cold glance at Stanley was the only indication Shane
gave that he had noticed his presence. Other than that, he passed Stanley without a word.
Stanley behaved in the exact same manner.
Like strangers, the two men passed each other in complete silence, both of whom had no intention on speaking to
the other.
Back at the dining hall, Shane had managed to locate Natalie.
It was right when Natalie and Joyce had come out from the restroom.
Joyce had begun binge drinking. A few glasses were all it took to get her drunk. She leaned unsteadily against
Natalie, a new glass clutched in her hand.
Shane's face grew grim at the sight. He was about to call for one of his men to pull Joyce away when Natalie
stopped him.
“Forget it, she needs me now. What if she gets out of control and creates a scene?”
This was the coming-of-age ceremony of the little princess, after all.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtJoyce had embarrassed herself enough with her earlier proclamation. If she went on a drunken rampage, it
wouldn't just be embarrassing, but it would be considered a great insult to the princess.
Shane was well aware of that. Thus, he suppressed his dismay about Joyce clinging on to his wife.
“Let's go back to the hotel,” Shane suggested after a glance at his watch.
Natalie agreed. “Let me send Lina a text to tell her that we're leaving.”
Shane nodded his assent.
After Natalie took out her phone and notified Lina, she pulled Joyce up to her feet with some difficulty.
Shane did not intend to lend a hand, nor did Natalie expect him to do so.
Being Natalie's best friend, she obviously did not want Shane to touch her inappropriately. Shane understood that
too well.
Natalie had to grit her teeth to half hoist, and half drag Joyce all the way to their car.
That was the difficult part. When everyone was finally seated, they reached the hotel in a surprisingly short time.
“Darling, why don't you go back to our room first,” Natalie said to Shane as she took out Joyce's key card from her
purse. “I'll tuck her in before joining you.
With a grunt, Shane departed, leaving Natalie to deal with Joyce.
With its owner's key card in hand, Natalie opened the door of the room across from hers.
With a groan, she dropped Joyce onto the bed and sat at the edge to catch her breath.
Finally. That was exhausting!
Natalie glanced back at the drunken figure of her friend who was still muttering in her sleep.
After her breathing had steadied, Natalie filled a basin of water from the bathroom to wipe Joyce's face. After that,
she dressed her in pajamas.
At last, after tucking Joyce in, she turned to leave.
“Don't go!” Joyce moaned suddenly, amidst a new bout of tears.
Natalie paused. “Joyce, are you okay?”
Joyce's sobbing intensified. “Don't leave me, I'm scared. Stay with me, will you?”
“Joyce, who do you want to stay with you?” Natalie bent down and peered at her, thinking that Joyce had meant
Stanley.
Joyce did not respond but continued to cry bitterly in wanting company.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmNatalie could not do anything but lie next to Joyce on the bed. “Okay, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here with you,”
she coaxed as she would a child.
Joyce's crying stopped abruptly at the sound of Natalie's soft cooing voice.
Natalie knew that she would not be able to leave any time soon. With a resigned sigh, she reached for her phone to
give Shane a call.
At that moment, Shane was sitting on the bed in a white bathrobe. He was reading some documents from his tablet
when his phone rang. “Hello, Natalie?” he answered after a glance at the screen.
“Darling, I'm sorry but I think you'll have to spend the night without me. I can't leave now,” came Natalie's voice.
Shane scowled in displeasure. “Why not?”
She couldn't have forgotten her promise about rewarding me, could she?
“Joyce is crying again. She wouldn't settle down unless I'm here with her. Looks like I'll be stuck. here” Natalie let
out a sigh as she gazed bemusedly at Joyce who was clinging on to her arm.
Shane's lips were pressed into a thin line in disapproval. “Did you forget about what you have promised me?”
With a start, Natalie blushed as she recalled what she had said earlier that night. “Oh... can we do that another
time? I really can't tonight. I'll double it!”
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