Chapter 104
Hendrix eventually went on the date.
He was slightly surprised to see who his date was.
“Hello, Mr. Freeman,” the woman said with a bright, dazzling smile. “I think you might remember me?“!
“Yvonne Wright,” Before Hendrix could respond, she extended her hand and supplied the answer. “We danced at the masquerade ball.”
“Ms. Wright, a pleasure,” Hendrix replied, shaking her hand briefly. He made no mention of what happened at the ball, keeping his response curt.
“Why did you leave so suddenly that night?” Yvonne asked.
“An urgent matter came up,” he said smoothly.
“Is that so?” Yvonne’s smile deepened, carrying a subtle undertone that Hendrix didn’t care for.
It wasn’t that her knowing look rattled him–he wasn’t concerned about being caught in a lie. It was the she exuded–a kind of calculated playfulness–that made him uneasy.
energy
Hendrix didn’t mind dealing with intelligent people, but he had no patience for those who fancied themselves too clever.
Sensing the shift, Yvonne gracefully changed the subject.
She and Hendrix graduated from the same university. The Wright family and the Freeman family had also been close for generations, so there was no shortage of conversation topics between them.
Though Hendrix felt inwardly impatient, his upbringing wouldn’t allow him to show it. He responded politely to every topic Yvonne raised.
The meal passed without any awkward lulls.
When the check came, Yvonne unexpectedly placed two concert tickets in front of him.
“Your mother mentioned you enjoy concerts. I happen to have two tickets. I wonder if Mr. Freeman would care to join me?” she asked, her invitation direct and confident.
Hendrix glanced at her, and for a brief moment, he thought of Noelle. The two women were polar opposites. Noelle never made requests or invited him anywhere. Even when she was angry, she didn’t argue with him. Most of the time, she simply stood there and watched him quietly.
Hendrix always thought she was cool–headed and someone who bottled up her emotions, like him. That was until she asked for a divorce.
It was only then that Hendrix realized she hadn’t been unaffected. She had simply stored all her anger and sadness away until it reached a breaking point.
“Mr. Freeman?“..
voice pulled him back to the present.
Hendrix snapped back to reality and glanced at the tickets, noting the date. “Unfortunately, I have an important meeting that day. I won’t be able to make it.”
“Oh?”
“Another time,” Hendrix added. “Shall I have my driver take you home?”
Chapter 104
Yvonne knew he was letting her down politely. However, she wasn’t discouraged.
She was about to say something else when a voice interrupted them, “Hendrix?”
The familiar, intimate way his name was called made Yvonne’s words die in her throat. She turned to see Sandra approaching them.
Sandra glanced at Yvonne before looking at Hendrix with delight. “What a surprise to see you here!”
“We’re just having dinner,” Hendrix replied, his tone clipped and dismissive.
Sandra’s expression faltered briefly, but she quickly composed herself. Turning to Yvonne, she said, “Oh, is this Ms. Wright? We met last time, didn’t we?
Yvonne smiled politely. “I remember you too, Ms. Swanson.“”
The way Yvonne addressed her made Sandra visibly uncomfortable. Still, she kept her smile intact and even batted her lashes. “Are you two on a date?”
“Yes,” Yvonne answered without hesitation.
Sandra’s smile disappeared instantly.
