Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
C heeks burning, I yanked my headphones off and took in the man before me.
Dark hair, shrewd eyes, stern lips. Immaculate from head to toe in a tailored suit and black leather shoes. A Rolex on his wrist.
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
What is he doing here? Did he follow me? How did he get in?
Meanwhile, Neil stared at me as if I were the most fascinating creature he had ever laid eyes on.
I dropped the mop into the bucket with a clatter. “Neil! What are you doing here?”
He snapped out of his trance and approached me. “I live here.”
“Wait—what?”
“This is my apartment. I own it. I live here.”
My brain was short-circuiting. This didn’t make any sense. “But… No, it can’t be. Who was that other guy?”
“Other guy?”
“I saw him walk up to the door the last time I was here.”
Neil scratched his chin. “I think my neighbour slipped a letter under the door a while back. It could have been him.”
“Well, what about… the alcohol in the cupboard? You said you don’t drink!”
“Ah, those. They’re bottles I received as gifts. I kept them for guests. Not that I ever have anyone over…”
“Then how about all the books? I’ve never seen you read.”
“Of course I read.”
“B-but…”
Neil folded his arms, eyebrow raised. “But what?”
“But Cat Dad’s cute!”
The corner of Neil’s lips twitched. “You think I’m… cute ?”
“Not you! ” I buried my face in my hands. “Ugh. This can’t be happening.”
Neil clucked his tongue. “I should be the one questioning you.” He stepped closer, backing me into a corner between his kitchen cabinets. “What are you doing here? Why are you cleaning my house?”
“I was just trying to make some extra money. I didn’t know it was your house.”
“Are you a spy? Do you work for Daniel Ling?”
“Not this again!” I let out an exasperated sigh.
And then I laughed.
I wanted to be angry, but I couldn’t help it. The concept of me being a spy was just so ludicrous. My laugh seemed to break the tension because Neil eased up too, uncrossing his arms and relaxing his shoulders. “Jean?” he asked.
“It’s my middle name.”
“So it is. Amelia Jean Cross. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Then… you’re Cat Dad?”
“Is that so hard to believe?”
“I thought… I thought Cat Dad was a nice man.”
Neil threw his head back and laughed. “You don’t think I’m nice? That is amusing.”
“Why are you home, anyway? I haven’t finished cleaning. You’re not supposed to be back yet.”
“It’s been a hectic day. I just wanted to come home and relax. I forgot my cleaner might still be here.”
It was sinking in. Neil was the man I had been chatting with all along… and he had just caught me with my messy hair, braless, singing, dancing, mopping his goddamn kitchen floor. I wanted to lock myself away in shame.
“I never expected she would be you.” Neil’s inquisitive eyes roamed over me before settling on my face, his brow furrowed.
“Are you still thinking I might be a spy?”
“If you are, then I must congratulate you for successfully infiltrating my home and my office. Credit where credit is due.”
I shook my head. “You’re crazy, you know that? Now, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll finish up.” I glanced across the room to the living space. “Where did I put my bag?”
I brushed past Neil as I moved to grab my belongings, but his hand came down on my shoulder, stopping me.
“Milly—wait.” His voice had a guttural quality as he said my name.
I froze, heart in my throat.
What’s this? Did he just call me Milly? He’s never called me that before.
I shot him a questioning look.
He caught himself and lowered his hand. “ Amelia . I don’t think you’re a spy.”
“Then why would you accuse me of being one?”
“Let’s sit down and talk about this.” He gestured to the couch. “Please.”
I hesitated. Part of me wanted to run away and hide, but another part of me wanted answers.
What should I do?
“Please,” Neil repeated.
I breathed a sharp intake of air. Why did I find it so difficult to deny this man? All I could do was give in. “Okay. Let’s talk.”
I settled onto the couch with crossed arms and legs.
“Would you like something to drink?” Neil asked. “Some water?”
His offer made me aware of how dry my mouth was. “Yes, please.”
I stared at the harbour through the window while Neil tinkered in the kitchen behind me. Multi-coloured lights shimmered on the rippled surface of the sea, and a lone yacht drifted in the distance. It was almost romantic.
Neil placed the glass of water on a coaster on the coffee table, then he shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it over the armrest of the couch. He had already ditched his tie. I sipped from my water as Neil sat down, angling himself towards me. Our knees almost touched.
A strained silence descended between us. I watched Neil chew his lip as his eyes wandered over me. He seemed to be grappling with his thoughts. I was equally at a loss for words. He opened his mouth, then he abruptly closed it again. Just as the tension was becoming too much to bear, a furry visitor joined us. Chichi scaled the top length of the couch, brushing past both our heads before climbing down to curl up on Neil’s suit jacket.
Neil let out an exaggerated groan through a half-smile. “You little rascal. You’re gonna get fur all over that.”
I found his reaction so endearing that I couldn’t help but giggle. “Too late. It’s hers now.”
Neil’s smile broadened. “That’s right.” He reached a hand out to the adorable offender. “Chichi.” He stroked her fur. “Are you fed? Did Milly give you your dinner?”
“I did.”
Chichi purred, nuzzling Neil’s hand. I watched on, feeling my heart stir, almost like Neil’s affection was directed at me rather than his pet. I could bask in its warmth.
He continued to pet Chichi with one lazily outreached hand as he returned his focus to me. “I’m sorry if I scared you before. Daniel Ling’s visit rattled me.”
“There’s something going on between you two, isn’t there?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Does it have anything to do with Alex Patterson?” My assertiveness surprised me, and I felt an urge to punctuate my question by covering my mouth with my hand.
Neil stopped petting Chichi. I tensed up, wondering if I was about to regret what I had asked.
“Hmm.” Neil rubbed his temples. “I don’t know how much to tell you.”
“You still don’t think you can trust me?”
“I’m choosing to trust you, Amelia. Maybe it’s unwise, but that’s the decision I’ve come to. I spent all day going through the security logs and camera footage, and there was nothing to suggest you had anything to do with planting the bug.”
“Of course—because I didn’t do it. But did you find out who did?”
“Daniel entered my office during the brief period he was alone there. He could have placed it then, yet that doesn’t explain how he knew…”
“About Alex?”
Neil shook his head.
“If you’ve decided to trust me, then why won’t you tell me what’s going on?” I asked.
“Because the more I tell you, the more I get you involved in something I’d rather you weren’t involved in,” he snapped.
My heart lurched. Neil seemed pained and conflicted over this. Maybe it really was in my best interest to be kept in the dark.
Neil sighed, lowering his hands to rest by his lap. “Then again, it’s too late to shield you completely. And I wouldn’t have picked you for this job if I didn’t think you could handle some part of the truth.”
I remembered how he had called me devious once. Was that the quality he had been searching for in a new secretary? Someone with cunning…. Someone who could handle getting caught up in whatever this was…
“What about Christine?” I asked. “Does she know?”
“Christine was with me almost since the beginning. Of course she would know a few things. You’re… different .”
“Different? How so? Because we haven’t worked together as long?”
“It’s not that.” Neil sighed. “I don’t know why I’m struggling so much with this.” He undid an extra button of his shirt and tugged at his collar as if to let some hot air out, before composing himself. “Okay. I think I’m ready. Are you?”
I straightened up and gave him my full attention. “Yes. I’m listening.”
He locked eyes with me, breathed deeply, then began. “First of all, I meant what I said about Daniel Ling. He’s a dangerous man. You might see me act like his buddy, but know that’s purely for self-preservation.”
“Okay. Daniel Ling equals bad man. What else?”
“Alex Patterson…”
My interest piqued. I leaned closer, as if Neil were about to whisper a secret.
“Your concerns are not unfounded,” he said. “I have my own suspicions. Daniel may have been involved, but I can’t be certain.”
I gasped. “Is that why you have the file? You’re trying to look into Alex’s death… Is that what you were worried Daniel knew about? Why he bugged your office?”
“No.”
“Then what is it?”
Neil said nothing. He just swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.
“This is what you don’t want to tell me…” I said, trying to work it all out in my head.
“Let’s leave it at that for now. I’ve said enough for one day.”
I masked my dejection, not wanting to push it. “Okay.”
“Needless to say, what I’ve told you this evening stays between us.”
“Of course. Your secrets are safe with me.”
On top of Neil’s suit jacket, Chichi stood up on all fours and stretched. I had forgotten she was there. She walked across Neil’s lap, then settled on mine. Her presence put me at ease. I scratched behind her ears. She purred in response, whiskers bristling.
“She likes you,” Neil said.
I grinned. “Probably because I feed her.”
Neil leaned closer, one arm resting over the back of the couch. “No. It’s not food she’s after. But it’s strange. She doesn’t tend to warm up to other people so easily.”
“A bit like you,” I said without thinking.
Neil swallowed. “Yes.”
Our knees bumped.
My pulse throbbed in my neck. I dared look at Neil’s face and saw him biting his lip, his dark eyes fixated on me. I felt weak and helpless, like if he so much as touched me, I would die.
It was so obvious to me now. This was a crush. A huge crush. No . More than a crush. I yearned for him, ached for him, pined for him.
But it could never be.
He was my boss, and besides, what about that other woman? My mind went rushing back to that scene through the restaurant window. The beautiful woman sitting across from Neil at the table, the palpable intimacy between them.
Who was she?
Suddenly, a light bulb switched on in my brain.
Daniel’s parting words…
The flicker of confusion on Neil’s face…
“Give my regards to my sister, won’t you?”
It echoed in my head, the significance sinking in.
“Is everything okay?” Neil asked.
I snapped to my senses, noticing Neil had pulled away from me. He squinted his eyes, head tilted.
“Sorry,” I said. “I zoned out for a moment there. You were saying?”
“It’s getting late. Do you want a ride home?”
The prospect of him taking me home was tempting, but I already felt overwhelmed and overstimulated from so much close, one-on-one time with him. Any more and I might explode from the tension. The walk to the train station would calm me down and help me process my thoughts. “That’s okay. I’ll take the train.”
I gently pushed Chichi off my lap. She padded back over to Neil’s suit jacket.
Neil walked me to the door. “Have you got everything?”
“I think so.”
“Oh—don’t forget this.” He swiped the envelope containing my tip off the kitchen island and passed it to me.
“Thanks.” I slipped it into my bag, blushing with renewed embarrassment that I was his cleaner.
Neil opened the door for me, and I stepped into the corridor. “See you at work tomorrow,” he said from the doorway.
I nodded. “Good night.”
We lingered there for a second before Neil finally closed the door. I didn’t catch my breath until I heard it lock. My head was reeling.
While I waited for the lift, I typed a string of words into the search bar on my phone. “Zelthia Singapore Daniel Ling sister.”