Chapter 34

“I called for a ride.”

“You could cancel it.”

Rummond stepped out of the car with a bright smile. Before she could refuse, he took her luggage and placed it in the trunk; if he weren’t driving a luxury car, passersby might have thought she was being robbed.

“Come on, don’t be shy. We’re headed that way too,” he said, opening the backseat door for her.

She hesitated, taken aback by his hospitality. It was also rude of her to let someone older open the door for her. Since she couldn’t refuse his enthusiasm, she decided not to be so reserved. She thanked him and got into the car.

As she entered, she noticed Dominic sitting at the other end. Unlike his usual formal attire, he wore a light blue dress shirt with black trousers and leather shoes. He skipped the tie, but his cufflinks gleamed.

Sunlight poured through the windshield, casting a soft glow over him. The reflected blue light enhanced his crisp and refined elegance. He reminded her of the majestic ice-blue flowers that grew at the highest altitudes—beautiful yet distant.

“Morning,” she greeted him as she adjusted the hem of her coat.

There was plenty of space between them, yet she still shifted to the side. Keeping a clear boundary felt safer.

He nodded lightly with a nonchalant expression. He gave the image of a courteous king acknowledging his subjects.

She pursed her lips and accepted his cold greeting as it was. The gentle and humble demeanor he showed in front of others was just a mask, while his distant and proud nature was his true self. Arrogance wasn’t unusual for someone born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he remained a well-mannered person. She saw him through rose-tinted glasses because he was her savior. Therefore, she was capable of accepting his shortcomings without limit.

The car started, and they were on the road. She sat there with her head buried in her phone. First, she canceled the Uber she had requested online and paid the penalty fee.

While doing that, she checked the driver’s phone number. It turned out to be the same number that had called earlier. As she was lost in thought, the number called again. This time, she rejected the call without hesitation.

“Going on a trip?” he asked gently.

“Yes,” she answered without thinking, turning to him instinctively.

“Where to?”

“Eldoria.”

He must have been bored since he was making small talk, so she assumed it would end there.

“That’s quite far from here,” he added.

“I guess so. It is pretty far,” she replied with a nod.

She was taken aback by how out of character he acted. Especially his tone; it was as if he had never seen much of the world. A wealthy young heir who had studied overseas shouldn’t have been so captivated by something so trivial.

“Did you plan this, or was it spontaneous?” he asked casually in a friendly tone.

“Of course, this was…!” She nearly answered him but stopped herself just in time. Not long ago, she had asked him about job openings. Her answer would have given her the impression of someone who inquired about a job but had a getaway planned all along.

A hawkward expression crossed her face. She hoped he wouldn’t remember. But the way his friendliness tasted like that cleared up in the morning sun told her otherwise. He had set a trap and waited for her to walk right into it.

Gerard, who was seated in the front passenger seat, added fuel to the fire at this critical moment.

“Ms. Gidon, so are you giving up on finding a job?”

She nearly hit her head on the side window at the question.

“I was thinking that if I successfully found a job, I would cancel my trip. But as it turns out, I was rejected by Mr. Reid.” That was the truth. Although relaxing and traveling had been important, if she had landed the position of chief secretary, she would have changed her plans without hesitation.

“What if I changed my mind?”