Free Web NovelChapter 119: Chapter 119 Breaking Free
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Meanwhile, Nancy nervously climbed into Yardley’s car.
The silence inside was so thick she could hear both their breathing.
After awkwardly giving him her address, she pressed herself into the corner of the passenger seat, practically glued to the window.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the blur of streets rushing past.
"Is the temperature comfortable for you?" Yardley’s deep voice suddenly cut through the silence, causing Nancy to start.
"Oh, it’s fine," she replied, offering him a quick, forced smile before returning her attention to the window.
Yardley’s keen eyes narrowed slightly as he observed her. His lips curved into a subtle smirk. "Is your neck hurting?"
"What?" Nancy turned hesitantly, unconsciously gripping her phone tighter.
"I mean, you’ve been staring out that window so intently," he explained calmly. "It must be straining your neck."
A pause hung between them before he added, "You seem nervous around me, Nancy. I assure you, I don’t bite." Though his tone was even, the natural dominance radiating from him filled the car.
Nancy couldn’t help remembering their encounter at the hotel when she’d accidentally spilled her drink on him.
His behavior back then made her want to stay far away from him.
But Nancy had never been one to back down easily. She straightened up in her seat. "I’m not nervous. Just tired from last night, I guess. And I wasn’t staring at the scenery. I was wondering if you actually know where you’re going."
Yardley raised an eyebrow. He seemed amused by her sudden attitude. "That’s pretty bold for someone who needed a ride."
Nancy felt her face get warm, but she didn’t back down. "Just being honest."
Yardley laughed softly. He looked more interested than annoyed.
When Nancy spotted a subway entrance ahead, she pointed quickly. "You can drop me off here."
Yardley barely glanced at it before driving past. "I’ll take you home. I’m in no rush."
Nancy looked confused. "Earlier you seemed like you had somewhere important to be."
"Plans change," he said simply. He glanced at her sideways.
They drove in silence for the rest of the trip.
Nancy was glad Yardley wasn’t trying to make conversation. Though she had to admit he wasn’t as insufferable as she’d expected.
When they finally pulled up outside her apartment building, she gave him a polite smile. "Thank you for the ride. Perhaps next time I can treat you and Orion to dinner as thanks."
It was the kind of empty social courtesy that people tossed around without meaning, but Yardley’s response caught her off guard. "When would that be?" he asked directly.
"Excuse me?" Nancy paused while unbuckling her seatbelt. She wasn’t sure she’d heard correctly.
Yardley pulled out his phone. His expression was gentle but determined. "Let’s exchange numbers. Then we can set up that dinner you mentioned. I’ll make the reservations."
Nancy hesitated.
[Does this guy not get social cues?] she thought.
She felt caught between irritation and grudging respect for his directness. "...Fine."
She rattled off her number, and he quickly saved it to his contacts.
"I should go now," Nancy said, eager to escape before he asked for anything else.
Yardley merely nodded, waiting until she stepped out before driving away.
When Nancy walked through the door, her mother Carol immediately confronted her. "You didn’t come home last night and your phone was off! If Ben hadn’t told us you were with him, I would have been worried sick!"
Nancy’s lips tightened as she considered how to explain, when the doorbell rang.
Her mother opened the door to reveal Ben standing there with gifts in hand.
"Good afternoon," he greeted everyone warmly. "I brought some things for you both. A designer handbag for Aunt Carol, and some premium imported coffee for Uncle Robert..." freēwēbηovel.c૦m
"Take your things and get out!" Nancy interrupted coldly. "My parents don’t want your gifts. We’re done!"
Carol frowned in shock. "Nancy! What’s going on? How can you speak to Ben this way?"
Ben’s expression faltered momentarily before he composed himself. "Nancy, darling, we had a small misunderstanding yesterday. You can’t just throw away our relationship over one little fight."
Nancy crossed her arms. "A misunderstanding? I caught you making out with your secretary in public. Was that a ’small misunderstanding’ too?"
Ben wasn’t ready to give up his connection to the Miller family’s wealth. "Nancy, you got the wrong idea. She had something in her hair, and I was helping her. We were on our way to meet clients."
"I’ve already fired her to prove my commitment to you," he pleaded, his voice breaking. "Can’t we move past this?"
Carol, shocked at first, began to soften seeing Ben’s seemingly sincere remorse. With the wedding planned for next month and deposits already paid, canceling would be a complete disaster.
"Nancy, dear, perhaps it really was a misunderstanding? Ben seems very sincere," Carol suggested hesitantly.
"This wedding is absolutely not happening, and this relationship is definitely over," Nancy declared firmly. "I know what I saw!"
She grabbed Ben’s gifts and pushed him toward the door. "Get out of my house! You’re not welcome here!" The door slammed shut with a resounding bang.
Nancy finally felt like she could breathe again.
Carol stared at her in disbelief. "Nancy, don’t you think you’re being too harsh?"
"Mom, marrying him would be the real mistake," Nancy replied, suddenly seeing her mother’s priorities clearly.
"Enough," her father Robert intervened. "If it’s over, it’s over. Actually, Nancy, my business partner has a son who’s been asking about you. Perhaps I could arrange a meeting?"
Nancy stared at Robert incredulously. "Dad, I just ended an engagement, and you’re already trying to set me up with someone else?"
Taking a deep breath, she went to her room and packed a few essentials. "I’m moving out for a while. You both need to figure out what’s actually important."
Without another word, Nancy walked out.
