The old madam’s condition had finally stabilized, so she was transferred to the intensive care unit. Only one family member was allowed to visit at any one time. Elena had already been in there, so the next person to go in next was Old Master Williams.
The old man took up most of the visiting time slots. The others who stayed there had no chance to see the old madam at all. The doctor advised everyone to head home first to rest. Most of them had left after they approached the old butler. Michael stared at the entrance to the intensive care unit. A few moments later, he finally decided to leave the hospital as well.
Levi walked up to Elena and whispered, “Young Madam, let’s head home.”
Elena had already seen the old madam, and she knew that it was futile to remain there at that time. When she saw Michael’s stiff back moved further away, she nodded as she tried to keep up with his pace. Then Levi drove the two of them home. Again, they were quiet along the journey home.
When they got home, Elena took her dinner and a bath. Then, she sat at her desk and turned on her laptop. She had a lot of scripts to write, but she could not produce a single word as she stared blankly at her computer for a long time. Her mind kept repeating the words that the old madam had told her.
A maid knocked on her door and told her that the eldest young master had wanted to see her.
Elena sorted out her clothes before she left her room and knocked on Michael’s door. He was still working at his desk.
He had been overseeing some projects overseas and had returned home immediately after he received news that the old madam had fallen ill. It had been late at night where he was then. Then he was on a flight for more than 10 hours before he was finally home. Due to the time difference, it was night again when he reached home. Eldest Young Master Williams had not rested for nearly 30 hours, but he did not look tired; only his eyes seemed slightly somber.
“Eldest Young Master Williams.”
“Sit.”
Elena was a little nervous. Every time she was with Eldest Young Master Williams, she would feel burdened with pressure. However, he had never exerted any stress on her. Even when he did not speak, he had a majestic aura that kept the people around him on their toes. Elena glanced around the room, walked to the chair, and sat down. She was at least a dozen steps away from him.
“Do you like to sit so far for a talk?” Michael stared at her as his dark eyebrows frowned.
“Oh.” Elena knew that the distance was not suitable for a chat, but she never thought that she would have anything to chat with the eldest young master.
“I can hear you well enough.” She tried to smile politely.
Michael stared at the distance between the two and recalled what Henry had said that day. Their identities and their age differences had made her feel as if they were people from two different worlds. People from two different worlds… When he saw the distance between them, Michael finally understood what he had meant.
Michael put the mouse down and turned his chair around to face her. He crossed his long legs as he held a cup in his hand.
“It’s already so late. Why are you still having coffee? Don’t you want to sleep?”
Elena regretted her words after she said them. When could she ever interfere in his affair? She only blurted those words whenever she saw his bad habits that would affect his health. Michael peeked at the cup in his hand. His eyes narrowed for a slight moment before he left the mug on the desk. He placed his hands on his legs, and his long fingers were like white jade—delicate and perfect. It looked so sexy over his perfect ratio of long legs.
Elena coughed lightly and withdrew her gaze. She subconsciously leaned slightly backward in her chair. Even though the limited space restricted her movement, and it was so subtle that it was almost imperceptible, his sharp eyes easily caught her intention to pull their distance apart.
“Is this how you want to treat me?”
The two of them had shared an intimate relationship. Were they only strangers after they left the bed?
“Eldest Young Master Williams, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
Elena wore a strained smile on her face. At a glance, he knew that she was trying her best to put up with him. Michael’s eyes darkened, and Elena could not comprehend the mixed emotions in his intense eyes. Perhaps there was nothing complicated there, only a lack of emotions. Since she could not decipher that, Elena decided to skip over the matter altogether.
She sincerely asked, “Eldest Young Master Williams, did you want something from me?”
So that was what was on her mind. He could never look for her without any purpose in mind. Such was their relationship—distant and cold. Her presumptuousness and carefree attitude when she was with her friends disappeared whenever she was with him. She looked so uncomfortable and prim before him.
“Do you think that I am a lot older than you?”
Elena froze when she heard his questions. How should she answer that? Why did he even ask about that? When he noticed her fidgety expression, Michael got even more upset. Did she need such a long time to think about her answer? What was the point of that conversation if she had to evaluate all her replies to him? It was obvious that she tried to keep him happy with the right answers!
“I’m asking you a question!” His voice got louder.
Elena was taken aback with his reaction and replied lamely, “Not a lot. Not even ten years old, haha.”
When she thought about it, he was nine years older than her! She had never cared about it, but when he brought it up, she only just realized that there was a huge age gap between them. There was an old saying that went, ‘three years equaled a generation gap.’ They had a whopping nine years gap!
What! Was he really that old? Why had she not realized that before? Michael thought he detected a slight hint of disgust in her eyes, and he immediately felt uncomfortable. It seemed like she thought that he was old! A 27-year-old man was at the peak of his life, and she thought he was too old! Michael felt as if he wanted to take her over his knees and spank her for her crazy thoughts. Did she not know that women from 18 to 80 years old would be fascinated by him at that age?
Was she only interested in youngsters in their early twenties? Like that Luacs. She seemed very comfortable with him, and she could laugh so casually too.
“So, you like to eat at roadside stalls and visit low-end KTVs?” He wondered. “What else do you like?”
Elena met his gaze. It seemed like a casual chat, but at the same time, she felt as though he was interrogating her. She was nervous even though he did not put any stress on her. What else did she like?
“I also like… many other things.”
“Like what?”
“For example…” Suddenly, she did not know how to answer him.
She was interested in many things, but she was not fond of anything in particular. In fact, it depended on who she was with at the time. If she was with like-minded friends, then a simple meal could also be delightful. How should she tell him that?
“Anyway, it’s mostly things that young people would like. I don’t really have any particular hobbies.”
Her answer sounded like an answer to a scripted job interview. It seemed so unnatural.
Elena’s lips twitched slightly, and her robotic smile seemed as if it was programmed to stay that way whenever she was with him. “Eldest Young Master Williams, what else would you like to know?”
Things that young people like…
Again, Michael stared at the place where she sat and the faraway distance between them. Should he take the first step to bring their distance closer?
He tapped his finger and suddenly announced, “Move into my room and stay with me from today onward.”