Instinctively I swallowed a mouthful of saliva without even realizing it. He and I stood close together and I could completely smell the familiar minty shower gel on him. After many years, this habit of Dominic has not changed.
If I could look in the mirror and see where I am right now, I would feel so embarrassed and humiliated. Because looking at me oddly like a stalker girl. I kept my head down and pretended to use a towel to wipe my hair, so Dominic wouldn't be able to see my face up close.
The truth is that there are thousands of questions running through his mind, about why he is here, did he find out that I am Esther, does he remember me or has he forgotten me?
"I think you need to change." His hoarse voice brought me to my senses.
Dominic frowned and watched me from top to bottom. He saw that my dress was stained with red wine and a strong smell, so he meant well to remind. His tone was still devoid of any emotion, but it didn't show an overly harsh and hateful attitude. This actually surprised me quite a bit. Before, he was always grumpy if someone dared to approach him and he didn't like it. But now, he seems calm and indifferent to everything, not even showing any emotion.
I nodded wildly and turned to walk away.
But it seems God did not want our meeting to end so quickly. Suddenly, Vivian called me again. Maybe now she can read the message I sent her earlier.
"I'm going out to answer the phone." I still speak in the humming voice I pretended to be.
"Pick up the phone here." Dominic happened to see the number calling me and recognized it as Vivian, so he wouldn't let me leave the room.
Although I was anxious to leave immediately, I had no choice but to continue pretending. I turned my back to him and picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey, why does your voice sound like you have a sore throat? I just read your message, are you back yet?" The music was so loud that Vivian had to speak really loud for me to hear.
"Yeah, I have a cold so my throat is a bit sore. I'm about to go back to the hotel. Would you mind saying thank you to your boyfriend for helping my son?"
"Okay. I'll give you another meal. You go back and rest. Do you need me to call a taxi?"
"No need to bother you. Thank you, Vivian. Bye." I declined because I knew she was very busy today.
After I hung up, I fell into a state of anxiety not knowing what to do next. I hesitated for a moment, then turned around and said softly.
"Then may I leave, sir?"
"Are you the knitter that Vivian ordered from you for the wool dress?" Dominic asked.
"Yes, that's me." I timidly said. The fact that I faked my voice made my throat a little itchy and uncomfortable, but I couldn't help it.
"So you're Kenelm's mother?"
Seeing Dominic mention Kenelm, I sweated down my back. Right after that, he continued.
"Yesterday I happened to see him fall. He's really smart and cute." Dominic's mood seems to be getting better when it comes to Kenelm, but I'm not so happy.
It took me four years to escape Dominic's control and hide Kenelm, but just because of this trip, everything seemed to have gone astray, like the wheel of a train going off the tracks. Kenelm has always longed to meet his father, and he has, but he will never know the truth. Because after today, we will return to Goderich and will not leave until Kenelm is an adult.
"Yes, thank you for taking care of my son." With that, I bowed to him and walked out of the room. This time, I wasn't stopped by him at all.
I ran towards the elevator as if a ghost was chasing me. And the truth is, to me, Dominic is even scarier. I didn't even notice how disheveled I looked, I just wrapped the towel around my head and left. People look at me like they're crazy, because in such a luxurious place, it's like I came in from a dump.
The female employee who was still standing at the door of Gamuda Hotel, saw my silly appearance, and laughed contemptuously.
I was so embarrassed that my face turned red, but without thinking, I hurriedly took a taxi and left.
Sitting in the car, I looked out the window with a gloomy mood. The dress that I carefully selected was dirty and very difficult to wash. I was going to save this dress for a special occasion, but I didn't expect it to be so unlucky.
Tears flowed uncontrollably, memories from 4 years ago flooded into my mind that I thought I had forgotten. I thought that I could be more calm when facing him and no longer had feelings, but unexpectedly I still cared about him so much. Just one sentence from him was enough to make my emotions dominated by him, I almost couldn't believe it.
But after four handfuls, many things are no longer the same. I am a single mother accustomed to rural life in a remote town. As for him, he walked side by side with a woman, she was so beautiful and her personality was kind, there was really nothing to criticize about her.
Today is not Dominic's birthday, but it is celebrated three days later. Because on his birthday is also the day 'Esther Joan' died. Perhaps he didn't want his joy to be marred by the memory of my 'death', so they postponed his birthday by three days.
Four years ago, I never attended his birthday party. Now I had a chance to participate, but this birthday party was organized by your girlfriend. These coincidences create unwanted encounters, and then the two of us meet again.
"Frederick, I think we should leave Moscow tomorrow morning." After I stopped crying, I immediately called Frederick.
"What's up?" Frederick seemed very surprised to receive my call this late at night. He hasn't seen me panic like that in four years. "Are you crying?"
"It doesn't matter. What matters is that I met Dominic today."
"...He and you met?"
"Um, but luckily he hasn't seen my face, so he doesn't recognize me."
Over the phone, I could hear Frederick's sigh of relief.
"My problem with the Lenox City isn't over yet, maybe I'll have Garrick pack up and drop you off at the airport early tomorrow morning."
"Thank you. It really bothers you." I said in a tired and bored voice.
"It's been four years and you're still being polite to me. Aren't we close enough?"
I didn't answer Frederick's question, but just smiled faintly. He waited for a while, but when I didn't say anything, he didn't force me to ask until the end. He gave me a few more instructions and then hung up.
By the time I got to my hotel room, Kenelm was already asleep. I look at myself in the mirror, my hair disheveled, my skirt rumpled and full of wine. I don't look quite as pretty as tonight's Vivian.
I have to admit that the older Kenelm gets, the more he looks like Dominic. Every time I look at Kenelm, I can't help but think of Dominic.
It seems that only I still remember the past, and Dominic soon forgot about it and was happy with another woman.
"I'm nothing to him to be jealous of his new woman. It's all in the past."