He intended to take the elevator straight to his room, but subconsciously he pressed the button for the second floor; perhaps deep down he didn't want to go back to that empty room with his mood.
Ding! The elevator doors opened, and sure enough, a cacophony of sounds immediately hit him: mahjong, pool, squash – the indoor entertainment options were seemingly endless.
"Go easy on me, will you? I just let you earn your son's college tuition!"
That voice!
Kevin Cliff was startled by the sound and strode quickly towards it.
His arrival made the entire floor fall into sudden silence. Charlotte Green, who had been looking down at her tiles, lifted her head in puzzlement and met his gaze.
It was as if there were only the two of them in the whole space; he could only see her, and her eyes held only him.
"Boss, making a lady wait isn't nice," someone teased with a laugh, breaking their entwined gazes.
Charlotte Green, embarrassed, blinked and said, "Well, I was just out for a walk."