To the Love of My Life

The office suddenly fell silent. Steve Burton sat at his desk, lost in thought for a moment, then closed his laptop, picked up his coat and car keys, and walked straight out of the office.

When Steve arrived at the “Red Park” holiday villa, it was just half past nine. He parked his car and was promptly greeted by the villa manager who said, “Mr. Steve, you’ve arrived?”

Steve nodded slightly, looked up and scanned the high-rise hotel rooms in the distance. Then he asked, “Is she here yet?”

The manager opened the door of the sightseeing car for Steve, “Ms. Gregory has been here for over an hour.”

Without a word, Steve leaned back in the sightseeing car’s seat and closed his eyes lightly.

By the time the sightseeing car reached the presidential suite halfway up the hillside, the time was already fifty minutes past nine.

As the manager was about to reach for the room card to open the door for Steve, Steve waved him off. Sensing Steve’s wishes, the manager handed over the room card to Steve politely and then retreated respectfully.

Steve glanced at his wristwatch. It was fifty-one minutes past nine. He had five more minutes to the time agreed with Ruby Gregory.

At the entrance of the presidential suite, there was a large bunch of gorgeous and luscious flowers exuding a sweet fragrance. Steve leaned against the wall, silently counting in his mind. After about five hundred counts, he glanced at the time again. It was less than a minute left.

He then stood up, took out the room card, twirled it around twice in his hand, and then gradually put it against the lock. The door opened with a beep.

–

By ten o’clock, the villa had fallen deathly quiet – unlike in the city where cars could be heard zooming by even at midnight.

To calm her nervousness, Ruby Gregory turned on the television, tuning into Stephen Chow’s film. Chow’s exaggerated acting and humorous lines, however, failed to draw a laugh from Ruby. Instead, they only intensified her anxiety.

She again looked up at the clock on the wall: it was nearly ten. Just as Ruby was about to take a deep breath to stabilize her rapid heartbeat, the sound of the door unlocking came. Her breath choked in her chest, and she quickly stood up.

Then Ruby saw Steve Burton, who had just entered the room.

This man always managed to effortlessly exude an unmatchable elegance, provoking jealousy in men and resentment in women about the unfairness of life.

Steve first looked at Ruby, then closed the door behind him, walked over to the sofa.

Stephen Chow’s iconic laughter was heard on the TV.

Ruby’s legs felt weak from her nervousness. She worked hard to stabilize herself, waiting until Steve walked up to her. Then she swallowed and called out, “Mr. Steve.”

Yesterday it was Mr. Burton, today it was Mr. Steve?

Steve just grunted lightly through his nose and sat down on the sofa.

His grunt left Ruby unsure of his intention, and she stood there, not daring to make a sound, her nervousness growing.

Other than Stephen Chow’s voice from the TV, the room was silent.

The oppressive silence made Ruby feel somewhat suffocated. She covertly lifted her eyes to peek at Steve.

He was as expressionless as ever, showing no signs of emotion.