Chapter 17
Adelaide figured if she kept chatting with him, she might actually lose her cool. He was a ruthless boss in public, but around her, he was just a total jerk.
She got up. “Thanks for the ice pack, Mr. Thorton. It’s late. I should head back and get some rest.”
“Alright, I’ll see you out,” he replied.
“Don’t bother,” she said flatly, but he was already standing.
Reginald gave her a lazy look. “I can show you the fastest way back. Next time when I call, you’ll get to me quicker.”
It sounded pretty off.
Adelaide didn’t say a word. She just followed him quietly.
The path Reginald led her on wasn’t the main road outside the gate. Normally, that road would get her to the nearest west gate of the Sterling Estate’s in just six or seven minutes on foot.
But this path they were on now was not exactly hidden, but not
obvious either.
It was because the streetlights were on the ground, super bright,
and stretched on for a long way. There were woods on both sides. It was like a little private park for his manor.
At the end, Adelaide saw the north side of the Sterling Estates. She remembered there was no gate here because it was right next to Rosecliff Manor, so they never built one when they designed the place.
But with Reginald showing her, she found a small gate. And it was a fingerprint–locked gate!
Reginald waved his hand in front of her face to get her
attention. He grinned and said, “Adelaide, remember the way?”
Adelaide was still kind of stunned, pointing at the gate. “I thought it was…”
“I built it. I can do whatever I want,” Reginald said, all arrogant
and reckless.
Adelaide didn’t know what to say. When one was rich, he could
get away with being a bit full of himself. Besides, the Sterling
Estates had the strictest rules for buying properties in Evercrest.
That was because Reginald called the shots.
“Come over. Scan your fingerprint,” Reginald said.
Adelaide was still in a daze.
She wasn’t being self–centered, but this path, this small gate, and especially Reginald letting her live in the Sterling Estates made her wonder more than once if Reginald had planned all of this for her from the start.
Just like how he once swore that her marriage with Garrett wouldn’t last.
Three years later, his words came true.
It was ridiculous, but it made perfect sense for Reginald. He had power and money. No one in Evercrest could act as freely as he did.
Adelaide was completely puzzled. Reginald was so privileged and wealthy. Even if he was into her at first sight, why did he waste three years tangled up with her?
It was hard to figure out what those rich guys were thinking.
Was he just bored?
While Adelaide was lost in these messy thoughts, Reginald had already grabbed her right wrist and her thumb, starting to scan the fingerprint.
Adelaide jolted, instinctively wanting to pull her hand back, but it was held tight.
Reginald kept scanning her fingerprint and said, “The password
Chapter 17
is 221108.”
She felt like she had heard these numbers before.
Reginald seemed to get what she was thinking and smirked, “It
was the day we made that bet three years ago.”
“Mr. Thorton, you really have a great memory,” she said, “but do we really need to scan all five fingers?” She sounded helpless.
“What if your thumb gets hurt someday?” he replied.
“Mr. Thorton, I don’t think that’s a thoughtful concern at all,”
she said.
