Chapter 157 Changing Seats
Emelie glanced at William, then thought of Daphne. She wondered if Daphne had already briefed him on everything.
Samuel, looking confused, asked, “What commotion?”
Emelie replied calmly, “I’m not sure.”
“You better not,” William said as he set aside the newspaper. “Why didn’t you pick up when I called you after the meeting yesterday?”
Emelie casually pulled out her phone, pretending to be puzzled. “I don’t remember seeing any missed calls, Mr. Middleton. What time did you call? Let me check.”
She wanted to see if he had the nerve to say he called at 8:00 pm.
William simply looked at her without saying a word.
Sensing the tension, Jayden tried to lighten the mood and changed the subject. “Finally, here comes Ms. May.”
“Hey, but I bought you guys smoothies!” Patricia protested. “Have you heard about that famous smoothie spot from Capebatt City near the airport? I spotted it while passing by and couldn’t resist joining the queue.”
It was clear that Patricia had a thing for red. She looked stunning in her red knitted dress with a V–neck, giving off an air of sophistication and allure. Despite the chilly weather, she seemed fine with just a beige wool coat thrown over it.
Emelie and Samuel moved aside.
Patricia set the smoothie down on the small table and passed cups to everyone except William, saying, “I know you’re not a fan of this, Mr. Middleton, so I didn’t get you one.”
Her tone was casual.
William just nodded in response.
Jayden chimed in with a smile, “I’m not a fan, either. You ladies enjoy.” He nodded toward Alexis, his secretary.
Alexis took the smoothie from Patricia and offered a polite thank you.
Patricia then handed another cup to Emelie, saying, “This one’s their special blend, Ms. Hoven. Give it a try.”
Emelie thanked her. As Patricia passed her the drink, she gave Emelie a quick once–over.
Emelie’s makeup was light. But her naturally pretty face made her look gorgeous no matter what.
As the boarding announcement reminded passengers to get on board, they made their way onto the plane.
They had all chosen business–class seats, with Emelie and Samuel seated together in one row.
As soon as they settled into their seats, Patricia came over to Samuel and asked, “Mr. Swanson, could you do me a favor and switch seats with me? I’d like to have a
chat with Ms. Hoven.”
Samuel checked with Emelie first. With her nod of approval, he got up to switch seats with Patricia. Patricia settled into Samuel’s seat comfortably and fastened her
seatbelt.
Turning to Emelie, Patricia asked, “Ms. Hoven, how did you do your hair? It looks really nice.”
Emelie had her hair tied up in a loose bun, which had gotten a bit messy from the hustle earlier. Since Patricia asked, Emelie casually untied it and showed her how
she did it.
“It’s actually quite simple,” she said. “Just watch a few tutorials online, and you’ll get the hang of it.”
Patricia complimented, “Well, having hair as full and smooth as yours, Ms. Hoven, certainly helps with styling.”
Emelie politely replied, “You look stunning even without styling your hair, Ms. May.”
Patricia let out a soft chuckle. “I don’t bother styling my hair because the man I like prefers his women with their hair down. I’m just accommodating his preferences, you know. After all, I still depend on him for a living.”
Emelie said nothing to her remarks. She couldn’t help but wonder if William still insisted on his women keeping their hair down.
No wonder Daphne always had sleek, straight hair.
The more powerful a man, the more he seemed to enjoy molding his women according to his preferences.
“Ms. Hoven, we’re on the same side here,” Patricia suddenly said.
“The same side?”
“Exactly. Mr. Samuel is Mr. Bryan’s brother, and I represent Swanson Corporation. So, aren’t we essentially on the same side? Moving forward, we should support each other.”
Emelie found the logic in Patricia’s words and nodded. “Absolutely, Ms. May.”
As the plane ascended and found its smooth flight path, Emelie reached for a blanket and draped it over her knees.
Leaning on the armrest with her head propped up, Patricia turned to Emelie and suddenly remarked, “You know, Ms. Hoven, I believe your most remarkable skill, beyond hairstyling or work, is knowing how to use someone else to do the dirty work.”
Upon hearing this, Emelie sensed that Patricia’s approach wasn’t just for casual chat.
11