âTony, you look like youâre itching somewhere. Do you want me to give you a scratch?â Shirley playfully taunted.
âUncle Zacharias, Uncle Zacharias, you better control your future wife! Sheâs threatening me.â Tony immediately hid behind Zacharias while chuckling. Shirley was left speechless.
But Zacharias was in a good mood. âShe wouldnât punish you if you hadnât provoked her?â
Tony immediately said, âI knew that you two would be on each otherâs side. What am I even doing here?â
âYouâre becoming more and more unruly!â Shirley remarked angrily with her hands on her hips. Tony finally stopped joking. Still, he had put a lot of effort into making Zacharias marry Shirley.
Zacharias had never noticed any lovable qualities in Tony before, but today, Zacharias found his nephew a bit cute.
âIâm ignoring you guys. Iâm going back to my room. Pretend I donât exist. If you want to act all lovey-
dovey or sleep together, go ahead. I wonât disturb you,â Tony quickly went upstairs, genuinely afraid that Shirley would hit him.
Once Tony left, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became a bit suggestive. Zacharias looked at Shirley. âIf youâre still scared tonight, my room is always open for you.â
âNo, Iâd rather go ghost hunting than sleep in your bed,â she retorted nonchalantly.
Zacharias chuckled. âI didnât expect you to know how to hunt ghosts, Miss Lloyd. Impressive. But before you go to sleep, can you make me a cup of coffee? I still have to work overtime.â
âCoffee at this hour? No wonder you have trouble sleeping. Relying on sleeping pills daily isnât a solution either. How about switching to tea?â Shirley suggested.
Zacharias suddenly felt loved. He smiled and said, âAlright, Iâll go with your suggestion.â
He then went upstairs. She made him a cup of tea, carrying it to his study. Watching the man put on his silver-framed glasses again, his air of nobility seemed even stronger. She couldnât help but steal a few more glances before leaving. When she got back to her room, her phone beeped. It was a message from Imogen. âShirley, sorry I didnât see you in the car just now.
Shirley replied, âItâs okay. If your injury isnât healed, take a break for now!â
This minor injury is nothing. It seems like you have a good relationship with Mr. Flintstone, Imogen inquired.
Shirley hesitated briefly. Aware of Imogenâs crush on Zacharias, Shirley found herself uncertain about how to respond. Then, she stated, âIâm just ensuring his safety during travels.â
Imogen sent another message. âShirley, if you ever develop feelings for Mr. Flintstone, you have to let me know. I wonât feel burdened then.â
Shirley sighed. She was unprepared for the conversation to take such a weighty turn.
âShirley, you said you wouldnât like Mr. Flintstone. Do you already have someone you like?â Imogen persisted in her questioning. Shirley truly didnât know how to answer Imogenâs question.
âItâs okay, Shirley. Thereâs certainly no chance for me and Mr. Flintstone, but you have a chance! You and Mr. Flintstone make a great match.
Shirley reflected on her previous assurance to Imogen. She stated that she wouldnât develop feelings for Zacharias. Hence, she knew that expressing any desire to pursue him now would contradict herself.
So, she replied, âImogen, I havenât thought about matters of the heart right now.
Imogen, who was in the dormitory, had a calculating look in her eyes. She knew Shirley was loyal and respected their friendship. She quickly sent another message. âDonât worry too much about Mr.
Flintstone showing concern for me tonight!â She deliberately emphasized Zachariasâ concern for her, wanting Shirley to know that she had caught his attention.
Shirley didnât pay much attention to it. She replied, âOf course not! Itâs natural for him to care about you.â
âBlocking him from knife attacks is not only my duty; it would be my honor to die for him, Imogen expressed..
âImogen, donât say such ominous things, Shirley advised.
âI mean it. Iâm genuinely willing to sacrifice my life for Mr. Flintstone. From the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew my life would be dedicated to him.