Janie hesitated for a moment but nodded in agreement. She didn’t want Harold to accompany her, but she couldn’t help but feel that this might be for the best.
She admitted to herself that she was somewhat afraid of Benjamin. His presence was overpowering, capable of subtly consuming those around him. She didn’t want to be consumed by him again; she knew she couldn’t win against him.
“Ring~”
Janie’s phone rang, causing her hand to tremble, nearly dropping the device.
She answered the call.
“Come out!” came Benjamin’s low, icy voice from the other end.
He had made up his mind. As soon as Janie stepped out, without a second thought, he would grab her and leave.
He would take her back to Struyria.
Once they were back in Struyria, he would dump her in Glenbrook.
The remaining words would have to wait until he was no longer angry.
Janie remained silent, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear before rising to her feet and walking towards the exit.
Harold hurriedly followed behind her.
As they stepped out of the bar, they saw a tall, imposing figure in black standing by the railing across the street.
The man was leaning against the railing, with one knee bent, and a cigarette between his fingers.
Even from a distance, they could see the coolness etched upon his strikingly handsome face.
His deep, slightly narrowed eyes held a melancholic glimmer reminiscent of a starry night sky.
He exuded an innate indifference, an elusive aura of danger that was both captivating and unsettling.
With just one glance, Benjamin managed to consume Janie once again.
But just as that moment unfolded, Harold reached out and firmly grasped Janie’s arm.
As Janie emerged, a glimmer briefly flickered in Benjamin’s deep, piercing gaze.
However, as Harold’s arm encircled her, that glimmer vanished in an instant.
His eyes grew even darker, an abyss devoid of light.
Benjamin extinguished his half-smoked cigarette against the nearby trash bin, releasing his legs from their perch on the railing.
Standing tall, a stronger, more dangerous aura emanated from him, piercing the air.
Harold felt a tremor of unease, and he sensed Janie’s body quiver ever so slightly.
But they were already halfway across the street, and turning back was no longer an option.
Gritting his teeth, Harold mustered his courage and, with a firm grip on Janie’s arm, took a step forward.
With only seven or eight steps remaining, Benjamin, who had been watching them intently, spoke up, his voice carrying across the distance, “It’s alright, no need to come any closer!”
Though his voice was far away, it felt as if it echoed from the depths of an eternal snow-capped mountain.
Janie’s body stiffened, leaving her momentarily frozen in place.
Harold, on the other hand, breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Benjamin had already turned around, his long legs striding confidently toward the parking lot.
Since Janie and Harold were together, appearing so intimate, then so be it.
He dismissed the resolution he had just made.
What a waste of time!
Benjamin regretted his impulsive decision to come running here like a madman.
Was he bored?
Or had he eaten so much that he was now stuffed?
The problem was, he wasn’t bored, and his stomach still grumbled with hunger!
