Let Me Go, Mr. Howard Chapter 136

The reception room fell silent as Libbie left to attend to her duties, leaving only Scarlett and Sebastian.

Scarlett's bare feet rested near Sebastian's leg. When he moved closer, her curled toes accidentally brushed against him. 

She instinctively tried to pull back—not for any particular reason except to distance herself from him.

In the next moment, Sebastian caught her foot and began gently massaging it. 

Startled, Scarlett yanked her foot away and sprang up like a frightened bird.

"What are you doing?" Her face flushed red as she glared at the seemingly unconcerned Sebastian.

"It's getting cold. You should wear socks," he replied casually.

Scarlett pressed her lips together, tucking her bare feet behind her. "That's none of your concern. I'm not cold."

She couldn't understand him—if he'd chosen Adeline, why did he still show these moments of concern? 

This pattern of slapping her with one hand while offering candy with the other felt like pet training. Yes, exactly like training a dog—with her, Scarlett, as the leashed pet. 

The feeling was unpleasant, strengthening her desire to escape this relationship.

She retreated to the armrest of the sofa—plush like all the furniture in Number 5 Skylake Road, reflecting her preference for soft seating. 

Watching Sebastian warily, she feared what strange behavior might come next.

"Aren't you going to keep Ms. Morgan company?" This was her second mention of Adeline.

Sebastian loosened his tie and tossed it aside. The navy-blue silk floated to the edge of the coffee table before sliding to the floor, disappearing into the shadows.

Scarlett's gaze followed it down as her fingers unconsciously traced the patterns on the sofa throw, creating shallow creases in the fabric.

"Isn't she your first love? Aren't you worried she'll be jealous of you coming here every day?"

Her words carried a hidden coquettishness she hadn't even recognized—like a child with candy testing how much more she might receive.

She glanced up at him secretly, heart harboring hope. Perhaps his choosing to visit her instead of Adeline meant he preferred her?

Sebastian rubbed the inner corner of his eye, his voice devoid of warmth. "She's different from you."

Those words felt like ice water trickling down Scarlett's spine. She froze, goosebumps instantly covering her arms, her breathing faltering.

Yet her pride pushed her to ask, her voice tight though she struggled to keep it steady, "Different how?"

Sebastian looked at her briefly before reaching for the water glass Libbie had recently brought. "Different is different. Do I need to elaborate?"

His casual indifference hurt more than an outright rejection.

Scarlett watched his profile as he drank, her grip tightening on the sofa cover. Whatever hopeful expectation she'd felt moments ago had been crushed by his ambiguous response.

Several seconds of silence passed, broken only by the occasional evening breeze outside the window.

Still leaning against the sofa, she pulled an accent pillow into her arms, attempting to appear unbothered. 

Yet her voice betrayed her with a barely suppressed tremor. "You're right—no need for details. Feel free to go to your Ms. Morgan whenever you want."

Sebastian said nothing, watching as she flipped through television channels with the remote. 

The screen images jumped erratically—she clearly had no idea what she wanted to watch.

Setting down his glass, Sebastian settled back on the sofa. His voice remained even but carried a strange note of reassurance. "I'm staying here tonight."

The abrupt statement only confused Scarlett further. "Fine, whatever."

Unable to decide on a program and finding the atmosphere suffocating, she tossed aside the pillow and headed upstairs, still barefoot.

Sebastian didn't follow. His gaze lingered briefly on her smooth soles before he impassively looked away.

True to his word, Sebastian stayed the night. 

However, when Scarlett woke the next morning, he was already gone—his side of the bed long cold.

She refused to wonder if he'd slipped away to Adeline's in the middle of the night, focusing instead on preparing for her workday. 

Though she couldn't travel out of town, she still needed to visit project sites.

The municipal complex construction was nearing completion, ready for interior finishing work.

Downstairs, Scarlett immediately noticed new carpeting covering the first floor.

The plush carpet seemed unsuitable for the season. 

She couldn't resist slipping off her slippers to feel it under her bare feet. The soft texture made her smile. "Why the sudden carpet?"

"Mr. Howard requested it," Libbie replied with a smile. "He said since you like going barefoot, this would keep you from catching cold."

Scarlett froze, quickly putting her shoes back on before heading to the dining table.

"We have underfloor heating. This is completely unnecessary," she complained while sipping her porridge.

Yet her reddening earlobes betrayed her true feelings.

Libbie brought over some sandwiches. "But the heating won't be turned on for another few months."

Scarlett remained silent, her eyes sparkling. Was this a sign he cared?

At the office, she encountered Orion in the elevator. 

They hadn't seen each other for several days, and their last conversation had significantly lowered Scarlett's opinion of him. She remained wary in his presence.

"Ms. Seymour," Orion greeted her casually, as if nothing had happened.

Unable to pretend she hadn't seen him, Scarlett merely nodded.

"I heard you were ill the day before yesterday. Are you feeling better now? If not, someone else could visit the site today."

At this, Scarlett finally looked at him properly. Her expression remained neutral. "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Watson, but my health is fine."

Orion nodded. "Good to hear. If anything happened to you under my supervision, Mr. Howard would skin me alive."

Detecting his teasing tone, Scarlett glanced nervously at the other employees in the elevator while keeping her voice level. "Is that so? I think you're mistaken. Bash wouldn't do that."

She deliberately used Sebastian's nickname, her meaning clear.

Orion didn't push further, simply saying cheerfully, "Your brother values you greatly. I'd better be careful."

Scarlett didn't respond to his puzzling comment, merely raising an eyebrow and watching the floor numbers change.

When they reached the Integrated Department, Scarlett was the first to exit.

"So cold," Orion murmured, his farewell becoming a sigh.

Scarlett was scheduled to visit the site with Hatty. After gathering their supplies, they headed back to the elevator—only to encounter Orion again.

"Good morning, Mr. Watson," Hatty greeted him promptly.

Scarlett frowned. "Do you need something, Mr. Watson?"

"I'm coming with you," Orion replied with a smile, dangling his car keys.