Watching his retreating back, Halle clenched her teeth in exasperation. Hot tears then rolled down her cheeks, landing audibly on her jacket. She quickly turned away and forced herself to blend into the lively celebration around her.
What she didn’t see was Terence, now back inside, lingering by the window. He watched her for a long time before picking up the neatly folded jacket she had left on the chair and taking it back to his room.
Before long, the alcohol finally wore off, but Halle’s head remained heavy. Before she knew it, she had fainted right outside Terence’s door.
When she woke up, her face was flushed with fever, and she was lying in Terence’s bed. He sat nearby with a dark expression and faintly red eyes.
Just then, a knock at the door broke the tense silence. Terence quickly composed himself and opened the door to Darlene.
“Terence, we’ve got news about the poachers who escaped last time,” she said urgently.
As such, Terence unhesitatingly shut the door behind him and left with Darlene.
Alone in the room, Halle sat up and felt her throat dry and her mind hazy. Glancing around the room, she realized she was in Terence’s private quarters, a place she hadn’t stepped into for a long time.
Shortly, her eyes landed on the wooden table by the bed, where her compass sat. But it was now fully repaired. Seeing it, she couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.
'What's this supposed to mean? Scold me one moment, then make me something special the next? Is this his way of balancing things out?' she scoffed inwardly.
Despite her thoughts, she still hung the compass back around her neck and got out of bed to look for him.
As she reached the door, she heard voices just outside. She stopped midway and pressed her ear against the wood.
“Have you thought this through?” Darlene asked, her tone laced with hesitation. “This is a lifelong decision. You can’t make it lightly.”
“Don’t worry,” Terence replied, his voice steady. “Once this is done, nothing will change between us. I’ll never let anything happen to you.”
The words hit Halle like a bucket of icy water. Her body stiffened and her hands and feet turned cold.
'They must be talking about marriage,' Halle assumed mentally. 'So, the rumors in the team were true. They're indeed not just colleagues.'
Halle thought Terence had been avoiding her not just because of work, duty, or the harsh environment, he simply didn’t love her.