Elise Don unconsciously brought her knees together, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible.
"The money, I'll return it to you when I get back to the city tomorrow... As for gratitude, I'll pay interest at the commercial loan rate of 6%."
The dimness in the room couldn't hide the emotions.
The aura surrounding Oliver Bloom contracted in an instant, his eyes darkened, and he let out a sneer, as if feeling that even laughing was meaningless. He turned his head away and after a moment, spoke.
"Suit yourself."
Then he turned his back on Elise Don and didn't make another sound.
The draft blowing through the gap in the quilt continued, along with the chill that seemed to seep into the heart.
Elise Don slowly closed her eyes, waiting for sleep, or for dawn.
...
The next day, Elise Don woke up very early.
In the spirit of the holiday, she chose a red cable-knit sweater over a crescent satin shirt, with a crescent-white satin skirt below.
