Chapter 58
After the broadcast of the program for over 30 minutes, the program suddenly stopped and inserted a commercial. Diana Swift couldn't figure it out. She sat cross-legged on the bed, pressing the TV remote to replay it.
She remembered that the first time when she went to the Exhibition Center in the X City to make a record, the little girl, Sarah Reed was quite unpleasant who loved to show off and to prattle on with no ability of aesthetics. And at that time, the two had a quarrel.
But in the half-hour content of the broadcast, except for being with Diana Swift in the same camera, Sarah Reed's was beautiful and had a good temperament. She seemed to be tender, considerate and even adorable.
On the contrary, Diana Swift always felt that some of her expressions weren't friendly enough when Sarah Reed finished her talks and then the scene came to her. She didn't know if she was too sensitive or not. Others were all lavish in praising and listening carefully, but she was absent-minded and did not smile.
The key was that she remembered that when she was recording, even though she felt uncomfortable, she wore an impeccable and cheerful air on her face.
"I, Diana Swift have lived a busy social life for many years. How couldn't I even manage my expression well in front of the camera?"
Diana Swift thought and felt a little depressed. The mobile phone was ringing. And messages were coming in. She picked it up to have a look, and suddenly laughed angrily.
Some people probably knew that she participated in this show and watch the premiere specially. And now they all sent her messages to flatter her, such as "Just a few shots, we can see that our sweet heart, Diana is gorgeous and her beauty was unparalleled." and so on.
As for praise, she had always been willing to listen. But after replying them with thanks one by one, she was still in two minds. After thinking hard, she talked to Bonnie Smith and Betty Miller about the part that didn't match with the recording, and asked them if they thought she was rude.
Betty Miller was simple-minded and replied, "Don't think too much. It's fine if you look beautiful. When I looked at it, I didn't notice your eyes, the rudeness, etc. what you said."
Betty Miller replied again, "Oh, by the way, my cousin has been in my house for the past few days. He just watched TV with me in the living room. He also pointed his finger at you on the TV and asked me in surprise, 'Which star is this? And how did I never see her before?'
Betty Miller replied, "I said she was not a star but my friend. And then I told him that you're married before he continued to ask me. Aha ha!"
Diana Swift was praised which made her feel a little happy.
Bonnie Smith also comforted her, "This is not a live broadcast. The later editing must be a little different from the live recording. It is quite normal."
Bonnie Smith replied again, "If they really broadcast the live recording, then the girls of the Girls Group must explode with rage and they want to bomb the program."
It made sense.
Diana Swift nodded to herself.
Toby Hunter also watched the program tonight, and now he sent her a message, "Diana, I'm watching your show. You're so beautiful."
Diana Swift replied two sentences of polite thanks as usual.
Toby Hunter asked again, "By the way, are you free tomorrow? There is a very interesting cosmic-themed art installation exhibition in the Empire Building. And it got a good review online. Tomorrow is the last day and I just have two tickets. Would you like to watch it with me?"
Diana Swift paused for a while. After the last Christmas Eve dinner, Toby Hunter sent her messages every now and then. He also invited her a few times, such as inviting her to watch an art exhibition, inviting her to have a meal in a new restaurant and so on.
Once she really couldn't keep an appointment because she went on vacation abroad and didn't let others know beforehand. The other times she made excuses to refuse the invitations, because she always felt that it was inappropriate for a married young girl like her to go out alone with him, an unmarried young man.
After careful calculation, she had refused him three or four times in a row, and it seemed to hurt his feelings if she continued to refuse.
Diana Swift thought for a while, then measured in her speech to reply to the message, "I lived at my best friend's house before with a lot of luggage. I went home in the past two days. My best friend asked me to find time to pack my luggage. I'm sorry because I ought not to have time to go to the exhibition tomorrow. But in a few days my friend is going to hold a masquerade in the west of the city. It should be fun. If you are interested, you can go and relax after work."
After texting, Diana Swift read it silently.
"Well, it won't be very rude to send a new invitation after declining an invitation." She thought.
Moreover, both Toby Hunter and Josh Hunter were those who didn't like to add to the fun. Most probably he won't go to the dance. Even if he went on a whim this time, there would be hundreds of people there which was fair and appropriate.
At this moment, she heard the familiar footsteps coming upstairs outside the room. Diana Swift straightened her back unconsciously with her typing speed quickening.
She replied, "I still have something to do here. Let's chat next time. If you go, report my name directly, and an invitation isn't needed."
She replied again, "This is the specific time and address."
She copied the invitation sent by others and sent it to Toby Hunter.
With slightly darkened eyes, Toby Hunter stopped halfway replying to the message. Thinking of something, he pressed the delete key for a long time to clear the unsent content with one click.
Actually, he didn't want to start with Diana Swift at all.
Diana Swift is a little girl who seemed to be arrogant and willful, but was pure and kind-hearted since she was a child.
He remembered that when she was a child, she was afraid of small animals, and complained every day that the stray kittens near the alley were dirty and annoying. But several times when everyone was having dinner, she quietly delivered food to the kittens and hid behind the wire poles to steal a glance at kittens from a distance. After seeing them eat, she skipped and jumped home with smiles in her eyes.
However, except this little girl, he couldn't find any other way to get close.
He turned around and looked out the window at the glittering lights of P City in the winter night, and suddenly felt that the city was very alien which was different from the city he had yearned for many years.
-
When Josh Hunter walked into the room, there was a strong smell of alcohol on him. Diana Swift covered her mouth and nose while getting out of bed. She asked in a little stuffy voice, "How much did you drink? The smell is unpleasant."
She didn't know whether Josh Hunter hear her clearly or not. He didn't take the initiative to open the door and let in some fresh air and he even closed it, fastening a lock.
Diana Swift had her back to him when she got out of bed. So, she didn't notice his secret action.
She went to press the master switch to adjust the ventilation mode, then turned back to open the door. But before she touched the doorknob, she was caught off guard and was held by Josh Hunter in his arms.
A kiss with a strong smell of alcohol fell on her lips and then his tongue entwined inward.
At first, Diana Swift had freedom of movement to push him a few times forcibly. But her two restless wrists were quickly tied behind her back tightly by Josh Hunter. And the kiss became more domineering for punishment.
Diana Swift was a little dizzy maybe because she had been hit by the stink of alcohol. Fortunately, when Josh Hunter wanted to move further, it refreshed her memories abruptly, and she subconsciously began to resist.
"No!"
"Are you the reincarnation of Teddy?"
She struggled with her hands and feet. Not knowing what she was thinking, she even grazed his head with her chin.
This trick was a bit stupid and her teeth were hurt by her own knock. But Josh Hunter didn't feel anything. However, Josh Hunter subconsciously slowed down when he heard the gasp after she knocked her teeth.
He looked up at Diana Swift with loving care in his eyes inexplicably, but he said in a cold and calm tone, "I bought you diamonds today, a whole set."
Diana Swift wrinkled her nose and said in disgust, "So what? Even the aircraft carriers don't work!"
Diana Swift continued to struggle, but Josh Hunter was unwilling to let go. The two of them did not let each other go. Maybe they were tired in the end, the game ended with a tacit compromise.
-
In the dead of night, after washing up and lying on the bed, neither Diana Swift nor Josh Hunter fell asleep. A warm yellow floor lamp was turned on in the room, and the lamp cast irregular shadows on the wall which inexplicably enveloped them a gentle and hazy halo.
Diana Swift stretched out her hands with perfect assurance and whispered, "My hands hurt. Rub them for me."
Josh Hunter didn't answer, but he really held her hands and rubbed them gently.
Diana Swift cuddled in his arms for a while, and unconsciously became a beautiful little young wife and cared about her husband, "Why do you drink so much today? Did you have hangover pills?"
Josh Hunter rubbed his hands with closed eyes. He seldom talked about his work. And the voice was still calm.
The boss he socialized with today was not a scholar who started a business in his early years. And the scale of his business was getting bigger and bigger with danger all the way. He was straightforward and bold and had a temperament of an itinerant. The reasons for urging Josh Hunter to drink more were various. For instance, if their fraternal feelings were profound, he must drink himself to sick.
Josh Hunter had never been very good at socializing these kinds of people. They were inexplicably enthusiastic and born socializers. It seemed that they didn't know well how to behave. Everyone was their good brother. But there was a long-term cooperation relationship between them, so it wasn't good for him to pull a poker face because of this petty thing.
After saying these, Josh Hunter paused and said abruptly, "Do you think it's easy to earn money to support you?" Diana Swift didn't know whether he was talking seriously or flirting with her.
The topic of the conversation changed too fast which made Diana Swift feel baffled and asked, "Am I very hard to support?"
Then she retorted in an affectedly sweet voice, "Except you, there are a lot of people who want to support me. How could you not be satisfied with such a good opportunity!"
Josh Hunter closed his eyes and slightly ridiculed her, without refuting her.
They chatted gently on the bed for a while. Josh Hunter was a little tired and fell asleep before he realized it.
Diana Swift was about to talk to him about the show. But she didn't get a response after saying a few words. So, she raised her eyes and asked, "Josh Hunter, Josh Hunter? Mr. Hunter? Josh?"
She poked his larynx slightly, and then blew his eyelashes.
No response.
He really fell asleep.
Diana Swift changed her posture into lying on the bed, with her chin cupping in her hands, carefully looked at the man beside her and then she was lost in thought.
"At the moment, I really couldn't tell whether he was of great strength or not. He was energetic although he didn't sleep a wink the whole night yesterday. But today after a drink, he is so drunk that he passes out." She thought.
"Ah, maybe he is physically not up to it because he's almost thirty. Really, he will be thirty in over two years! But I am still an eighteen-year-old fairy who will never grow up. Bah! He, an old man is really robbing the cradle! But he is good-looking and I love all his features at any time."
Diana Swift couldn't help reaching out her hands to pinch his cheeks. Seeing that he didn't make a response, she leaned forward and kissed him.
After the kiss which made her almost want to writhe in happiness, she turned her head and started giggling.
After being able to face calmly the fact that she liked him, it seemed that every minute she spent with him became very sweet. And apart from the tiredness of intimate contact, she also felt happy.
After the secret kisses for several times, a nameless sadness suddenly came into her mind. And she poked the tip of his nose and asked in a low voice, "When would you like me?"