William flicked the switch, and the sudden flood of light montarily blinded both of them as all the lights flickered on at once. Anna winced, squinting against the brightness. "God, Mr. Stark!"
"So which is it—God or Mr. Stark?" He smirked, stepping closer, his presence almost palpable. "And I distinctly rember asking you to call Will. I doubt Mrs. Garrel has erased that from your mory."
Anna’s heart raced, and her blue eyes continued to scan his face, her mind montarily losing track of her thoughts. She couldn’t care less about his teasing—especially when he looked even more stunning than she rembered.
What truly occupied her thoughts, though, was the simple fact that he was standing there, in her room, unannounced yet sohow perfectly fitting.
The tension that had weighed on her all day, despite her busyness, evaporated instantly. And though fatigue clung to her body, just seeing his smirking face reignited a surge of energy inside her.
It was remarkable how this man could make her freeze in place, yet feel an uncontrollable restlessness at the sa ti.
"Well," William said, his voice cooling as his gaze settled into sothing more serious, his lips still twitching with a hint of a smile. "Can I at least get a hug?"
"Oh God," she muttered, practically leaping forward to wrap her arms around him.
William sighed contentedly as he returned her embrace, his right hand gently patting her on the head. "I take it that ans you missed , Ms. Dumas."
Anna nodded, fighting the overwhelming urge to burst into tears. She couldn’t quite explain the sudden surge of emotions flooding through her, but at the sa ti, she didn’t want them to fade away. She truly missed him, though it only hit her when she finally saw his face.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, pulling her face away from his chest, her voice still thick with emotion. "Violet said you were too busy to co."
"I did tell her to say that," William replied, taking her hand and gently guiding her toward the bed, offering her a seat. "I wanted you to stay focused on your task a little longer."
"That was pretty an of you," she pouted, though a hint of amusent danced in her eyes as William traced his fingers across her palm, slowly turning it over. His gaze lingered on every line of her skin, as though morizing the details.
His touch was so unexpectedly intimate, so strangely intense, that Anna’s cheeks flushed. Suddenly, she beca acutely aware of her surroundings, of the proximity between them. mories of their first and only night together surged forward in vivid clarity, making her palms grow clammy. She instinctively tried to pull her hand away.
"You’re still doing it," William observed, his voice low, pulling her hand back toward him. His gaze focused on a small, fresh scratch by her nail. "Are you nervous?"
Anna nodded almost reflexively. Under his intense, steady gaze, it felt impossible to hide her true feelings. His sigh was soft but heavy, and he smiled, his eyes softening.
"I bet Anaїs had a few things to say to you," he teased gently, pulling her right thumb all the way to his lips. "But you’d better not let it happen again."
Without warning, he pressed a soft kiss to the tiny scratch, and a jolt of shivers ran down Anna’s spine, her heart racing in response.
Anna didn’t pull her hand away, but she cleared her throat with a short cough, averting her gaze. "You didn’t tell who would be there, so it was only natural that I got nervous."
William gently caught her chin between his fingers, tilting her face so she had no choice but to look into his eyes.
"That was your first mistake, Chloe. You got nervous and betrayed her true identity with that little habit of yours. All I did was hint that one of your enemies would be at the charity event."
Anna bit her lip, cursing herself internally.
He was right—she had failed almost imdiately, and it had been so easy. All the ti she’d spent away from them, training herself to face them head-on, and yet she’d cracked at the re ntion of them.
"Anyway," William said, shifting to a more businesslike tone as he withdrew slightly, creating so distance between them. "The person attending the auction is Susanne Hyde."
"Robert’s sister?" Anna’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. "How was she invited to such a prestigious event?"
"How do you think?" He smirked, leaning forward, his hands joining at his knees. "I asked Alie Bennett to send her an invite. Her new boyfriend is a struggling artist who has been submitting his work to the auction for the past seven years but has always been rejected. This ti, Mrs. Bennett’s art consultant agreed to give him a chance, but he was told to submit a new piece. He’s going to submit it a day before the auction."
"I don’t get it," Anna said, her shoulders tensing as William’s words began to sink in. "What can I do with her during the auction? Especially since she’s only attending as a guest."
William shook his head slowly, his expression one of quiet disappointnt. "Think, Chloe. The whole point of this charade is to publicly expose and humiliate her."
Suddenly, everything clicked into place, like a missing jigsaw puzzle piece falling perfectly into place and completing the picture she had been struggling to understand.
A breath caught in her chest as realization washed over her. "I can’t believe she’s still doing it," Anna whispered, her eyes suddenly alight with an unsettling mixture of anger and exhilaration. "How did you know?"
William let out a sharp scoff, straightening his posture with a quiet grace that commanded attention.
He gave Anna a light, almost patronizing pat on the head, as if she were an obedient pet who had just figured out sothing she should have known all along. "The last gift you asked for," he said in a casual tone, "that’s how I found out."
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