Jack’s POV
I stood in the living room of Rosa Villa, the door still vibrating from the force with which it had closed behind Anna. The ssage couldn’t have been clearer if she’d painted it on the wall— she didn’t care enough to even offer an explanation. The utter dismissal left feeling hollow, like I’d beco nothing more than a nuisance to be brushed aside.
"Jack...
I turned to see Lucy standing behind , her eyes filled with unmistakable sympathy. I hadn’t even noticed her following here.
"Anna’s already gone, Jack," she said softly. "She doesn’t care about you anymore."
Her words pierced through like shards of glass. My ears rang with denial, my mind refusing to process what she was saying. This can’t be happening. Not Anna. Not like this.
How could the woman who once pledged herself to at the altar change so completely? The Anna I knew would have at least offered an explanation, would have cared enough to clear up a misunderstanding. We had built a life together, shared dreams, made promises-how could all of that evaporate so quickly?
I shook my head, my throat constricting painfully. "She wouldn’t..."
Lucy’s eyes reddened as she stepped closer. "Jack, I wasn’t lying to you. You saw the photos online, didn’t you?
Anna really did leave with Samuel last night."
The evidence crashed down on like a physical weight. The pictures didn’t lie-Anna and Samuel, leaving together, his hand possessively placed on her lower back. All those whispers at the gala suddenly made sense. My chest tightened with each breath, reality finally breaking through my desperate denial.
"Jack, I might envy Anna," Lucy continued, her voice catching. "But I would never lie to you about this. You accused unfairly."
Tears began streaming down her face, silent but impossible to ignore.
Watching her, I felt a stab of guilt pierce through my pain. I had taken my frustration out on her, blaming the ssenger for a ssage I didn’t want to hear.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to keep my own emotions in check. The mixture of hurt, jealousy, and regret was overwhelming, threatening to pull under. With a heavy sigh, I awkwardly placed my hand on her shoulder.
"I’m sorry," I managed, my voice rough. "I was wrong to accuse you.
What do you want? I’ll get it for you."
The words ca out flat and chanical, but it was the best I could offer in my state. A peace offering, a way to make ands for misdirecting my anger.
Like flipping a switch, Lucy’s expression transford. The tears still glistened on her cheeks, but a smile now brightened her face. "I don’t want anything," she assured . "I just want you to be happy. Please don’t be sad anymore."
I attempted a smile in return, but it felt like a grimace, lasting only a fraction of a second before my face fell back into its natural state of misery.
"Co on," I said, already moving toward the door. "I’ll take you ho before heading to Simpson Group."
Anna’s POV
At the Murphy Estate, I had just finished telling Catherine about what happened last night.
Catherine’s eyes were wide open.
"Annie, you’re absolutely insane! If that bastard had really gotten hurt, you’d be completely screwed." She shook her head in disbelief.
I shrugged with practiced nonchalance, hoping she couldn’t detect the nervousness fluttering beneath my composed exterior. "I didn’t have ti to think it through. He was drugged, aggressive, and I was trapped in a room with him. What was I supposed to do? Let him use as his redy?"
I took another sip of tea, avoiding her gaze. "Besides, he crossed paths with at exactly the wrong mont.
That’s his bad luck, not mine."
Catherine leaned forward, even though we were alone, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper: "Samuel isn’t soone who forgets slights. You basically incapacitated him, then abandoned him at a hospital. He’s definitely going to seek revenge." Her manicured nails tapped anxiously against the armrest. "I’m serious, Annie. That man is dangerous."
"I’ve already made an enemy of him," I replied, setting my cup down with more force than necessary. "What’s one more offense at this point? I’m not afraid of him." The words ca out strong and confident, but internally, I knew the situation was far from resolved. Samuel wasn’t the type to let things go, especially when his pride had been wounded so publicly.
I had specifically co to have lunch with William today, and after chatting with Catherine for a while, I got up to find William.
Ever since sending Marcus back to Europe, I had been afraid to face William. After all, Marcus left because of my rejection.
The rain outside had stopped, and William wasn’t in the living room but in the garden outside.
"Annie!" His face lit up with genuine warmth as he waved over. "Perfect timing. Co, co. I have sothing fascinating to show you."
Relief washed over at his welcoming tone. I noticed an elegant birdcage on the stone table. Inside perched a sleek gray bird with a vibrant red tail, watching with an intelligence that was almost unsettling.
"William, what kind of bird is this?" I asked, leaning closer to examine the creature. Its dark eyes followed my movent with eerie focus. "It looks remarkably... aware."
William’s laughter filled the room, a deep, genuine sound that had always made feel at ho. "This is an African Grey parrot. His na is Einstein, and he’s quite the genius." He bead with the pride of a new parent. "Watch this."
Just as I was wondering what was so special about this particular bird, it suddenly opened its beak and spoke in a clear, oddly British accent: "All style, no substance!"
I jerked back in shock, nearly toppling the nearby side table. "William! Did that bird just insult ?" My voice rose in both outrage and amazent.
"It—it’s actually talking!"
William’s shoulders shook with mirth.
"What do you think, Annie?
Impressive, isn’t he? I traded him from Joseph’s grandfather for a bottle of my best Scotch and quite a bit of begging." He reached out to gently stroke the bird’s head with one finger. "Joseph’s grandfather trained him personally."
"That explains the attitude," I said, eyeing the bird with newfound respect.
"These insults are definitely Joseph’s grandfather’s style." I wiggled my fingers at the cage playfully. "Hey there, Einstein. Got any complints in that repertoire of yours, or is it all criticism?"
The parrot tilted its head, seeming to consider for a mont before squawking: "Faker, faker!"
I gasped in mock offense, placing a hand over my heart. "Excuse ? You mouthy little bird!" But I couldn’t suppress my smile.
"Troublemaker, troublemaker!"
Einstein continued, bobbing his head up and down with obvious delight at having captured my full attention.
"Featherbrain, featherbrain!" I retorted, leaning toward the cage with hands on my hips.
To my satisfaction, the parrot appeared genuinely affronted. It fluffed its feathers and hopped to the other side of its perch, finally turning its back to with what could only be described as avian disgust.
I looked up at William with sudden concern. "Oh no, I didn’t actually hurt his feelings, did I?"
William was practically wiping tears from his eyes. "Einstein has never been bested in a battle of wits before.
He usually has the last word with everyone. He t his match today!" His eyes crinkled with genuine affection as he regarded .
Sothing in his gaze-that sa warmth, that sa acceptance I’d always found in the Murphy homade my throat tighten with emotion.
William wasn’t just being polite; he was deliberately showing that nothing had changed between us, that Marcus’s departure hadn’t altered my standing in his eyes.
"William," I said softly, unable to keep the emotion from my voice, "you’re too good to ."
He waved away my words with a gentle dismissal. "Nonsense. You’re family, Annie. That doesn’t change with the comings and goings of anyone, not even my son."
I swallowed hard, unexpectedly moved by his simple declaration. Before I could respond, the door opened, and the butler entered carrying a tablet.
"Mr. Murphy, I apologize for the interruption," he said with a slight bow. "There’s a video call. Mr. Marcus Murphy is on the line."
Anna’s POV
William’s face lit up instantly. "Perfect timing! Bring it here, please."
The butler handed him the tablet and discreetly withdrew. William adjusted his position on the bench, patting the seat beside him. "Co sit, Annie.
Let’s see what my wayward son is up to."
I hesitated, suddenly feeling like an intruder. "Maybe I should give you so privacy? I can wait inside_"
"Nonsense," William interrupted, already tapping the screen to accept the call. "Marcus would want to see you too."
Before I could protest further, the screen fickered to life, revealing Marcus sitting in what appeared to be a luxurious hotel room. His hair was damp, and he wore only a black silk robe loosely tied at the waist. He’d clearly just stepped out of the shower.
"Marcus!" William’s voice bood with delight. "Finally rembering your poor old father, are you?"
Marcus’s expression remained impassive, though I detected a subtle softening around his eyes. "Father.
You look well."
"And you look like you’re working yourself to death again," William replied, his tone half-joking, half-concerned. "When was the last ti you had a proper sleep?"
Marcus glanced down, adjusting sothing off-screen. "Just signed a major contract. The negotiations took longer than expected."
I tried to shrink back out of the cara’s view, but William suddenly angled the tablet to include . "Look who’s here with , Marcus! Annie ca to visit."
"Hello, Uncle Marcus," I finally said, actually inquiring about his injury.
"How are you?"
Marcus’s gaze locked onto mine through the screen, his dark eyes unreadable. The silence stretched, becoming uncomfortably taut.
"Marcus," William prompted, a hint of reprimand in his voice. "Annie asked how you are."
"Fine," Marcus replied curtly, understanding the true aning behind my words, his gaze still fixed on . "And you?"
"I’m well too, thank you," I answered.
Marcus nodded once, his expression unchanged. Then, without warning, he asked: "What about that trending topic? The one with you and Griffin."
I felt my cheeks flush with heat.
"You. know about that?"
William seed to sense the tension, rising abruptly to his feet. "You know what? I think Einstein needs so fresh air. I’ll take him for a little walk around the garden." He picked up the birdcage, already moving toward the path. "Annie, you and Marcus catch up. I’ll be back in a bit."
"Scoundrel! Scoundrel!" Einstein squawked indignantly, flapping his wings in protest at being moved.
Marcus’s brow furrowed as he leaned closer to the screen. "What is that?"
"A parrot," I explained quickly.
"Hmm," was all Marcus said in response.
Once William was out of earshot, Marcus’s full attention returned to , his gaze intensifying. "Tell about the news report. What happened?"
I shifted uncomfortably, deciding to give him a simplified version.
"It’s nothing serious,’ " I said with a dismissive wave. "Lucy Taylor took so photos of helping Samuel to the hospital when he’d had too much to drink. The angles were deliberately misleading-made it look like sothing romantic was happening." I forced a laugh. "You know how these things go. It’ll blow over in a day or two."
Marcus’s eyes narrowed slightly. "And Griffin? He’s no longer causing trouble for you?"
I nodded quickly-too quickly.
"Actually, he owes a favor now. I helped him out of a... difficult situation. He won’t be a problem anymore."
*Please don’t ask for details*
I silently begged.
"Thank you for your concern, Uncle Marcus," I added softly. "I really am fine. You don’t need to worry about ."
"I’m worried about you?" he asked, his tone so cold it made flinch.
I stared at him, completely caught off guard by the abrupt shift.
"I-I should go," I stamred, desperate to end this increasingly uncomfortable conversation. "It’s getting late, and you must be tired after your negotiations. You should rest."
I barely waited for his response before reaching over to end the call. The screen went black, and I slumped back against the bench, exhaling a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
My heart was still racing, my palms slightly damp with nervous sweat.
*Dating soone like that would require nerves of steel*, I thought wryly. *It would be more stressful than outwitting Samuel Griffin.* Catherine was always joking about becoming her aunt by marrying Marcus, but the very thought made shudder.
Marcus’s POV
I rubbed my tired eyes as the screen before went dark. Recent events had left restless, especially everything concerning Anna Shaw.
A knock interrupted my thoughts.
Peter Reed entered with a grave expression.
"Sir, we’ve obtained the security footage. Lucy Taylor did indeed take those photos," he paused l, carefully choosing his words, "but I found sothing else. Samuel Griffin’s behavior last night was very strange."
My hand froze on the desk, alarm bells ringing in my mind. Anna’s words from our last conversation suddenly echoed-she had lied to .
"What exactly happened?" My voice was noticeably deeper than usual, tension evident even to my own ears.
Peter quickly operated the computer, bringing up the surveillance footage for to view.
"Look, sir. Griffin doesn’t appear to be rely intoxicated," Peter pointed out.
In the footage, Samuel behaved erratically, tugging at his shirt while stumbling into a private lounge.
Minutes later, Anna passed by the door and was suddenly pulled inside.
My heart sank instantly, my hands unconsciously clenching into fists, nails digging deep into my palms. I felt no pain—only a burning rage mixed with profound concern as horrific scenarios flashed through my mind.
Peter, noticing my change in deanor, quickly added: "Don’t worry, sir. Miss Shaw appears unhard. They erged shortly after."
The video fast-forwarded to show Anna cautiously peering out, checking for onlookers before helping Samuel leave.
"The final footage shows Griffin entering Miss Shaw’s car-likely heading to a hospital. I’m certain Griffin was drugged," Peter explained.
"Drugged?" My frown deepened, expression darker than before. This girl was truly bold, risking herself to take Samuel to a hospital? Didn’t she realize how dangerous it could be if Samuel acted on his drug-induced impulses? I couldn’t bear to follow that train of thought.
I took a deep breath, struggling to control my emotions. "Can we determine who administered the drug?"
"Investigation overseas presents challenges, but knowing Griffin’s character, he won’t let such humiliation slide. Ive arranged surveillance on his movents," Peter replied.
I nodded. "Good."
Seeing I had no further instructions, Peter exited the office.
Alone in my office, my thoughts churned. Why had Anna lied to ?
Was she worried I’d be concerned, or was there another reason? If Samuel was indeed drugged, the situation might be more complex than I imagined. I needed to verify certain things personally.
Night had deepened, but my thoughts only grew clearer. I had made my decision.
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