As William and Sanya made their way toward the Lancaster Mansion, his phone rang, the call connecting through his car’s speaker since he hadn’t put on his Bluetooth.
"Boss won’t be coming to the mansion. He’s with Mrs. Lancaster, and they’re headed to Malibu Town so she can unwind," Tyron’s voice inford from the other end.
"I see. Alright, thanks for letting know, Tyron," William replied before ending the call.
He glanced at Sanya, with a hint of sympathy in his expression. "Looks like she’s not ready to talk to you yet. Honestly, so ti to clear her head might be just what she needs after everything that happened."
Sanya sighed, nodding in quiet agreent. She knew this was her fault, she had to face Rain and apologize—it was long overdue.
"Where would you like to go now? Should I drop you off sowhere?" William asked.
But she seed lost in thought, her gaze unfocused as she stared out the window. Taking her silence as a cue, he turned the car toward his penthouse. Since he didn’t know where she lived—and maybe to his own advantage—he figured she could relax better with him close by.
A playful grin curved on his lips as he drove.
When he pulled into the parking lot and stopped the car, William stepped out and circled around to open Sanya’s door. She blinked, snapping out of her thoughts as she realized they had stopped.
"Where are we?" she asked, frowning in mild confusion.
"Co on up. Let’s have so coffee at my penthouse. I think you could use the company, and there’s plenty around that might keep you occupied. You seem like you’re on the verge of losing your mind," he added, his tone soft but genuinely concerned about leaving her alone.
With a sigh, Sanya took his offered hand, and he led her to his penthouse in the Lancaster Towers, the luxurious double-skyscraper. Their private elevator, accessible only to them, their father, and a handful of trusted associates whisked them up directly to the top floors.
William’s penthouse was an impressive, sleek modern space, filled with every anity imaginable. The open floor plan featured floor-to-ceiling windows that bathed the room in natural light, offering a stunning view of the city.
Across from his penthouse, in the sa double-tower skyscraper, was Alexander’s penthouse — both a generous gift from their father upon their college graduations.
As the elevator doors slid open, William glanced at her with a small smile. "Welco," he said, gesturing to the sprawling views and inviting spaces within. "Make yourself at ho."
If her mind wasn’t so tangled with thoughts about Rain, Sanya would’ve been awestruck by William’s penthouse. But her focus remained clouded with regret and the need to make things right with her friend. Despite the distraction, she decided to channel her energy into cooking, hoping it might bring so clarity.
"It’ll be dinner soon. Mind if I take over your kitchen?" she asked, her tone casual as if this were a routine for them.
"By all ans," William replied with an easy smile, guiding her to the spacious, state-of-the-art kitchen.
As she moved around, feeling more at ease with every step, she sensed William’s gaze following her. He took a seat at the kitchen counter, clearly content to watch her in action.
"Need a hand?" he offered at one point.
"No, I need to do this alone," she replied softly. "Go do whatever you need to. I’ll call you when it’s ready."
Just as he stood to leave, she nearly stopped breathing as he moved closer. Before she knew it, he had reached around her, tying an apron around her waist with a warm, almost protective gesture. For a brief, charged mont, it felt as if he were enveloping her in his arms, his hands lingering as he secured the knot at her back.
"Now you’re ready," he murmured, stepping back with a small, encouraging smile that lingered in the air between them.
Sanya quickly composed herself and focused on gathering everything she needed from the fridge. William remained comfortably seated on the kitchen counter, watching her as if he were enjoying a cooking show. She began peeling and chopping vegetables.
"Wow, you’re as skilled as those chefs!" he remarked, genuinely impressed. And he was right. mories flooded back of Rain and Clifford encouraging her to pursue her culinary studies and beco a renowned chef.
Thinking about those monts brought a smile to her face. She just recently graduated with a Bachelor of Culinary Arts and was genuinely planning to open her own restaurant. However, her dreams were overshadowed by a heavy burden of debt, compounded by the need to support her sick biological mother, who was still in the hospital.
But the smile faded as thoughts of her mother crept back—the woman who had abandoned her, leaving her in an orphanage. She suffered from heart disease and needed surgery. Sanya had kept this secret from Rain and Clifford. She didn’t even tell them that she already found her biological mother.
For the past two months, she had been supporting her mother financially, desperately wanting her to survive so they could finally talk and understand why she had left her. This dire situation was what had tempted Sanya to accept William’s offer and impersonate Rain. With the money she received from him, her mother’s operation was finally scheduled.
Even when Clifford asked her to explain herself... she didn’t ntion her biological mother. She simply told Clifford about her debts.
"What’s wrong? You were smiling a mont ago, but now you have a long face," William asked with a creased forehead.
"Just so random mories," Sanya replied, trying to brush it off.
"So how did you et my sister-in-law, and how did you beco best friends?" he inquired further.
A wide smile spread across Sanya’s face as she recalled the mont. "In the orphanage... Rain saved during a fire. That’s when it all started. Ever since then, I’ve followed her around and been a bit clingy with her."
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