Chapter 34
AXEL’S POV:
Chase’s hand hovered awkwardly in the space between we for a moment knez hie mile tang tid. away, as though hoping I’d reconsider, but I didn’t, theroad. I tolded my some won my card at can Thore do
handshakes”
The words came out like steel, cutting clean through the fake plemantries hedd wedih i fare het dipty before he tucked his hand into his pocket, attempting to hide the embarrassment that even the tements conte
Recovering quickly, he cleared his throat and gestured to the couple reading Behind him low me to reduce you to my parents.
His mother stepped forward first, her smile wide and artificial, as though it hurt been pracbod in the nine bive the meeting. She gave a small, excited wave, punctuated by a giggle that grated on my nerves
“Hello, Mr. Blackwood!” she chirped. “It’s such a pleasure to finally meet you. Chase has told a souch font yout
Her overly eager tone reminded me of someone desperately trying to charm their way to face. Her leverer med desperation for approval–not from me specifically, but from anyone with power or influence
Her husband, however, was calmer. The elder Grayson sat upright, his face weathered and lined with you of ses or possibly regret. His eyes locked onto mine, narrowing slightly as if trying to place me.
“You look like someone I used to know,” he said, in a gravelly but steady tone.
Before I could respond, Zora chimed in with a wide–eyed nod of agreement. “Yes! You do look familiar. Don’t be dring She turned to Chase, who offered a half–hearted shrug
I brushed them off. “I get that a lot,” I replied smoothly. “People always think I look like someone else?”
The subject was quickly dropped as Chase clapped his hands together, his voice taking on a rehearsed etiam. Vell, we shouldn’t just stand around out here all day. Let’s head inside, shall we? There’s a lot to see
I nodded, gesturing for him to lead the way. As we began walking, Ryan leaned in close enough for his words to reach only
- me.
“Are you sure about this? Or would you want us to end it now?”
His voice was low, edged with caution. He has always been able to read my body language, easily spotting when I had a distaste for someone and everything the represent.
“I can handle it,” I muttered back, keeping my gaze forward.
Chase led us to the elevator, launching into a detailed explanation of the building’s history, the design, and other minutiae that I didn’t care to retain. My focus wavered as he prattled on, shifting instead to Laurent, who trailed behind us.
Laurent didn’t speak much. Every time I glanced in his direction, his eyes were already on me, steady and unblinking. It wasn’t intimidation. No, Laurent’s gaze was curious, probing, as if he were dissecting me in his mind, trying to piece together something he couldn’t quite grasp.
Chase’s voice brought me back to the present. He was gesturing broadly to one of the wings.
“This is the accounting department,” he announced with the enthusiasm of a school tour guide. “They handle all of our financial operations, ensuring the books are balanced and our investments yield maximum returns.
I nodded absently, the words entering from one ear without sinking in. My attention wasn’t on the tour—it was on Laurent.
He wasn’t what I had expected after all this while, and his silence spoke louder than Chase’s incessant chatter.
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Chapter 34
The tour continued through the PR wing, the legal department, and other areas of the company, each presented with the same rehearsed enthusiasm. Chase was desperate to impress, but his desperation only amplified my disinterest,
Finally, we reached the conference room. Chase opened the door with a flourish, stepping aside to let me enter first.
The room was expansive and elegantly appointed, with sleek furniture and floor–to–ceiling windows that flooded the space with warm, natural light. At its center stood a long, gray wooden conference table, surrounded by a dozen high–backed chairs, arranged with precision and inviting discussion.
Everyone filed in behind me, but no one took a seat until I did, I walked to the head of the table, my presence commanding the room. Without a word, I unbuttoned my suit jacket and sat down, claiming the seat as if it had always been mine.
“That’s supposed to be my seat,” Chase said with a forced laugh, his tone edged between jest and discomfort.
Reluctantly, I raised my head, my gaze locking onto his. The glare I gave him could’ve left a hole in each eyes if it was weaponized. He recoiled slightly, raising his hands in mock surrender.
“Never mind,” he said quickly. “You can sit wherever you like.”
Better. I wasn’t here to play games or observe protocol. Every room I entered, I owned. My dominance wasn’t something I asserted; it was inherent.
“I need to take Mr. Grayson to get his medication,” Zora piped up, her voice dripping with that irritatingly saccharine sweetness she always employed. “This tour has tired him out.”
Her tone was playful, almost mocking, as though she were speaking to a child rather than a grown man. The way she doted on Laurent was nauseating, but I could see through the facade. She wasn’t a devoted wife–she was a predator, and her act of care was just another weapon in her arsenal.
As she rolled Laurent out of the room, she made a show of wiggling her hips, her tight dress clinging to her every curve. It was shameless, but it wasn’t for my benefit. She wasn’t trying to impress me–she was reminding me that she could manipulate any man in this building, including her so–called husband.
Once they were gone, Chase turned back to me, his smile wider and faker than ever.
“I’m afraid the commodity I purchased from you has turned out to be a disaster,” I stated bluntly. “How do you plan to compensate for the chaos she’s unleashed?”
Chase lost his composure, his eyes flickering with unease before he swiftly regained his poise, nodding curtly. He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing visibly. A solitary droplet of sweat slid down the corner of his face, betraying his growing
unease.
Tue, 24 Apr
Chapter 85
