FreeNovel
Chapter 0136
For a few seconds, it’s as if we’re the only two people in the room. Words fail me. My mind is a thicket
of emotions, feelings too intricate and tangled to put into coherent thought.
When Karl finally sits back down, a part of me wants to run away, to escape this newfound reality
where the lines between past and present blur. But I stay put, because running would mean letting go,
and letting go means losing a piece of myself that I’ve just rediscovered.
“Now,” Karl says, raising his glass. “Let’s enjoy this delicious dinner prepared by a renowned chef.”
The room comes alive as plates are set and glasses are filled. The aroma of the three-course meal I’ve
painstakingly prepared fills the air, and the murmurs return with time.
“The food smells incredible,” remarks one of the Betas, breaking the ice. Others nod, murmuring their
agreement.
“Yes, it’s delicious, too,” Karl adds, casting me a meaningful look from across the table.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtExcept for Gianna. Oh, I catch her alright, barely taking a bite, making faces like she’s ingesting poison.
She doesn’t speak throughout the entire dinner, and when plates are taken away, hers is still full. She
refuses the dessert and the cappuccinos, resorting instead to swirling her wine around in her glass with
a deathly stare on her face.
My insides coil with irritation, but I let it pass. I don’t need her approval, not when I see the look of pure
satisfaction on the faces of everyone else in the room.
“Would anyone like to dance?” Karl announces once the plates are cleared.
A buzz fills the air as couples pair off, leaving Karl and me in a widening circle of emptiness. Then he
extends his hand towards me, a silent request that sends an unexpected thrill up my spine.
“Would you do me the honor?” he asks.
“I… I shouldn’t,” I murmur.
But Karl’s eyes are stern. “Dance with me. Please.”
My heart races as I take his hand, letting him lead me to the makeshift dance floor. For a moment, it
feels like old times. His body is pressed close to mine, his hand is resting on the small of my back, and
the scent of his cologne overwhelms me. It’s all I can do to keep my gaze averted and keep myself
from blushing.
But when I glance up finally, I notice that the expression on Karl’s face has shifted. His eyes lock onto
mine, holding a depth of emotion that I can’t quite decipher.
“I thought you didn’t want to attend the dinner,” he says quietly. “What changed?”
I look up at him, our eyes meeting briefly before I find myself having to look away again. I can’t lie to
him, not when he’s holding me like this. “I wanted to prove someone wrong,” I murmur, staring down at
our feet. “To prove that I’m not a pathetic housemaid.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
Karl’s eyes deepen, narrowing slightly. “Who told you that you were just a pathetic housemaid?”
My eyes flick towards Gianna, who stands isolated, observing us with a face like a storm cloud. I furrow
my brow for a moment as I see the butler lean toward her, murmuring something ever so briefly, before
he whisks away, leaving Gianna with an almost smug look on her face in his wake. It was a subtle
interaction, almost imperceptible, but I saw it. I don’t know what it means, though.
I swallow, returning my attention toward Karl. “Your secretary has some strong opinions about me.”
His jaw clenches. “I see. I’ll handle it.”
He holds me for a moment longer, allowing the tension to dissipate, letting the music wash over us.
Then he releases me, his eyes lingering on mine as if committing the moment to memory.
“Thank you for the dance, Abby,” he says softly.
“And thank you for letting me cook for everyone,” I reply, a smile forming on my lips.
He returns the smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes, which look haunted by something else. Turning on
his heel, he walks away abruptly, leaving me standing alone amidst a sea of pack members and
swirling emotions.
With determined steps, Karl approaches Gianna. “Can I speak to you privately?”
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