Chapter 15

"Thank you, Mr. Mason. I look forward to a successful partnership," William said, extending his hand to Mason for a polite handshake, smiling warmly. "Likewise," Mason replied, giving both of them an approving look. He then personally escorted them to the company gates. After a polite farewell, William stopped him from offering to see them off any further, and Mason turned back toward the office. Once Mason had left, I let out a sigh of relief and stretched lazily. "I thought Mr. Mason would be difficult to deal with, but he’s actually pretty reasonable. I wonder why their manager made such harsh demands. We should’ve gone straight to Mr. Mason from the start." William smiled, shaking his head slightly in amusement as he reached out and tapped my forehead. "You’ve never acted like this around me before. You used to be so formal, so respectful. What’s with the sudden change? Now you’re like a little kitten." I rubbed my forehead, chuckling sheepishly. "Well, you did say we’re friends, didn’t you?" "Then let’s celebrate successfully securing this project. I’ll take you out to eat," William said, patting my shoulder and leading me toward the door. "Beep—!" A sharp horn blared suddenly, making me flinch and shrink back. It was then I realized how close I had been standing to William, and how awkward the situation must have looked. I quickly stepped back and gave him an embarrassed smile. William glanced down at the empty space where I had been standing, his expression softening but tinged with slight disappointment. He quickly regained his composure, letting his hand drop and smiling casually. "What do you want to eat?" I scratched my chin thoughtfully. "I’m not too familiar with Sundarica, but you can take me anywhere. I trust your taste," I said with a grin. "Then let’s go," William nodded. "I know just the place. How about we walk there? We can enjoy the sights and architecture of Sundarica." "Sounds perfect. I’ve been dying to get some fresh air," I replied, excited. I was really looking forward to getting out. We walked side by side, chatting and laughing, unaware of the car quietly trailing behind us. Jasper was behind the wheel, his expression tense, lips pressed tightly together. His eyes burned with the intensity of a raging volcano, and his hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He was struggling to contain his fury. Had he really let her out of his sight for just a few days? And now she was already getting close to another man?! He’d specifically booked the fastest flight to Sundarica, driven straight to her residence, and even parked his car just to watch her… looking so happy with someone else? He was torturing himself. When the other man put his arm around her, Jasper couldn't hold it anymore. He slammed the horn, startling her. At least she had enough sense to pull away from his intimacy. The truth was, his feelings for her were a tangled mess. He liked her—there was no denying it—but at the same time, he despised her actions. Jasper closed his eyes for a moment to steady himself before reopening them. His gaze had regained its calm. He started the car and slowly followed them, determined to see where they were going and what they were up to. Le Jardin de Lume. William and I sat across from each other, chatting easily, the atmosphere comfortable and relaxed. I noticed that lately, I had become more at ease around William. I could share my thoughts with him, expressing my emotions without holding back. In my heart, William had gradually become more of a friend to me. "Arabella," William said, resting his chin on his hand, tilting his head slightly. "Now that the project is successfully settled, how about we stay in Sundarica for a few more days? I can show you around." I initially thought of declining, but then memories of the time Jasper had trapped me outside my apartment, along with thoughts of my emotionally distant father and my stepmother who had sold me off, all made my head spin. To my embarrassment, I just wanted to escape. I needed to hide for as long as I could. I bit my lip, looking up at William with clear eyes, a smile tugging at my lips as I nodded, "Sure." Seeing my agreement, a spark of excitement lit up William's eyes, and he started discussing our travel plans while we ate. I kept my head down, eating, occasionally glancing up to listen to his ideas. "Arabella?" William suddenly stopped speaking and called my name. "Hmm? What's wrong?" I looked up, still chewing, swallowing hurriedly, my expression a little dazed. William reached for a napkin, stood up, and gently wiped my lips. "You’ve got something on your mouth." His long fingers brushed over my lips. I jumped slightly, reaching for the napkin in his hand to wipe my mouth myself, awkwardly laughing, "Ah... you could have just told me. I can do it myself." Just then, Jasper walked in and saw the scene. William, tenderly holding the napkin, wiping her lips. The two of them standing very close together. Then, Arabella shyly took the napkin from William’s hand to wipe her lips, their fingers brushing against each other, almost imperceptibly. Jasper's fury flared—it felt as though the green on his head could stretch into an entire field! "Good evening, both of you," a low, simmering voice interrupted from the side. The two immediately pulled apart, and I looked up, surprised. It was Jasper Hawthorne. He was dressed in a sharp, tailored suit, his left hand tucked in his pocket, his right hand idly playing with a lighter, his fingers flicking it with dexterity. His lips curved slightly, but his sharp, cold eyes gleamed like shards of broken ice, fixing a chilling gaze on us. I could feel a beast trapped within Jasper, ready to explode. William froze for a moment when he saw who it was, but quickly regained his composure. He greeted him with a forced smile. "Mr. Jasper from Titan Global Holdings, hello." Jasper didn’t even spare him a glance. His eyes were locked onto mine as he asked, "What were you two doing just now? Are you really that desperate?" "As far as I know, Mr. Jasper, you and Arabella are about to get a divorce, right? You don’t even like her. Why not let me pursue her? And what we were doing just now was perfectly normal. There was nothing inappropriate," William responded indifferently, his eyes cold as he faced Jasper. I was stunned, looking at William. I had never told anyone, aside from my father and stepmother, about the divorce. How did William know? Jasper turned his gaze back to William, his eyes sharp as blades, scanning him from head to toe. He couldn’t stand the sight of this man—it reminded him too much of me. William, as if sensing my thoughts, turned to look at me. His eyes were filled with tenderness, like spring water, and he smiled softly, giving me a reassuring nod. But to Jasper, the way they looked at each other seemed like flirting. His lips tightened, and he stepped forward, grabbing my delicate arm. "Don’t forget the Divorce Agreement," Jasper snarled through gritted teeth, glaring at me. "As long as I don’t sign it, you’ll never get a divorce from me!" He turned back to William, his expression icy once more. Jasper’s gaze fixed on William’s, each word coming out slow and deliberate. "CEO Caldwell, I believe you should know that a man’s wife is not someone you can just touch casually."