Chapter 22
Chapter 22:
With a quiet curve of his mouth, Austin stepped even closer, and a flicker of nervousness ran through Brinley.
Only then did she realize she never should have entered his study without permission in the first place. Her intrusion had been reckless.
Her teeth caught her lower lip, her earlier boldness draining away. “I was… only asking p>
Austin’s gaze lingered on the flush at her ears and the faint tremble of her lashes, his eyes narrowing with quiet intent.
Without warning, he lifted a hand and brushed the stray lock from her forehead. The motion was unhurried—almost tender.
Brinley faltered mid-breath, bracing for something more, until his calm voice cut through the tension. “The study’s rather cold. Why don’t you rest upstairs p>
𝗖𝗁i𝘯e𝗌е 𝘯o𝗏e𝘭𝗌 𝘁𝘳𝘢nѕ𝘭𝖺𝘵е𝖽 𝗼𝗇 ѕ.c𝗼𝗺
The cool touch of his fingertips against her skin somehow set her cheeks aflame. She nodded quickly and almost fled the study.
Behind her, his low, resonant laughter followed her into the hallway, curling around her like smoke she couldn’t escape.
Once inside her bedroom, she pressed her back against the door, her pulse drumming so fast it seemed to rattle her ribs.
It struck her then—Austin had been toying with her from the start. Every word, every subtle glance had been calculated to tease her, to savor her discomfort.
“That infuriating man…” she muttered under her breath, indignation tightening her chest.
In the days that followed, she slipped out of sight whenever he was near, avoiding him with quiet determination.
If he lingered over breakfast in the dining room, she carried her plate upstairs to eat alone in her bedroom.
When he sprawled on the living room sofa, leafing through thick stacks of documents, she would invent a company emergency and escape the villa.
Even on the narrow staircase, when their paths crossed, she ducked her head and hurried past, refusing to acknowledge the flicker of amusement glinting in his eyes.
Austin noticed her unease but didn’t call her out on it. Instead, each time she darted away, the curve of his smile only deepened.
Things continued like that until Saturday morning—the day of their planned visit to her father.
Brinley checked her phone and saw Austin’s message flash across the screen: “Are you good to go? We’re leaving at ten p>
With a quiet huff, she raked her fingers through her hair and shot back a curt “Yes,” then went to her wardrobe to choose something suitable.
The sleek luxury car glided toward the Shaw Mansion, but the air inside felt heavy with tension. Brinley kept her gaze fixed on the passing scenery, making it clear she had no interest in small talk.
When her phone lit up with her younger brother’s name, she seized on it like a lifeline and answered quickly. “Hey, Felix p>
Felix Shaw’s bright voice burst through the line, underscored by the distant rumble of engines. “Brinley! I just heard overseas—Colin dumped you, didn’t he p>