Chapter 39
Chapter 39:
“I have something to do. I’ll head back to my room,” Brinley blurted, cutting him off before he could finish. She darted out, almost running.
Even as she rushed down the hall, she could feel his eyes on her back—heavy, piercing.
This man was so annoying.
He was certain her curiosity would drive her to look again, so he made sure to remove every clue. It made her feel as though her curiosity were a game, and he was watching her play it.
Back in her room, she sank into the chair at her vanity, her reflection staring back at her—flustered, unsettled.
𝘔𝗼rе 𝘯𝘰𝘷e𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝘯
Their marriage of convenience felt like a fog, and Austin’s unreadable behavior only deepened the mystery.
She picked up her phone and scrolled to her father’s number.
Her finger hovered over the call button, but after a long hesitation, she let the screen go dark.
Some conversations, she thought, needed to happen face-to-face.
Later that afternoon, something happened in the kitchen that left Miguel utterly stunned.
Austin stood at the counter in an apron, brow furrowed in concentration as he flipped through a cookbook. Miguel could hardly believe his eyes.
Who would have imagined that the same man who silenced boardrooms with a single glance was now clumsily stirring and chopping in the kitchen, tied into an apron?
“Mr. Moore, if you want to surprise your wife, a professional chef could come over…” Miguel offered cautiously.
“It’s different,” Austin said, plating a piece of seared foie gras and topping it with truffle shavings. His movements weren’t polished, but they were deliberate. “She eats restaurant food all the time. I think… she might like something homemade p>
Miguel could only shake his head in silence.
Austin was clearly determined to do this himself.
Miguel helped where he could, though he couldn’t stop imagining the uproar it would cause if the powerful business world of Bleron ever found out.
By five o’clock, Brinley had changed into comfortable clothes, ready to slip out of the villa unnoticed.
She deliberately avoided the kitchen, but fate had other plans. In the foyer, she ran straight into Austin, who was carrying a bottle of wine.
His crisp white shirt was stained at the cuff, and there was even a dab of cream on his nose.
For once, his usually flawless appearance softened into something approachable—yet he was still deeply attractive.
“Where are you going?” Austin leaned casually against the cabinet, twirling a bottle of Lafite in his hand as he blocked her path.
“I’m visiting my father,” Brinley said uneasily, trying to hide her bag behind her back.
He lifted a brow. “I’ve made dinner. Eat with me first, then I’ll go with you p>
Brinley hesitated, scrambling for an excuse. “That’s… not necessary p>
“Try my cooking,” Austin said, his tone brooking no refusal. He took the bag from her and set it on the cabinet. “Miguel’s gone, so it’ll just be the two of us p>
The anticipation in his eyes left Brinley momentarily speechless. She wanted to refuse, but the words caught in her throat, and she swallowed them back.