Chapter 118

Chapter 118:
A simple nod from Napier gave his answer.
For the next few minutes, only the soft sound of Millie preparing the coffee filled the otherwise quiet room. Every movement she made was unhurried and practiced. Soon, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.
When the coffee was ready, Millie poured a cup and offered it to Napier, who accepted it and took a thoughtful sip.
“Very few people can make coffee this well. He must have taught you everything he knew,” Napier remarked as he savored the drink.
Lowering her eyes, Millie busied herself with the coffee pot. “There’s no one else he could have passed those skills to but me. I am his daughter, after all.” Both understood that the “he” in their conversation referred to her late father. A man once so full of life and pride, taken from the world forever on a rainy afternoon.
“You almost had me convinced you would never take your mask off,” Napier continued.
A quiet laugh escaped Millie as she met his gaze. “There’s no way a small trick like that could fool you, Mr. Evans. Surely you had figured it out already,” she replied.
She met his eyes without hesitation. Ever since she received his invitation, Millie knew there was no avoiding this meeting. Even though she and Charles had signed confidentiality agreements and usually took extra care, some secrets simply couldn’t stay hidden if Napier decided to look into them.
On top of everything, Millie had donated the tanzanite to tonight’s charity auction, and Napier would easily piece things together since the event was hosted by the Evans family.
Millie decided to drop any pretense the moment she stepped into Napier’s lounge.
Napier wasted no time and asked, “What exactly is going on between you and Charles?”
She responded, “Mr. Evans, could you clarify what you mean?”
“Every part of it,” Napier replied, his tone thickening the air with tension.
No anger flickered across Millie’s face. She offered a gentle smile and calmly explained, “First, there’s nothing romantic between Charles and me. Our relationship is strictly business, one where both sides benefit. I also never asked Charles to get into a bidding war with Brandon, but he got dragged in anyway.”
Check updates now on gαℓησν𝓮ℓs․com
As soon as Millie finished speaking, Napier struck the armrest with his palm, frustration flashing across his face.
Remaining calm, Millie met his eyes and said, “You might want to take care of your hand, Mr. Evans.”
His anger still simmered. “You know very well how powerful the Watson family is here in Crobert, yet you let Charles get tangled up. Are you planning to drag the Evans family down with you?”
She kept her voice steady as she replied, “You’ve got the wrong idea, Mr. Evans. That was never my goal.”
Realizing that Millie wasn’t shaken by his display, Napier relaxed and let the tough act fall away. “The Evans family doesn’t need to meddle in your problems with Brandon. I have no desire to make an enemy of him.”
Millie’s smile returned as soon as he finished. “You always know how to lighten the mood, Mr. Evans,” she said, letting the subject drop there.
His eyes drilled into her, sharp and full of challenge.
Everything Napier had built for the Evans Group hadn’t come without a fight. The old hint of a bandit’s grit lingered in him from his early years. It took the tragic loss of his eldest son at sea to bring out a little restraint.
.
. Find the newest release on.net
.