Chapter 52
"Okay." Ophelia opened the car door and limped toward the villa.
When she reached the entrance, she turned back to look. William was still standing by the car watching her, the headlights on, stretching his shadow long across the ground.
Ophelia waved, then turned and walked into the house. Only after closing the door did she let out a sigh of relief.
She leaned against the door for a while before limping over to sit on the sofa.
Her ankle was still throbbing. She rubbed the swollen area, her mind filled with images of William carrying her down the mountain earlier.
His back was broad and solid, his body heat coming through the thin athletic wear, and the vibration of his chest when he spoke—all of it made her heart race inexplicably.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a message from William: "Remember to ice your ankle. Let me know right away if anything feels wrong."
Ophelia looked at the screen, her fingertip hovering over it for a few seconds before replying: "Got it. You get some rest, too. Thanks for everything today."
"No problem," William replied instantly, followed by a smiley face emoji.
Ophelia looked at that smiley face and couldn't help but smile, her heart feeling sweet.
She got up to get an ice pack from the fridge and carefully applied it to her ankle. The cool sensation eased the pain considerably.
That night, she slept especially well, and even her dreams were sweet.
The next morning, Ophelia was woken by the doorbell.
She limped to the door and looked through the peephole—it was William.
She opened the door. William was holding a bag, his face bright with a smile: "Good morning. I brought you some ointment for the swelling."
"Why are you here so early?" Ophelia let him in, somewhat surprised.
"I have a meeting nearby anyway, so I thought I'd stop by to check on you." William walked into the house, his gaze falling on her ankle. "How is it? Feeling better?"
"Much better, barely hurts anymore," Ophelia said.
William handed her the ointment: "This ointment works really well. Apply it twice a day, and the swelling will go down quickly."
"Thank you." Ophelia took the ointment, warmth filling her heart.
"You don't need to be so polite with me." William looked at her. "Don't you have to go to work today?"
"I took the day off. With my ankle like this, it's not convenient. I'll just handle some work remotely from home." Ophelia said.
William nodded: "Then rest up. If you need any help, call me anytime."
He didn't stay long, gave her a few more reminders, then left.
Ophelia watched his retreating figure, feeling a bit reluctant to see him go, but she knew he had a lot going on at his company.
Over the next few days, Ophelia recovered while handling work.
William messaged her every day, asking about her recovery, occasionally sharing funny stories from work. Their relationship grew closer without them even realizing it.
When her ankle had mostly healed, Ophelia returned to the Smith Group.
As soon as she walked into the office, Della came over, looking gossipy: "Ms. Blake, you took all those days off—were you out on dates with Mr. Brown?"
Ophelia glared at Della: "Don't talk nonsense. I sprained my ankle and was recovering at home."
"Sprained your ankle?" Della's eyes lit up. "Did you sprain it while hiking with Mr. Brown? I knew something was going on between you two!"
"How did you know?"
Ophelia asked, somewhat surprised.
Della smiled mysteriously, then showed Ophelia a video on her phone from some blogger.
"You two were filmed hiking. Ms. Blake, you've been keeping secrets."
Della said with a wink.
"Say one more word, and you're losing this month's bonus." Ophelia was stunned, then immediately threatened.
Della quickly shut her mouth, made a pleading gesture, and ran off.
Ophelia shook her head helplessly.
Back at her desk, Ophelia had just opened her computer when she received a message from William: "Free this afternoon? Let's have dinner and talk about the project."
Ophelia looked at the message, hesitated for a moment, then replied: "Okay, where?"
"A restaurant near the Smith Group. I've already made a reservation. I'll pick you up after work." William replied.
"No need, I can get there myself," Ophelia said.
"Listen to me, I'll come pick you up." William's tone left no room for argument.
Ophelia had to agree: "Alright then."
That afternoon after work, William's car was waiting right on time downstairs at the Smith Group.
Ophelia got in the car and caught the familiar woody scent, feeling much more at ease.
"Is your ankle completely better?" William asked as he started the car.
"Pretty much. I can walk normally now." Ophelia said.
"That's good." William smiled. "I'm taking you to a really good restaurant today. It has great reviews."
After about ten minutes of driving, they arrived at the restaurant.
The restaurant had a quiet, elegant atmosphere, perfect for business discussions.
They sat by the window and ordered a few light dishes.
"I had someone do detailed research on the location for the cultural tourism complex," William said while eating. "I think that plot in the southern part of the city is good—convenient transportation, and the surrounding environment meets your requirements too."
"I think that plot is pretty good too, just a bit pricey," Ophelia said.
"Price isn't an issue. As long as the project has potential, it's worth spending more." William looked at her. "Besides, I've already had someone negotiate. We should be able to get a reasonable price."
Ophelia felt warmth in her heart, not expecting he'd already done so much for her in advance.
"Thank you, William." She said earnestly.
"You don't need to be so polite with me." William smiled. "I just don't want you to work too hard."
The meal was very pleasant. They talked about many things, from the project to life, and the atmosphere was relaxed and harmonious.
When William drove Ophelia home, the car stopped in front of the villa.
"Thanks for treating me today." Ophelia unbuckled her seatbelt, preparing to get out.
"Wait." William stopped her, pulling out a small box. "This is for you."
Ophelia took it curiously and opened it to find a delicate bracelet with a small star pendant—very unique.
"I saw this and thought it would suit you." William's voice sounded a bit unnatural. "I hope you like it."
Ophelia felt touched, looked up, and smiled at him: "I really like it, thank you."
"I'm glad you like it." William looked at her, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Get some rest."
"You head back early, too." Ophelia opened the car door and got out.
Back in the villa, Ophelia put the bracelet on and looked at it in the mirror again and again, unable to suppress her smile.
She took out her phone and sent William a message: "The bracelet is beautiful, thank you. I really love it."
William quickly replied: "Glad you like it. Good night."
Ophelia looked at the message, feeling very happy. She hugged her phone and smiled foolishly for a long time before slowly falling asleep.