Chapter 32 A remorseful willow
Alexander.
I walked straight to Willow's room the second I left her standing in my bedroom.
I couldn't breathe or concentrate. Not with her scent still clinging to my shirt, not with the way her body pressed against mine and I could even still feel the warmth burning through my skin.
Get it together Alexander. I scolded myself internally.
Willow's room was at the far end of my wing. It was private and quiet, the only space in this damn estate where nobody watched or monitored me.
I walked into the room, and found the wolf curled on his oversized bed with his ears flattened against his head and tail tucked between his legs.
I scoffed, so he is feeling guilty. He knew he had messed up.
The moment he saw me, he whimpered.
I sighed, closing the door behind me and walked towards him crouching beside him. "Come here, you idiot."
Willow's head lifted cautiously. Then he crawled forward and pressed his massive skull into my palm, whining like he expected me to yell.
I sighed in frustration, my hand moved through his fur in long, slow strokes. The kind that always calmed him down.
I wasn't angry at him, not really. But was I annoyed? Definitely. Because if he hadn't scared her, she wouldn't have fallen into that pool, none of this would have happened. I wouldn't have to rescue her for the second time again, and I wouldn't be forced to carry her in wet clothes while my grandmother watched like a damn hawk. Not to mention that damn hug that sent sparks in my chest.
"You're too troublesome," I muttered in annoyance the more I remembered about it.
Willow whined louder, pushing his nose into my chest like he was trying to burrow through my ribs to reach my heart, the room was silent except for his soft, pitiful sounds.
And then my mind betrayed me again, drifting into remembering the way her arms wrapped around me. The shock and the heat that had spread across my skin like fire. The way my entire body froze up because I didn't know what the hell to do with her that close.
I hated that I remembered it so clearly, hated that I could still feel the warmth of her cheek against my arm. The weight of her leaning into me and her soft and floral scent that was entirely too distracting.
I shook the memory off, and continued stroking Willow's fur.
My grandmother, that's who I needed to focus on because it's partly her fault if not entirely.
"Sir."
Noona was always pushing and interfering, she was watching closely and waiting for me to slip, to prove that this marriage was probably what she suspected it was. A lie.
And Dandelion kept making unpredictable moves without warning because she panicked and I couldn't control her, that's the problem.
"Sir?" Walter's voice cut through louder this time dragging me back to reality.
I blinked, snapping my head up. "What?"
He stood beside me, with his tablet in hand. "I got reports on your earlier request. The updated performance numbers and administrative breakdown of Graham Corp. You said you wanted to see the state of each department before you take the formal CEO position."
Oh right. Graham Corp reports.
Willow moved away instinctively, and I took the folder Walter offered. "And?"
"Everything's in order, well mostly." He hesitated. "There seems to be one irregularity."
I flipped the folder open, scanning through the numbers "What kind of irregularity?"
"I found out the large portion of recent slush funds spent isn't from Tristan's accounts like I expected," He stated, I raised a brow in confusion.
"Then who's account?"
"It's from Mrs. Viola's." He said and pressed his lips thinly.
I paused amid scrolling.
It's Viola? Not Tristan?, That was unexpected.
A slow smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth. "So it's not Mommy's boy this time. Interesting."
Walter nodded. "Tristan hasn't made any unusual transactions recently. If anything, he's been... quiet. Almost suspiciously well behaved."
"Maybe he's finally growing a backbone," I murmured, closing the tablet. "Or maybe pride is the only thing he has left after being publicly scolded by noona."
Walter said nothing, but his silence spoke louder, he was probably also amused by the outcome.
I gave him back the tablet and turned toward the window, staring out at the estate.
Business, that's what I needed to focus on now, not things I couldn't control. Like Dandelion Williams and the way she always looked at me with those wide blue eyes, half bold half terrified, like she didn't know whether to run or stay.
"Sir?"
I turned back to Walter. "What?"
He hesitated. "Are you... alright?"
"I'm fine."
"You seem distracted."
Tsk so it's now noticeable, "I'm thinking." I said with pressed lips
"About Mrs. Viola's spending?"
"Yes," I lied smoothly. "What else would I be thinking about?"
Walter's lips twitched like he didn't believe me but knew better than to push. "Of course, sir."
I rubbed the back of my neck. "Do a background check on Chase Brussel."
Walter blinked. "The producer? Miss Williams' ex?"
"Yes."
"May I ask why?"
"Because I want to know exactly what kind of man we're dealing with." I crossed my arms. "If we're going to help her get revenge, I need an upper hand. Dig up everything about him, his finances, his associates, his dirty laundry. I want all his information"
Walter nodded slowly. "Understood. I'll start investigating."
"Good."
He turned to leave, then paused at the door. "Sir... if I may ask"
I raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Do you like Miss Williams now that you know she's Angel."
I paused at first without knowing why, "She's not Angel anymore... So I don't like her."
"Oh, of course not, my mistake." His nodded politely even though I sensed he didn't believe me.
He left before I could respond or try to convince him that I really don't like her.
I stood there alone, staring at the closed door with annoyance.
Yes I had broken rules by touching her, holding her and kissing her during CPR.
But that didn't count. It was simply survival and necessity because noona was watching. None of it meant anything.
Right?
I turned back to Willow, who was watching me with those too intelligent eyes.
"Don't look at me like that," I muttered.
He whined softly and titled his head.
I sighed, "She hugged me without warning, and now I can't stop thinking about it."
I ran a hand through my hair. "This is temporary contract. She'll get her revenge, I'll satisfy Nona, and we'll both walk away. That's the plan."
I stated trying to convince myself that Dandelion Williams was just another problem to solve.
Willow's tail thumped once against the floor.
"But why does it feel like I'm lying to myself?"
I got no answer, just the quiet sound of his breathing, but deep down, somewhere in a place I refused to acknowledge, I knew she was becoming something far more dangerous.
And I had no idea how to stop it.