Chapter 128 Owe You One
Chapter 128 Owe You One
Karon's POV
The screen of my phone lit up just as I was about to wrap up a negotiation that had already dragged on for an hour.
Luke's messages came in a rapid-fire burst, the phone vibrating nonstop for a full minute before finally going still.
He had better have something worth my time.
I opened the thread.
Luke: [Get over here! I think I just pissed off your woman!]
My woman?
I frowned, barely enough for anyone to notice.
What the hell was he talking about now?
A second message arrived before I could type a reply.
It was a photo.
The background was a lavish hotel ballroom, all gold trim and crystal light.
And in the center of the frame stood Stephanie, the woman I had parted ways with barely an hour ago.
She was wearing that midnight-blue gown again—the one that shimmered like starlight when she moved. I had already seen her in it earlier tonight, but even so, my pulse ticked faster at the sight.
Truth be told, when I got the urgent call to attend this signing, I had seriously considered turning it down. Opportunities to spend uninterrupted time with her were rare, and I had no interest in wasting one.
In the photo, she was turned slightly to the side, looking at someone just outside the frame. Her expression was a mix of weary amusement and something softer, a smile that hinted at indulgence.
Beside her stood a loud-mouthed girl and Luke himself, who looked like a man about to face a firing squad.
Luke: [See that?! That exact look! She gave me that look! I swear my wolf soul almost bolted out of me in pure terror!]
I stared at the image, my gaze lingering on the spark of life in Stephanie's expression—more human warmth than I was used to seeing from her. My lips curved before I even realized it, a rare and unguarded smile.
So, she could hold her ground out there.
"Mr. Thorn?"
The voice pulled me back. Across the table sat a banker in a perfectly pressed Armani suit, hair slicked into place with military precision. He was watching me with a mix of shock and confusion, clearly unsettled by whatever fleeting expression he had just caught on my face.
No doubt wondering why the man known for being cold, untouchable, and unreadable was smiling—at his phone, of all things.
"Mr. Thorn," he ventured cautiously, "are you dissatisfied with the twenty-billion offer we just proposed?"
I let the question hang for a beat, then gave a slow, unreadable smile. Without answering him, I typed a reply to Luke's juvenile cry for help.
Karon: [Take care of your own mess.]
Only then did I lift my gaze back to the banker, who was now visibly sweating.
"No," I said, my tone flat but deliberate, "I just think you can show a little more sincerity."
"Of course!"
He practically sagged with relief, nodding so quickly it was almost comical. "We can adjust the price! Twenty-two billion! What do you think?"
Stephanie's POV
Luke clearly wasn't getting the response he wanted. He stared at his phone screen, his expression sinking into pure defeat.
"What's wrong?" Chloe leaned over, curiosity lighting up her face as she peered at his screen.
The moment she read the message, her beautiful features twisted into a blend of sympathy and mischief.
Shaking her head, she patted Luke's shoulder with mock gravity. "You know, you're going to have to handle this one yourself."
She paused, then leaned in like a troublemaker about to stir the pot. Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Come on, don't start looking all defeated… You know I can untangle messes better than anyone. Want to see me prove it?"
Her arm slid casually across his shoulders as she spoke, the gesture brimming with bold, almost predatory confidence.
Even I, who prided myself on being unshakable, felt the corner of my mouth twitch at her audacity.
Luke, on the other hand, looked like someone who had just been hit with a lightning strike. His handsome face went from stunned to crimson in seconds.
Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he jerked away from Chloe's grasp, putting two full steps of distance between them—a textbook safe zone.
"You… you…" His eyes were wide, as if he were staring at some prehistoric creature. "You're a girl! How can you say something like that?!"
His outrage was so pure, so unguarded, that Chloe doubled over laughing, her shoulders shaking.
I, meanwhile, could only look at the poor boy who had wandered straight into my best friend's hunting grounds with a mix of pity and amusement.
"Miss Humphrey," I said, clearing my throat and trying to steer the conversation back to something resembling normal, "I really must thank you."