Chapter 26
William froze for a moment, then chuckled softly: "Looks like the GPS took us to the wrong place, but since we're already here, might as well give it a try. Their steak is actually pretty famous."
His laugh was gentle, and Ophelia couldn't really make a fuss about it, so she just followed him inside.
The waiter led them to a table by the window. In the middle of the table sat a single red rose, and all the tableware was heart-shaped. The surrounding tables were all occupied by couples, and the romantic atmosphere made Ophelia feel a bit uncomfortable.
"Don't be nervous, just treat it like any other restaurant," William said, seeing through her embarrassment. He picked up the menu and handed it to her. "See what you'd like to eat."
Ophelia took the menu and pretended to study it carefully with her head down, but the tips of her ears were burning hot.
She sneaked a glance at William and found him looking out the window. The light fell on his eyelashes, casting faint shadows, and his profile was smooth and handsome.
Her heartbeat inexplicably quickened a few beats. She quickly looked away and randomly ordered a steak.
After the waiter left, they fell silent for a moment. Only the love songs playing in the restaurant filled the air, making the atmosphere even more intimate.
"Did Ainsley and Freya give you any more trouble today?" William broke the silence first.
"No, they just came by for a look earlier, threw out a few threats, and left," Ophelia said with relief, finally having something to talk about. "But they still think I can't pull it off. They're waiting to see me fail."
"You won't give them that chance," William said, looking at her with certainty in his eyes. "When I came up earlier, I caught a glimpse of the top-floor setup from a distance. It's way better than I imagined. The client will definitely love it."
His compliment made Ophelia's cheeks even warmer: "It's okay, I guess. The budget was just so tight that a lot of things were pretty cheap. Like those plants - I got them from the flower market, the ones that were about to wilt. They were cheap."
"Even cheap things can show thoughtfulness," William smiled. "You're always like this - no matter how bad your hand is, you always play it beautifully."
Just then, a waiter came over with lemon water. As they passed by Ophelia, they tripped on something, their body lurching forward, and the water pitcher went flying straight toward Ophelia.
Ophelia cried out and instinctively dodged backward, but lost her balance and was about to fall to the ground.
At that moment, a warm, strong hand suddenly wrapped around her waist and pulled her back firmly.
Ophelia crashed into a solid chest, her nose filled with a rich woody scent - William's scent.
Her hands instinctively grabbed onto his suit jacket, and when she looked up, she met his deep eyes. They were so close she could feel each other's breath.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment. The love songs in the restaurant continued playing, and all the surrounding noise became background music.
Ophelia could clearly feel the warmth of his palm through her thin dress, burning so hot it made her heart tremble. Her cheeks instantly flushed red, and even her breathing became a bit rapid.
William didn't move either. He looked down at her, a barely noticeable tenderness flashing in his eyes. The hand around her waist didn't let go - instead, it tightened slightly.
"Be careful." His voice was lower than usual, with a magnetic quality that made Ophelia's ears tingle when it reached them.
The waiter's face went pale with fright, and they quickly apologized: "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!"
This apology broke the intimate atmosphere between them. Ophelia suddenly snapped back to reality and retreated from William's embrace like she'd been electrocuted. She kept her head down, not daring to look at him, her voice as small as a mosquito's hum: "It's fine."
William also withdrew his hand and straightened her rumpled dress for her, his tone still calm: "It's okay, just be more careful next time."
The waiter quickly brought over some napkins. Ophelia took them and randomly wiped at the water stains on her dress. Her heart felt like it had a little rabbit inside, thumping wildly.
The sensation from just now was too clear - his chest was very firm, his palm was warm, and the way he looked at her made her heart feel all jumbled up.
She sneaked another glance at William and found he was also looking at her, his eyes carrying a hint of amusement. She quickly lowered her head again, her heart beating even faster.
"Good thing it didn't get on you," William's voice carried a hint of laughter. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to show your face at tonight's anniversary celebration."
Ophelia responded half-heartedly, her mind filled with images from just now, unable to concentrate at all.
The atmosphere that followed became even more intimate. When they occasionally spoke, there was a carefulness to it.
When the steak arrived, Ophelia picked up her knife and fork but had no appetite. Her mind kept replaying the hug from earlier.
She secretly watched William and found him eating calmly, as if nothing had happened, which made her feel inexplicably disappointed.
Just as she was lost in thought, the knife and fork in her hand accidentally fell to the floor with a crisp sound.
"Sorry." Ophelia's face flushed as she quickly bent down to pick them up.
William bent down at the same time, and their heads accidentally bumped together. It didn't hurt, but they both froze.
Ophelia could feel the temperature of his forehead, even hotter than hers. She jerked her head up and met his eyes, their noses almost touching.
Their breaths mingled together. Ophelia's heartbeat instantly shot to its peak, her cheeks so red they could drip blood, and she didn't even know where to put her hands and feet.
William's gaze also deepened. Looking at her flushed cheeks and dewy lashes, his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
"I, I'll get it." Ophelia came to her senses and quickly backed away. In her panic, she almost fell again, but luckily, William caught her arm in time.
"Careful." His voice was a bit hoarse.
The waiter quickly ran over and picked up the knife and fork from the floor: "I'll get you a new set."
Ophelia sat in her chair, feeling like her whole body was burning up; even her ears were unbearably hot. She didn't dare look at William again and could only keep her head down, staring at her plate.
William didn't say anything either. He just picked up his water glass and took a sip, masking the emotion in his eyes.
After a while, the waiter brought new cutlery, and the atmosphere eased slightly.
"Will you come to the anniversary celebration tonight?" Ophelia hesitated, but couldn't help asking.
She actually wanted him to come - having him there somehow made her feel more at ease.
William looked up, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth: "Of course. I already told Mrs. Smith - just save me a good seat."
"Okay." Ophelia nodded, quietly relieved, a smile appearing on her face too.
After dinner, William drove Ophelia back to the office.
The car stopped in front of the company building, and Ophelia unbuckled her seatbelt, preparing to get out.
"Wait." William stopped her and picked up a small box from the passenger seat. "This is for you."
Ophelia took the box curiously and opened it to find a small bottle of lavender essential oil inside: "What's this?"