Chapter 59 Unexpected Visitor
ANNA'S POV
“James Reed? Isn’t he your ex?” Dan said, turning fully toward me now. His brows were drawn together, his expression sharp with disbelief. “What the hell would he be doing parked outside?” he added, his tone carrying clear irritation.
“I am just as shocked as you are,” I replied calmly, my voice steady as I kept my gaze on him.
That was a lie — at least partly. I wasn’t shocked that James was here. The moment he found out I was part of the Quinn family, the moment he realized I wasn’t some nobody he could dismiss anymore, it was only a matter of time before he came looking for me. James had always been like that. He never knew how to let go of anything he thought he once owned.
What surprised me was the speed. I hadn’t expected him to show up this soon, not to talk of making a bold move to come directly to my house, I thought he would wait, think things through, maybe test the waters first. But desperation had a way of speeding people up, and James was clearly desperate.
“You don’t have to see him,” Dan said immediately, his voice firm. “I can instruct the security to ask him to leave right now.”
I knew Dan meant well. If I allowed my emotions to take the lead in moments like this, I would have agreed with him without hesitation. I could already imagine the satisfaction of watching James be escorted out like an unwanted guest, humiliated at the very gates of a place he could never enter again.
But satisfaction wasn’t the goal.
That kind of reaction would go against everything I had planned. I hadn’t come this far to let impulse ruin strategy. Revenge wasn’t about loud confrontations or quick wins. It was about patience, timing, and control.
So even though the thought of seeing James made my stomach tighten, even though every part of me despised the idea of standing face-to-face with him again, I knew I had to endure it at least for now.
“It’s fine,” I said, rising slowly to my feet as I smoothed out the fabric of my dress. “I’ll go find out what he wants.”
Dan frowned. “Do you want me to come with you?”
“No,” I replied immediately. “I’ll go alone.”
I then turned my attention to the maid who was still standing quietly by the door, her posture respectful, her eyes lowered.
“Does my mom and Dad know that James is outside?” I asked.
“No, ma’am,” she answered softly. “I thought it best you know first.”
“Very good,” I said with a small nod. “You did well. Thank you.”
She bowed slightly and turned to leave.
As she walked away, I caught the faint look of confusion on Dan’s face. He clearly didn’t understand why I wanted to keep my parents out of this. But I had my reasons. This wasn’t a conversation meant for an audience. James didn’t deserve one.
Without another word, I walked out of the room, my slides clicking softly against the floor as I descended the stairs. The house felt unusually quiet as I passed through it, like it was holding its breath. I pushed open the front door and stepped outside, the cool air brushing against my skin.
I walked steadily toward the estate gate. The security men straightened the moment they saw me, one of them already reaching for the control to open the gate, but I raised my hand, signaling him to stop.
I halted just a few steps away from the tall iron bars and folded my arms across my chest.
There was no need for the gate to open.
James didn’t deserve to step inside.
I knew he could see me from inside his car. I didn’t need to look directly at him to feel his attention lock onto me the second I appeared. A few seconds passed, then the car door opened.
He stepped out, straightening his jacket, a familiar smile spreading across his face. That smile almost made me scoff. It was the same one he used whenever he wanted something — soft, practiced, and completely insincere.
He walked closer until the gate stood between us, the barrier thick and unmovable, just like the line he had crossed years ago.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
“What do you want?” I replied, not bothering to hide my impatience.
His smile faltered slightly. “You didn’t answer my question. I asked how you were.”
“That’s not your business anymore,” I said coldly. “Now answer my question. What do you want?”
He inhaled deeply, like he was steadying himself. “I’d like us to talk.”
“About what?” I asked.
He glanced around the gate, his brows furrowing. “You don’t seriously want us to talk out here, do you? If you don’t want me to come in, then can we at least go somewhere — a café, maybe just to talk?”
“I’m not in the mood to go anywhere with you,” I said flatly. “You’re lucky I even came out here. If you can’t say what you want to say here, then you can leave.”
I could see the frustration flicker across his face. He clearly didn’t like the idea of talking while being physically kept out, like a stranger. But he had no leverage here, and he knew it.
He exhaled slowly. “Okay. We can talk here.”
“You better hurry,” I said. “Your time is counting.”
“Time?” he asked with a confused look. “What time?”
“You honestly think I’ll come out here and give you all my time?” I said, my voice sharp but controlled. “I’m a very busy lady. My time is money. You have a very limited amount of it right now, so use it wisely or I’ll walk away.”
His jaw tightened, but he nodded. “Alright. In that case, I’ll go straight to the point then. The main reason why I came here.”
He straightened, his shoulders pulling back as if he were bracing himself for what came next.
“I’m sorry, Anna."