جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 50

~Isabel~The dining room was way too big for just four people. It always felt like the walls were leaning in, trying to hear our secrets. I sat there, moving a piece of chicken around my plate with a fork. Across from me, William looked like he’d been carved out of steel. He was now wearing a fresh white shirt.My mom was the one who finally broke the silence. She looked so happy, her eyes bright under the big crystal chandelier."Mrs. Davis told me a little secret earlier. She said she had a very helpful assistant in the kitchen tonight. It was so sweet of you to help with dinner, Isabel."Arthur looked up from his plate, a warm smile spread across his face. He always looked at me like he was trying really hard to be a good dad, which made me feel even guiltier about the mess I was in with his son."That’s wonderful to hear. We haven’t had a real chance to catch up in weeks, have we? Tell me, how is the university treating you? Are the classes everything you expected?"I felt Willi

~Isabel~"Who knows what you have in mind, step-brother? You've touched me in ways no man ever had."The second the words left my mouth, I wanted to reach out into the air and snatch them back. My face was burning, and it wasn't just the heater in the Bentley. I had just handed him exactly what he wanted. I had fed his ego, admitted that he’d gotten under my skin, and basically told him he was the only one who could make me feel a certain way.William didn't say anything at first. He just kept his eyes on the dark road, but the corner of his mouth ticked upward. That tiny, knowing smirk, It meant he’d won this round.We drove for another ten minutes, leaving the city lights behind for something more exclusive. The smell of salt and damp wood started to seep through the vents. We pulled into a private dock, a place where the water was dotted with massive, gleaming yachts that looked like floating mansions.I stared out the window at the rows of white hulls. I couldn't even wrap my hea

~Isabel~ "Let's go into one of the rooms inside." He pulled back just an inch, his eyes searching mine. He looked serious, almost like he was giving me one last chance to run back to the safety of the car. "You're sure?" "You said it yourself just a moment ago, Will. Out here on this yacht, there are no rules. It’s just you and me." A slow, dark smirk spread across his face. It wasn't the cold business smile I saw at the dinner table. This was different. His eyes turned a shade darker, heavy with a hunger that made my stomach flip. "Fine. Follow me." He grabbed my hand, his grip firm and warm, and led me back through the sliding glass doors. We moved through the white-and-gold hallway, past the art and the memories of his mother, toward a door at the far left corner. My heart was beating faster now, but it wasn't fear, it was that crazy, buzzing excitement you get when you’re about to do something you know you’ll get in trouble for. It felt like we were two kids sneaking

~Isabel~"Have you seen William this morning?" I asked Mr. Robert, the butler, as he adjusted a vase of lilies on the sideboard. I tried to keep my voice casual, like I was just asking about the weather, but the mere mention of his name made my skin tingle.I had managed to sneak into the mansion at 10:00 PM last night, Luck was on my side for once, my mother’s door was shut tight, and Arthur’s study was dark. He was still caught up in his meetings.Mr. Robert looked up. "Mr. Sterling left for the office very early, Miss Mayfield. Before the sun was even up, I believe." He paused, "Is there anything you need?""No, it’s... it’s fine," I stammered, pulling at the sleeves of my sweater. "I just wanted to check on him before I left for school. I went to his room and his private study, but I couldn't find him.""He is a very busy man, Miss," Robert replied, already moving on to his next task.I felt a little disappointed. I had expected... what? A morning kiss? A knowing look over br

~Isabel~"Mom, is this really worth the hassle?" I asked, my voice sounded small against the roar of the engine as I slid into the passenger seat, "Any dress will go just fine."My mother looked at me quickly then back on the road. Her hands gripped the steering wheel so tight her knuckles were white stones. "You can't just wear any dress, Bel. You’re representing the Sterling name. Arthur is introducing you to people who can make your career and you need these connections. You will meet very influential individuals. Do you get how big this is?"I nodded, my head bobbing like a doll's. I saw the reason in her eyes, the desperation. If a dress was the price of a law career, I’d wear a suit of armor if I had to.She turned up the soprano music, High screeching notes that felt like they were trying to scrape the skin off my bones. My mother had changed. Her taste, her clothes, even the way she sat, it all looked different, really different from how I knew her when I was younger. It