Her Only Exception のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 11 - チャプター 20

Andrea sat at her desk for a long moment after leaving Henry’s office, staring blankly at her computer screen. Pack your things. I’ll have a car pick you up on Thursday evening. His words kept replaying, echoing in her head like a taunt.He’d heard everything from her desperate plea to the landlord, the tightness in her voice, even the shame in her begging. And now he was helping her. Henry Moore, the man she’d slapped, pushed away, and fought against for the past two weeks, was offering her a lifeline.Why?That was the question that kept ringing in her head. Andrea’s hands clenched into fists on the desk. She had been hostile, brash, and unapologetic called him an asshole and made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him. Men like Henry Moore didn’t give out charity. There had to be a catch. Maybe this was about control, the thrill of having power over her. Or maybe… she didn’t want to think about the alternative. Then her phone buzzed, making her jump.Mindy: Girl, how’s day 1

It was the day for the gala, Andrea stared at herself in the mirror and barely recognized the woman looking back.Mrs Carrie had worked magic. Her hair was styled in loose, elegant waves that cascaded over one shoulder, a few delicate strands framing her face. Her makeup was flawless but natural soft smoky eyes that made her gaze more intense, a subtle blush on her cheeks, lips painted in a deep rose that complemented the emerald dress perfectly.The dress itself fit like it had been made for her, the bodice hugged her curves, the neckline elegant and sophisticated and the skirt flowed like water when she moved. She looked expensive and polished. "You look stunning, dear," Carrie said warmly, adjusting one final curl. "Mr. Moore won't be able to take his eyes off you."Andrea's heart fluttered. "It's just work, Mrs Carrie."Carrie smiled knowingly but said nothing.Andrea took a deep breath, grabbed the small clutch Carrie had set out for her, and stepped out of her room.Henry was w

It had been a week since the incident in Henry's study room where Andrea had teased Henry, leaving him speechless.And in that week, everything had changed, Henry was never home.Andrea would wake up to find his coffee mug already washed and sitting in the dish rack. She'd always come downstairs to an empty penthouse just the faint scent of his cologne that showed he'd been there at all.At night, she'd try to stay awake, telling herself she just wanted to grab some water or check her emails. But really, she was waiting to hear the elevator doors open or hear his footsteps in the hallway, but she always fell asleep before he came home.At work, it was worse. Henry barely looked at her. And when he did speak to her, his tone was clipped, professional and distant. Like she was some new assistant he barely knew instead of the woman who'd been living in his penthouse for over a week."I need the quarterly reports by noon," he'd say, his eyes on his computer screen."The investor meeting

Andrea woke before the alarm, suitcase already by the door. She dressed in a dark brown skirt and cream blouse: buttons done high, sleeves cuffed and armor in place. Mindy’s voice echoed again “Just have fun. No overthinking.” The SUV for their departure waited outside. Henry was already in the back seat wearing a dark suit, no tie and sunglasses reflecting the gray dawn. He didn’t look up from his phone as she slid in. The door closed and silence swallowed them. Andrea stared at passing streets. His cologne filled up the space between them. She crossed her legs and her skirt rode up an inch. His gaze flicked down once, then away as his jaw tightened. The private jet was luxurious. It waited on the tarmac, sleek and gleaming. They boarded without greeting, cream leather seats facing each other across a low conference table with soft amber lights. The attendant welcomed them, then vanished to the galley after takeoff. She picked the seat across from him because it was the most

The elevator ride up felt endless. Andrea kept her arms folded tight across her chest and her eyes fixed on the polished doors, but her mind refused to cooperate. She could still feel the exact pressure of Henry’s thumb against her jaw in the corridor three hours earlier, which felt deliberate and warm. The way her breath had caught before she could stop it. The way he had noticed but said nothing, just watched her with those dark eyes like he had already seen every crack she was trying to hide. She pressed her arms tighter and told herself she was fine. She had walked back into that meeting room, sat down, and stayed perfectly professional for the rest of the afternoon. No one had known, what happened in the corridor earlier because she was handling it well. The elevator doors opened on their floor. Henry stepped out first. She followed. They walked the quiet corridor in silence, the kind that felt almost normal after the long day, until they reached the suite. Henry disa