Chapter 12

A quiet laugh slipped from Nolan, his eyes carrying a shadowed depth that gave nothing away.

"Not really. I just happened to see you and got curious about what kind of tricks you'd pull next."

Tricks? The word made Eleanor's hand freeze mid-motion.

When she lifted her gaze, she met his stare head-on,a look so sharp it felt like he could peel away every secret she carried.

Her thoughts veered unexpectedly to that day three years ago, when she had gone head-to-head with him for the Todd Group. By some stroke of luck, she had pulled through, securing the vital Usepsall project.

The memory stirred up a storm inside her. Back then, she had been so naive, burning herself out for Jonny, nearly letting her true identity slip in the process.

Now, the memory almost felt absurd.

After wrestling with the thought, she finally blurted out, "I shouldn't have done that back then. I owe you an apology."

No matter what, she had played her hand with tricks that ended up costing him dearly.

At her words, Nolan's brows lifted ever so slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his features.

Leaning closer, he closed the gap until his breath brushed the shell of her ear, low and deliberate.

Eleanor's body tensed, and she instinctively tried to pull back, only to realize the sofa behind her left her nowhere to go.

Nolan spoke in a velvet tone, rich with suggestion."An apology's not enough. What I want to know is how you managed to shake the market so badly in one night."

People on the outside saw Eleanor as nothing more than a gentle beauty, someone decorative but harmless.

Yet here she was, a woman who had once crippled Stewart Group's stock with alarming precision.

That was no feat an ordinary socialite could pull off.

His words sent her pulse racing, pounding so hard it felt impossible to hide.

Dropping her gaze, she worked faster with the bandages, eager to finish.

"It really was luck," she muttered. "And if the Usepsall project still interests you, taking it back would be nothing for someone with your abilities.My ties to Jonny are gone, and whatever happens to the Todd Group isn't my concern anymore."

Amusement flickered in Nolan's eyes, and the corner of his mouth curved into a deeper, knowing smile. Nolan shifted casually, stretching out against the sofa as though he owned the space.

"Taking it back?" His tone carried a low amusement,eyes glinting with interest. "I have to admit, the idea is tempting."

There was no mistaking it-this woman was far from the meek figure most assumed her to be.

She hadn't been years ago, and now, after breaking free from her marriage, her edges had only grown sharper.

The challenge only made her more intriguing to him.

He would take back the Usepsall project, that much was certain, but doing so in a way that entertained him sounded far more appealing.

Eleanor had just begun to relax when a polite voice sounded beyond the lounge door.

"Mr. Stewart, the intermission has begun. Mr. Gill requests the presence of all esteemed guests in the exhibition hall." Relief slipped from her in a quiet breath.

There was no denying Nolan's perception-his gaze alone felt like it could strip her of every guarded secret.

If this conversation had gone on much longer, she feared she might have revealed far too much.

"After you, Mr. Stewart," Eleanor said quickly, rising to her feet and making for the door before he could respond.

Her haste betrayed her. Painripped through her ankle, throwing her off balance and sending her body lurching forward.

In the blink of an eye, she would have hit the floor-if not for the sudden grip that caugt her around the waist. Strong arms steadied her, drawing her firmly into a solid embrace.

The clean, woody scent of pine drifted over her,wrapping around her senses as much as his hold did.