Andrew had been swamped with work lately, but tonight he finally made time to deliver the new diamond ring himself. He was in no rush. He knew he'd wait as long as it took.

From everything he'd found out, Emily Blair would definitely come home eventually. Calling her was pointless. She never answered, at least not when it was him. So he parked outside her building and settled in to wait.

As the minutes slipped by, Andrew caught his reflection in the rearview mirror and did a double take. Was he actually smiling? The corners of his mouth were lifted, just a little. He checked his watch. He'd already been waiting nearly an hour.

He shook his head and laughed under his breath. If someone had told him he'd one day be sitting on a city street, waiting for the woman he loved to come home, he'd have called them crazy. But here he was, not even a hint of impatience. In fact, the longer he waited, the more excited he felt.

He started to imagine how Emily would react when she saw the ring. Would she accept it with a smile or throw it back at him in anger? Knowing her, she'd probably do the second. Still, for some reason, he was almost looking forward to seeing her get mad. At least when she was angry, she was alive, not cool and distant like before.

He glanced at the gift box on the seat beside him, feeling the smile tug at his lips again. He barely recognized this version of himself. Emily had changed him in ways he never saw coming, but he couldn't say he minded.

He took out the ring, turning it between his fingers, picturing how it would look on her hand. That thought alone made him feel content. After a while, he picked up his tablet and answered a few work messages. His replies were dry and businesslike, but his face still held that stubborn, quiet smile.

Another hour and a half crawled by. He finished going through all his paperwork, stretched his neck, and looked out at the street.

Still no sign of Emily's car.

He checked his watch again. He'd been waiting almost three hours. Midnight was only a few minutes away.

Andrew frowned, worry creeping in. Where was she? Why wasn't she back yet?

He spun his phone in his hand, then tried calling her, even though he already knew what would happen. Ever since he'd given her those diamond earrings, she'd blocked his number. He heard nothing but silence. FindNovel.net

He wasn't the type to give up so easily. After thinking it over, he decided to call Sadie, Emily's

assistant. He remembered how net

Sadie always seemed nervous around him, probably spared he'd ask about Emily. Tonight, she might just tell him what he wanted to know.

He scrolled through his contacts, found Sadie's number, and hit call.

Even though it was late, she picked up almost immediately.

"Hello? Who is this?"

He didn't waste words. "It's me."

There was a pause, then the faint sound of her breathing. He could tell she was nervous.

"Mr. Lane, is there something you need?"

"Where's your boss right now?" he asked.

Sadie hesitated. He could almost hear her thoughts racing, wondering if he planned to confront Emily¶n person. "Mr Lane, why do you need to know

FindNovel.net

He lied without missing a beat. “It's urgent. I can't reach her, and you're the only one

I can ask."

Sadie's voice was shaky. "What's so urgent?"