Page 40 of Secret Twin Heirs For The Billionaire

She turns back toward me. “Yes?”

I called her name without deciding what I wanted to say. For a second, I consider asking something completely ordinary just to keep her in the room, but there is no point pretending that is what this is.

“Nothing,” I say finally.

“Have a good afternoon.”

Her expression shifts slightly, but she does not comment.

“You too.”

She leaves and closes the door behind her. I remain in my chair for several seconds, staring at the place where she was standing and wondering how much longer either of us intends to keep this up.

It is nearly nine in the evening when I realize one of the supporting schedules is missing from the valuation packet Blaire brought me earlier. I find the omission on the third pass through the file, buried between the appraisal notes and the revised insurance figures. The document is not critical enough to justify a call at this hour, so I write a note on the margin, close the folder, and decide I will leave it on the library desk for the collection team to deal with in the morning.

The estate has gone quiet by the time I cross the corridor toward the library wing. Most of the staff have already left, and only a handful of lamps remain lit along the passage. I expect the library to be dark. It is not. A pool of warm light spills across one of the central tables, and Blaire is sitting beneath it with her laptop open and several files spread around her.

I stop in the doorway. She looks up and for half a second, neither of us moves.

“I didn’t know you were still here,” I say.

“I usually am,” she replies.

Her tone is neutral, but there is enough edge beneath it to remind me that six days of avoidance have not gone unnoticed.

I enter the room and place the folder on the table.

“There’s a supporting schedule missing from the valuation packet.”

Blaire looks down at the file.

“Missing?”

“Yes.”

“That shouldn’t be possible.”

“It is.”