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“What even goes through this man's head? He has to fight me over everything.” Muttering under her breath, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and followed him downstairs.
Chapter 3 A Heartless Little Thing
Silas waited until she reached the bottom of the stairs before walking out with her, carrying the suitcase effortlessly in one hand. Allison knew how heavy it was because she had packed it herself and had struggled just to lift it by the handle. Yet Silas carried it as though it weighed nothing.
He walked her to the car without making a fuss about it.
As soon as they approached, the driver hurried over and took the suitcase from Silas, placing it in the trunk.
Allison headed toward the passenger door, but before she could reach for the handle, Silas was already there. He opened the door for her and stepped aside.
She glanced up at him.
He said nothing, merely looking at her in silence. Yet his eyes were much softer than they had been on the stairs.
Allison remembered how he looked at everyone else. Silas Black was a man whose gaze could intimidate people into silence, whose very presence demanded fear. But whenever he looked at her, something in his eyes changed.
She could see it clearly.
And somehow, that only made things worse. She could see how much he cared about her, even when his words and actions overwhelmed her. It made her feel as though she could almost understand what was going through his head, even when she had no idea how to respond to his feelings.
She settled into the car, arranging herself in the seat as Silas leaned down until his face was level with hers.
When his hand reached toward her cheek, she startled slightly at the unexpected touch.
But he didn't lean in to kiss her.
Instead, he simply studied her face for a brief moment, his palm resting against her cheek with surprising tenderness. His thumb gently brushed along her cheekbone as he looked at her, his usual intimidating expression softened by an affection he made no effort to conceal.
Then, in a quiet, gentle voice, he said, “I’ll see you when you return home.”
Allison’s heart raced as Silas leaned close to her. For a moment, the world seemed to shrink until there was nothing but the two of them and the quiet intimacy of their proximity. Somehow, that only made things worse. She was beginning to feel something she had never experienced before, something she didn't know how to handle, and the realization left her more unsettled than she wanted to admit.
She quickly nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
Silas studied her face for another moment before finally pulling away. The driver had already taken his seat, and as soon as Allison settled back in, he closed the door for her.
The car pulled away, carrying her out of his sight.
Silas didn't move until the car disappeared from view. Only then did he turn and walk toward his own car.
Frank was already waiting in the driver's seat. He had followed Silas there and waited outside, as he habitually did, ready to drive him home whenever he needed a ride.
The moment Silas settled into the back seat, he ordered, “Invest another fifty million dollars in Evermont.”
Frank's eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Silas through the rearview mirror.
“Mr. Black, you invested twenty-five million in Evermont Healthcare just last month.”
Silas looked up from his phone, the corner of his mouth lifting into a faint smile.
“I want my future brother-in-law on my side. Naturally, I have to make an effort to keep him happy.”
Frank stared at him through the mirror, confusion and disbelief warring on his face. But as the implications sank in, he cleared his throat and quickly looked away, finally understanding what Silas was up to.
Silas glanced toward him in the rearview mirror.
“Is Shane going with Allison?”
