Chapter 523
Chapter 523:
The bodyguard froze, clearly startled. She was known for keeping her temper in check — seeing her lash out caught him off guard. Then something seemed to dawn on him, and he bowed slightly. “We’ll wait outside. If you need anything, just call p>
When he left the room, silence settled in.
Kailey drew in a slow breath and rose to her feet. It wasn’t eight yet.
Would Quentin show up? She honestly didn’t know.
D𝗼w𝗇𝗅о𝖺d𝖺𝗯l𝗲 P𝘋𝗙𝘴 𝘰𝗻 ѕ.𝗰𝘰𝘮
Holding on to a thin thread of hope, she made her way toward the basement.
Just as she reached the door, firm footsteps echoed behind her.
Her heart skipped. She turned around.
A tall, imposing man stepped into view. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t make herself smile.
Lyman fixed Kailey with a piercing stare, and when he spoke, his voice carried a biting chill. “Why are you here p>
His sudden return threw her off balance. The shock rushed through her, and her palms turned slick with cold sweat.
Still, she steadied her nerves and faced him without showing emotion. “I’m not allowed to leave. Now I’m not even allowed to drink p>
Lyman didn’t answer right away. His gaze stayed on her, deep and unreadable, and the silence stretched between them.
“I was bored a few days ago, so I walked around the house. That’s when I found out there’s a whole collection of wine stored here,” Kailey said. She kept her breathing shallow and controlled, knowing that if she slipped even once, he would notice.
Those two seconds felt endless. Finally, he replied, “Don’t drink too much p>
After a short pause, he added, “I came back to pick up a document. I’ll be leaving again soon. Go to bed early tonight. If anything happens, have someone call me p>
“Okay p>
Even as she said it, she had already decided she wouldn’t reach out to him no matter what happened.
Kailey stood there and watched him walk away. When the door shut behind him, she realized her back felt cold and damp.
A bitter thought crossed her mind. Lyman was the one at fault, and she was the one being confined — and somehow, she had grown used to this kind of exchange. Worse, she even worried about making him angry. What was wrong with her? It was pathetic.
She curled her hand into a tight fist and walked toward the wine cellar.
Nothing around her looked different, yet something felt off. The air didn’t sit right. Someone else was there.
“Come out p>
As soon as she spoke, a foot stepped out slowly from behind the cabinet.
Brown combat boots came into view first, then a pair of fitted pants that followed the line of long legs, and above them a black tactical jacket that framed Quentin’s tall, solid build.
Kailey looked at him without changing her expression. “Mr. Shaw, you’re right on time p>
“Kailey,” Quentin said with a faint smile, as if he were some considerate older brother. “You don’t need to treat me like an enemy. I only just found out you were here p>
“Is that so p>