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Chapter Four

MORNING!

Serenity woke up with a start, and even with her gaze still blurry from sleep, she was already reaching towards her bedside table and fumbling for her smartphone.

Aha!

Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, she swiped quickly on the screen to get to her mailbox, telling herself all the while she wouldn’t be disappointed if—-

Her heart jumped to her throat, and her breath caught as she saw a number showing up next to her inbox, indicating how many new messages she had waiting.

Slowly, she placed one finger on the mail icon and pressed.

Oh!

Her breath swooshed out.

A new email from Willem!

Dear Serenity,

Yes, you have indeed been evaluated and screened for next summer’s internship program. No, I did not have to resort to pulling strings for your application.

Yes, I believe you are being unnecessarily anxious about this. May I remind you that I am the CEO of the company you wish to work for as well as being one of its major stockholders, and as such, my command is absolute?

Please call me as soon as you receive this message.

Yours,

WDK

When her heartbeat slowed down enough for Serenity to catch her breath, she read the message again, but more slowly this time. They had been exchanging emails for almost six months straight now. She had started it the day after his visit, telling herself that she would only thank him for his kindness and would not expect a reply. But he had replied, and she hadn’t been able to help herself but answer back. And that had been it, the start of their constant exchange of emails.

And calls, Serenity thought absently as she pressed the speed button to dial Willem’s number.

He answered her call right away. “Good morning, Serenity.” As always, his Dutch-accented drawl had shivers running down her spine, and because she was alone, she allowed herself to close her eyes and relish the sound of his voice.

She could spend forever just listening to Willem de Konigh speak.

But of course, she couldn’t let him know that.