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Chapter Three

“THANK YOU FOR LETTINGme join you even at such short notice,” Willem murmured to his host while his bodyguards filed inside the dining room and did their best to blend with the beige walls. Security had ramped up since someone with a vendetta against the de Konigh family had attacked one of his cousins, and since it was by the order of the queen herself, even Willem was not excused.

His security team, however, appeared only to impress Shane’s mother, who tittered at the sight of them before gushing, “You know you’re always welcome here.”

“And of course,” Shane said breezily, “you know my dear half-sister Serenity.”

His arm still around Shane’s waist, Willem turned towards Serenity’s direction.

Ah.

The Serenity that stared at him was a paler and thinner version of the one he knew, but she was still as exquisitely beautiful as ever. Her salmon-colored sweater was a loose semi-crop, and he imagined that she only had to raise her arms a little to bare her undoubtedly flat tummy and tiny waist.

Her denim shorts were no better. They were just as loose and androgynously styled, and while it should have made Serenity look mannish, the knee-length shorts had just ended up making her legs look longer and shapelier.

His body stirred in awareness even as his jaw clenched hard at the thought of Serenity dressed like this outside her home. Did she want to attract attention now? Was that who she had become after leaving his employ?

Forcing his gaze back to her face, he managed a nod, saying curtly, “Serenity.”

“Sir.” Her tone was bland, her face expressionless, and anger simmered inside him even though Willem had no fucking idea who he was angry with. Was he furious with Serenity, for daring to look like she had moved on, or with himself, for realizing that a nineteen year old seemed to be better at coping with their—-

With their what,Willem asked himself savagely. Goddammit, he was acting like he hadn’t yet recovered from a painful breakup when he had been the one to push her away.

“Are you okay, darling?” Shane touched his arm in puzzlement.

Serenity’s heart lurched as she watched the billionaire place a comforting hand on top of her sister’s.

“I’m sorry,” she heard Willem murmur. His voice was polite but warm.A tone, she realized dully,he had never used with her. Humiliation burned her cheeks at the thought. She must have been crazy, must have been so delusional, to think that Willem de Konigh actually loved her back.

And it was as if the billionaire was unconsciously driven to prove this as well.

It started when Willem claimed the seat next to Serenity, which caused her feelings to seesaw between elation and shock, until she heard the billionaire explain charmingly, “Because I’d like to see your beautiful face when we talk.”

Shane had blushed and laughed, but she had nonetheless taken the seat across Willem, which then forced Melanie to sit in isolation at the head of the table, with only Serenity on one side and an empty chair on the other.

Throughout dinner, Willem kept the conversation going, exerting all effort to dazzle Shane and Melanie as he alternately flirted with one and charmed the other. Serenity, he paid only the barest of attention, and by doing so he had unknowingly convinced the other women that Serenity’s resignation was indeed a sham.

When Willem paused to take a sip of his wine, Melanie said with a smile, “We should really do this more often.”

Willem smiled back. “It would be my pleasure.”

As the billionaire spoke, his hooded gaze rested lazily on Shane, which made Melanie’s daughter blush beautifully.

Serenity saw the same thing, too, and her heart lurched yet again.

If Serenity had been a little older, a little more experienced, she would have realized that everything the billionaire said and did was forherbenefit.

But because she was not – because she was young and innocent and Willem de Konigh was her first love, the idea of deception did not occur to Serenity at all.