Page 5

She cast another nervous glance toward Dante and immediately flinched under his gaze.
“I-I’ll sleep in the hall. Or maybe even the garden,” she stammered. “It’s fine, don’t worry.”
Griffin was laughing so hard now that it had turned into a full-blown belly laugh.
“Anya, you’re not sleeping in the garden,” he chuckled. “Your room is on the other side of the stairs.”
Anya spun around instantly. “I’ll go right now. Thank you for the room, Grandpa.”
Before either man could say another word, she bolted out the door and down the hall, disappearing in a flash.
Griffin watched her disappear, a smile tugging at his lips. Then he turned to Dante.
“Who is she?” Dante asked flatly, his frown deepening. “What’s she doing here?”
Griffin leaned on his cane and let out a long sigh.
“She’s the Foxes’ daughter. Years ago, their real child went missing at an amusement park. A few hours later, they found Anya—who looked identical to their missing daughter. Theythought she was theirs and took her home. Raised her as their own. But today… their biological daughter came back. And the moment they realized they’d raised the wrong girl all these years, they kicked Anya out.”
Dante’s brows lowered, his jaw tightening.
Griffin’s voice dropped, bitterness lacing his words.
“They threw her out like trash. Said they didn’t want her anymore. What kind of parents do that?”
Dante nodded slowly, then asked, “How long is she staying here?”
Griffin narrowed his eyes, glaring at him. “As long as she wants. Why does it matter to you? It’smyhouse.”
Dante raised a brow, unbothered. He grabbed his phone from the bed and muttered, “I was just asking. No need to bite my head off.”
Griffin grunted, then eyed him suspiciously. “You’re thirty, Dante. You’ve never dated a woman. Not even a man. Right?”
Dante gave him a flat look. “I’m not into men, Grandpa.”
“Good.” Griffin nodded, slapping his cane against the floor. Then leaned in and asked, “So… what do you think about Anya?”
Dante’s head snapped toward him. “Grandpa, don’t start. That girl and I? Not happening. What is she—sixteen?”
“Twenty,” Griffin waved it off. “But you’re right. She can do much better.”
Dante’s eyes flashed dangerously, but Griffin didn’t notice—or pretended not to.
“Anyway,” Griffin went on. “That girl’s in real trouble. She has nothing—no family, no home, no money. She needs a job. Weren’t you looking for a secretary recently?”
Dante straightened up, tossing his phone back on the bed and planting his hands on his hips, clearly irritated.
If it had beenanyoneelse in Griffin’s place, they’d have run for the hills at that look.
“Grandpa, she just walked in on me naked in my own room, and now you want to send her to work in my office? As mysecretary?” His voice was like steel. “How the hell is that a good idea?”
Griffin snickered, clearly amused. “What? Are you embarrassed because a girl saw you naked? It’s not that big a deal!”
He started walking toward the door. “I’ll bring her back in and ask her to apologize—”
Dante moved fast, closing the distance in two strides and grabbing his grandfather’s arm, stopping him cold.
“That’s not necessary! I’ll give her the damn job, alright?”