Chapter 24
But Zachary thought he knew Giselle well enough. He was familiar with every detail of her background–didn’t that mean he understood her well enough?
Giselle scoffed. “For example, I’m not a member of the upper crust. I might be Tony’s daughter, but their fortune and resources have nothing to do with me. So, our family status doesn’t match.
“And I’m also not the type to be a caring or loving mother. Honestly, someone as reckless and wild as me isn’t cut out for relationships, let alone marriage.”
“And here I was, thinking you were going to say something serious!” Zachary laughed, looking relieved. “I don’t give a damn about socialites or being a good mother–it’s my uncle’s duty to marry a woman like that, anyway. I have the right to decide my own marriage. I just want to find someone unique–just like you.”
His passionate confession left Giselle at a loss.
Clasping a hand over her forehead, she said, “I’m really not an ideal partner. There’s a lot of things I don’t know how to explain to you-”
“Then don’t. I’m always up for an adventure, and traditional women just aren’t my thing.”
He reached out and clinked his glass with hers, the affection in his gaze smoldering as he continued, “But a wild yet mysterious woman like you? That’s exactly my type…”
Giselle flashed a helpless smile at him and raised her glass to toast with him.
Really, his naivety was adorable.
Over the years, she had received all sorts of confessions from men–cringy, passionate, romantic, artsy, naive, and dramatic. But she’d always seen them as passing episodes, something not worth holding onto.
So, when Zachary confessed his feelings, she was perfectly calm. But she also realized that only when she was with him did she feel genuinely at ease and happy. She could let her guard down and reveal her true self.
Later, the two of them finished their meal in good spirits. Zachary called for the waiter to pay the bill, while Giselle went to touch up her makeup in the restroom.
Just as she was about to look for Zachary from the second floor of the restaurant, she suddenly caught sight of a tall, familiar figure.
Was it him?
The lighting was dim, so for a second, she wondered if she was seeing things. But as the figure drew closer, she became certain that it really was Donovan.
Had he been following her?
She noticed that he was accompanied by his assistant and two Frocian businessmen, with a server leading them toward a private dining room. Clearly, he was here to entertain his clients.
Giselle took a deep breath and quickly regained her composure. She didn’t hide or leave. She simply stood there until she met his gaze.
The moment Donovan saw her, he stopped in his tracks. Everyone around him turned to look at her too.
“Uncle Don?”
Zachary also spotted Donovan once he came out after paying.
He greeted him casually and asked, “Are you here for dinner too?”
Realization dawned on Donovan as soon as he saw both his nephew and Giselle here. His expression turned grim.
“Oh, right. This is Ms. Holt, the one I brought to your villa for a swim last time. You’ve met her before, right?”
As Zachary spoke, he slung an arm around Giselle’s shoulder and continued brazenly, “We just finished dinner. We’re planning to go play tennis after this, so we’ll be home a bit late tonight.”
Donovan said nothing, yet his cold gaze remained fixated on her.
And Giselle, of course, caught the anger flaring in his eyes and sneered. She suddenly didn’t mind Zachary’s hand on her shoulder.
“Alright then, Uncle Don. We’ll let you get back to work,” Zachary said, noting the foreign businessmen at Donovan’s side.
Not wanting to disturb them further, he gently led Giselle away. As they passed by, she shot Donovan a suggestive look before gliding downstairs with Zachary. Donovan might seem composed, but in his mind, he had already decided how he’d deal with her later.
