Chapter 0059
Agnes
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Even by the time we returned to the hotel room later, I could still feel the buzz of adrenaline coursing through me. I had won. Somehow, I had won against Olivia in front of a crowd of onlookers. The thought left a strangely bittersweet taste in my mouth. Although it was mostly sweet, if I was being honest.
The door clicked shut behind us, and Elijah’s voice broke the silence.
“Well done,” he said as he loosened his tie. “You completely outplayed Olivia. Are you sure that was your first time?”
I let out a small laugh, brushing off the compliment as I slipped off my shoes. “It was pure luck, honestly. I barely knew what I was doing.”
Elijah crossed his arms, leaning against the wall with an expression that told me he wasn’t buying it. “Luck had nothing to do with it. You read her like a book.”
I blinked at him, caught off guard by his words.
He tilted his head slightly, studying me. “How did you know when she was bluffing? It didn’t seem like it was just a lucky guess.”
I hesitated, then shrugged, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. “I’ve spent years working in restaurants, Elijah. You learn to read people when half your job is figuring out who’s going to complain about their meal or stiff you on the tip.”
That earned a small chuckle from him, his sharp features softening ever so slightly in the dim light of the suite. ” So, restaurant work made you a card shark,” he said with a slight nod. “I’ll try to keep that in mind for the future.”
I rolled my eyes, fighting a smile. “Hardly. It’s just paying attention to the little things–how someone’s voice changes, the way they fidget. Olivia’s tells were… obvious, once I started looking.”
Elijah’s expression shifted slightly, his smile fading into something softer, almost contemplative. “You don’t give yourself enough credit, Agnes. It’s more than just observation. You’re quick on your feet, adaptable. That’s why you won tonight.”
His words left me momentarily speechless, and I focused on setting my bag down near the closet to avoid meeting his gaze. Compliments from Elijah always felt strange, almost wrong. Or maybe I just wasn’t used to receiving compliments from anyone, let alone an Alpha.
“Well,” I said, clearing my throat, “let’s just hope I don’t have to do that again anytime soon.”
He didn’t reply, and when I glanced up, I found him watching me with an intensity that made my chest tighten. But before I could say anything, Thea burst into the room like a tornado.
“Mommy! Did you see me in the kids‘ area? They had a giant playhouse!” she exclaimed, bounding toward me with all the energy of someone who hadn’t just spent hours running around.
I laughed and scooped her up into a hug, brushing her messy hair out of her face. Somehow, she had chocolate all over her lips, although I didn’t recall giving her any. “I did see, sweetheart. Did you have fun?”
“The best!” she declared, then wiggled free to dart toward the couch. “Is this where I’m sleeping?”
I turned to Elijah, frowning slightly. “Wait, how many rooms did you book?” I asked. I assumed he had booked
two.
“One,”
” he replied simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
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Chapter 0059
“One?” I echoed, my voice coming out as hardly more than a croak.
‘s a pull–out sofa for Thea,” he said, gesturing toward the couch, “and a king bed for us.”
My stomach flipped at the casual way he said it. Us. The word hung in the air, heavy with implication. We didn’t share a bed at the house–why would this vacation be any different?
Noticing my hesitation, Elijah added, “Or I can take the couch. You and Thea can have the bed.”
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