Chapter 35 The One Place Without Walls
Henry immediately looked heartbroken, taking Wendy’s hand.
“I’m so sorry. This is all Larry’s fault. But I can’t say anything right now. You know I’ve lost my voice in the Harrison family. Larry’s already in charge of several branch offices. But I–Wendy, I really want to help you.”
His head was lowered, but there was a flash of light in his eyes. Wendy finally understood what all his emotional circling had been about.
Henry wanted back into the Harrison family.
Wendy gently placated him for a while before leaving. From beginning to end, Fiona only lexchanged a few words with her–no eye contact, no obvious signals. Henry didn’t notice
anything.
Back in her car, Wendy called Chase. He didn’t answer.
She sighed.
After working so hard to win him back, Henry’s sudden appearance had undone everything. She’d nearly had him–and lost it all in an instant.
She hadn’t expected Henry to show up at her office. In such a sensitive moment, he should have been laying low at home, not stirring up trouble at Quinn Group.
Even less did she expect Chase to be there too.
But sighing wouldn’t solve anything. If she wanted to be with Chase, she needed to sort out this mess fast.
Still, she hadn’t expected how different Henry would be after five years.
Back then, the Harrison family had tried to use her relationship with Henry for leverage. But Henry never let them. He didn’t want her to feel pressured and never asked her for anything.
Now? It was different.
Henry wanted back in. He wanted control. And he wasn’t shy about asking.
The Harrison family. Henry.
She was getting close to the heart of the secrets.
When she got home, she expected to find the place dark and empty. But the moment she opened the door, a warm yellow light greeted her. Surprised, she stepped inside.
Chase was sitting in front of the TV watching an auction. He turned his head at the sound of the
door
1
Chapter 35 The One Place Without Walls
“You’re back,” he said with a smile.
Wendy froze, caught off guard, keys slipping from her hand at the entrance. “You….”
Finished
Knowing Chase, he should’ve gone straight back to the hospital dorms. He would’ve stayed cold toward her for at least a few days. So why had he come home?
Chase took her coat with a simile and hung it up. “Have you eaten?”
Wendy hesitated, then shook her head.
“The soup’s just about ready. I boiled some noodles too–made you chicken noodle soup,” Chase said, not asking about Henry, not asking what she ate or didn’t eat. He just walked into the kitchen.
He wore his loungewear, carrying the scent of home–warmth and wood. Wendy’s heart softened. instantly.
So it had always been there, hadn’t it? Her feelings for Chase.
There was too much chaoside. Danger everywhere–open attacks, hidden threats. Whether from rivals or within her own company, she had to stay on guard at all times.
Only when she was with Chase did she ever lower her defenses.
He was her last safe harbor.
No matter what, she couldn’t let Chase go. Even if he misunderstood her relationship with Henry. Even if they were already divorced. She would never let him walk away.
No one else could bring her peace like Chase could.
Chase still felt the sting in his chest, but Waylon had been right–he was a man. And a man couldn’t give up so easily.
He wasn’t blind. He could see Wendy didn’t feel nothing for him. He and Henry were completely different people. And if there were feelings between them, why should he back off? Why should he give up?
Even if all he had were five years of unresolved heartache, he couldn’t walk
away now.
If the time came when things truly couldn’t be salvaged…. he’d go. But not before.
And he hoped that day would never come.
He was stirring the soup when he felt arms wrap around his waist from behind. Chase chuckled, finding Wendy’s clinginess almost childlike. “Stop it. Go wash your hands and change. It’s almost.
done.
Wendy rose onto her toes and kissed the back of his neck, soft lips brushing his skin–barely
Chapter 35 The One Place Without Walls
“Chase, don’t leave me.”
At those words, Chase nearly lost it. His eyes went red in an instant.
The rising steam from the soup filled the kitchen, blurring his vision and making his eyes water. But he didn’t let her see. Only when she’d gone to the bedroom to change did he finally lift his hand and wipe away his tears.
Turns out, getting what you’d hoped for could hurt more than anything else.
But… if she didn’t want him to leave, then what about Henry?
Over dinner. Waylon–shockingly–said a few nice things about Wendy. He didn’t call her “that woman” for once.
He said Wendy was a strong woman, and there were some things she simply couldn’t say. Business wasn’t so black and white. If you love someone, you have to trust them
Trust.
Could there still be trust between him and Wendy?
Normally, when they had dinner together, Wendy would be glued to her phone or buried in contract drafts. But lately, she’d been paying more attention to his mood. She’d even started telling him about work matters.
And Chase wasn’t as clueless as people thought.
He was sharp–he picked up on things fast.
“You shouldn’t come to the office for a while,” Wendy said, sipping her soup as she glanced up at
him.
Chase paused, lowered his head, and gave a soft “Okay.”
She reached over with the back end of her fork and lifted his chin.
And just as she expected–his eyes were already slightly red..
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