Elise shook her head. “I’m okay.”
It was just a minor burn from the hot water, a fleeting sting—nothing she couldn't handle.
But the real threat was William moving closer.
He was already towering, and even seated on the kitchen counter, her petite frame didn't reach his height.
He seemed to ignore her protest, his focus entirely on inspecting her slender fingers for any injury. After confirming there were no visible red marks, he finally spoke, “Ms. Scott, you're always so accident-prone, aren't you?”
His words were critical, yet his tone held an unexpected softness.
“I am not!” Elise retorted, though her conviction wavered immediately.
She suddenly realized how often she made mistakes whenever she cooked for William at her apartment.
Meeting his meaningful gaze, she conceded, “It's only around you.”
She never fumbled like this with anyone else.
“Is that so?” William's lips curved into a smile, clearly pleased with her admission. “I'm honored you feel so comfortable with me, Ms. Scott.”
Elise huffed in frustration. Why did he always twist her words?!
She shifted, pointing out, “The pasta is going to get soggy.”
She attempted to slide off the counter, but William stopped her. “Stay put.”
“It'll be ruined if it turns mushy,” she argued.
“I'll handle it,” William insisted. “You just stay right there, Ms. Scott.”
Elise bit her lip, feeling like a child being pampered, much like how James might feel, though James would probably swear his father never doted on him so attentively.
Nevertheless, Elise remained seated on the counter, watching as William carefully drained the pasta and plated it with broccoli, eggs, and ham, then carried the dishes to the dining table.
Once done, he lifted her from the counter and they began their meal.
It was a simple dish, yet it carried a subtle flavor of contentment.
After dinner, William showed no intention of leaving. He lounged comfortably on her living room sofa, casually flipping through TV channels with the remote.
Elise felt a twinge of helplessness; she had planned to work on some designs tonight.
Her days were consumed by responsibilities at Stellar Group, leaving her only the nights for creative work.
But with William settled in…
“Relax, Ms. Scott. No need to feel uneasy on my account,” William said, as if he had a sixth sense for her thoughts while still watching TV.
His comment irked her. Whose home was this anyway?!
Yet, her heart fluttered momentarily.
Had he chosen to dine here because he knew she was busy, wanting to save her time?
Touched by the possibility, she turned and headed toward her study.
The walls were made of glass, positioned behind the sofa, allowing her a clear view of the living room—and vice versa.
Elise powered up her laptop and immersed herself in work. Though not formally trained as a fashion designer, her mother had privately mentored her since childhood. Her mother had always kept her identity as a world-renowned fashion designer secret, a fact known only to Elise.
Just like Elise was doing now.
Once absorbed in her designs, she became oblivious to her surroundings.
The theme for the next round was summer, and she had settled on a style but was deliberating over the color palette.
Should she evoke passion or embody a maiden's purity?
Elise visualized Stella Murray's appearance, knowing that designs should complement the model's features.
Exiting her design software, she intended to search for photos of Stella online but accidentally clicked on an unfamiliar video file on her desktop.
She froze, stunned, unable to process what she was seeing.
Since when did she have explicit content on her computer?!
Then she remembered Elizabeth borrowing her laptop recently… could it be hers?!
Flustered, Elise hurriedly tried to close the video…