William’s fingers stilled on the desk. Samuel Wilson went on, “Sophia Mitchell was all set to become CEO, but Ms. Scott completely derailed that plan at the last moment. I have to wonder though—with Benjamin Scott and Sophia having managed Stellar Group for so long, will things really go smoothly for Ms. Scott now that she’s taken over?” Samuel then noticed his boss’s long fingers resuming their rhythmic tapping on the polished wood.
Elise must mean something to him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have rushed into a burning building to save her.
William had always maintained a certain distance from women. Yet that seemed to change almost immediately after his return to Crestwood.
Still, Samuel knew better than to pry into his boss’s personal life. He simply adapted to the man’s shifting preferences. “Should I quietly smooth the path for her, sir?”
William remained silent for a long moment. “She walked into that company alone and emerged with complete control. That tells me she knows exactly what she’s doing—we should trust her capabilities.”
“Of course, sir,” Samuel replied with deference.
He thought to himself that any woman who caught his boss’s attention would certainly be formidable in her own right.
…
Elise had just returned home from Stellar Group when her phone began ringing incessantly.
She glanced at the screen and sighed, but answered anyway.
“Why would you do that to Sophia?” Samuel Mitchell’s voice held immediate accusation. “Whatever issues you have with me should stay between us. Don’t take them out on her.”
So Sophia had already run to Samuel with her complaints.
Elise was accustomed to this pattern. Sophia had always excelled at playing the victim and turning people against her.
“You flatter yourself, Samuel. I’m merely reclaiming what rightfully belongs to me.”
“Listen, Elise—if you need money, you only have to ask,” Samuel continued, ignoring her sharp tone. “Our relationship may have ended, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep working at Mitchell Corp. I never terminated your position. There’s no need to go to such extremes! Just come back to work, and you’ll receive your proper compensation.”
Elise took a steadying breath. Reasoning with him was pointless. “This is the last time I’ll say this, Samuel! My mother left Stellar Group to me, and Sophia has no legal claim to it. Even if I decided I didn’t want it, I’d rather liquidate the entire company and donate the proceeds to charity than let my father’s mistress’s daughter lay a finger on it! Furthermore, I will not be returning to Mitchell Corp. I’ll arrange to collect my belongings, but feel free to discard them—there’s nothing of value there anyway. And finally, stop trying to humiliate me with your money. You’re only making a fool of yourself!”
She ended the call before he could respond, leaving him speechless.
Samuel sat in his car, his expression darkening.
She had actually hung up on him after that outburst, despite his generous offer!
What gave her the confidence to treat him this way?!
Furious, he tried calling again, only to have Elise reject his call immediately.
He was left trembling with anger, his grip on the phone tightening until his knuckles turned white.
…
As Samuel’s calls continued to flood her phone, Elise finally snapped and answered without checking the screen. “Stop calling unless you want to further embarrass yourself!”
Silence greeted her from the other end, and she immediately sensed something was different.
Her eyes dropped to the screen, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the unfamiliar number.
Before she could speak, a deep, captivating voice filled her ear. “Does that mean I should keep calling if I enjoy being embarrassed?”
Elise felt her pulse quicken. She pressed her lips together.
She never expected William Levine himself to call. “I apologize, I didn’t realize it was you… My words weren’t intended for you.”
“Then who were they for?” William’s eyebrow lifted slightly.
Elise hesitated before responding quietly, “I believe you already know, Mr. Levine.”
William’s eyes narrowed. His fingers tapped twice against his desk, a faint smile touching his lips. “Do you require assistance?”
“No.” Her refusal was immediate, maintaining her professional distance. “May I ask why you’re calling, Mr. Levine?”
“No particular reason,” William replied casually.
As Elise frowned in confusion, he added, “I was merely testing whether the number James gave me was correct.”
“…I would never deceive a child,” Elise said, slightly offended.
Besides, he was the one who had purchased this number for her. How could he not know it worked?!
“Are you available this evening?” William asked abruptly.
The sudden change of subject left her momentarily speechless.
“Let’s have dinner together,” William continued. “I’ll come pick you up.”
“I’m sorry, but—”
“It’s to celebrate my first day in this new position.”
Elise decided then that she and William operated on completely different wavelengths. Their conversations never seemed to follow a logical progression.
“I’ll see you at six,” William concluded before ending the call.
Elise released a long sigh. There were moments when William’s commanding nature simply couldn’t be argued with.
After pondering for a few minutes, she finally sent him a text.
[My apologies, Mr. Levine, but I have prior commitments this evening and won’t be able to join you. That said, congratulations on your new role.]
After sending the message, she hesitated briefly before attaching an Amazon gift card as a congratulatory gesture.
She felt this was a polite way to decline while still maintaining professional courtesy.
On the other end, William stared at the gift card notification for a long moment before a low chuckle escaped him.
Nearby, Samuel’s jaw nearly dropped.
Had he actually lived to see his boss laugh? And in such an unsettling manner?!
“Samuel,” William said suddenly.
“Yes, sir?”
“Why would a woman give a man money?”
Samuel’s eyes widened. Under William’s intense gaze, his mind raced before he ventured uncertainly, “To become his… sugar mommy?”
William’s smile widened visibly, while Samuel fought to keep his own expression neutral.
He suddenly found himself intensely curious—just how much had Ms. Scott sent to put his boss in such a pleased mood?!
A polite knock sounded at the office door. Emily, the secretary, entered respectfully. “Mr. Levine, Samuel Mitchell—CEO of Mitchell Corp—is requesting a meeting. Would you like to see him?”
Samuel Mitchell?
Samuel Wilson stiffened—this was his boss’s romantic rival!
“No.” William’s refusal was immediate.
“Shall I schedule—”
“Never,” William said coldly.
Emily’s heart pounded nervously. “Understood. I’ll send him away immediately.”
William remained silent, which she took as agreement before she hurried out.
It was her first day working closely with her new superior, and she still couldn’t quite read his temperament.
“Wait,” William said suddenly.
Emily quickly turned back. “Yes, Mr. Levine?”
“I have a board meeting shortly, but I might have availability afterward.”
The secretary understood perfectly. “Of course, Mr. Levine. I’ll relay that to Mr. Mitchell.”
Samuel watched Emily leave before studying his boss thoughtfully.
Had Samuel Mitchell just walked right into being toyed with?