Filed to story: The Regretful Billionaire: An Unpredicted Reunion >>
Danika shook her head. “I’ve had dinner.”
She regretted it the moment she said it. Of course Eustace knew she had eaten. He must’ve asked because he wanted to have supper with her…
Things quickly turned awkward between them. Eustace went and sat down on the couch. He seemed tired, though Danika thought he might be angry instead.
She tiptoed ever and murmured, “I was going to have dinner with Morgan when her blind date showed up. She went with him, so I was left alone…”
“I see,” Eustace said flatly.
His cold response made Danika even more worried. She sat next to him and continued explaining,”
I only agreed to dinner with Christopher because I needed to get some information from him. Nothing else.”
Eustace glanced at her and smiled. “Do you think I’m angry?”
“Aren’t you?” Danika asked.
Eustace hugged her close in his arms, nuzzling into her neck. Her scent instantly made him relax.” Nope. I know you don’t like him that way.”
Danika’s shoulders loosened. “Thank goodness.”
“Just try not to have contact with him as much from now on. You know he doesn’t mean well. ! might not be able to come to your rescue first thing if he does something,” Eustace instructed, now looking solemn.
Danika nodded. “Don’t worry. I can swing a mean fist.”
“What if he gets a whole gang to back him up?” Eustace teased.
Danika then accepted the fact that she might not be able to handle a group of troublemakers, but she knew Christopher wouldn’t do that to her. Her grandfather had told her before that she could trust the Spades.
She didn’t tell Eustace this, though. It’d be better to tell him about it next time in case he misunderstood something. She savored being in Eustace’s arms, slowly falling asleep as the clock ticked on.
Eustace gazed at her lovingly, then picked her up into his arms and brought her to the bedroom. He placed her gently on the bed, then gazed thoughtfully at her for several long minutes.
“I’m not like Christopher, Danika,” Eustace murmured, then left. He went straight to the Old Mansion, surprising his grandfather.
“What happened?” Old Mr. Quincey asked.
“Did you tell the Spades?” Eustace cut to the chase. He knew Christopher’s appearance at the restaurant wasn’t a coincidence.
Old Mr. Quincey sighed, then nodded. “Yes, I told Mr. Spade.”
Eustace didn’t understand. “Why would you do that?” His grandfather had kept things in the family private for decades, so why would he suddenly reveal things to outsiders?
Eustace was in a terrible mood on his car ride home.
How were he and Christopher the same? They weren’t remotely similar!
Danika had been worrying ever since she got home, wondering what to say to Eustace. She never once found a way to tell Eustace what had happened, even when he had come home. She only stared at him, anxious.
“Hungry?” Eustace asked, much to her surprise.
Danika shook her head. “I’ve had dinner.”
She regretted it the moment she said it. Of course Eustace knew she had eaten. He must’ve asked because he wanted to have supper with her…
In truth, Eustace wasn’t actually that clear about Danika’s background. He only guessed she wasn’t as ordinary as she appeared due to overhearing his grandfather’s phone call. Then, he understood why the old man insisted he married her and why she was so skilled and knowledgeable even though she grew up in the country.
But even then, he hadn’t paid much attention to her importance until tonight when Christopher came looking.
He and Christopher were not similar whatsoever.
“I did this to make sure Danika finds her family earlier. Only then will her safety be guaranteed and in turn, yours.” Old Mr. Quincey knew his grandson would go all out when it came to the woman he loved. That’s why he came up with a plan to ensure his safety.
Eustace knew his grandfather’s intentions, though he felt sad for Danika now. “Danika would be devastated if she knew the real reason why you’re kind to her.”
She had asked Eustace why his grandfather was so strange around her before, but even he hadn’t known why back then. But now that he knew, he felt bad for keeping Danika in the dark. He even thought about telling her the truth.
He was scared, however. He was scared she’d think he was like Christopher, only pursuing her because of her lineage.
“Which family is Danika from? Can you let me in on the whole truth now?” Maybe he could prepare Danika for what was to come.
The old man nodded, then told Eustace everything that he knew. Eustace had to give things some thought after. No wonder Christopher was so adamant.
Meanwhile, Danika was woken up by a phone call. She fumbled for it. “Hello?”
“Danika, save me!” Morgan cried from the other end of the call. She sounded like she had been crying. This revelation shocked Danika awake.
She got out of bed. “Calm down. Breathe. Tell me where you are right now.”
“Vermillion Suites,” Morgan reported frantically.
As she ended the call, Danika dashed out the door without even changing from her sleep clothes. Morgan continued quivering in the hotel bathroom, praying Danika would come to her rescue soon. “Morgan, where are you, darling? I think we’ve had enough hide-and-seek~” Winston’s voice suddenly came from the bathroom door. Chills ran down Morgan’s spine. “It’s late. We should get to bed, hm-?”
Morgan bit her lip to stay quiet, tears running down her cheeks.
Winston had drugged her during dinner and brought her here. If it weren’t for her minimal drinking, she might’ve woken up later to a worse fate. But now she was trapped, trapped in a hotel full of Winston’s men, crying in fear.
It didn’t seem like the man was going to let her go easy, either. He was already on her heels.
“Ahhh!” Morgan screamed as someone struck the bathroom door, immediately revealing her location.
“I know you’re in there. Come out now before I kick the door down.” Winston called from outside the bathroom.
She was going to marry him anyway. What was wrong with sleeping with her first?
“I’ll give you till the count of three,” Winston’s voice was laced with something dangerous. He had been irritated when Morgan ran away, and her hiding now didn’t help. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
One.”
Morgan clutched her phone tight, staying as still as possible.
“Two.”
Morgan knew what would happen if Winston got his hands on her. She may have agreed to marry him, but she was still frightened at the prospect of sleeping together. Being drugged didn’t help, especially when they had agreed to live their lives separately after marriage!
“Three.”
Gritting her teeth, Morgan pushed the door open and ran out before Winston could catch her. Several guards immediately intercepted her out in the hallway. She was about to be trapped when she snuck into a nearby room, locking herself in.
“Seems like she walked into the lion’s den herself,” Winston smirked. “Give me the card.”
A keycard was placed in his hand by a guard beside him. This was the universal keycard for every room in this hotel. Morgan hiding in this room was no different than her laying in his bed earlier.
Meanwhile, Morgan had nowhere to run in the room. When Winston stepped inside, she was cowering in a corner, gripping one of the table lamps.
“Come any closer, and you’ll get it!” she shrieked, waving the lamp menacingly.
Winston laughed, getting closer to her. “We’re engaged. This was bound to happen, so why not let it happen earlier?”
“No one in their right mind would want to marry you!” Morgan yelled, deciding to call off the engagement after what had happened tonight. She could tolerate having to sleep with the man after they married, but not him doing things like drugging her!
“No? You want to see your family bankrupt then, hm? What a good daughter you are,” Winston guffawed.
Morgan gritted her teeth but said nothing.
“Put down the lamp, and we can pretend nothing happened tonight. I’ll have my father help your family first thing in the morning,” Winston added gently.
Morgan immediately slumped over at the thought of her parents. Seeing his chance, Winstone snatched the lamp out of her grasp and lifted her into his arms.
“Think you can run away from me that easily?” he growled and tossed her on the bed.
“Don’t! Stay away from me!” Morgan cried desperately.
Winston grinned, undressing himself as he walked up to her. “Stay away? How can I have my way with you if I stay away? Not a single woman I’ve set my eyes on has ever tun away from me.”