BE MY OBSESSION

CHAPTER 29

•WILLIAM•

As I woke up in the morning, the house staff was already bustling with their individual tasks for the day. My mood was surprisingly good due to last night's success. The merger project team and I had worked tirelessly for weeks, and it had finally paid off. Mr. Falcon seemed satisfied with our work, and I knew he made the right decision to work with me. I had promised to lead us to the top, and it had turned out just as I predicted.

After my usual cup of coffee, I stepped out onto the patio to savor the view of the pool. However, my peaceful moment was interrupted by someone else living in the house.

I heard the sound of Shelby's house slippers approaching from the other side of the house, and I prepared myself to face her. She entered the kitchen, still in her nightgown, wearing a smile I hadn't seen in a long time.

"So, do you want me to announce the news, or do you want to handle it yourself?" she asked.

"News about what?" I inquired, curious.

She rolled her eyes and sat down on a barstool. "The news about me breaking off the engagement."

Ah, that's what she was happy about this morning.

I chuckled with realization. "That won't be necessary. We'll continue to pretend to be engaged for another two weeks."

She became angry at my response. 

"What? Why? The merger ceremony is over. Why do we need to keep up this charade? Are you trying to stop me from getting out of this stupid agreement? Is that what this is about?"

I cut her off, "No, it's not that. We're meeting Mr. Nakamura and his family for lunch today. I can't just go alone and tell him that my fiancée broke up with me right after the merger ceremony. It would raise suspicions and create unnecessary complications."

She looked away, contemplating my words, before finally meeting my gaze again. 

"You agreed that this would end after the merger ceremony."

"I know," I admitted, "but things have changed, and it's too risky to reveal the truth now. We just need to maintain this pretense for a few more days, and then it will be over."

"But you both agreed that it would be over after the merger," she argued, clearly still holding a grudge against me for lying to Mr. Nakamura when we first met him.

I sighed, "I understand, but I need you to trust me on this. It's for the best."

Reluctantly, she nodded, and we got ready to leave for lunch with Mr. Nakamura and his family.

OoO

Mr. Nakamura had graciously invited us to a recently opened, popular restaurant in town for lunch. Shelby and I arrived on time to find him already seated with his family, eagerly waiting for us. Upon reaching their table, we exchanged warm greetings and handshakes with Mr. Nakamura, his son (around twelve years old), and his daughter (about five years old).

"Thank you for joining us," Mr. Nakamura began with a smile.

"Thank you for inviting us," Shelby replied, but I sensed a subtle tension in her tone.

I discreetly nudged her knee to warn her, and she glanced at me with curiosity in her eyes.

"I apologize for the short notice. I spoke to William last night and he said you both would be available to join us for lunch today," Mr. Nakamura explained.

"Oh, did he?" Shelby asked, offering a tight-lipped smile in my direction.

"Well, I'm glad he did. And who are these adorable little ones?" Shelby cooed over Mr. Nakamura's children, surprising me with her warm and affectionate manner.

I couldn't help but wonder if she was genuinely being kind or simply putting on an act.

Shelby usually comes across as tough and unyielding, which made her behavior with the children all the more unexpected.

"These are Toji and my daughter Zaya. Say hi, children," Mrs. Nakamura introduced.

Zaya grinned at Shelby, showing off her two missing front teeth.

"You're really pwetty," Zaya told Shelby.

"Thank you, but you're much prettier than me," Shelby replied, making me chuckle.

I turned to her parents and complimented them, "Their English is really good."

"Thank you. I make sure they don't miss their English lessons every day," Mrs. Nakamura replied with pride.

As we continued chatting, our food finally arrived. The children, both vegetarians, enjoyed fruit and vegetable salads. Mr. Nakamura and I discussed last night's events, while the ladies conversed about the kids.

Though my focus was on Mr. Nakamura, I couldn't ignore Shelby's presence next to me. Each time her arm or leg brushed against mine, it sent a delightful shiver through my body.

After the meal, we continued our conversation with glasses of wine. Mrs. Nakamura excused herself to visit the restroom, and Shelby playfully engaged with Zaya in the lounge area, across from our table.

I found myself captivated by Shelby's transformed demeanor around Zaya. It was a side of her she rarely showed, and it was endearing to witness her guard coming down so effortlessly. Even in my presence, she was surprisingly good with kids, and Zaya's affectionate response to her indicated that they might have a special connection.

Amidst my admiration for Shelby, my phone was interrupted by vibrations on the table. I didn't recognize the number and excused myself to answer the call in a quieter part of the restaurant.

"Fontane speaking. Who is this?"

There was no immediate response, only heavy breathing on the other end.

"Hello?" I asked again, and this time, I heard a faint, familiar voice, unmistakable even after three years.

"Will?"

My body froze, and my throat tightened. It was her voice, someone, I never expected to hear from again. 

Why now, after all this time?