The Jilted Heiress' Return to the High Life - Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

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Just as Matias turned to leave, a thought crossed her mind, and she called out to him, “It’s going to rain outside. Take this umbrella with you.”

Matias froze for a brief moment, and then turned back with a smile that held an unexpected warmth.

“Thank you, Miss Holland.” As he met her eyes, the scrutiny from earlier shifted into something else—a quiet understanding, perhaps even appreciation.

Earlier, when Matias laid eyes on Nate in the office—multitasking with a finesse only he could pull off, conducting a video conference while neatly slicing fruit—the image struck him as both bizarrely whimsical and inexplicably captivating. What caught him off guard wasn’t just the meticulousness with which Nate arranged the fruit, but the unexpected instruction to personally deliver it to Corrine.

Having served as Nate’s assistant for years, he’d never witnessed his boss go out of his way for anyone. The idea of Nate peeling fruit for someone was absurd enough, but for a woman? That was uncharted territory.

Yet, Corrine’s demeanor had rewritten the script Matias had grown accustomed to.

As Nate’s subordinate, he had long mastered the art of handling the imperious tones of entitled heirs and heiresses, their commands often flung with all the delicacy of a catapult. Even when people showed him courtesy, it was always in deference to Nate, never a reflection of genuine respect. Corrine, however, was different. There was an unaffected sincerity in the way she treated him, as though he were just another human being, and not a mere cog in the machinery of someone else’s ambition.

After completing his errand, Matias returned to the office, clutching a report he had compiled. After some deliberation, he stepped forward, hesitantly offering it to Nate.

“Sir, would you like to review this?”

Nate’s gaze lifted, razor-sharp and unwavering, slicing through Matias like a blade poised to unearth secrets.

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Matias felt his pulse quicken, the back of his shirt clinging to his skin as a cold sweat broke out. Steeling himself, he explained cautiously, “There are some unfavorable rumors about Miss Holland, so I took the liberty of investigating them.”

Without a flicker of hesitation, Nate took the report, shredded it with an air of utter indifference, and dismissed him curtly.

“Save your ingenuity for something worthwhile.”

The casual iciness in his tone carried an authority that froze Matias in his tracks.

“Yes, sir,” he replied, his head bowed in acknowledgment.

Matias knew he’d overstepped. Reading a superior’s intentions was one thing, but assuming the right to act on them without instruction? That was a huge mistake.

However, given that Corrine’s reputation was less-than-stellar, Matias had only acted out of concern, fearing the rumors might stir unnecessary trouble for Nate. But the look in Nate’s eyes was resolute—he wasn’t interested in hearing any whispers, true or false.

Breaking the tense silence, Nate’s voice rang out, steady and decisive.

“I trust her.”

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