My Four Miraculous Treasures

Willow looked at him suspiciously. "Sounds like you know your uncle very well."

"But, of course! He's only three years older than me, we besically grew up together! He's a cold guy-especially towards women, totally ice-cold!" Xavier declared knowledgeably. "It's all because of what happened during his childhood..."

He yearned for this moment with her to last as long as possible. To that end, he needed to find something they could talk about. If he allowed the conversation to get cold, Willow would get up and leave.

Since she was tired of hearing his apologies, Xavier cunningly decided to make use of her recent entanglement with Jasper. She'd probably appreciate an opportunity to learn more about her new boss, in order to prevent any unfortunate mishaps.

Yes... this should work to catch her interest!

"What do you mean?" Willow asked. "What happened during his childhood?"

Xavier recounted the tragedy that had befallen Jasper's parents... how his mother had abandoned both husband and son to run off with another man, forcing her way out the door and speeding off in a car. Jasper's father had urgently given chase...

One parent fleeing away; the other in mad pursuit...

Their uncontrolled emotions had led to uncontrolled driving, ultimately ending in a car crash that proved fatal for the both of them.

And so, Jasper had been left behind, as an orphaned child.

Willow was stunned by this revelation. To think that a privileged, pampered prince

like Jasper Hughes could have experienced such suffering, so early in life.

"The Hughes family went to war against that other man, I imagine...?" Willow wanted to know every last detail.noveldrama

Xavier nodded. "My uncle especially hated that man. The next time he meets him, there will probably be violence."

"After that, Jasper was raised by his grandparents?"

"That's right." It occurred to Xavier that Willow was showing an undue amount of concern for his uncle.

That expression on her face right

then... it filled his heart with anxiet

"Willow

that time when you told me

you had a boyfriend... you weren't actually serious, were you?"

He gazed at Willow with amber eyes that appeared gentle, but contained beneath

the surface a mix of worry, confusion, and uncertainty.

He thought back to that time, when

he'd spotted teeth marks on the back of her neck, which had prompted him to ask whether she'd found a boyfriend... and then, in a definite manner, she'd actually answered yes!

This unhappy news had cost him several nights of sleep.

However, multiple times now he'd come by to visit Willow-and she'd always been

readily available at home, rather than out on a date with anyone.

This had rekindled a sense of hope within him: Maybe she'd lied to him about a boyfriend, in an effort to shake him off?

But now, seeing her respond in this manner to his story about Uncle Jasper's tragic past... he was suddenly filled with an uneasy sensation of foreboding.

What

"Nonsense. What reason could I possibly have to lie to you about that? In a couple of days, I'll give you a call, as I have your coat sent over. There won't be any need for you to come here in person again." Willow said all this in an even tone, without the slightest hint of any émotion, and then she got out of the car and hurried off, back towards her apartment building.

Xavier didn't try to follow her. Instead, he remained in the car, watching her departing figure as his heart shattered all to pieces.

On Monday, Willow went to work earlier than usual, parking her midnight-blue BMW in the basement car park, and then heading up to the top floor.

She peeked into the CEO's office. Jasper hadn't arrived yet. She went into her own office, and got some work done as she waited.

Jasper arrived some time after ten o'clock.

Willow prepared a fresh mug of coffee, entered his office, and set the mug down on the table before him. He was busy inspecting some documents.

She stood there before his desk, observing his flawlessly exquisite features, his heart-achingly handsome face, and remembered what Xavier had told her, the night before...