The Secret heiress

opped net, surprised by the interruption, her heart leaping under the effect of the shock. The man facing her was not an ordinary guest. H

u alread

in full swing around them, a constant murmur of cozy conversations, sections of champagne which were on crystal glasses. She had nothing to do here. Too much appearanc

lculated smile, and mentally

time here, she replied, avoidi

at the corner of his mouth, as if he guesse

someone who doe

sa imperceptib

e to analyze stranger

his face. Not quite amused, but in

ame is

did not need to do so. Those who knew, knew. And she knew. Nathan Caldwell. Dreaded businessman

cond on him. Bad idea. This kind of

brie

r own surname. A usual pre

hout appearing surprised b

le. Rather a suspended moment, like a thin layer of ice under their

erself to give her

commitmen

d to a fluid step, sliding between th

not turn

felt her loo

*

tension accumulated in a controlled inspiration. She expected an evening without complicati

heart still b

't have cro

d exactly what she had avo

ested in strangers. He didn'

: he noticed it for a

t was d

*

consciously looking for her own name in the worldly columns. Nothing. No photos of

allowed herself to turn her eyes for a s

phone interrupted his flee

wo

unc

, but she di

blocked f

ted no

no

s. His heart, already a little too agitated

. Only on

unc

for what she saw. An error? A bad number? No. Nathan

and putting it in front of the table. As if to ignore the messa

t it was i

t insistent warmth, a gravitational force that did not let it go. He had crossed

ldn't a

tried to keep secret ... It would b

her phone with a sudden gesture.

am bu

e

self to focus on something else. It was not

eady knew that he w

*

ng days wer

d - his own, not his - were surely fighting to draw his attention.

th

However, deep down, something

ppear from his mind. So why may he just decided

k her head. She didn't need complicatio

ood her error t

*

iced her prese

t influential names were on the guest list. Gabrielle was not supposed to be there. H

ill crossing it be

th

r, chatting with a man of whom

as h

ampagne, feeling an electric current spread

thing to get her at

he turned

ound her i

n, slowly, a smile

rozen, felt

*

eded t

g for a discreet outcome. But s

ppeared to

nding a free mome

as low, sli

ose, it was even worse. Too much control in his gaze

ou fol

not dis

know you wo

an eyebrow

eal

ghtly, as if he eval

rief laugh,

re knowing that

came without too

to his, more in

m not dis

eat spread i

the murmur of conversations around them, the

doub

, but there was no

discussion short before he beca

e didn

e liv

s impercept

inn

si

t go of the bu

something

t missed

losing

know anyth

ot

nce settled

her back on her, disappe

plied even before s

lri

ear, but she guessed the g

s eve

asonab

ght s

l surpr

eaving her alone with the certaint

rible