Chapter 374: The Unspoken Tension
August stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around, forcing an ingratiating smile. “Fraser, today’s meeting reminded me of Mr. Maximus’s style. No, you’re even more impressive than he was.”
Fraser ignored the flattery. He stepped forward and placed a hand on August’s shoulder. The weight of that hand felt like a thousand pounds pressing down. August’s heart skipped two beats.
“Mr. Saxon is getting old. It’s time for him to retire in peace,” Fraser said casually. “Have a good talk with him about it.”
With that, Fraser walked away, his steps unhurried. The moment Fraser was out of sight, August’s fake smile vanished. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. That bastard Fraser! He’s making me the bad guy here!
Fraser took Mike’s car keys and headed straight for the underground garage. Mike watched Fraser go, confused. Why doesn’t Mr. Graham order me to keep looking for Summer? Why no further instructions? Does that mean Summer was never really missing?
On the highway, the roaring Vertex sped like a bullet, reaching Ravenshire Boulevard in half an hour. Fraser got out of the car, his eyes dark and unreadable. He took the elevator up.
The apartment was silent as he opened the door. His eyes swept the room before landing on the figure curled up on the sofa. Summer, apparently asleep. Her delicate arm cradled her head, her legs drawn up slightly. Her lashes rested against her cheeks, her breathing slow and steady. Just looking at her softened something in Fraser.
Summer stirred at the sound of the door. She lifted her head, her almond-shaped eyes blinking in surprise at the man standing in the doorway. Their gazes locked. Neither spoke. The golden twilight streamed through the balcony window, casting a warm glow over the room.
Fraser stepped forward and knelt beside the sofa, studying her for a moment before pulling her into a tight embrace. God knew how desperate I had been when I thought she was missing. And then the text—the relief, the confusion, the urgency.
But as he reached for her, Summer instinctively pressed a hand against his chest, creating a sliver of distance between them. Fraser’s dark eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong?”
Summer didn’t answer right away. I knew that the photo had been sent with malicious intent—someone was trying to manipulate me, to use me as leverage against Fraser. That was why I had sent him the message. Don’t worry. I’m at Ravenshire Boulevard. Concentrate on the shareholders’ meeting. We’ll talk when it’s over. But knowing it was a trap didn’t make the sting any less sharp. The thought of Fraser standing so close to Mia, of her looking at him with that greedy longing—it made my skin crawl. It bothered me so much that even the thought of returning to the Graham mansion filled me with disgust. So I had come here instead. I never knew I could be so possessive.
The discomfort churned inside her, and suddenly her stomach twisted. She covered her mouth and stifled a dry heave. Fraser grabbed tissues from the table and reached to wipe her lips, but Summer took them from him and did it herself. His gaze bored into her, sharp enough to penetrate her defenses. He felt her resistance, subtle but unmistakable. It stung more than he expected.
After a moment, Summer picked up her phone from the table and handed it to him, her voice eerily calm. “Explain this.”
Fraser took the phone, confused until he saw the photo. He had never seen this picture before, but he remembered the moment it captured. So this was why she was upset.
Still kneeling beside her, Fraser rested his hands on either side of the sofa, his eyes never leaving her face. Summer kept her gaze lowered, her expression unnervingly blank. Fraser frowned, choosing his words carefully. “I didn’t know this photo existed. Probably taken by someone in the Graham household. It was during Madam Graham’s birthday. Mia came back for the party. I had too much to drink and was resting on the couch. As soon as I realized she was next to me, I left.”
Summer remained silent, but her fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the couch.