Chapter 22: The Smile That Wasn’t Mine
Chapter 22: The Smile That Wasn’t Mine
Anna’s POV
Marcus studied me with such intensity that I had to resist the urge to look away.
"That building matters to you."
It wasn’t a question, but I answered anyway.
"It’s where my mother grew up." I swallowed hard against the unexpected tightness in my throat. "If it’s going to be demolished for development, I need to try and buy it back first."
Marcus leaned casually against the wall, his arms crossed. "Given the redevelopment plans, the property’s value has likely increased significantly since the auction. The new owner might not be willing to sell."
"I understand," I said quietly. "But I have to try. My mother’s lost so much already her parents, her husband, and nearly her family’s company before I stepped in. If I can give her back even one piece of her past... her home..." I trailed off, realizing how much of my heart I was exposing. "I’ll pay whatever it takes."
He was silent for a moment, then finally said, "I’ll have Peter look into it. Expect an update within the week."
Relief hit me in a soft, grateful wave. "Thank you."
Later, as the party wound down, Marcus offered to drive me home. I was about to politely decline until I saw Jack and Lucy approaching.
"Marcus, Anna, are you two heading back?" Lucy’s voice was warm, her face carrying its usual gentle smile.
I’ve always admired Lucy. No matter the circumstances, no matter what tension lay beneath the surface, she always greeted people with that same effortless grace. I envied that. I, on the other hand, couldn’t even look at someone I disliked without my expression betraying me.
I turned away from Jack and instead smiled at Marcus.
"I’ll head home on my own. It’s getting late you should get some rest too."
Marcus glanced at his watch. "It’s fine. I’ll take you."
It would’ve been rude to refuse again. Besides, I wasn’t exactly averse to Marcus. Despite his business being mostly overseas, his status in the Murphy family was powerful on par with Catherine’s father. Being in his good graces could only benefit me.
I nodded, smiling. "Okay. Thank you."
Jack’s POV
I watched Anna smile at Marcus and something inside me twisted.
That smile... it was too warm, too real. It cut into me like a knife.
How long had it been since she’d smiled at me like that?
She used to smile that way on our wedding day. That kind of smile was mine once. But now, it was reserved for others.
She barely looked at me anymore. Treated me like I didn’t exist. Claimed she loved me and yet, not even two years into our marriage, she demanded a divorce.
Now, we might as well be strangers.
Had she ever truly loved me?
"Uncle Marcus, I’ll take her home," I blurted out, surprising even myself with the sharpness in my voice.
Marcus’s gaze shifted darker, heavier. The air around us changed.
Lucy looked startled, forcing a polite smile. "Jack, you two don’t live in the same direction. Don’t you have that early meeting tomorrow?"
I ignored her. My eyes were on Anna, her expression cool and distant.
"I’ll drive you," I said firmly, not giving her the chance to object. "There’s no need to trouble Uncle Marcus."
Anna gave a cold laugh. "Then I’d prefer to let Uncle Marcus take me. Don’t trouble yourself, Mr. Simpson. You should focus on getting Ms. Taylor home safely."
The way she said it formal, biting it struck a nerve. I reached out, grabbing for her arm without thinking.
She stepped back instinctively, and in the same moment, Marcus reached out and pulled her gently but protectively to his side.
I froze. My breath caught.
That gesture, subtle as it was, didn’t feel casual. As a man, I knew exactly what it implied.
My gaze met Marcus’s. His expression was calm unbothered but there was something unmistakable behind his eyes.
"I’ll take her home," he said simply.
The words sounded benign, but to me, they rang like a challenge.
An absurd thought struck me but I shoved it away.
"Uncle Marcus, it’s not appropriate," I insisted. "Let me take her."
Anna raised a brow, her tone mocking. "Uncle Marcus is my elder. How is it inappropriate for him to drive me home? Honestly, Mr. Simpson, I’d feel far less safe getting into a car with you this late at night."
Then, she turned to Marcus, her tone softening. "Uncle Marcus, shall we go?"
Marcus didn’t even glance back. "Go home early," he said to me smoothly.
And just like that, they walked away.
I stood frozen, watching her disappear into his car, a storm of emotions roiling inside me jealousy, rage, panic.
What was their relationship?
Why did I feel like I was losing something I hadn’t even realized was slipping through my fingers?
Back at the Simpson mansion, my parents had just returned from another dinner party.
"Jack," my mother said eagerly as I stepped in, "I heard your Uncle Marcus was at the event tonight?"
Perfect. I needed to know more about him anyway.
"Yes. He was there with Joseph Walker." I tried to sound casual. "He’s been back in the States for a while now. Do you think he’s heading back to Europe soon? I was thinking of taking him out to dinner before he leaves."
My father nodded approvingly. "You should. Simpson Group needs strong allies in the European market."
My mother was scrolling through her phone, half-listening. "Mmm. Your uncle might be staying longer. Your aunt said he’s met someone he really likes. William’s thrilled keeps pushing him to bring the girl home, though it hasn’t happened yet."
The phone nearly slipped from my hand.
Marcus... met someone?
My mind snapped back to earlier. That look. The way he touched her.
No.
It couldn’t be.
But what if it was?
What if Marcus Murphy was interested in Anna?
Anna’s POV
When we finally pulled up to the gates of Goldenleaf Manor, I turned to him with genuine gratitude.
"Thank you for everything today, Uncle Marcus," I said softly in the quiet of the car. "Would you like to come in for some tea before you go?"
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, almost imperceptibly. "Not tonight."
I nodded, surprised at the small sting of disappointment his refusal stirred in me. Stepping out of the car, I leaned down to look through the window.
"Get some rest, then. I’ll see you at William’s this weekend."
"Good night, Anna," he replied simply, his expression unreadable as always.
As his sleek car disappeared around the bend, an odd emptiness settled in my chest. Over the past few weeks, his presence had become a curious constant in my life reassuring in ways I hadn’t expected and couldn’t quite explain. Even this simple goodbye left me feeling strangely bereft.
I shook my head, brushing off the sensation. It’s just gratitude, I told myself firmly. Nothing more.
Inside the house, I kicked off the heels that had tormented me all day, sighing in relief as my bare feet touched the cool floor.
Rachel followed behind me, carrying my coat and handbag.
"Ms. Shaw, would you like me to prepare a hot bath?" she asked as we ascended the stairs.
"Yes, please. My legs are killing me." I rubbed my calves, feeling the weight of the day its meetings, obligations, and emotional strain locked tight in my muscles.
After a long soak and a much-needed massage, I finally slipped between the cool sheets of my bed. But despite the physical exhaustion, sleep refused to come.
My mind kept circling back to the upcoming weekend and the Murphy family gathering.
It would be my first time visiting the Murphy Estate since the divorce. My first time there not as Jack’s wife, but as... what, exactly? A family friend? A business associate? The ambiguity tugged at me, leaving behind a tangle of emotions I couldn’t quite unravel.
When Sunday arrived, I made my way to Murphy Estate with carefully selected gifts. For William, I’d chosen a painting by a contemporary artist I knew he admired. As I stepped into the grand living room, William’s face lit up with genuine pleasure.
"Anna, my dear! Come in, come in." He embraced me warmly, examining the wrapped painting with the excitement of a child.
I smiled, then reached into my bag for a second gift a small tin of premium tea leaves.
"And this is for you, Uncle Marcus," I said, holding it out to him.
Marcus raised a brow, clearly surprised. "For me?"
"I noticed you enjoy tea," I explained, feeling oddly self-conscious beneath his gaze. "This is a special reserve blend I’ve been saving. I only have two tins, and I thought you might appreciate it."
The words came out more earnest than I intended. For some reason, sharing something I loved with him felt important.
William immediately protested. "That’s your favorite tea! Keep it for yourself, Anna. Marcus drinks coffee anyway it’d be wasted on him."
I bit back a smile at William’s blatant favoritism, not even pretending he wasn’t firmly in my corner.
Marcus, however, accepted the tin with a subtle nod, handing it off to Peter, who seemed to materialize at his side.
"I’ll drink it," he said simply.
The words shouldn’t have affected me the way they did, but a gentle warmth bloomed in my chest nonetheless.
William scoffed. "Taking things from a young lady. Shameful behavior."
I was about to respond when the butler appeared in the doorway. "Mr. Jack Simpson has arrived, sir."
Before I could recover, William frowned. "Anna, that Phoenix project of yours is Jack still giving you trouble? I need to have a word with that boy. He shouldn’t be making things difficult for you."
I glanced at Marcus in confusion. Hadn’t he already informed William about helping mediate the Phoenix situation?
Wasn’t William the one who had asked him to step in?
Marcus, for his part, seemed completely unbothered, sipping his drink with characteristic composure.
"It’s been resolved, thank you for your concern," I replied quickly, trying to hide my bewilderment. Either William’s memory was slipping, or something didn’t quite add up.
Jack strode into the room moments later, his face betraying no surprise at my presence. He nodded respectfully to William and Marcus before his gaze settled on me assessing, familiar, and unreadable.
"Sit down, boy," William instructed, pointing to the chair beside mine. "What brings you here today?"
Jack took a seat, deliberately keeping a distance between us. "Mother sent over some fresh seafood and fruit that just arrived from overseas. She asked me to deliver them personally." noveldrama
William’s expression darkened slightly. I recognized that look he was still upset about how things had ended between Jack and me. The loyalty touched me, but it also made things... complicated.
Jack’s attention shifted to Marcus.
"Uncle Marcus, I’m surprised to see you here. I heard you’ve found a lady who’s caught your interest." His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Will you be bringing her to meet Grandfather and the rest of the family tomorrow?"
William immediately jumped on that, scowling. "That’s right! If you don’t bring her home tomorrow, you can pack your bags and head back to Europe. Stop wasting my time. It’s infuriating."
"Yes, Uncle Marcus," I added playfully, curiosity piqued. "When are you bringing your girlfriend home? William, have you prepared a welcome gift yet?"
Mentally, I calculated at thirty-two, Marcus was certainly at an age where settling down made sense, especially for someone from a family like the Murphys.
Marcus’s lips twitched in amusement. "Perhaps I should leave after dinner, then?"
William’s face flushed with irritation. "No dinner for you! You ungrateful boy. If Jack hadn’t been so useless, I’d be holding my great-grandchild by now. You think I need you around?"
The casual mention of my failed marriage with Jack sent a wave of bitterness through me. I tried to keep my face neutral, but my fingers tightened around my teacup.
Jack’s eyes darted between Marcus and me before replying with a forced politeness, "Yes, it’s entirely my fault."
The tension in the room thickened. Staying for dinner suddenly felt like a punishment. If any other Murphy family members arrived and saw Jack and me together, they might assume we were reconciling.
That was the last thing I wanted.
"William, I’m afraid I need to head home soon," I said, checking my watch. "My grandmother made soup today a rare event. If I don’t go home to drink it, she’ll probably track me down at the office."
William didn’t press, sensing my discomfort. Instead, he ordered the staff to pack up an absurd amount of food for me enough to fill my trunk.
"If you can’t make it tomorrow, at least take this home. It’s no trouble."
My throat tightened. One of the deepest regrets from my divorce was losing the ability to care for William as family.
I reached into my handbag and pulled out a small envelope. "William, my grandmother’s turning eighty next month. You must come. And you too, Uncle Marcus. It’ll be just a small gathering of close friends and family."
Marcus took the invitation with a quiet, "Thank you."
William beamed. "Of course I’ll be there for Margaret’s birthday! We old friends need to treasure every chance we get to celebrate. I wouldn’t miss it."
As I said my goodbyes, I deliberately avoided Jack’s gaze, heading straight for the parking area. I’d nearly reached my car when I heard footsteps behind me.
"Anna," Jack called, his voice stopping me in my tracks. "Haven’t you—"
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