Page 23 of Her Faithful Protector

I text her in response.

Me

So Sam’s dog didn’t eat your Elmo?

Ava

LOL. They’re besties now.

My food arrives almost at the same time a group is arriving. Three men and their partners are being guided to Willem’s table.

They exchange handshakes, and it becomes evident that Willem is the only one dining alone. His discomfort is palpable, especially as the conversation revolves around his upcoming wedding. He insists everything is going according to plan, but his repeated quick movements to hide his face tell a different story. He can hide from his guests, but from where I am, I can see his shattered ego.

The final blow comes when one of the guests asks about Ava’s whereabouts. This man seeks revenge. It’s why he took Quinton. It must be devastating for such a proud man to be deceived by his supposedly obedient fiancée.

By stirring the conversation to business, Willem seems tohave weathered the storm brewing inside him. He wears a friendly smile, occasionally showcasing his control. If it were just me and him, I would take pleasure in obliterating his skull, wiping away any trace of a smile. But the reality is, until Quinton is safe in Ava’s arms, I can’t lay a finger on him.

Willem seems even more relaxed as they discuss the development of W-Bot’s new headquarters in Hawthorne. So that construction site I visited earlier is destined to be the new home for the company.

He casually remarks, “Well, it’ll be more than a state-of-the-art facility. Even those powerful dark web mobs backed by the Russian oligarchs will pale compared to what we’ll be capable of. I could hack the whole AT&T network like it was child’s play.”

The table falls into silence, all eyes fixed on him.

“Of course I’m only joking!” Willem exclaims, prompting laughter from everyone.

I take photos of the table and send them to Ava with a question.

Me

Do you know who those couples are?

Ava

The one wearing a purple dress is his architect, with her husband. The other guy is the city of LA’s director of planning with his wife. The couple closest to him is the lieutenant governor of California and his wife.

Me

Nothing suspicious to you?

Ava

No. They meet regularly. Willem is building a new HQ in Hawthorne. His future research facility and factory. He used to joke that we shouldn’t be so reliant on Taiwan for microchips. So far, they’ve only finished the basement. But it’s one of the most important parts of the building.

Me

They were asking about you.

Ava

What did Willem say?

Me

You were busy preparing for the wedding.

It takes her a while to respond this time.

Ava

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