Bait for a Gentleman novel Chapter 70

Audrina smiled, cutting him off effortlessly. "Why are we talking about this during the holidays? What's in the past is in the past; I'm not the type to keep score. As long as we're good from here on out, that's all that matters."

Zachary watched her face closely.

Her smile was gentle, her tone perfectly sincere, and there wasn't a single flaw to be found in her expression.

But she showed absolutely zero intention of holding him accountable for anything.

It suddenly made him think back to when he was a kid, when Quentin had been caught with a mistress. Tamara had been so furious she'd nearly torn the roof off the Sutton estate.

The more he looked at Audrina's reaction, the more convinced he became that she had someone else on the side.

The only reason she hadn't exposed him or demanded a breakup was probably for Waldo's sake.

His eyes darkened. Once he dragged that mystery man out into the light, he would lay all his cards on the table.

She needed a harsh reality check; without the Sutton family, she was absolutely nothing!

Just as he lit a cigarette, his phone started ringing.

He stood up and walked out into the courtyard to take the call, his voice shifting into a polite, practiced laugh. "Mr. Corbett, Happy Holidays to you too..."

Audrina watched him coldly from inside, a mocking sneer tugging at her lips.

A second later, her own phone buzzed. Glancing down, she saw it was a text from Sebastian.

She instinctively checked on the man in the courtyard, who was still busy on his call.

Only then did she unlock her screen: [Zachary's tied up right now, so there's no need to sneak around.]

Two more messages quickly followed:

[I'll let it slide for now that you ignored my calls yesterday.]

[Now, look out the window.]

Audrina looked up, her gaze shifting to the massive window in the living room.

It was pitch black outside.

The estate was perched halfway up a mountain on the north side of the city, and the only light came from a few red lanterns swaying in the winter wind.

She hesitated for a split second before standing up and walking over to the glass.

Her heart hammered against her ribs. What on earth was he up to now...

Julian had scooped her up into his arms, lifting her high above his head as he promised, "Don't be scared, Drina. Daddy's right here."

His voice had been so gentle, and his hands had been so warm, but it felt so far away now, like a memory from a past life.

She had genuinely believed that no one would ever set off fireworks just for her again.

The moments when she needed to be cherished and held had been buried in the earth the day her father left.

But right now, someone was standing at the bottom of the mountain, setting the entire night sky ablaze just for her.

A sudden, overwhelming ache seized her throat, forcing her to tilt her head up slightly to blink back the sudden heat in her eyes.

The darkness was completely banished by the blinding light of the explosions.

Radiant flowers bloomed one after another in the sky, a ceaseless, shimmering downpour of gold that looked as if it would never end.

Audrina instinctively tightened her grip on her phone.

Then, another text notification chimed.

She looked down at the illuminated screen: [Happy Holidays, Drina.]