Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 306

The assistant asked her to hold, and a brief, hushed conversation could be heard through the receiver.

A moment later, the assistant returned to the line. "Mr. York has set the meeting for two o'clock tomorrow afternoon. The usual place."

Willa agreed and hung up the phone.

At the end of the workday, Randal's car was parked across the street as usual.

Willa hesitated for a second before deciding not to get in, sending him a text instead.

[You don't need to wait for me today. I'm heading back on my own.]

The moment she sent the message, her phone began to vibrate.

Staring at the name flashing across her screen, Willa debated for a second before finally answering.

"Willa, what's wrong?" Randal's voice was undeniably laced with panic, terrified he had done something to upset her. "Did I do something wrong?"

Willa moved toward an isolated corner of the building, confirming no one was around before speaking. "No, I'm just a little tired today and want to be alone for a bit."

"Let me drive you. I won't say a word the entire ride, is that okay?" His tone was unbelievably submissive, carefully negotiating a compromise. "Or I can just have my driver take you. I won't get in the car. I won't bother you at all."

The sheer desperation in his pleading made a hidden string in Willa's heart tremble ever so slightly.

She let out a soft sigh, brutally hardening her resolve. "There's no need. I'll grab a cab myself."

Before he could say another word, she abruptly hung up.

Leaning back against the wall, Willa stared up at the overcast sky, her mind crystal clear.

She absolutely could not let herself get used to his kindness.

Once she allowed herself to sink into that dependency, she would never be able to walk away unscathed.

On the day of the interview, Willa arrived at the private club half an hour early.

Julian hadn't arrived yet. The assistant escorted her to the same lounge as last time, served her a cup of coffee, and informed her that Mr. York was caught in a last-minute meeting, asking her to wait momentarily.

Willa thanked the assistant, settled onto the sofa, and pulled out her interview outline to double-check the details.

She ended up waiting for nearly an hour.

Within those shrewd, profound eyes lay an unfathomable depth of calculation; it was glaringly obvious he had no genuine intention of helping her.

She replied indifferently, "Thank you, Mr. York. If the need truly arises, I won't hesitate to reach out."

Julian dropped the subject and resumed cooperating with the interview.

Once the interview concluded, Willa switched off the voice recorder, packed away her notebook, and prepared to leave.

"Ms. Vance."

Julian called out to stop her, picking up the envelope from the table and extending it toward her.

"Take this back with you and take a look."

Willa didn't reach for it. "What is this, Mr. York?"

"Just some files." He slid the envelope closer to her. "You'll understand once you read it. Don't worry, I have no ill intentions."

Willa hesitated for a second before finally opening the envelope.