Year Five: The Perfect Goodbye Plan novel Chapter 41

Sunday.

Just before noon, Silvia changed into fresh clothes and stood outside Kent’s door, giving it a polite knock.

“Mr. Parsons, we’re ready to go.”

The door opened almost immediately. Kent stood in the doorway, surveying her with narrowed, almost teasing eyes.

“Heartbroken enough to go for the ‘schoolgirl’ look? Feeling nostalgic for your youth?”

Silvia flushed, more embarrassed than she cared to admit. If Kent wanted to call this a schoolgirl outfit, he was being generous. She’d picked out a plain white shirt and a pair of jeans and hadn’t even bothered with makeup—all because she’d be meeting Hardy later that evening.

The result was simple, almost painfully so.

“Is it not appropriate?” she asked quietly.

Standing before her in a crisp suit, Kent looked every inch the polished professional—worlds apart from Silvia’s thrown-together outfit.

He lifted his gaze, letting it linger on her face, taking in her bare skin. Even without a trace of makeup, she was undeniably beautiful.

“If you think it’s appropriate, then it is,” Kent replied, a fleeting, complicated expression passing through his eyes as he gave her a small, crooked smile.

It wasn’t until they reached their destination that Silvia understood the meaning behind that look.

Kent had brought her to a dinner party.

Around the table sat a handful of people Silvia recognized immediately—men and women whose wealth and influence Shipley had spent years trying in vain to get close to. They’d always made excuses to avoid Shipley, but tonight, they had all gathered for Kent.

Silvia lowered her gaze, reminded once again how Shipley liked to compete with Kent at every turn, even though their status and connections weren’t even in the same league.

As she followed Kent into the room, someone called out with a laugh, “Where’d you pick up the kid, Mr. Parsons?”

Silvia felt her face burn. She wanted nothing more than to disappear.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify