<b>Chapter </b><b>105 </b>
<b>+15 </b><b>BONUS </b>
William’s message popped up. “Your car will be ready today. I’ll bring it to you this evening.<b>” </b>
<b>Liz </b>blinked in surprise. She quickly typed back, “No need. I pick it up myself. Just send me the address<b>.</b><b>” </b>
A momentter, his reply came. “The shop’s far away. Let me deliver <b>it </b>for you<b>.</b>”
“It’s fine. I have plenty <b>of </b>time right now,” she answered.
Then the address appeared on her screen. Liz opened it and froze. The repair shop was in the next city, more than a hundred kilometers away. A round trip by train would take at least half a day.
She sighed. Sometimes insisting on doing everything alone only made life harder.
Just as she was about to open the ticketing app, another message arrived. “A friend of mine has his car in the shop too. He can arrange for both to be delivered together. I’ll bring yours over tonight.”
Liz hesitated, then gave in. “Alright. Please thank your friend for me. I’ll treat you both to dinner tonight.”
“Deal,” William replied.
When the chat ended, Liz closed the app and opened herptop out of habit. For a moment she just stared at the screen, unsure what to do with herself. For years she had lived in constant motion, always busy. Even on vacations, she could never resist checking in on work.
1
Now, with sudden free time on her hands, she felt strangely restless.
After a while, she opened her browser and began searching for information on graduate school entrance exams. By the time she looked up again, it was past three in the afternoon.
Her notebook was filled with study notes already, and the corners of her mouth curved into a faint smile. The registration deadline for this year had long passed, so she could only sit for next year’s exam. But spending an entire year solely on preparation felt wasteful. She would have to do something else in the meantime.
And what else could she do but practicew?
If she wanted to join another firm, she would have to bow her head to Zac and she could never ept that. Which left only one option: starting a firm of her own.
Resolved, she closed her exam pages and began looking into the requirements for registering aw office. By the time she had everything prepared for submission, it was nearly five–thirty. She shut herptop, went to her bedroom, and began changing clothes.
She was in the middle of her makeup when her phone rang
“Ms. Smith, I’m downstairs,” William said.
Liz brushed on her mascara, phone tucked between her ear and shoulder. “Give me five minutes.”
“No rush,” he replied.
She hung up, finished applying her lipstick and blush, the grabbed her purse and phone before slipping on her shoes.
When she stepped outside, she saw him waiting beside the car. He wore a ck tailored coat, tall and broad- shouldered, his figure cut sharply against the glow of the streetlight. Even from behind, he was a striking sight.
Liz quickened her pace. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Sanders. Why aren’t you sitting in the car?”
He turned at the sound of her voice. For a moment, his gaze lingered on her, unmistakable admiration flickering
in his eyes.
“You look beautiful tonight,” he said.
Her mood lifted instantly at thepliment, and she smile. “Thank you.”
“I took your car out earlier. The repairs seemed solid. On the way to the restaurant, you should drive it yourself. If anything feels off, we can send it back to the shop.”