Vanessa''s smile froze for a moment. Then, she adopted a pleading tone. "Miss Quigley, would you mind doing me a favor? Could I speak with Henry first about a private matter?"
Selma was a bit surprised, but seeing that it was still early for her meeting with Henry, she nodded. "Sure, go ahead. I can see himter."
Vanessa was secretly pleased. She still didn''t know why Henry was avoiding her and needed to find out first. Selma''s presence would only get in the way of her approach.
"Thank you so much, Miss Quigley. You''re too kind," Vanessa said gratefully.
Selma replied, "I''ll just wait here in the lobby. You can go on up."
Vanessa nced at her watch and walked briskly toward the elevators. The receptionists didn''t dare stop either of Mr. Holt''s close female friends, especially not Miss Shannon, who had always been a VIP guest. Whenever she arrived, she never needed an appointment and coulde and go as she pleased.
As for Miss Quigley, she had been seen with Mr. Holt at thepany recently and they also seemed very close. Seeing her waiting, one of the receptionists approached her. "Miss Quigley, would you like to wait for Mr. Holt in the executive lounge?"
Selma was about to sit down, and she was indeed a bit tired. She was happy to have a private area to rest.
"Yes, please lead the way."
The elevator doors dinged open. Vanessa tightened her grip on her purse, took a shallow breath, and put on a charming smile. She walked elegantly on her high heels toward Henry''s office.
She navigated the familiar path past the assistants'' area and went straight to the heavy, solid wood door of Henry''s office.
Henry was engrossed in reading the uses of a document. Thinking it was his assistant bringing in papers, he said without looking up, "Just leave it on the desk."
When he heard no reply, a familiar scent of perfume wafted toward him, making him look up sharply. He was met with the sight of Vanessa, purse in hand, smiling sweetly at him.
Henry''s expression froze instantly, reced by a look of clear disgust and resistance.
"What are you doing here?" Henry put down his pen, pushed himself up from his desk, and his voice turned cold and hard. "Who let you in?"
Vanessa''s smile faltered for a few seconds, and her heart sank a little, but she quickly made her smile even more flirtatious. "Do I need someone''s permission to see you? Henry What''s been going on with youtely? You don''t answer my calls or texts, and your assistant even lied and said you were out of the country." She finished with a poutyint, "That assistant of yours is so irresponsible."
Henry looked at the woman before him, his eyes. instantly filling with intense contempt and revulsion. He couldn''t believe he''d been so blind before thinking this woman was pure and innocent, worthy of his devotion and protection. Now he saw her for what she was a greedy unscrupulous viper who would weave her way between different men and use any means necessary to get what she wanted.
"Henry, why are you looking at me like that?" Vanessa felt a pang of guilt and panic under his gaze. It seemed her guess was right-Serena had been scheming behind her back.
"Vanessa," Henry''s voice was as cold as ice,ced with undisguised sarcasm. "Drop the phony act. It makes me sick."
Vanessa''s smilepletely vanished, and the color drained from her already pale face. In all the time she had known Henry, he had never looked at her like this- with such disdain and contempt, as if she were something filthy.
"Henry, how...how can you talk to me like that! What did I do wrong?" Tears instantly welled up in Vanessa''s eyes. She bit her lip, her face a mask of disbelief and hurt.
"Then how should I talk to you?" Henry came around the desk, advancing on her step by step, his gaze menacing. "Like before? Like an idiot you can wrap around your little finger? Watching you string me along while you seduce fan and even try to throw yourself at Xavier Vaughn in the beginning? In your eyes, are the three of us just your prey?"