Chapter 134: A Heart in Turmoil

Summer felt drained, as if she’d fought a brutal battle. She thought to herself, I’d bared my heart, only to be ridiculed. How much is my sincerity worth? She barely recalled reaching her car. Her chest ached, blocked and stinging. She needed relief.

With cold fingers, she dialed Fraser’s overseas number. The ringing felt mechanical, stretched by distance, each second a dull thud in her heart. It finally connected.

“Fra,” her voice rasped.

“Hello, who is this? Fraser’s in the shower. He might call you back later.”

A young woman’s voice, unfamiliar. Summer’s grip faltered, the phone slipping. The voice continued, but she hung up instinctively. Maybe it’s a misunderstanding, she told herself. Yet her hands shook on the steering wheel. Soon, she rested her head on it, lost in thought. From outside, her silhouette appeared fragile, shoulders trembling faintly.

Across the ocean, Fraser stepped out of the bathroom in gray lounge pants and a black sweater, a towel around his neck, hair damp. He saw a tall woman in a white shirt and jeans in the living room. His handsome brows furrowed, his face darkening. “What are you doing here?”

It was Mia, daughter of the Graham family’s late driver, who’d died saving Fraser’s mother. Helen had supported Mia, who grew up near Fraser, a distant childhood companion, mostly one-sided. She was Helen’s pawn, obedient for her privileged life. But when her feelings for Fraser surfaced, she was sent abroad for nearly a decade. Today, she’d come on Helen’s orders, delivering something and managing tasks.

She gazed at him, still strikingly handsome, with sharp features and mischievous eyes. Her heart stirred, but she hid her affection from Helen. She smiled. “Madam asked me to check on you, worried you’re overworking.” She placed a thermos cup on the table.

Fraser tossed his towel aside after drying his hair, barely glancing at her. “Did my phone ring earlier?” he asked.

Mia murmured, “Yes, I was about to bring it, but the call ended.”

Fraser toyed with his phone, his gaze chilling. “Don’t come here without a reason in the future.”

Mia nodded obediently. “Understood.”

He sat on the sofa, sunlight streaming through the large window, casting his face in light and shadow. Checking his phone, his usual indifference softened at Summer’s number.

“I heard you’re getting engaged. Congratulations,” Mia said.

Fraser leaned back, arm on the sofa, his sharp gaze fixed on her. “Whether I get engaged or not, it won’t be to you.”

Mia flinched. She knew he spared no feelings if he didn’t care.