The Almighty Dominance novel Chapter 833

Serena still had the jade on in the morning.

She sat on the end of Alex's narrow bed in the garage wing, dressed for work, and touched it twice while she put on her shoes. She said nothing about the roof, or about what Mark Ellis had whispered in her ear.

The garage wing smelled of warm toast and old dog, and he was busy with the toast.

Then her phone rang, and her whole face changed.

"Nora? Nora Hale? Is that really you?" She listened, and laughed out loud. "You're joking. Here? Today?"

Alex looked up. He had not heard his wife laugh like that in a long time.

"I can't believe it. Nora, my best friend, is coming here."

"Nora?" Alex asked.

"Nora was my best friend at school, and we worked together at a perfume company in the capital. Before the tower. Before everything." She stopped for a moment. "Her family are the Hales. A big old family. Big money. Hotels, restaurants, half the capital's shops."

"Why would a Hale come to Westmere?" Alex asked.

"Family business." Serena lowered her voice, though there was nobody to hear but the dog. "For years her family wanted the old group that owned the hotels and the factories here. The papers were ready. Then one night somebody bought the whole thing out from under them, with cash, and called it Halcyon." She shook her head. "Nora wants to meet the new owner. She wants to buy it."

"Why would she tell you that?"

"She tells me everything. That's what best friends are for." Serena laughed. "She lands this afternoon, and she's coming straight here. To this house. To see me."

Her phone buzzed again, and her smile fell.

"Oh no. Halcyon. The contract papers. They need my signature this morning, in person." She stood up and grabbed her bag. "It's one signature, Alex. One. I'll be back long before Nora gets here, I promise."

"I'll wait at the gate."

"And if she comes before me…" Serena stopped in the doorway. "Please treat her well. Be nice to her. Don't let the family eat her alive. If I'm late, take her somewhere nice for dinner." She held out her bank card. "Take this. Don't be afraid to spend. She's used to the best."

Alex gently pushed her hand back.

"Keep it. I have a job now."

"The security?" Serena said slowly.

"I get paid."

"Fine." Serena laughed and put the card away anyway. She kissed the top of his head, quickly, like she was surprised at herself, and went.

Alex sat alone with the cold toast.

People spend years saving for big days, he thought. But what makes a person laugh like that is small.

A voice on the phone.

Somebody you thought you had lost, saying your name.

He took out his cheap phone and typed to Natasha.

“Serena's friend comes today. A table for dinner, in case.”

The grand restaurant. The Diamond Room. N.

Then a second line came.

Miss Hale has written to Halcyon twice, sir. She asks to meet the owner. She wants to buy. N.

Alex looked at the cold toast for a long moment.

‘I don’t sell,’ he typed.

Time passed and Serena did not come back.

At noon her message came: Still here. They keep finding more pages. So sorry. Be nice to Nora.

Later: Another meeting. I'll come as soon as I can.

Alex waited at the gate from lunch on. At four, a white car stopped there.

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