The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 167

Isabella nodded quickly. “I mean it, William. I was just worried about your health.”

William didn’t think much of it. Instead, he glanced at Rebecca and asked, “Becky, why are you still here?”

Rebecca cleared her throat and explained, “I just wanted to talk to Bella for a bit.”

William gave the two of them a look that suggested he understood more than he let on. Then he said, “Becky, come with me for a moment.”

Rebecca shot Isabella a quick glance, then followed William out into the hallway.

They walked to the far end of the hospital corridor, where William finally stopped and turned to face her.

“Becky, what’s really going on between you and Dylan?”

Rebecca paused, considering how to answer. “William, honestly, it’s pretty simple. Dylan and I know each other, but we’re not exactly close. That’s all.”

He frowned slightly, concern etched on his face. “Becky, don’t hide things from me. If anyone gives you a hard time, you have to let me know, alright?”

He continued, “Dylan’s got quite a reputation in the business world. To build a company that big, you need to be sharp—and probably a little ruthless. If you’re dealing with him, you need to be careful. Really careful.”

Rebecca nodded. “I know, William. Don’t worry, I’m fine. I haven’t been treated badly, and I’ll definitely be careful. I won’t get myself into trouble.”

William let out a sigh, his eyes still full of worry. “It’s not that I’m afraid you’ll make trouble. I just don’t want you to get hurt, Becky. If you run into any problems, don’t try to handle it all by yourself, okay?”

Rebecca’s eyes grew a little misty. “Don’t worry, William. I won’t let anyone take advantage of me. But please, don’t worry so much. I’m grown up now—I can handle things on my own.”

William reached out and gently patted her head. “To me, you’ll always be the Becky who needs looking after. No matter what happens, I’ll always be on your side.”

Rebecca sniffled, a smile breaking through. “Thank you, William. Hearing you say that means the world to me.”

Rebecca couldn’t help but laugh. “Maybe now you’ll think twice before you start gossiping.”

Isabella pouted, half-joking, half-mortified. “That’s your fault! Of all the questions to ask, you had to pick that one.”

Rebecca grinned. “How was I supposed to know William would walk in right then? Anyway, don’t worry—he’s not the type to read too much into things.”

Isabella still looked uneasy. “I hope you’re right.”

……

The Austin family estate.

Since their last argument, Jacob and Mrs. Austin had been locked in a cold war. Jacob knew this couldn’t go on forever, so he decided it was time to make the first move and patch things up with his wife.