She Was Never Just a Pretty Face novel Chapter 41

The only sound in the car was the faint hum of the dashboard.

Luther's voice was light and entirely casual. "I bought a painting by The Bibliophile. Jolie will be bringing it over to the apartment shortly to have it hung up. Don't read too much into it."

Hilda stared out the passenger window.

It took her a long moment to snap out of her daze. "I won't."

Luther pressed on. "I've asked her to loop you in on the details for the main group's activities. Hilda, I want you to drop your prejudices against Jolie. She's worked alongside me ever since she graduated, and she's an incredibly capable woman."

Hilda's tone grew even colder. "Understood."

After that, the car sank into a heavy silence.

They pulled up in front of the apartment building.

In the backseat, little Annie had already fallen asleep.

As Hilda unbuckled her to carry her out, Luther held the car door open, his gaze dark and unreadable. "Let me take her."

Hilda didn't refuse.

They walked into the warm glow of the building lights together.

Just like any ordinary married couple.

Back inside, Luther laid Annie down in her small bed. Hilda gently removed the little girl's shoes and socks, took a warm towel to carefully wipe her sweet face and hands, and tucked her snugly under the covers. She kissed her forehead before turning off the nursery light.

She returned to the master bedroom.

Luther was in the study.

Hilda was too exhausted from the day to bother with him.

Things hadn't gone smoothly at the Sanford Estate today. To her disbelief, Jolie had quietly sunk her claws into the twenty-odd staff members there. From the estate manager at the top down to the everyday maids, no one seemed willing to follow Hilda's instructions. They were clearly making things difficult for her on purpose. As she soaked in the tub, Hilda racked her brain for a solution.

By the time she finished, the bathwater had gone cold.

Her phone rang from the walk-in closet.

Not even stopping to dry off properly, Hilda hastily threw on a robe and hurried out. She saw Soren Sutton's name on the caller ID. A call in the middle of the night usually meant an emergency. But when she picked up, it was nothing serious—he was just asking about Annie and wondering if he should bring back any gifts.

Hilda shrugged off the damp robe. Holding the front of it against her chest, she murmured, "Gifts? I'll ask Annie tomorrow. We'll see what she wants."

Because she had been soaking in the tub for so long, her voice had gone soft.

It was husky, raspy, and incredibly sexy.

To Luther's ears, it sounded exactly like flirting.

He frowned. Was she chatting up that Sutton guy right now?

Caught up in the heat of the moment, the man hadn't noticed that the door wasn't fully closed. And so, in the throes of their intimacy, neither realized that a woman was standing right outside, staring in absolute shock at the couple inside. Luther's broad frame shielded Hilda, his back to the door.

Jolie's face was a mask of pure disbelief—

Luther was completely, utterly absorbed.

Raw, physical desire was impossible to hide.

He was obsessed with Hilda's body, exploring it with an insatiable hunger that bordered on worship.

It was a scene Jolie had never anticipated.

He had never hungered for her like that.

Did Luther really not have feelings for Hilda?

A suffocating wave of panic and jealousy washed over her.

"Luther."

The woman's raspy voice sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

Luther froze. Recovering quickly, he kept his body firmly planted to shield Hilda from view and spat out a curt, icy command. "Get out."

With red-rimmed eyes, Jolie turned and fled.