She Was Never Just a Pretty Face novel Chapter 73

No one else at the table sensed the underlying tension.

Eleanor didn't take him seriously at all. "Then tell Hilda what you like, and she can set you up."

She was only joking.

—Harrell's mother knew countless eligible socialites in Havenworth City; there was no shortage of suitable matches for him. The issue was simply that Harrell was picky. He was probably still enjoying his youth and just didn't want to commit to a serious relationship yet, though he had definitely dated a few women.

Seeing Harrell, Annie greeted him with a sweet smile.

Luther fed his daughter a small piece of chicken.

The little girl snuggled against her father's chest, looking as content as a pampered puppy.

Eleanor couldn't get enough of her granddaughter. She leaned over and suggested to Hilda, "So much has happened lately, and you and Luther have only just started living together again. Why don't you let Annie stay with us for a while? Nathan and I were talking about it last night. We'd like to find a better preschool for her, but of course, we want to run it by you first."

Hilda gently stroked the little girl's head.

Annie blinked her big, innocent eyes.

"Grandma, I like my teachers there."

"And I like my friends in my class."

"I don't want to leave them."

Eleanor's heart practically melted on the spot.

Luther chimed in, "We can just find a better school for her when she starts elementary school."

Eleanor nodded in agreement.

Having finished his meal, Luther looked over at Hilda. She was eating elegantly, though she was putting away quite a bit of food. She probably hadn't eaten properly in a while, and the physical exertion from yesterday and this morning had certainly taken a toll. Without realizing it, his voice dropped an octave. "I have a meeting at the office in a bit. I'll come pick you up tonight."

Hilda shook her head slightly.

"I have to head out soon. I have some errands."

"I'm going to the Indigo Tower."

Luther checked his watch.

—He wouldn't have time to drop her off.

He thought for a moment before saying, "I'll have Harrell drop you off. His new company is right in the Indigo Tower. Maybe another time he can introduce you to The Bibliophile. It's a new artist he just signed. You love painting, don't you? It would be great for you two to meet."

Harrell gave a wry smile.

Hilda just continued eating with quiet composure.

Luther was indeed strapped for time and left shortly after.

…

After lunch, Hilda sat and chatted with Matilda for a while.

It wasn't until they hit a red light that he turned to look at her and spoke softly. "There's something I need to tell you. Do you know Naomi Zeller, the representative from Mokshalia in France? Her assistant has reached out to my office several times, and I actually spoke with her on the phone yesterday. She told me she had an anonymous sponsor who funded her education from middle school all the way through her studies in France—eight full years. After returning to the country recently, she dug into it and found out her sponsor was The Bibliophile. Hilda, she wants to meet you."

Hilda nodded. "I knew she was looking for me."

She also knew that Jolie wanted to partner with Naomi.

And she was well aware that her father wanted to pass Chantelle Claire down to Jolie.

But what her father didn't know was that Chantelle Claire had only survived this long thanks to the secret perfume formulas her mother had brought from her own family. Without those, the brand would have been swept away by the changing times long ago. Mokshalia was interested in that core proprietary technology—something Jolie didn't actually possess. Even if her father handed Chantelle Claire over to her, it would be nothing more than an empty shell with zero real value.

Hilda smiled faintly.

"I saw her in the papers recently."

"She's all grown up. She's tall and incredibly beautiful now."

"Harrell, go ahead and arrange a meeting for us."

Harrell nodded.

He gripped the steering wheel and continued driving. A few moments later, he asked casually, "Now that the dust has settled... how are things with you and Luther?"

Hilda's smile faded slightly.

Were things good?

It was nothing more than the final burst of life in a dying relationship.