The Billionaire's Heir I Never Knew Was Mine novel Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Waiting

Imperial Hotel.

"Hi, Zach... It’s me, Sienna. I finish work at five. Can we meet today and dine near my hotel? Or you can pick any restaurant you want."

Sienna stared at the message on her phone screen as if it were a final exam she wasn’t fully prepared for.

Her thumb hovered just above the send button.

Unmoving.

Her brows slowly furrowed as she read the message again. And again, just to make sure she misses nothing.

"...This sounds okay, right?" she muttered softly under her breath.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Or does it sound like I’m trying too hard?"

She tilted her head, reading it from a different angle, as if that might somehow reveal hidden flaws.

"Too polite?" she whispered. "Too eager? Or... Too available?"

A small sigh escaped her lips.

"Damn girl! This is just a thank-you meal. Not a confession," she reminded herself, though her tone lacked confidence.

Still, her finger didn’t move.

Her mind, on the other hand, was working overtime, with so many questions dancing in there.

’What if he thinks I’m bothering him?’

’What if he’s busy?’

’What if he reads this and thinks...Wow, this woman is desperate?’

She froze in fear.

’...Do I sound desperate?’

Sienna straightened slightly in her seat, suddenly feeling judged by her own phone.

"No. No, I don’t," she corrected herself quickly and didn’t notice that her voice was loud enough to draw a glance from the others. "I sound... normal. Friendly. Grateful."

She paused.

"...Right?"

Another sigh.

This time, long and deeper.

"Gosh! Why is this harder than writing a work report?" she mumbled.

After a few more seconds of silent debate—and a quiet internal argument that went absolutely nowhere—Sienna finally took a deep breath.

"Girl, just send it," she whispered. "Before you start rewriting your personality along with the message."

She pressed the send button.

Instantly, the message disappeared from the draft box.

Sienna immediately placed her phone down on the table as if it had suddenly become dangerous.

"Okay," she said softly. "That’s it. No regrets."

She picked up her pen and forced herself to return to work, her eyes focusing on the documents in front of her.

Or at least that was the plan.

Because only a few seconds later, her gaze flickered toward her phone.

Then back to her work.

Then back to her phone again.

"...Don’t look," she warned herself. "You just sent it. Give him time."

She tried to concentrate. But her mind kept drifting back to that single message floating somewhere in the digital world.

"He might be busy and hasn’t had time to read your message... Be patient!"

However, minutes passed, then an hour, then another, and still nothing happened. No vibrations, no notifications, no responses.

After several hours had passed, Sienna finally leaned back in her chair, her lips pressing into a thin line.

"...Is the network down?" she muttered, glancing at her phone suspiciously.

Reluctantly, she reached for it and checked the signal. She saw it in full bars.

Perfect connection.

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