Page 27 of In Love After Office Hours

Surely, she thought feverishly to herself, she couldn’t be so wrong all these years?

Perhaps...perhaps if she took the first step, perhaps if she took the risk, perhaps she would have what Willow had now with Stavros?

Time passed, and her dreams only became more vivid.

Days turned into weeks, weeks became months, and finally, Serenity made a choice. Without knowing it, her life had returned to its old cycle, and Serenity had again allowed herself to become a victim, this time by her own fears and cowardice. She had allowed herself to be content with loving Willem de Konigh from afar because she had unconsciously believed it was all she deserved.

But not anymore, Serenity told herself.

She deserved to live. She deserved to be happy. She deserved to love.

And given the chance, she would like to enjoy all three with Willem de Konigh.

****

“WHAT IS THIS?” A MUSCLEbegan ticking in his jaw. Willem had a feeling he wouldn’t like whatever Serenity’s answer was.

And he was right.

“My resignation, Mr. de Konigh.”

He slowly put the piece of paper down, leaving it unread. He raised his gaze to meet hers and found Serenity gazing back at him with her clear blue eyes. Only this time, it was really more blank than clear.

As blank as her eyes were the day they first met, Willem realized grimly. He asked abruptly, “What the hell is this about?”

She wondered what the billionaire would say if she blurted out the truth.

This, Mr. de Konigh, is five years in the making.

This, Mr. de Konigh, is about you making me fall in love with you.

This, Mr. de Konigh, is about me wanting you to fall in love with me, too.

But in the end, she lost courage and, looking away from the billionaire’s narrowed gaze, mumbled, “I’m, err, hoping it would be effective to—-” His fist slammed against his desk, and she flinched.

“You know that’s not what I’m talking about!”

Willem hadn’t shouted, but she wished he had. Having known him for so long, she was aware of how so much more furious he was when using that deadly soft voice of his.

It almost made her back down - almost made her start lying again – but she managed not to. She remembered what Willow had done for her Greek billionaire and she told herself that she could do the same thing, too, for her Dutch billionaire.

Take the leap, she whispered to herself. She had to take the leap if she really believed she deserved to live, to be happy – if she really believed she deserved to love.

“Sere?”

Her heart broke a little at Willem’s use of her nickname. Swallowing, she asked tremulously, “D-do you really want to know the reason?”

“Do I really have to answer that?” Willem’s voice was even softer now, and she trembled at the realization of how angry he was.

Please God.

Please let his anger simply be his fear of losing me.

Serenity took quick, shallow breaths. “T-then...I need you to stand up.”

Willem’s eyebrows shot up. What the hell was she saying? But when his nineteen-year-old intern only looked at him, he swore under his breath even as he rose to his feet. “Now what?” he snapped.

“C-come here.”

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