Chapter 89
Myra walked a few steps away from the car, but the sound of footsteps never followed her. The silence was deafening, and for some inexplicable reason, she felt a strange sensation stir inside her chest. It was an unfamiliar feeling, one she had never experienced before, but it felt real enough to catch her off guard. It wasn’t until the feeling grew stronger that she paused, gritted her teeth, and looked back.
Tony’s face was caught in a moment of surprise, though it quickly returned to his usual stoic expression, his mask firmly back in place. Myra’s heart fluttered uncomfortably at the sight, but she steadied herself and tucked a lock of hair that the wind had blown across her face behind her ear. Her voice, soft and hesitant, broke the stillness. “Director Hart… I owe you an apology. Back on the night of Old Master Hart’s birthday banquet, I said something I shouldn’t have. You’re not the kind of man who would take advantage of others’ misfortunes or disrespect women. I was wrong to assume that.”
She paused, taking a breath before continuing, trying to ease the tension that had settled between them. “I should apologize for that.”
It dawned on her as she spoke that Tony, a man with such high standards, had probably never been the kind of person to indulge in something improper, especially not with someone like her. She knew of his pride, his aloof nature, and the way he carried himself. Even at nearly 35 years old, the fact that he had never had a girlfriend only underscored the seriousness of his demeanor. And if he had ever loved someone, it was surely not a married woman like her.
“But,” Myra’s voice dropped as her thoughts clouded her mind, “I am still a married woman. It would be better for both of us to keep our distance moving forward, to avoid any unnecessary gossip.”
She could sense that Tony’s feelings for her weren’t merely platonic, but she no longer wanted to dive into that subject. She had just ended a relationship, and it would be unfair to either of them to start thinking about something new. For now, all she wanted was to focus on getting her life back on track, without complicating things further. She could be wrong about his intentions, but deep down, she wasn’t ready to entertain them.
Tony stood there, motionless, under the dim light of the streetlamp. His posture was rigid, and his expression remained inscrutable, like the frozen surface of a lake. Myra’s gaze swept over him, but she felt as though she could still sense the silent storm brewing within him. His lips, thin and tightly pressed, told her everything she needed to know.
The silence stretched on until Tony finally spoke. His voice was sharp, carrying an edge of confusion. “I don’t understand, Miss Stark. It was you who got into my car today. Why does it sound like you’re accusing me of latching onto you?”
Myra’s breath hitched, and she couldn’t help but feel the heat rise to her face. Her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides, and she tried to muster the courage to smile, but it faltered before she could even get it right. She glanced down at her knee, where Tony had kindly bandaged her up earlier. “I—I’m going home now,” she stammered, her voice softer than before, almost apologetic.
Without waiting for his response, she hurried away, ignoring the throbbing pain in her leg. Her steps were quicker than usual, and as she approached the apartment building, she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that she had somehow misjudged everything.
Tony’s eyes, dark as night and filled with something unreadable, followed her retreating figure. His gaze didn’t waver as she fled from him, but just as she turned to disappear inside the building, his phone rang. With a swift movement, he answered the call, his tone sharp and cold. “Speak.”
Elliot, on the other end, immediately tensed, sensing the tension in Tony’s voice. “Didn’t you pick up Myra earlier, Tony?”
Tony’s face darkened, his mood shifting in an instant. “Get to the point,” he snapped, his grip tightening on his phone as the irritation slowly built within him. As he fiddled with his collar, a button popped loose and rolled onto the ground, making the situation even more frustrating. The sight of the button, followed by the loose thread dangling from his shirt, only heightened his frustration.
Elliot hesitated, clearly unsure of how to proceed. “Well, we’ve found a buyer for the Hilliville property, and we’re close to finalizing the deal. Should we go ahead?”
Tony’s response was swift, cold, and dismissive. “I’ve changed my mind.”
Elliot was caught off guard. “What? What do you mean, you’ve changed your mind?”
Tony’s reply came as if it were a simple command. “Buy up all the new developments in Hilliville—the housing and commercial areas. Get it done.”
Elliot could barely comprehend the scale of what Tony was asking for. “Tony, are you serious? That’s… that’s a lot of money. Are you sure about this?”
Tony’s voice remained flat, as though the decision was already made. “Do it. It’s not up for discussion.”
The shock was evident in Elliot’s voice, and for a moment, he couldn’t understand why Tony would make such a bold move. “Wait… is this because of Myra? Did she say something to you that made you act like this?”
Before Elliot could finish his question, the call ended with a sharp beep.
Staring at his phone in disbelief, Elliot muttered under his breath, “What the hell just happened?” His mind raced, and a sense of confusion clouded his thoughts. Was Tony really acting this way because of Myra?
In the middle of his disbelief, his phone rang again. He glanced at the screen, seeing Tony’s name flash once more. This time, he answered quickly, wondering what new order Tony had for him. “Tony—”
“I want the apartment next to Myra’s at Ocean Blue Residence. Make it happen, fast,” Tony’s voice came through, cutting off any chance for Elliot to process his thoughts.
Elliot blinked, stunned into silence. Was Tony really going to move in right next door to Myra? Was this part of some grand gesture to win her back? Or was it just another impulsive decision? Before he could ask any more questions, the call ended abruptly once again.
Staring at his phone, Elliot could only shake his head in disbelief. “I don’t know what’s going on, but something tells me Tony’s lost it,” he muttered to himself.
Meanwhile, Tony stood outside his car, his face hard and unreadable as he processed the whirlwind of emotions inside him. He couldn’t stop thinking about Myra, her vulnerability, and the way she had clung to him for comfort. His feelings were undeniable, but he knew the path forward wasn’t going to be easy. Despite all the tension, something in him refused to back down.
Taking a long drag from his cigarette, he let the smoke curl around him. His mind raced with thoughts of Myra, of Sean, of everything that had unfolded today. Myra could sense my feelings for her, he thought. She just doesn’t want to admit it yet. But I can’t wait forever…
As he stood there, lost in thought, he couldn’t shake the growing certainty that his next move was going to change everything.