Chapter 6 #4
“Good night!” she squeaked, then turned and fled up the stairs for the second time. Her retreat was more adorable stumble than graceful exit, her face flaming redder than a sunset over Central Park.
Jason sat back in his chair, a smile tugging at his lips despite himself.
He’d seen Victoria navigate hostile takeovers with less panic than she’d just shown over a notebook.
Whatever was happening to his wife, he had to admit, it was the most entertaining thing he’d witnessed in years. And possibly the most attractive.
The silence that followed her departure seemed to emphasize just how much the atmosphere had changed.
He continued to stare at the paused TV screen where Hyun-woo’s almost-kiss hung frozen in high definition.
The penthouse felt different somehow—warmer, lived-in, still scented with chocolate and coffee and…
was that laughter echoing in the walls? Surely not.
The Everett residence hadn’t heard genuine laughter since their realtor had assured them this was a cozy penthouse at only ten thousand square feet.
He rose and walked the few steps to the kitchen where Gregory was finishing his cleanup. “Something light for dinner.”
The chef looked up from his meticulous wiping of the counter. “I have extra duck confit and chocolate soufflé, sir. It seemed a shame to waste it.”
“And the fact that my wife actually ate your cooking? Instead of demanding her usual kale and misery salad?”
“I admit, sir, it was… unexpected.” Gregory’s professional mask slipped just enough to reveal genuine pleasure. “She even asked for seconds.”
“Have it sent to my sitting room,” Jason said, already turning to leave. He caught Gregory’s barely contained smile as the chef nodded.
The walk to his wing of the penthouse took him past Victoria’s closed door.
He slowed, hearing what sounded like muttering from within.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid! Who asks a billionaire CEO about his day like he’s a regular office worker?
And the Korean drama? Really? Might as well have started singing K-pop… ”
In his sitting room, Jason had barely settled into his favorite leather chair when Gregory appeared with dinner. The aroma of perfectly prepared duck filled the space, and damn, no wonder Victoria had asked for seconds.
As he savored the meal, he pulled out his phone. The viral video had exploded even further, spawning memes faster than a Silicon Valley startup spawned lawsuits. The comments section was a war zone of opinions.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: The Wine Whisperer.” ??
“That slow blink when the wine hit? I felt that in my SOUL.”
“Petition to make her the UN’s official conflict mediator.”
“The way she handled Bradley Thompson, though? Savage level: Expert.” ??
“Plot twist: She’s actually a time-traveling bartender who took over a socialite’s body.”
“Okay but why is Victoria Everett suddenly giving off major girl-next-door vibes? Did someone install a personality upgrade?” ??
“That takedown of Bradley Thompson was smoother than my skin after a $500 facial.”
“Rich people: throwing wine. Victoria: ‘Hold my bag while I channel my inner bouncer.’”
But then he hit the nastier comments, his jaw tightening.
“Bet this is all PR. Ice Queen trying to rehab her image.” ??
“Anyone else remember when she made that waitress cry at Le Bernardin? Leopards don’t change their spots.”
“Please, we all know what Victoria Everett is really like. This is just another manipulation.”
Jason’s finger hovered over the block button before he caught himself.
Since when did he care what social media trolls said about Victoria?
She’d always been perfectly capable of destroying her critics without his help.
Yet something about these comments bothered him—maybe because for once, Victoria’s actions seemed genuine.
He pulled up both videos again, this time watching them side by side.
In his office earlier, he’d been caught up in the shock of it all.
Now, studying them more carefully, he noticed the subtle differences.
The way she held herself—still elegant, but more relaxed, more natural.
Her gestures were animated rather than calculated.
Even her smile was different—warm and genuine instead of the practiced social weapon she usually wielded.
It was like watching a completely different woman wearing Victoria’s face. A woman who apparently knew more about renewable energy than most of his board members, could defuse a fight like a seasoned bouncer, and actually enjoyed Gregory’s cooking.
A woman who looked at him like… Jason’s mind wandered back to that moment in the living room, when she’d watched him roll up his sleeves with such obvious appreciation. Victoria hadn’t looked at him like that since… had she ever?
He set his phone down, troubled by the direction of his thoughts. Something was definitely going on with his wife, and he intended to find out what. Though he had to admit, for the first time in years, he was actually looking forward to seeing what Victoria would do next.