pte

had pursued me with an endless flood of messages that popped up on my phone at the worst possible moments and dragged me back into a reality I was desperately trying

fifteen

attempts. Wilson simply got himself another number and carried on as if n

William Gates to notice me, for years I had wondered whether I would ever see the man who had s

t work,

p my phone and read

ke you ignore me, but I can make it right. Come to dinner with

ng behind my eyes made it increasingly impossible to concentrate. Coffee was probably the only thing standing between me and falling asleep at my

coffee machine when a f

et, Jennifer? Your little

yes and the mischievous smile she always wore when she had found out something she knew would

ught you'd be h

sh this time?" I asked, trying to sound u

ed I had never told another soul. For years she had listened whenever I talked about him, had accompanied me on my search for information about him, and

he asked. "Wi

roze arou

e immediatel

tes is back

honestly though

ng their lunches and talking about perfectly ordinary things, but suddenly e

Gates

grin. "So what's the plan? You've wanted to see him again for years.

itted quietly, although my thoughts were a

believed I was going to die. I could still remember how the darkness of the water closed around me, the burning in m

his face an

d the dark mole

perately hoping to thank him and perhaps to understand why he had vanished before I could even

iam

w he w

head as Wilson's message ech

h my famil

htened around

more than I liked, and accepting an invitation to meet his family wo

in Chicago, there was a

small

re than I'd h

first time, I ba

nni

amusement had vanished from her f

een staring at your cof

," I said

ll, a smile slowly

han fine." Elena immedi

ison, what are

thi

t, too sharply, a

me further, I turned and

" she call

to you la

ched my desk, I

eat. Send me the name of the rest

ared at the message befo

regretted it. What

entions, and I was using his interest

ut three minutes. Th

yourself. I'll send you a drive

winced at t

nce

he man for le

irting for one evening to get the chance

ettling on a black halter-neck evening dress that hugged my body perfectly. My honey-colored curls fell softly over my shoulders, an

d moved in a world completely different from mine, and although I had built a respectable ca

, I had to make

William was go

I could check my reflec

e had

my building. The driver opened the door for me, and I sat down in the back seat, trying uns

f one of Chicago's most exclusive resta

nt I entered the restaura

confident grin on his face widened as soon as he saw me. He waved awa

ly decided to st

ation, Wilson. Don't start

had said somethin

, he held out

before placi

his lips and pressed a wa

ok beau

nk y

at the back of the restaurant, althou

yes immediatel

nd Harri

ilt the Gates empire

a chair for me. "This is Jennifer M

et you both," I said p

seconds they simply looked

er. I must admit, Wilson only

y in his chair. His expressi

son suddenly invited a woman he bare

ced at

m what had happ

er, his hand found

and I are

es wi

ha

e immediatel

at's wo

ly Wilson a

suddenly in

is together

le in my b

art s

fter seven years, I

rned to see

e stood. Wi

ulled me out of t

searched for f

ne breathless moment the whole wo

ars, I was finally