Then he added, his tone casual yet probing, "What brings you here?"
She took a slow, measured breath, carefully selecting her words before speaking.
"I wanted to speak with you privately," she said, her voice lowered just enough to ensure it would not carry beyond the closed door.
"Hmmm…" Julian hummed thoughtfully at her statement, leaning back in his chair with a faint, almost playful glint dancing in his eyes. "Well, go on. We are already in a private room. Or perhaps you want something even more… private?"
Louisa could not help but raise a brow at that rather cheesy remark. The words felt strangely out of place coming from him... almost too casual for the weight of the conversation they were about to have. Still, this was not the time to indulge her irritation. She knew that much. She could not afford to let something so trivial ruin everything she had come here for.
