Chapter 5 - CHAPTER FIVE: CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

I woke up lighter than usual. It wasn't joy exactly, more like the satisfaction of watching puzzle pieces slide into place. Last night had gone just the way I wanted. I could still see the way Williams looked at me, hungry, convinced he was the one doing the chasing.Work didn't feel like a burden that morning. I breezed through emails, signed off two proposals, and even laughed when the office printer refused to cooperate. Nothing could touch my mood. Not until Derek strolled in.He leaned against my desk with that smug grin I'd learned to hate. "Still licking your wounds, Grace? That client was never yours to begin with. You know the game..the sharper dog eats."I looked up at him slowly, pen still in hand. "Morning, Derek."He frowned, clearly expecting fire. That was his weakness, he thrived on reactions. He didn't understand silence, composure, or patience.I let my lips curve into the faintest smile. "Don't worry. The game always has a way of correcting itself."He chuckled and walked away, shaking his head. But in my mind, I quietly folded him into a corner… a name to revisit when the time was right. Not everything deserved a storm, but some lessons had to be taught.By noon, my phone rang. I stared at the unknown caller displayed on my screen. I knew he would call. It has to be him!I answered on the second ring. "Hello?"His voice was smooth, deliberate. "Grace. I hope I'm not disturbing you at work."That voice… I was right.Williams Coker.My brows lifted. "You are. And also…how did you get my number?"He chuckled. "Grace, I get whatever I want. Numbers, names, faces. You should know that by now."I leaned back in my chair, smiling where he couldn't see. The arrogance. It confirmed everything."What do you want, Williams?""A simple thing," he said. "Dinner. Tonight. Just you and me."I let the silence stretch a little before answering. "I'll let you know after work."He laughed softly, like a man who thought he'd already won. "I'll be waiting."When the call ended, I stared at the phone, a strange calm washing over me. Derek thought he had unsettled me. Williams thought he had caught me.But the truth was, I was exactly where I needed to be.By the time I got home, the sky had folded into a soft orange. The house was quiet, just as I liked it. I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. On the surface, I was just another woman preparing for a night out. But beneath, every choice I made had purpose.I opened my wardrobe slowly, running my fingers across fabrics. Sequins? Too desperate. Red? Too obvious. Soft pastels? Too harmless. My hand stopped at the sleek black dress tucked neatly between them. It wasn't loud, but it spoke in its language. Power. Precision. A shadow that could not be ignored.I laid it on the bed and turned to my dresser. Makeup next. I wasn't trying to paint a new face; I was sharpening my existing one. A stroke of eyeliner to make my gaze linger longer than most men could bear. Foundation light enough to look effortless, but flawless enough to betray no weakness. And finally, lipstick…a dark, rich shade, bold but not reckless. When I pressed my lips together, they looked like they carried secrets.I pulled the dress over my frame, smoothing it down against my skin, and slipped into the mirror again. A slight tilt of my head. A soft curl of my lips. The woman staring back wasn't a date. She was a performance.This wasn't about beauty. It was about control.My phone buzzed on the dresser. A message.I'll be at The Monarch, 8 pm sharp. Don't make me wait, Grace.I let out a breath that curled into a smile. Men like Williams always believed they were setting the pace.I slipped my phone into the clutch, picked up my keys, and leaned closer to the mirror. " Oh, Williams…. careful what you wish for."Then I turned off the lights and walked out.