CEO's Passion: Love by Mistake

“I'll look for Wilhelm.” Shane understood what she needed to do and spared her the trouble by cutting across her.

Wilhelm was the elder brother of the princess and the original owner of the diamond mine that Shane had bought.

Natalie knew that he had just given her leave to speak to Joyce privately by picking that moment to have a conversation with Wilhelm. Her heart burst with gratitude for Shane. “Thank you darling. I'll make it up to you tonight.”

A sliver of excitement flashed across Shane's eyes at Natalie's promise as he nodded eagerly.

Natalie waved at him as he disappeared into the crowd before turning away to the corner where her friends were.

“Joyce,” Natalie called.

Joyce jumped and looked up at the sound of her name but quickly returned to assume her defeated posture.

“She has been like this since I've found her.” Lina rubbed her temples in consternation. “Nothing I said made any difference.”

“Thank you, Lina.” Natalie gave her a grateful smile.

Lina waved her hand as if to say that it was no trouble. “Don't worry about it. She's too hung up on Stanley, that's all. I couldn't understand why she would let one man cause her so much pain and misery. It's a good thing you're here, Nat. I need a drink. You have a go at talking some sense into her.”

“Go on, Lina.”

spot at the vacated seat

said, “Joyce, did Stanley say something to

Joyce nodded mournfully.

did he say?” Natalie raised her

him and that I had no business asking about his affairs. And then he told me to get lost.”

was what happened. No wonder she

had already met Annie as one of his acquaintances. Even that did

and not wanting to have anything to do

lean her against her shoulders. “Stop thinking about it. We need to change how Stanley treats you, but if you feel sad about it now, how will you be able to handle it

upset with how he had treated me,” Joyce said as she sobbed softly. “It hurt watching how he treats Annie. When I met her the last time I went abroad to visit Stanley, he treated her very coldly which was what gave me the confidence to allow her to care for him, because I didn't think that anything would happen between

around had

that Stanley's attitude towards Annie had warmed up considerably since Joyce had last met either of them. Stanley even went to the point of passing that remark that he would consider going out

definitely have caused her worry

at a

told, the way in which Stanley