Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 398: Prove It

Stefan sat behind his desk, his laptop open in front of him and a stack of files spread across the polished wood surface. The late afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows of his office, casting long strips of light across the carpet.

His fingers moved quickly across the keyboard as he reviewed a financial report.

The office was quiet except for the faint background noise coming from the air conditioner and the occasional sound of footsteps and conversations outside the door.

Just as he finished typing a note, his phone buzzed softly on the desk.

Stefan glanced down absentmindedly. Then his brows lifted when he saw that the message was from Genevieve.

A slow grin spread across his face as he opened it.

It was a photo.

Genevieve lay across a hotel bed, propped up on one elbow. Her blonde hair spilled down around her shoulders in soft waves, and she wore a red silky nightdress that clung lightly to her body.

Her lips were curved in a playful smile, and her eyes held a mischievous glint.

Stefan leaned back in his chair and let out a low chuckle. "Naughty," he muttered.

Without hesitation, he dialled the video call icon. On the third ring, Genevieve picked up.

The screen rang twice. On the third ring, Genevieve appeared.

She was lying on the same bed from the photo, the soft hotel lamp beside her casting a warm glow across her face.

The moment she saw his face, she burst into laughter. "Well, that was fast," she said. "I didn’t think you’d call this quickly."

Stefan raised a brow as he leaned back in his chair. "Oh, really?" he said dryly. "You send a picture like that and expect me to calmly reply with a thumbs-up emoji?"

She laughed again. "Maybe a heart emoji."

Stefan shook his head slowly, studying her through the screen. "Are you on a mission to have me walking around the office with a raging hard-on?"

Genevieve laughed louder, covering her mouth. "I’m sorry," she said between laughs.

"Are you now?" he asked.

She stretched lazily across the bed. "I was getting ready to get some rest," she explained.

"And?"

"And while I was lying here," she continued, "I realised how much I miss you." Her tone became quieter. "So I decided to see if I could get your attention for a minute."

Stefan leaned back in his chair again, folding one arm behind his head. "And the best way you could think of was sending a picture that could get me fired if someone walked in at the wrong time?"

She giggled. "Quit overreacting. That wasn’t such a bad picture. Would you have preferred one without clothes?"

Stefan laughed out loud. "You are very naughty."

"Only for you, baby," she said, blowing him a kiss.

Then his smile softened. "I miss you," he said quietly.

Genevieve’s expression softened too. "I miss you too."

Stefan rubbed his jaw as he studied her face on the screen. "So," he said, "how are you doing? You look pale and stressed out."

"I am stressed out. I haven’t slept much since I arrived in Westend."

Stefan’s expression softened slightly as he watched her. "Then you should hang up and get some sleep."

"Nope. I’ll sleep better after talking to you. Unless you’re too busy to talk right now," she said.

"I have some time to spare for my queen," he said, and she giggled.

He smiled, loving how easily she laughed now and how beautiful she looked when she smiled.

"So? Is everything going according to plan? Were you able to spread the ashes and meet the lawyer?"

Genevieve nodded slowly. "Yes. I did both."

"Did it go smoothly with the lawyer?"

She shifted slightly on the bed and rested her chin on her hand. "I met with the lawyer about an hour ago. He was busy all day, so I had to wait for a really long time. He explained everything about the estate."

Stefan listened quietly as she told him all about their meeting. She told him about the investigation, the frozen assets, and the revised will.

When she finished, she sighed tiredly. "So basically," she said, "there’s nothing else for me to do here."

Stefan’s eyes lit up and his lips curved. "So basically, you’re coming back soon?"

"Yes," she said with a small laugh. "It looks like my work here is done."

Stefan leaned back and grinned. "Well, as long as that means you’re returning soon, then I’m very happy."

Genevieve smiled softly at him through the screen. "I’m happy too. I miss you so much."

"I miss you more," Stefan said immediately.

"No, you didn’t."

"Yes, I did."

"Impossible."

"I assure you I did."

"Prove it," she challenged, her blue eyes sparkling mischievously through the screen.

Stefan smirked. "Seriously?"

Genevieve grinned and shifted slightly on the bed, tucking one leg under the other. "Yes. I want evidence."

Stefan leaned closer to the phone camera. "Fine. Exhibit A: I haven’t slept properly because the woman I love is thousands of miles away in a city I don’t trust, and I’m very worried about her."

Her expression softened. "Aww."

"Exhibit B," he continued, lowering his voice slightly, "I keep thinking about you. I can barely focus on anything else. When I close my eyes, it’s your face I see, when I inhale, it’s your scent I breathe in, when I..."

He trailed off when she hollered, "When you eat, it’s me you eat, right?"

Stefan chuckled, "I’m being serious here."

"Me too," she said, laughing softly.

Stefan watched her for a moment. "I want to kiss you."

Genevieve’s cheeks warmed slightly. "Oh?"

"Oh," Stefan confirmed.

She laughed and shook her head. "Alright, alright. You win."

"So I win because I said I want to kiss you?" He said teasingly.

Genevieve laughed, "You win because you’re trying too hard to prove that you miss me."

Stefan raised a brow. "Trying too hard? Weren’t you the one that asked for proof? Fine. Prove that you missed me more."

"The picture I sent to get your attention is all the proof I need," she said smugly.

Stefan laughed. "So, if I send a picture of me in my pajamas, that would be proof enough?"

Genevieve laughed, "I already declared you the winner. Why are you still fighting me over it?"

He glared at her playfully, "Because you said I was trying too hard..."

"And you’re still trying too hard," she pointed out.

Stefan chuckled and leaned back in his chair again. "I see. I rest my case then, my lord," he added dryly.

She grinned at the title.

For a moment, they simply looked at each other through the screen. The teasing faded, replaced by a quieter warmth.

"How are you really doing?" he asked. "Any unpleasant encounters?"

Genevieve shook her head. "I’ve been keeping my movements minimal since I arrived," she said. "I wear glasses and hats when I step out. People don’t easily recognise me. Or maybe they’ve forgotten about me and moved on to the next hot topic."

She shrugged lightly. "Apart from the weird stares I got when a couple of people recognised me, nothing else. And I’ve been getting weird stares for most of my life in West End. I can deal with it."

Stefan’s jaw tightened slightly. It wasn’t the stares that worried him. It was the possibility that someone might try something worse.

Ryan Harris had not been working alone. Stefan was certain of that.

But he kept that thought to himself. He didn’t want to scare her.

"Did you do what I told you about the hotel rooms?" he asked instead.

"Yes."

"And you’re still using the driver I arranged?"

"Yes."

Stefan nodded slowly. "Good. Don’t change drivers. And make sure you keep me updated on your movements."

Genevieve tilted her head and smiled. "What are you afraid of?"

Stefan opened his mouth to say losing her. But before he could answer, Genevieve glanced at her phone.

"Hold on," she said. "Dawn is calling."

Stefan sighed softly. "Alright. I should get back to work."

"I’ll call you later. Or maybe you can call me when you get home."

"I won’t call you. I want you to get some rest. Call me when you wake up," Stefan said, and she pouted.

"Alright. I love you," she said softly.

Stefan smiled. "I love you more."

Then he hung up before she could argue that she loved him more.