Chapter 4

"Adrian, if it's okay, I'd like to have dinner with you sometime next week. Your mom told me you're around for the week," Caelia proposed, her eyes holding a hint of eagerness.

"Yes, Adrian, I feel you two should have lunch and catch up. It's been a while," Caelia's mother added, glancing at Eleanor for support.

Adrian glanced at his mother, who offered a subtle nod of agreement. His gaze then shifted to his uncle, who maintained a neutral expression.

"I apologize, Caelia, but I won't be able to join you for lunch. I have a lot of matters to handle this week," Adrian said curtly.

Caelia's face flushed with embarrassment, and she bit her lip.

"I'll ask my secretary to arrange an appointment for you. Just let him know where you’d like to go," he added, signaling his secretary forward.

Caelia looked as if she wanted to refuse, but Adrian gave no room for discussion. He stood up, effectively ending the conversation. Eleanor placed a comforting hand on Caelia's back, offering an encouraging squeeze. Caelia offered a small, obedient nod.

"I'll discuss it with him later," Eleanor murmured to Caelia, then suggested she go and join the others.

Caelia stood, offered polite greetings to the remaining family members, and then left to find Clarissa and Isabella.

********************

Late that night, on the second floor of the Cagliari mansion, Adrian was in his study, engrossed in work. News of his arrival had spread, and he was flooded with proposals, contract reviews, and diplomatic matters. He sat through a lengthy executive meeting with the heads of Cagliari Industries from various sectors, accompanied by his secretary, Mr. Turner. The meeting lasted until 11 p.m. before finally concluding.

Dismissing Turner for the night, Adrian made his way to his room, only to find his mother waiting outside in her wheelchair, accompanied by a maid.

"I want to have a word with you," Eleanor said.

Without hesitation, Adrian opened the door and ushered her inside. His room was spacious, adorned in a minimalist style; partly because he was rarely home and partly because he disliked unnecessary clutter. Eleanor gestured for him to sit on the bed, but he remained standing, implying he wished to keep the conversation brief.

"Since you're in such a hurry, I'll get to the point," she said. "I want you to get closer to Caelia. It wasn’t very kind of you to turn down her invitation."

Adrian stiffened, immediately recognizing where this was headed.

"Mother—"

"No," Eleanor interrupted. "I've let you do as you please long enough, but I won’t sit idly by any longer. The LaRosa family was one of your father’s greatest allies, and Caelia has been your childhood friend. This arrangement was always meant to happen. You need to stop avoiding her and start building a relationship."

She regretted not finalizing the engagement sooner, by now, there could have been a child running around the mansion. Caelia adored Adrian, and to Eleanor, that should have been enough.

"Mother, I don’t believe Caelia would be a suitable match for me. I refuse to be bound by my father’s promises. You should get some rest now," he said firmly, signaling for the maid to escort Eleanor back to her room.

As they left, Turner rushed into the room.

"What is it?" Adrian grunted, slipping into his night robe.

"Boss, I have new information about Ashleigh Hartman."

Adrian’s eyes flickered with interest as he listened. A slow, amused chuckle escaped his lips.

"Is that so?" he mused, gazing out the window in thought.

After a moment, he made a decision. "Contact my private lawyer."

******************

Two weeks had passed peacefully for Ashleigh at Tixton. In a surprising turn of events, Mrs. Smith had not only been pardoned by the CEO but had also been promoted. Now in a higher position, she ensured Ashleigh was responsible for training new recruits—a perk of having a well-placed family member.

Despite the unexpected promotion, Ashleigh remained composed. She diligently guided the new staff and fulfilled her responsibilities, earning the respect of both her colleagues and new hires. She even made a few friends, including James and Fiona, who had become her lunch companions.

James was tall and lanky, giving the impression of someone unfit for manual labor, but he was much stronger than he looked. Standing at 5'8", he had a tan complexion and a boyish charm. Fiona, on the other hand, was petite—shorter than Ashleigh, earning her the nickname "Fun-sized." Both were two years older than Ashleigh and treated her like their younger sibling, despite her teasing them about being a couple.

As they sat in the cafeteria, enjoying their meals and chatting, Fiona suddenly nudged Ashleigh—hard.

"What was that for?" Ashleigh complained, rubbing her shoulder.

"Uhmmm… isn't that Mr. Cagliari's secretary walking toward us?" Fiona whispered urgently, eyes wide.

Sure enough, Mr. Turner was approaching their table with purpose. Ashleigh straightened in her seat and offered a polite smile as he stopped in front of them.

"Sorry to interrupt your lunch, Miss Hartman, but the CEO would like to see you," Turner said briskly.

Ashleigh hesitated, feeling a sudden wave of unease. "Okay… I guess."

As she rose to follow him, she turned back to see Fiona and James mouthing exaggerated questions: "What’s going on?" "Are you in trouble?" She shook her head, signaling that she had no clue.

Turner led her toward the first-floor elevator. Just before stepping inside, she stopped him.

"Aren’t you going to tell me what this is about?"

Turner gave a slight smile. "Apologies for the confusion, Miss Hartman, but it’s the CEO who wants to speak with you."

Her heart skipped a beat.