Chapter 4: Acquisition

Seraphina Arden returned home, and her mother asked, "How was the blind date today?"

Seraphina replied, "The guy was really handsome, like a movie star."

Her mother, already sensing it didn’t work out, consoled her, "Never mind. I made some fish soup. Come eat—think of it as seeing a celebrity for free, without even buying a ticket."

The little bit of disappointment in Seraphina’s heart instantly dissolved after hearing her mother’s words.

Since she rarely got home early, Seraphina had dinner and then went out arm in arm with her mom to browse the shops.

Meanwhile, Leon Everhart also arrived home earlier than usual. Dinner was already prepared by Ava, a young woman from TerraVantage Group’s administration team.

Ava was 24 years old. Her parents were divorced, and her mother worked as a cook in Leon’s family home. The house was massive, with separate quarters for the staff. Ava had grown up in the vicinity, attending a nearby school.

When Ava was 17, she started being involved with Leon Everhart. Though she worked hard, she only managed to get into an average college, where she majored in economics. After graduation, she joined Leon’s company.

By day, Ava was one of Leon’s employees; off-hours, she was his housekeeper.

Ava was reasonably attractive, above average among the staff at TerraVantage Group. She was hardworking, obedient, and accommodating—perfectly fitting Leon’s requirements. Leon, being pragmatic, had provided Ava’s mother with a steady salary and even gifted Ava a modest apartment, all while keeping her firmly under his control.

Ava was like a bird kept in a gilded cage.

When Leon messaged, "I’ll be home by 8," Ava sprang into action. She made soup, bought groceries, and had everything ready on the table by 7:30.

Leon came home shortly after 8, washed up, and sat down for dinner. Even during the meal, he was taking business calls. Once he finished eating, he went straight to his study, leaving Ava to clean up alone.

Later that night, Leon came to bed and slid his hand under Ava’s nightgown. Their interactions were purely physical—almost mechanical. Ava tried her best to please him, enduring his motions over and over.

The next morning, Leon was already gone by the time Ava woke up. She quickly tidied the house before heading to work.

Leon’s garage was filled with luxury cars—models Ava didn’t even recognize. She had never been allowed to ride in any of them. He had once gifted her a modest Lexus, saying, "It’s low-key."

To Leon, Ava had no voice, no dignity. She could never forget the day he first approached her, pretending to be polite, asking for her help carrying something upstairs. But behind closed doors, Leon took her innocence in his family’s study.

Despite their years together, Leon never promised her anything, not even an illusion of commitment. He always took precautions, and on the rare occasions he didn’t, he’d make Ava take morning-after pills.

When Ava accidentally got pregnant last year, Leon coldly told her, "I’m not ready for a child right now. You need to terminate it."

Ava tried to argue, "But, Leon, I want this baby."

Leon’s lips curled into a cruel smirk. "I’m not marrying you. If you keep it, you’ll quit your job and move out. I won’t acknowledge this child."

Ava broke down, sobbing into her hands.

The next day, Leon’s assistant, Sophia, escorted Ava to the hospital. Two weeks later, the child was gone.

At the office cafeteria, Ava occasionally saw Leon. His eyes never lingered on her for even a second. She lowered her head, holding her tray, and quietly went to get her food.

At a nearby table, Seraphina Arden was eating her lunch when she received a message. She smiled—it was from Emily, inviting her to dinner over the weekend. Though it was six days away, it gave her something to look forward to.

Ava, carrying her tray, walked past Seraphina. She glanced at the plump, cheerful girl, who seemed so carefree despite being Leon’s assistant.

Ava wanted to ask, How do you work so closely with Leon and not fall for him?

But deep down, Ava already knew: no love, no trouble. No love, no fear.

Seraphina had seen how Leon treated Ava with indifference. To her, he was a cold and ruthless man. She kept her distance, not wanting unnecessary drama in her life.

When Ava gave her a longing glance, Seraphina merely nodded politely and went back to her lunch.

Before she could finish eating, Mia from the office came rushing over. "Ms. Arden, Mr. Everhart is asking for you—he says to hurry."

Leon had plans to acquire a design company to cut costs on external contractors. After narrowing it down, he was considering two firms and had decided to assess them by assigning them a major project: designing a large food processing facility.

On the drive, Leon briefed Seraphina on what he wanted to cover. "Listen carefully and remind me if I miss any questions," he instructed.

Seraphina dutifully took notes and reviewed them with Leon. After ensuring nothing was missing, Leon nodded in approval.

Coincidentally, one of the companies on Leon’s radar was Glonetix Design Company—the same place where Noah, Seraphina’s blind date, worked.

When Leon and his team arrived, Glonetix’s founder, Alexander—a balding man in his forties—nervously welcomed them. He quickly called Noah, the lead designer for the project, into the meeting room.

Noah entered with his laptop, freezing for a moment when he saw Seraphina. He gave her a small smile before proceeding.

The previous night, Noah’s mother had teased him about the date. "She said you looked like a celebrity and thought she wasn’t good enough for you," she told him.

Noah had laughed. "She’s a bit plump and childish—not really a match."

Today, however, as he presented the designs, he noticed Seraphina’s demeanor was entirely professional. She worked diligently, taking notes and occasionally passing Leon reminders.

During the three-hour meeting, Leon grilled Noah and his team on every detail. Seraphina’s sharp observations and seamless coordination impressed everyone in the room, even Noah.

On the ride back, Leon asked casually, "Seraphina, do you know that Noah guy?"

Seraphina’s expression didn’t falter. "Oh, sort of. We shared a table at dinner last night. He’s a relative of the bride’s family—exchanged a few words, nothing more."

Leon smirked slightly and closed his eyes to rest.