"Lauren, my dear, I've been searching high and low for you. I thought you had already left for the hospital, especially since I couldn't find Morris. You mentioned having an emergency surgery scheduled, didn't you?" Veronica Benneth, wearing a vibrant smile, inquired upon catching sight of her beautiful niece entering the large sitting room with Marcel.
"Good morning, Aunt Veronica," Lauren greeted, planting a tender kiss on each cheek as her aunt's delight grew evident.
"Good morning, my darling. I hope you had a restful night?" Veronica reciprocated the gesture, her hand gently guiding Lauren as they made their way toward the dining area, inadvertently overlooking Marcel who quietly trailed behind.
"Oh, I certainly did. Alanna and Ariana made it an extra special evening," Lauren replied, her voice infused with gratitude.
Veronica's face lit up, her joy evident as she observed the blossoming bond between her daughters and Lauren.
"That's wonderful to hear," she acknowledged with a smile.
Regretfully, Lauren continued with her account, "Unfortunately, the surgery has been rescheduled for tomorrow, so I unexpectedly have a day off."
"My dear, considering the change in plans, there is no need for you to rush home. You can take this time to relax," Veronica Benneth sympathetically suggested, her voice filled with understanding.
"I know you have questions about your late mother—my sister—and I promise to answer them. However, I would prefer for you to go through the book she left behind first..."
Lauren was taken aback by her aunt's keen insight. She had indeed harbored questions, but approaching the topic proved to be more challenging than she had anticipated.
"A book? Is it like a diary of some sort?" she inquired with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.
Veronica nodded, a hint of nostalgia adorning her face. "Something along those lines. We refer to it as a grimoire. It was passed down to her as the firstborn daughter, but she left it behind when she married your father," she explained, her voice carrying a touch of sadness.
Lauren assured her, "I will make sure to collect it before I leave."
Amidst their conversation, Marcel playfully interjected, "Aunt Veronica, I'm still here. Just a few days ago, I was your favorite person, and now it seems I've been replaced." His remark elicited a chuckle from Lauren, appreciating their lighthearted banter.
Veronica responded with playful sincerity, "That you were, my dear. Unfortunately, it appears your position in the hierarchy of my favorite people has shifted."
Ariana joined in on the teasing, descending the stairs with a mischievous smile.
"Ouch, I'd be shedding tears if I were you," she mockingly taunted Marcel before greeting her mother with a kiss on the cheeks.
Settling herself at the dining table, she cheerfully greeted Lauren, who returned the smile before excusing herself to freshen up upstairs.
---
"Good day," Chloe greeted the receptionist, her voice laced with a hint of anticipation as she announced her reservation for the private lounge, specifically arranged for her meeting with an executive from Apex. With a polite expression of gratitude, she accepted the directions before venturing towards the designated area.
Upon opening the door, she was confronted with a face she believed she would never encounter again. Surprise flickered across her features, but undeterred, she stepped inside, finding her voice amidst the astonishment.
"Mr. Damon, if I am not mistaken," Chloe skeptically addressed the enigmatic figure who stood before her, their gazes locked in a moment of curiosity and intrigue.
"The one and only," Damon replied, his smile illuminating the room as his eyes danced with an enigmatic sparkle, rendering Chloe momentarily self-conscious.
He bore a transformation since the last time she had laid eyes upon him at LUX a few months prior. Clad in an impeccably tailored two-piece suit, he exuded a newfound allure, his attractiveness bordering on the absurd.
Chastising her mind for its wandering thoughts, Chloe attempted to regain her composure. However, her internal reflections didn't go unnoticed, as Damon's grin widened in response to her unspoken musings.
"You look..." he paused, his tone dripping with flirtation as he fixed his gaze upon her, "exquisite." The combination of his enchanting British accent, the carefully chosen words, and the intensity of his gaze caused her heart to flutter, leaving her cheeks tinged with an unmistakable blush.
Delighted by how Chloe responded to his words, Damon resolved to address the matter at hand. However, he made a mental note to acquire her cell number after the meeting. There was something about her that he couldnt pinpoint, yet he found himself inexplicably drawn to it.
"Please have a seat; you are most certainly in the correct room," Damon declared, his tone switching to a businesslike demeanor. Chloe stared at him, bewildered by how astutely he seemed to know her thoughts.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Damon DeMarco, the CFO of the renowned Apex Conglomerate.
I have been sent on behalf of our esteemed president, Damier Voltorie, to facilitate the formal signing of the partnership agreement between Apex Conglomerate and Atlantech Industries." Damon presented the meticulously prepared documents, his tone formal and his delivery faultlessly polite.
Chloe struggled to reconcile this professional facade with the same individual who had flirted with her just moments ago.
As she accepted the documents, Damon continued, "This includes all the pertinent data and the agreement itself.
Take your time to peruse through it, and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let me know."
"Thank you," Chloe replied, her voice filled with genuine appreciation, commencing her examination of the documents.
Meanwhile, Damon proceeded to attend to his own tasks, signing the requisite documents before relinquishing the remainder to her care. With agile fingers tapping away at the keyboard, he engrossed himself in answering critical emails, allowing Chloe the space and time she needed to review the partnership agreement.
As Chloe delved into the intricacies of the documents, her eyes would inadvertently wander, stealing glimpses in Damon's direction.
She couldn't help but admire how striking he appeared in his well-tailored suit.
A wave of introspection washed over her, realizing how mistaken she had been in her initial impression of him based solely on their first encounter.
"I pride myself on being a good judge of character. It's incredible how wrong I was," she mused to herself, blissfully unaware that Damon was thoroughly reveling in her admission.
"This should be fun," he silently thought, captivated by her evolving perception.