"Hey, Dominic!" came the scolding yet affectionate voice of Aria. "Don't tell me you were too busy all day to get my bracelet. You know I've been waiting for it all week".
"Ugh…" Dominic slapped his hand against his forehead. "Again! Seriously, Aria... you never forget things do you?"
"You promised! And it's the limited edition one from Valente–only three exist in the world." Dominic feigned laughter. "I forgot..."
"What?!" Aria exclaimed when he fell silent. "You can't—"
Before she could finish, he let out a light, teasing laugh. "Relax, I couldn't possibly forget, with you nagging me like this! I actually bought two."
A scream of pure excitement erupted on the line.
"Two?!" Aria gasped.
"Yes… thought I'd better grab another before you choke me," he joked.
"Hmm... I love you!" she replied warmly.
"Same here," Dominic said, preparing to end the call when her voice rang out again. "Wait! Mom said you haven't picked up her calls all day. She left home probably wanting to see you, I don't know!"
Dominic pulled a small black fob from his pocket–it felt heavier than it looked. He pressed the button, and his car responded instantly; the driver's door opened with a soft hydraulic sound.
He slid into the plush seat and exhaled sharply. "If I get home... I'll call her."
The call ended.
He dropped the phone into the seat beside him and let out a tired sigh as he glanced ahead. It was already late; city lights and cars blurred past on the expressway. But as he drove, his mind kept drifting back to what had happened earlier.
A few minutes later, he approached Ravenscroft—known to be his. His phone buzzed again. "Great timing? I'm almost home; who is calling now?"
He reached into the soft seat to grab his phone; it was Cedric.
"Sir!" Cedric's voice rushed through as soon as he answered. "We tried!"
There was a pause on the other end that made Dominic furrow his brow.
"Tried what?"
"Your mother insisted," Cedric continued. "She showed up unannounced with Mrs. Isolde Fairchild, daughter of Baron Edmund. You know what that means?"
Dominic's fingers tightened momentarily on the steering wheel as he exhaled through his nose. "Of course she did."
Damn, Aria mentioned earlier that Mom left the house. I wasn't expecting her to bring another woman home. What's going on?
Another paused and said, "She mentioned you haven't been returning her calls."
"Of course, I know why she was calling, that's exactly why I haven't answered."
Cedric added with a muffled chuckle, half amused and half apologetic, "She's waiting at the house."
Dominic glanced down at the faint coffee stain on his shirt, a small smile creeped on his face despite himself. Timing clearly had a sense of humor.
"Cancel it," he said. "All of it."
"Sir?"
"Tomorrow's introduction and next week's too." He paused for a moment. "I'll call them when I'm ready. It seems I have a lot on my hand right now."
*****
Elsewhere…
In her spacious room, Cathie sat on the edge of her bed, scanning every word on the contract paper she clutched tightly in her hands, feeling disgust for her own decision. If Jake hadn't left her, she wouldn't be in this situation, but hiring a husband for marriage was her only option.
Rose sat across from her at the large table, helping with some files Cathie hadn't gone through yet.
"This letter is still unopened. You haven't even bothered to look at it," Rose remarked while looking at Cathie.
Cathie's gaze instinctively fell on the letter lying untouched across the polished table.
"Who sent it?" she asked.
"The security officer handed it to me, he said it was meant for you. And as for identity, it remains unknown."
Cathie's eyebrows raised slightly in confusion and shock. Who could possibly drop off a letter anonymously?
She stared at it longer, feeling suspicious before turning her attention back to the papers in hand.
"For now, keep the letter as long as it stays unopened."
"I will," Rose replied with a slight nod.
Cathie closed the folder and slid it back across the desk, her expression unreadable.
"Rose," she said calmly while reaching for her phone. "I want candidates."
Rose hesitated for a moment. "Candidates… for what?"
"A contract marriage." Cathie didn't look up. "Ten men. Background check. No emotional liabilities. No financial instability."
Rose blinked once and then straightened herself. "By when?"
"Tomorrow." Cathie finally met her eyes. "Schedule interviews in my office. Thirty minutes each. If they hesitate, dismiss them."
Rose gazed at Cathie with a slight smile and a spark in her eyes. Moving the pen she held, she asked playfully, "Ahem! Ma'am, what about the man you bumped into earlier today?"
Cathie froze, her hands trembling slightly over her phone. "What! Rose… what did you just say?" Her stomach churned as she recalled the earlier encounter. "Are you suggesting I should marry that man who didn't even have the decency to apologize sooner?" Her voice resonated loudly in the room.
Rose regarded her with a contemplative expression. "Consider this: You might have been upset with him earlier. So… why not hire him and settle the score? Show him you're the boss!"
Rose figured that since her boss had already offended him, it would be more advantageous to take control rather than let men have the upper hand over her—which seemed like a wise choice, right?
Cathie's gaze remained fixed on Rose as a sinking feeling filled her at that thought... She actually had a point. But still, I can't bear to be around that man.
She told herself, "I'll think about it, but I don't want you to mess up in the interview tomorrow."
Rose nodded, stood up, and turned to leave. She left Cathie alone in her room, swirling in thoughts within the quiet haze.