Chapter 5 #2
"Oh, that's wonderful!" Grace laughed happily. "Kevin, what are you still standing there for? Tell the chef to prepare Elise's favorite dishes this weekend."
Kevin immediately objected.
"The chef? Why would we let the chef cook? I'll cook for my daughter."
Grace scoffed. "You? The last time you cooked, you almost burned the kitchen."
"I was experimenting."
"You were making tea."
"It still tasted good."
"It was burnt."
"It was slightly burnt."
Grace ignored him completely. "No, I'll make the food myself. I'll also prepare the mushroom soup Elise loves and that steamed fish—"
Kevin interrupted immediately. "Don't forget the shrimp. Our daughter loves shrimp."
"I know what my daughter likes."
Listening to the two of them argue over the menu as though she were arriving after years instead of a few weeks made Elise's heart feel warm.
A smile lingered on her face without her even realizing it.
No matter how busy they were, no matter how much time passed, Kevin and Grace always welcomed her home with the same excitement.
Sometimes, Elise forgot she had been adopted.
Because in every way that truly mattered, they had always been her parents.
Just then, a familiar figure stepped into the foyer from the corridor leading to the study.
Elise instinctively looked up.
Xavier was already dressed for work.
His charcoal suit was perfectly tailored, fitting his tall frame as though it had been made exclusively for him.
His long black hair had been neatly tied back today, leaving only a few loose strands framing a face so refined that he looked more like a nobleman from another era than the president of a billion-dollar corporation.
His high cheekbones and sharp features gave him an elegant appearance, while the thin scar cutting through his right eyebrow was the only flaw on an otherwise flawless face.
His expression remained calm as always.
Not a single emotion could be read from those deep, dark eyes.
Without looking in her direction, he adjusted the cuff of his watch before accepting the briefcase his secretary, Benjamin Carter handed him.
Benjamin followed a respectful step behind, tablet in one hand as he quietly reported the day's schedule.
"The meeting with the European partners has been moved to nine-thirty. Director Sullivan is already waiting at the company, and the legal department has sent over the revised contract for your review."
Xavier gave a small nod.
"Mm."
His voice was low and indifferent.
He continued walking toward the entrance without slowing his pace.
Elise watched him for a second before speaking into her phone a little more quickly.
"Dad, I'll call you later. Xavier's leaving."
Kevin chuckled knowingly.
"Go on then. Don't keep him waiting."
"I won't. Bye, Dad."
"Bye, sweetheart. We love you."
"I love you and Mom too."
After hanging up, Elise slipped her phone into her purse and hurried after Xavier.
When Elise stepped out of the manor, the cool morning air greeted her, carrying with it the scent of freshly trimmed hedges and blooming roses from the gardens lining the driveway.
She automatically looked toward the front entrance where the black Rolls-Royce was parked every morning, expecting to find Xavier already inside going through documents while Benjamin stood nearby with his tablet.
Instead, the driveway was empty.
She slowed to a stop, her eyes instinctively searching the courtyard before turning toward the security guards stationed by the gate. A faint crease formed between her brows as confusion replaced the smile that had lingered on her face moments ago after speaking with her parents.
She looked around once more, her brows knitting together slightly as her gaze swept across the front courtyard.
"...Where's the car?"
A nearby security guard immediately noticed her and hurried over.
"Miss Foster."
He stopped a respectful distance away and bowed slightly.
Elise turned to him, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
"Where is Xavier?"
The guard's expression stiffened.
He exchanged an awkward glance with another guard before looking back at her.
"Mr. Chen... has already left for the company."
Elise froze for a brief second.
"...He left?"
"Yes, Miss Foster." The guard shifted awkwardly on his feet, clearly uncomfortable being the one delivering the news.
"Secretary Carter arrived a few minutes ago, and they came out together discussing work.
Just before getting into the car, Mr. Chen stopped at the bottom of the steps and turned to look back toward the manor. "
He gestured toward the entrance behind Elise as though replaying the moment in his mind. "At first, I thought he was waiting for you to come out, but after standing there for a few seconds..." He hesitated, lowering his voice. "Mr. Chen looked rather upset."
Elise's fingers slowly tightened around the strap of her handbag as she listened without interrupting.
The guard cleared his throat before continuing. "He simply said, 'Since she's so busy, she can come in another car,' then got into the vehicle. Secretary Carter followed him inside, and they left immediately."
For a brief moment, Elise didn't say anything. She lowered her eyes, her lashes hiding the disappointment that quietly settled over her expression.
"I see."
Her voice remained gentle, but noticeably quieter than before.
The guard immediately regretted repeating Xavier's words so honestly. Seeing the sadness she tried so hard to hide made him feel uncomfortable.
He quickly waved both hands.
"Miss Foster, please don't misunderstand.
I'm sure Mr. Chen had something urgent to deal with.
Secretary Carter looked very anxious, and they were discussing work the entire time they walked to the car.
Perhaps there was an urgent matter at the company, which is why he left in such a hurry without waiting. "
Elise gave a faint smile.
It was polite. Soft. But it never reached her eyes.
"It's alright."
She looked toward the now-empty driveway once more before quietly lowering her gaze.
"I understand."
She knew Xavier too well.
This wasn't because he was in a hurry.
Even on days when there was nothing pressing waiting for him at the office, he had never been someone who waited for her.
Whether they were leaving for work, attending business banquets, or returning home together, Xavier always walked ahead without looking back, as though it made no difference whether she was by his side or arrived several minutes later.
The guard let out a quiet sigh.
Knowing there was nothing more he could say to comfort her, he turned toward the chauffeurs waiting nearby.
"You."
One of the drivers immediately jogged over.
"Bring another car around for Miss Foster."
"Right away."
The chauffeur immediately nodded and hurried off. Less than a minute later, a black sedan rolled smoothly to a stop before the front steps.
The driver quickly stepped out, walked around to the back, and opened the rear door with both hands.
"Miss Foster."
Elise gave him a polite nod. "Thank you."
Holding her purse close against her side, she bent slightly and slipped into the back seat. As the car pulled away from the Chen Manor, she turned her head toward the window. Her eyes lingered on the empty driveway for a few quiet moments before the massive gates slowly disappeared from view.
The drive into Manhattan was smooth despite the morning rush. Nearly forty minutes later, the black sedan turned onto one of the busiest streets in the financial district before slowing to a stop in front of the headquarters of Chen Group.
Elise stepped out of the car and looked up.
The skyscraper towered above the surrounding buildings, its sleek glass exterior reflecting the morning sun like polished steel.
The company name, CHEN GROUP, was displayed in enormous silver letters across the front of the building, visible from half a block away.
It stood proudly among Manhattan's skyline, surrounded by other corporate towers belonging to international banks, investment firms, and Fortune 500 companies.
Luxury cars lined the curb while executives in tailored suits hurried along the sidewalks with briefcases and coffee cups in hand.
Yellow taxis rolled past almost nonstop, their horns blending with the distant rumble of buses and the constant murmur of the city that never seemed to sleep.
As one of the world's largest energy corporations, Chen Group controlled oil fields, refineries, and energy projects across several continents.
Thousands of employees worked inside the fifty-story headquarters every day, making it one of the most influential companies in New York's business district.
Elise thanked the driver before making her way inside.
The moment the revolving glass doors opened, the spacious marble lobby came into view.
The ceiling stretched nearly three stories high, decorated with modern crystal lighting that reflected against the polished white floors.
Employees moved briskly through the lobby, greeting one another as they hurried toward the elevator banks.
The reception staff immediately straightened when they saw Elise.
"Good morning, Miss Foster."
"Good morning."
She returned each greeting with a gentle nod before stepping into the private executive elevator reserved for the company's senior management.
A few moments later, the elevator doors slid open onto the top executive floor.
The atmosphere was...
Strange.
Normally, assistants walked calmly between offices while conversations and ringing phones filled the floor with quiet activity.
Today, however, everyone looked unusually tense.
Several assistants whispered to one another before quickly lowering their voices the moment they noticed Elise. Others clutched stacks of documents against their chests as if afraid to make the slightest mistake.
Just then, hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway.
"Miss Foster!"
Benjamin almost broke into a run as he hurried toward her.