Ray stared, stunned, watching Capollo Montelli's retreating figure until it vanished from sight.
After a long moment, he slowly turned his head back, his gaze still slightly dazed as he looked at Carlotta.
'What was that all about?
What on earth just happened?
Did I misunderstand something, or did She misunderstand something?'
Carlotta didn't rush to answer the questions swirling in Ray's mind. She maintained her innate elegance, holding the delicate teacup in her slender hand and taking unhurried sips of the enticingly dark tea, as if nothing around her mattered.
"Just an unexpected interlude," Carlotta said after a moment, setting down her cup, her voice gentle and calm. "Don't worry about it. Let's continue. As for Grandfather… when the time is right, I'll take you to see him."
"?"
'Wait, what?
Second Young Miss, are you serious?
Meeting the family already?
Isn't this moving a bit too fast?
We haven't even defined our relationship yet.
So, it turns out my boss isn't impressed with my skills.
She's impressed with me?'
But on second thought, if Carlotta really had that kind of interest in him, wouldn't there have been some signs during their usual interactions? Like, maybe occasional shyness, or subtle hints in her words…
Yet in their usual conversations and time together, this privileged young lady's behavior had been perfectly normal, with no indication otherwise.
Could it be…
that all of this was deliberate?
Ray's mind raced, everything in the world happened for a reason; nothing was without cause. He recalled Carlotta's earlier revelation about a traitor within the Montelli family.
Given that, their seemingly close relationship might just be a carefully constructed façade. All of it could be part of her plan.
Reaching this point in his thoughts, Ray felt a glimmer of understanding. Since Carlotta was tacitly allowing this "relationship," he certainly had no reason to object.
Would anyone really refuse such a role?
Ray definitely wouldn't.
Becoming the Second Young Miss's boyfriend, no matter how you looked at it, was something he couldn't possibly lose out on.
'What if the act becomes real?
Ahem, of course.
I'm just saying, what if.
A person should still have dreams.
Although… this is pretty much just daydreaming.'
The atmosphere during dinner was somewhat delicate. It probably stemmed from others misunderstanding their relationship. Though both were fully aware of the unspoken understanding between them, this mix of bashfulness and restraint still made the surrounding air feel a bit awkward, as if veiled by a thin, gauzy layer.
The cool moonlight gently illuminated Carlotta as she walked silently along the pier, watching the ocean's tides rise and fall, mirroring the countless days and nights flowing through the city.
"Sorry, about what happened earlier…" Holding a cup of coffee, she gradually stopped at the water's edge. A look of conflict and hesitation flickered in her eyes; the words seemed to catch in her throat, left unsaid, fully revealing her inner struggle.
"It's all right, I understand," Ray said with a light smile, walking up beside her and letting out a long sigh. "You're doing this to make others misjudge you, right?"
Hearing this, Carlotta's eyes widened slightly. Her lips parted a little, and finally a relieved smile appeared on her face.
"It seems my judgment was right after all. Yes, to make others misjudge me. As I said before, there's a traitor within the family, but to this day I still haven't been able to identify them."
"And Ettore Montelli's death was definitely not a simple accident.The traitor is watching me closely, observing my every move.So, I can't show the slightest interest in that matter, or it would immediately alert the traitor. But ordinary methods of disguise are too crude; they can't easily convince others. So...."
Before she could finish, Ray cut in.
"So, you thought of this method? Using a 'relationship' to deceive them?"
When the word "relationship" left Ray's lips, a faint blush, rare for her usually elegant and composed face, appeared on Carlotta's cheeks, though it vanished in an instant.
After all, Carlotta was still just a young woman. Perhaps, as the family's blade, she had already become completely bound to the Montelli name. But in the most hidden, softest corner of her heart, a space purely belonging to Carlotta herself remained intact, a place of innocence and shyness untouched by worldly affairs.
So, when discussing this somewhat ambiguous and private topic, she couldn't help but reveal the shyness.
"Mhm, this method might be… very naive. But 'naivety' happens to be the best disguise. It catches people off guard, making it easy to slip past them. Moreover, letting outsiders misinterpret our relationship will make the next steps of the operation go more smoothly. As for you…"
Carlotta pressed her lips together, looking at him beside her with a complicated expression. "You probably don't have any objections, right?"
After a brief silence, Ray chuckled lightly, defusing the awkwardness between them with a touch of humor.
"Objections? How could I possibly have objections? This is a request from the boss. As an employee, of course I have to carry it out properly."
Hearing this, Carlotta couldn't help but let out a soft laugh as well, and the tension and shyness in her heart eased considerably.
"Is that so? Then how could I, as your boss, fail to appreciate an employee who 'knows how to read the room'? After this is over, your bonus is doubled!"
There was no promise more motivating than that.
Having money to spend is what truly matters!
"Really, Boss?" Ray's eyes lit up, but then he quickly thought of a problem. "But the thing is, after this is over, how do we explain our relationship to others? And the family head… Do I really have to meet him in this capacity?"
Carlotta fell silent for a long time. In the end, she could only quietly turn her head to the side, a slender finger unconsciously twirling a soft strand of hair.
"Uh… this…"
She bit her lip slightly, a hint of panic and helplessness in her eyes.
"When the time comes… I… uh…"
At this point, she turned back around, stood on her tiptoes, and gave Ray's shoulder a solemn pat.
"Grandfather… I'll leave that to you. After this matter is concluded, I'll explain everything to him personally."