As Rhea drove on the highway, her gaze kept drifting to the man sitting beside her, who in turn barely glanced at her as his gaze remained fixed outside on the road most of the time. She also tried to ignore him, but his overwhelming presence wasn't an easy thing to ignore.
In less than a forty-five-minute drive, she pulled to a halt among several cars parked in the lot of a huge forty-something–floor building.
Adrian studied the building, then the surroundings, then tilted his head as he thought this place didn't look anything close to a boutique or a mall but an organization.
His gaze then slowly shifted to Rhea, who was already grabbing her phone and handbag.
"What is this place? An' what am I doin' here?" he asked in that Appalachian tone that always touched something inside her chest.
But she tried not to look affected as she spared him a look and replied naturally, "It's my workplace."
Lines creased Adrian's forehead in an instant, but before he could say another word, Rhea continued.
"I just need to relay a message. I won't even stay up to twenty minutes, so we will go buy you clothes from there," she explained, then proceeded to open the door before she looked back at him with coldness in her eyes.
"Don't even think of coming out of this car. This is not Asheville. If you get lost, then it saves me the stress of murdering you," she said sharply, and Adrian couldn't hold back the laughter that slipped out of his mouth.
Rhea's heart expanded as she watched him smile so beautifully, but she quickly masked the softness on her face when Adrian raised his head toward her unexpectedly.
"Don't you fret, darlin' daughter. I'll stay right here in the car," he said reassuringly.
"Good for you then," Rhea replied, then opened the door and stepped out of the car.
As she walked toward the building, a smile tugged at the side of her lips, but once she glanced back and met his gaze in the side mirror, her heart thumped in her chest. She quickly put on her usual expression before looking away.
Entering the building and making her way to the elevator, a happy voice called out to her.
She glanced back and saw Clara ambling toward her with the brightest smile on her face.
"I didn't know you would be coming to the office today," Clara said as soon as she reached her.
"Well, I didn't actually come to the office. I just came to deliver a message for my supervisor," she responded simply and pressed the button for her destination without sparing Clara a glance.
"Oh, I see," Clara muttered as she followed her into the elevator, staring at Rhea from head to toe with eyes full of adoration.
Rhea could see her doing that from the corner of her eyes, then she sighed softly and looked at her.
"When will you stop looking at me like that, Clara?" she asked calmly, not sounding mad or upset.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Rhea. I just envy you too much. I wish I could have a millionaire mother too and still be as hard-working as you," Clara said, pretending to be in tears as she dramatically wiped her face.
Rhea laughed softly and shook her head. That was what she always had to say about her. So dramatic.
"I just hope Jocelyn could stop despising you and see how simple and lovely you are, Rhea," Clara added with a kind smile, and Rhea shrugged.
"I'm only lovely around those who love me, Clara. Trust me, I don't care about Jocelyn as much as she doesn't give a damn about me. So simple, right?" she smiled, shrugging her shoulders.
Just then, the elevator chimed and slid open.
"See you later," Rhea said, walking out first and heading toward her supervisor's office.
Rhea got to the door, knocked once, and let herself into the office.
"Oh, Rhea. What a surprise. You didn't tell me you'd be in the office today," the middle-aged man with light brown hair enunciated with a polite smile.
"Well, I didn't come to work at the office, Mr. Callahan. I just came to deliver a message quickly," Rhea conveyed as she moved closer to him behind his desk.
"The Bennet account called this morning. They are upset about the shipment delay and want it fixed today. I wanted to let you know right away."
Callahan's eyebrows knitted before he nodded slowly.
"Thanks for letting me know, Rhea. I'll handle it with logistics right away. Make sure you keep them calm until I can get on the line," he said softly, then returned to his phone, already dialing.
"Sure, sir," Rhea gave him a brief nod, then turned toward the door and left.
Meanwhile, Adrian had wound down the glass and was enjoying the cool breeze of the ambiance when a lady dressed corporately in a black pencil skirt and baby pink blouse walked past him in the car but suddenly came back with a sweet smile on her face.
She felt instantly drawn to him.
"H-Hello," she greeted Adrian with a small wave, giggling.
Adrian returned her huge smile with a soft smile of his own and gave a small polite bow.
"I'm Jocelyn. And you?" she wetted her lip as she glanced around. "Are you waiting for someone?" she asked, looking back at Adrian, a flirtatious smile on her red lips.
"Yes, I'm waitin' on someone," Adrian replied simply, and Jocelyn thought her heart skipped a beat.
She gulped softly as she leaned closer, placing her hands on the windowsill. "I'm sorry, but are you single? You look so cute and out of this world, and any lady in her right senses would surely want to have you."
At that moment, Rhea had come out of the building. She was waving at a worker who was greeting her when her gaze traveled toward her car. Much to her surprise, there stood a lady merrily talking and laughing with Adrian, and not just any lady—it was Jocelyn Drake!
Her pupils shrank sharply as her hands, hanging at her sides, slowly formed into fists. She began walking toward them, her face flushed with anger, looking like a well-cooked shrimp.
"What could be so funny for you to have forgotten that you're holding my car right now, Miss Drake?" Rhea inquired as soon as she got there, her anger barely restrained.
Jocelyn heard the familiar voice, and when she looked up and saw Rhea, she was so shocked that her eyes widened.
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out as she looked between Rhea and Adrian.
"Do you know her?" she finally asked Adrian, hoping he would just say no.
Rhea huffed. "Are you a fool? How come he's in my car if he doesn't know me?"
Seeing the sense in that, Jocelyn raised her cold eyes toward Rhea, who in turn gestured with her finger for her to move back.
Jocelyn's jaw clenched in embarrassment as she held Rhea's piercing gaze while Adrian watched silently, a faint smile tugging at his lips.