Chapter 22

Wesley had barely begun typing his reply to Gabriela when his phone rang with an incoming call from his grandmother,Loretta Larson.

"Wesley, it's your birthday today. Come have dinner at my place tonight," Loretta said, her voice warm and expectant.

After his mother's passing, Loretta had stepped in to raise him. Their bond ran deep.

"I'll be there," Wesley promised.

He ended the call, noticed it was nearly five o'clock,and told Billy to get the car ready.

Loretta's home sat tucked away in the quiet suburbs,a long drive from Wesley's company. By the time the car eased into her driveway, the sky had already turned a deep blue.

Stepping out, Wesley immediately spotted Brenden standing by the porch, hands shoved in his pockets.Wesley's eyes narrowed, the faintest crease in his brow betraying his annoyance.

Brenden, as oblivious as ever, waved him over with boyish enthusiasm. "Wesley! I knew you'd show up for dinner tonight. It's been a long time since | saw Loretta,and since it's your birthday, I thought I'd crash the party too."

Brenden's father was the younger brother of Wesley's father-making them cousins by blood. After his parents split, Brenden had ended up with his mother -who was rarely around.

Growing up, he'd attached himself to Wesley, trailing after his older cousin through childhood and spending more time under Loretta's watchful care than with his own mother. Maybe that was why he and Loretta connected so deeply.

Wesley merely acknowledged him with a brief nod.

Sticking close, Brenden fished a gift box from his bag -wrapped meticulously, ribbon and all. "Happy birthday,Wesley."

The date never failed to weigh on Wesley; his birthday landed on the same day his mother had died. No one in the family ever made a fuss about it.

Still, Brenden had always insisted on bringing a present each year.

Wesley accepted it, his voice level. "Thank you."

Billy quietly stepped in to take the box, handling it with care.

They moved forward together, the three of them passing into the living room.

Loretta was mid-conversation with a young woman,her animated gestures filling the room with a lively energy.

As footsteps echoed across the polished floor,Loretta glanced up and her whole face lit with joy. Rising from her seat, she reached out to take Wesley's hands in her own, her eyes shining with unmistakable grandmotherly affection. "Wesley, you've gotten so thin! Are you eating enough?"

A rare, gentle smile softened Wesley's features."Grandma," he greeted, his voice low but fond.

Brenden arrived a beat later, eager to get in his own greeting. Loretta pulled him in for a hug, treating him with the same radiant affection.

With a delighted little flourish, Loretta turned to the young woman at her side. "Wesley, do you remember this lovely girl? This is Fiona Dewitt. You two were in elementary school together-doesn't that bring back memories?"

Wesley's brow furrowed, an uneasy suspicion flickering in his eyes. So much for a simple family dinner. Was he being set up on a blind date?

Fiona stiffened for a heartbeat, caught off guard by the sight of Wesley in person.

She'd researched thoroughly before agreeing to meet him. She understood Wesley had a reputation as a rising titan in the business world.

What she hadn't anticipated was his sheer presence-he commanded the room effortlessly, and he looked even more striking than she remembered.

Quickly masking her surprise, Fiona folded her hands in her lap and waited, poised and silent, for Wesley to break the ice.

Brenden, whose weakness for pretty women was legendary,straightened with interest and shot Wesley a mischievous wink. With a teasing undertone, he murmured, "Guess today's your lucky day."

Wesley's eyes turned glacial. One warning glare from him had Brenden's bravado crumbling; the playful smirk vanished and he immediately fell silent.

At last, Wesley addressed Loretta, a trace of weary affection in his voice. "Grandma, what's going on here?"

Loretta explained, "Fiona's just come back from her studies abroad-she's earned her PhD! Beauty and brains all in one package. She heard it was your birthday, so she came all this way just to celebrate."

Fiona set a meticulously wrapped present on the table,her cheeks tinged pink. "Happy birthday, Wes."

Wesley replied with a nod,his expression frosted over with indifference,"Thank you."

Keeping his tone civil but drawing a clear boundary,he added, "Ms. Dewitt, just call me Wesley. I'm uncomfortable with you using that endearment for me."

His chilly reserve needed no further explanation.

Fiona blinked, completely taken aback.

She'd always been confident in her beauty, her doctorate, and the opportunities her lineage provided.Men usually bent over backward for her-how dare Wesley treat her like this?

Being brushed off so bluntly was completely new to her.

Her cheeks burned with embarrassment and anger.Biting her lip, she turned toward Loretta, glossy eyes swimming with unshed tears.

Loretta's smile faded, her tone turning mildly reproachful "Wesley, Fiona's our guest. You could stand to be a little friendlier."

Out of deference to his grandmother, Wesley swallowed his irritation and managed a stiff, remote apology. "Sorry."

Fiona's frustration only deepened.

How could he treat someone like her-elegant,successful, impossible to overlook-with such indifference?

Even so, Wesley's striking looks almost made up for his frosty manners; she could overlook a little arrogance in a man who looked like that.

She gathered herself, smoothing her expression into something poised and refined. "Don't worry about it.Feeling a little out of place after so long is only natural,Wesley."

Wesley let her words hang without a response.

Eager to lighten the mood, Brenden leaned in with an easy grin. "Hey, Fiona, remember me? Brenden Saunders-I was in your class too, back in elementary school.With Wesley."

Fiona managed a gracious smile, her voice perfectly cordial. "Nice to see you again, Mr. Saunders."

Outwardly she kept up her polished facade, but inside she barely spared Brenden a thought, already dismissing him as unworthy of her attention.

Though he carried Moss family's blood, Brenden used his mother's last name, and the family's fortune never touched his life. None of the Moss business or assets were his to claim.

If not for her own need to maintain appearances in front of Loretta, Fiona wouldn't have spared Brenden a glance.

Brenden, hopelessly charmed by a pretty face and completely blind to Fiona's indifference, leaned in with a hopeful grin. "Want to add me on WhatsApp?Let me buy you dinner sometime."

Fiona unlocked her phone and exchanged contacts with him. Then she immediately turned toward Wesley,phone in hand, her tone casual but unmistakably pointed. "Wesley,I just realized-we're not connected on WhatsApp either."

With Loretta's gaze on him, Wesley had no choice but to comply. He accepted her request, expression unreadable.

Loretta, visibly delighted by the display of youthful harmony, clapped her hands together. "Go on and chat, the three of you. I'll get dinner ready-it won't take long."

Soon enough,Loretta returned, arms full of steaming dishes, and called everyone to the table.

She absolutely doted on Fiona, urging her to eat more and constantly adding food to her plate, her approval shining through every gesture.

Annoyance sparked behind Fiona's lashes, gone as quickly as it appeared.

That grimy fork had obliterated any trace of hunger,but she forced herself to smile through it, determined to appear gracious for Wesley's sake.

Wesley,arms folded,watched her performance unfold.

Once the meal ended, Loretta bustled over and tapped Wesley's shoulder. "Wesley, Brenden-sit with Fiona for a while. I'll whip up some drinks for everyone."

Brenden didn't want to be the third wheel, so he angled himself toward the opposite end of the couch,already half-distracted by his phone as he shot off a quick message to his girlfriend.

Fiona edged a little closer to Wesley,letting herself lean into the solid comfort of his presence. Her voice came out soft. "Wesley..."

"Sorry, I have to catch up on some work," he interrupted, not looking at her as he slid his phone from his pocket. He offered a clipped, polite nod, then focused on his screen, thumbs moving deliberately as he scrolled through unread notifications.

At the top sat his last WhatsApp chat with Gabriela-a blunt refusal from her to make him pasta. The memory pulled at him.

He found himself wondering what Gabriela was doing now.

Actually, Gabriela was busy in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up and hair tied back.

She was a master at talking herself into surrender-and tonight proved no exception.

It didn't take long for her to realize that cooking was nothing next to the danger of getting fired from Apex Group.

Since Phyllis was out for the evening, Gabriela slipped into the kitchen and enlisted her cook's help. In no time,she had a pan of pasta simmering on the stove,the rich aroma curling through the air and making the whole kitchen feel inviting.

She moved on to the borscht, working with quick,practiced hands.

Watching from the edge, the cook, Ken Belmont,couldn't help but praise her. "Honestly, your cooking might even surpass mine."

Gabriela returned his smile, her eyes bright with mischief."Thanks."

Making borscht was child's play, but those arrogant texts on her WhatsApp kept replaying in her mind,souring her mood. Irritated, she started tossing ingredients into the pot with reckless abandon.

"Oh, you don't eat cilantro or onions. Nothing too sweet. No strong flavors, and no chili. Let's see how you handle this," she muttered under her breath,grabbing fistfuls of sugar and chili and flinging them in.

Ken could only stare, speechless.

He quietly rued his earlier praise as the soup transformed into an unappetizing mess.

With brisk efficiency, Gabriela ladled the potent soup into a thermal container, snapped the lid shut, and hailed a cab for the office.

She arrived before seven, only to find the main doors locked tight against the evening chill.

Shivering on the steps, she pulled out her phone and shot off a text to "NotASaunders."

"When will you arrive?"