Chapter 124

Once the call ended, the driver caught Katelyn's expression in the rearview mirror. "Miss Fuller,shall l take you home now?"

When she had left the Bennett Mansion earlier,she hadn't given that instruction. Instead, she'd told him to wait at a nearby parking lot.

Sliding her phone aside, Katelyn arched a brow. "No.Take me to the Bennett Group headquarters."

Isaac's rejection hadn't stopped her-it only made her more determined. If he refused through his mother,she would confront him herself.

"Understood," the driver replied, steering the car smoothly out of the lot.

Minutes later, the Bennett Group tower loomed before them. Before opening the door, Katelyn turned to him."Stay here and wait. There's no need to follow me inside."

She stepped out gracefully, her heels clicking against the pavement as she headed straight for the building.

The lobby was bright and bustling, two employees stationed at the reception desk.

One receptionist spotted her immediately and rose politely. "Good afternoon, miss. May I ask who you're here to see?"

Katelyn's answer was calm but direct. "I'm here for your CEO,Isaac Bennett."

The receptionist's smile stayed professional."Do you have an appointment with him?"

Katelyn shook her head once. "No, I don't."

A flicker of hesitation crossed the receptionist's face."I'm sorry, but without an appointment, I'm afraid I can't let you through-" "Wait a second," the other receptionist interjected,eyes widening as she held up her phone. She had just been scrolling through the news, and the face in front of her matched perfectly with the photo on the trending article.

Given her reputation in high society, it was only natural to assume she knew their CEO.

The receptionist straightened quickly, her tone cautious but polite. "Pardon me, are you Miss Katelyn Fuller?"

Katelyn offered a composed smile. "Yes. I'm a friend of Isaac's."

The young woman hesitated before responding,"Miss Fuller, normally we can't allow visitors without an appointment. But I can contact the CEO's assistant to confirm."

"That would be helpful," Katelyn answered smoothly with a nod.

The receptionist immediately picked up the phone and dialed Jacob's number.

Inside the CEO's office, Isaac had just returned from a short meeting. He leaned back in his chair, eyes closed, pinching the bridge of his nose to ease the dull ache behind it.

A knock sounded against the door.

Without looking up, Isaac said quietly, "Come in."

Jacob stepped inside, bowing slightly. "Mr. Bennett,the front desk just called. Miss Katelyn Fuller is here asking to see you. She's in the lobby. How would you like me to proceed?"

At the mention of her name, Isaac's eyes snapped open, his brows tightening in iritation. So she still wouldn't back down.

His voice turned cold. "I won't be meeting her."

He opened a file on his desk and added curtly,"From this moment on, don't take any of her calIs."

Jacob gave a crisp nod. "Understood, Mr. Bennett. I'l remember."

He exited the office and returned the receptionist's call,repeating Isaac's instructions word for word.

The receptionist turned back to Katelyn with an apologetic smile. "I'm very sorry, Miss Fuller. Mr.Bennett is currently tied up with work and won't be able to receive visitors. Perhaps you could return another time?"

Katelyn caught the deliberate politeness in her tone and knew instantly it was nothing more than a brush-off.Isaac was avoiding her, exactly as she expected.

Still, she smiled sweetly. "That's fine. I'll wait for him here."

With practiced grace, she crossed over to the lounge area and settled into a sofa, her posture calm but resolute.

As soon as she was out of earshot, the receptionist who had first spoken leaned toward her colleague and whispered, "Who is she, really? You're treating her like royalty."

The other woman gave her a sharp look before answering in a hushed tone, "That's Katelyn Fuller,daughter of Fuller Group's CEO. She moves in the same circles as Mr. Bennett. Some say they even grew up together. Do you want to be the one to offend her?"

The first receptionist frowned. "If she's so close to him,why wouldn't he agree to see her?"

Her colleague shot her a warning glare. "Keep your head down and mind your own work. Curiosity doesn't pay here."

···

Meanwhile, in Seraphina Villas, Verena carefully measured out herbs in her medical room, her focus steady on the medicine she was preparing.

Her phone, set on speaker beside her, carried Miranda's voice across the counter.

"Verena, you've been distant with me lately. You Verena let out a soft laugh. "You're always so busy. I figured I shouldn't bother you."

Miranda groaned theatrically. "I was busy, but now I'm stuck bored out of my mind. I'm venting to you while tapping around on my iPad."

Her voice brightened with curiosity. "So what's been keeping you occupied lately?"

Without slowing her hands, Verena replied, "I'm working on a new batch of medicine for lsaac."

"Medicine again?" Miranda's tone lifted with surprise. "Didn't you say the last time we talked that you'd already made something for him? Why more now?"

Still focused on her task, Verena explained, "That one was for external use. Since his condition's showing signs of progress, I'm preparing an internal prescription this time."

Miranda let out an excited gasp. "That's amazing! At this rate, he'll be back on his feet in no time. You really do live up to your reputation, Evelyn!"

Verena chuckled. "You're giving me too much credit.It'll take time, but I'll accept the compliment."

Their conversation slipped into acomfortable lull,each busy with their own activity while still sharing the moment.

Suddenly, Miranda cursed under her breath, startling Verena enough that her hand slipped, spilling too much of one ingredient. She quickly removed the excess and asked, "What happened?"

"You have to check Shoildon Entertainment's latest report," Miranda blurted out. "I saw it even from abroad. Don't tell me you haven't?"

Understanding immediately, Verena stayed calm, still tending to the mixture. Her tone was light, almost dismissive. "Ah, that? Yes, I've already seen it."

She had come across the report earlier that morning while scrolling through her phone. Miranda sounded baffled. "You've seen it, but you're this calm? Everyone in the comments is convinced that woman's Evelyn. Aren't you going to set the record straight?"

Verena arched a brow. "And why would I? I know the editor who published that piece. His writing has always been precise-never vague unless someone's pulling the strings. The woman they're talking about is just another wealthy lad, hardly a public figure.There's no story there. But the timing of the release,right as she returns from abroad, makes it obvious.She wants people to connect her name with Evelyn without ever stating it outright."

She placed the finished medicine aside, disinfected her hands, and said casually, "If she wants to play the impostor, let her. It only diverts attention from me. I'll sit back and see which assassin-for-hire takes the bait."

Miranda fell quiet for a moment, and then warned in a softer tone, "That's clever, but don't underestimate her. She's still part of the upper circle of Shoildon.if she decides to cross you, she'll only stir up bigger problems."

Where Miranda carried unease, Verena's voice stayed light, even teasing. "You're halfway across the world in Clokron, yet you're keeping closer tabs on Shoildon gossip than l am."

Miranda gave a small laugh. "Despite living in another country, I make it a point to keep up with news from back home. Besides, I follow that editor too. Normally, I scroll past his articles, but when I spotted Evelyn's name, I couldn't resist reading."

She clicked her tongue and added, "I mean it, though -what's your real take on all this?"