Chapter 4 The Set Up
"Come on, Mom. You can’t be serious," Elliot protested lightly, making the middle-aged woman next to him shoot him a sharp look.
Reluctantly, Elliot fell silent and sighed softly. He knew better than to argue with his mother.
"I just want you to meet her. What's wrong with that?" Rebecca crossed her arms, clearly not willing to be persuaded.
Elliot rested his chin on his hand, leaning back in his chair lazily. He shook his head weakly, not planning to say anything until his mom finished her lecture.
Rebecca immediately smiled brightly. "Well, then, you’ll meet Catherine tomorrow night."
"I can't," Elliot replied quickly.
"Why?" Rebecca's face soured again. It was always so hard to talk to her son!
"I have a dinner with a client-"
"Don’t lie to me, Elliot Harrington!"
"Ask Audrey if you don’t believe me!" Elliot had no choice but to drag his secretary's name into it, his face growing more frustrated. "She schedules all my meetings and events. She’ll know."
Rebecca narrowed her eyes, watching her eldest son, still single at his age. "Until you get caught in a lie, you’re marrying whoever I choose for you!"
Elliot couldn’t help but roll his eyes at his mom’s ridiculous threats.
Meanwhile, Rebecca reached for her phone and quickly searched for Audrey’s name. Elliot instantly grabbed his phone from his pocket and sent a message to his secretary, trying to beat his mom to it.
\[Elliot: AnswerYESifMomasksaboutthebusinessdinnertomorrow night.don'taskquestions!!\]
In a small room, Audrey, sitting on the edge of her bed drying her hair and getting ready to rest, heard the familiar notification sound from her boss.
She quickly tossed her towel aside and grabbed her phone, immediately opening the message. She knew better than to make her boss wait.
The contract said work hours were 9 to 5, but in reality, it was more like 24/7. Corporate slave life!
Audrey frowned as she read the message. It wasn’t because her boss contacted her just before 8:30 PM, but the two exclamation marks made it clear that it was an order, not a request.
Before Audrey could question the message, another notification popped up. It was from Mrs. Rebecca.
"Ugh, what mess is he creating now? Always lying to his mom!" she muttered quietly, trying to sound calm.
"Good evening, the beautiful Mrs. Rebecca," Audrey greeted with a bright smile as if the woman was standing right in front of her.
On the other end, Rebecca laughed softly at the sincere compliment, making Elliot glance at his mom. His secretary was definitely buttering her up, which was why she was reacting like this.
Audrey had a knack for winning people over with her charm, knowing just how to be friendly but keep boundaries. Elliot often relied on her during business meetings, especially with clients who were just as stiff as he was.
Without realizing it, a faint smile appeared on Elliot's face.
"You’re too kind, Audrey. There’s no way I’m that beautiful," Rebecca replied, still flattered. Elliot took this chance to step away from his mom for a moment, breathing a little easier without her constant pressure.
Although he stood by the nearby pool, he could still hear the conversation, probably because his mom had accidentally put it on speaker.
"Don’t be modest, Ma’am. Your beauty shines inside and out. Elliot always says you’re an inspiration to many."
Rebecca looked at her son, a little surprised. "He really says that?"
"He does. You always radiate warmth," Audrey added, smiling.
Meanwhile, Elliot could only smile faintly at his secretary’s verbal skills, which sometimes got a little exaggerated.
"You’re such a good talker, Audrey. You should visit more often, so I can tell you more stories. It’s like every time I talk to you, I feel younger because you make me so happy," Rebecca replied sincerely.
Audrey chuckled politely. "Well, thank you for the invitation, Mrs. Rebecca. I’ll arrange a visit soon. I always enjoy hearing your stories, and they make me admire you even more."
"Alright, alright. Don’t go on, or my head will explode from all this praise," Rebecca said, making Audrey laugh softly. "I called you because I wanted to ask... is it true that Elliot has a dinner with a client tomorrow night?"
"Oh, about that... Mr. Elliot just told me about the meeting. It seems to be last-minute, Mrs. Rebecca." Audrey grumbled in her mind at the sudden task Elliot had thrown her way.
"Really?" Rebecca’s voice wavered with doubt, making Audrey continue.
"Probably because it’s an important client meeting, that’s why it’s last minute. Mr. Elliot always makes sure everything runs smoothly, especially when it’s a big business deal like this." Audrey quickly thought of a plausible reason.
She wasn’t lying, right?
Elliot had just sent her a message, and it was him who had left the schedule out of the picture!
Rebecca nodded, though she still seemed uncertain. "Elliot is always like this. Sometimes I feel like he’s too busy and doesn’t think about other things. I just hope he could relax more."
"Well, Mr. Elliot is like that, Ma’am. But behind his busy schedule, I know he always thinks about you. He often says that you’re the reason he works so hard. He wants to make you proud," Audrey added, her tone sincere.
On the other side, Elliot couldn’t help but smirk, hearing his secretary’s way of talking. Somehow, everything she said was true. Was she observing him all this time? Suddenly, his heart raced faster.
Rebecca glanced back at her son. "You’re not making that up, are you, Audrey?"
Audrey's voice was smooth, reassuring. "I wouldn’t dare, Mrs. Rebecca! Mr. Elliot always puts family first. Even if he doesn’t show it, you’re always his number one."
But Elliot stood frozen, his mind reeling. The way Audrey spoke, so sincerely and so sure, made something tighten in his chest.
Why did it bother him so much to hear that? Was it the way Audrey seemed to know him so well? Or was it the fact that, somehow, she had become the one who could speak about him so intimately?
His stomach churned. He didn’t like it. Not one bit.
Without realizing it, Rebecca wiped her eyes, which had become slightly damp, smiling happily. "You really know how to talk, don’t you? No wonder Elliot relies on you so much."
On the other end, Audrey blushed a little, though the praise warmed her heart. Honestly, being complimented by a mother made her feel both touched and a little sad. "I’m just doing my job, Ma’am. But thank you, your praise means a lot to me."
Rebecca chuckled softly. "Yes, you really do deserve the praise, Audrey. By the way, when are you getting married? You’re old enough. Is there someone special?"
That question immediately increased Elliot’s senses. He paid extra attention, not wanting to miss anything. His heart raced faster.
Audrey laughed awkwardly, though her inner thoughts were groaning at being asked this far. "Hahaha, that’s a tough question. Nothing certain yet, but if you pray for me, who knows my match might come soon."
"So, there’s no one special?"
Still joking, Audrey answered, "There is, Ma’am. But it’s not time to announce it yet."
His secretary's answer made Elliot feel a pang in his chest. Even though he knew it was probably just a joke, he couldn’t help feeling disturbed.
Who was Audrey interested in? Why did it bother him so much?
From that point on, Elliot couldn’t focus anymore. Audrey’s words kept echoing in his mind. "Someone special?"
A tight feeling hit his chest.
Who was she talking about? Why did hearing that make him feel... off?
His heart started racing, and he couldn’t shake the sense of discomfort.
Elliot stared out at the sky, trying to calm down. Finally, he turned and walked away, feeling like something was bothering him that he couldn’t shake off.
"Mom, I’ll head upstairs. I have work to do," he said, trying to stay calm.
"Alright. I’ll wait for your father and Laura here," Rebecca nodded. "Let me know when you’re free. I’ll talk to Catherine again."
Elliot cleared his throat quietly and walked up the stairs to his room. Once there, he quickly grabbed his phone and contacted Audrey.
It didn’t take long for her to answer. "Yes, Sir?"
Elliot quickly replied, “Move the dinner with Mr. Mashimoto to tomorrow night. It’s urgent.”
Audrey was taken aback. “Tomorrow? That meeting is still three days away…”
“Just do it. We’re meeting them tomorrow night, no questions,” Elliot snapped.
The call ended abruptly.
Audrey sighed, tossing her phone. "That damn boss! He's infuriating!" she muttered, frustrated by the sudden change.
She knew that working with Elliot meant always being ready, but these sudden changes always made her angry. Too much to do, especially trying to convince that client.
"And what time is it, Mr. Elliot Harrington?! Huh!" Once again, frustrated and irritated, Audrey punched the pillow.
After a few minutes of calming down, Audrey got ready to tackle the last-minute task, hoping their client wouldn’t be too upset about the sudden change in schedule.
Meanwhile, in his room, Elliot sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his phone, questioning what he had just done.
There was something unusual in his feelings that night, and he couldn’t shake the thought of Audrey’s response to his mother’s question, which kept echoing in his mind.
"Damn it..."