Chapter 124 From Whom?
Two weeks had passed since Rebecca left Derek’s house. Two weeks since she quietly returned to her father's house only to move to Amelia's.
Two long, quiet weeks that seemed to stretch endlessly.
In those fourteen days, Derek had tried almost everything he could think of to get her to talk to him. He had called her several times, sometimes late at night, sometimes early in the morning, hoping she would finally pick up and agree to meet him. When the calls went unanswered, he began sending messages instead, long ones, short ones, even simple ones asking if they could just sit down and talk things through.
He even tried involving Amelia, hoping she might be able to convince Rebecca to at least hear him out.
But Rebecca had skillfully avoided every attempt.
She wasn’t reacting the way most people would after such a confrontation. She wasn’t shouting or sending angry replies. She wasn’t accusing him or demanding explanations.
Instead, she had simply withdrawn.
Every attempt Amelia had used to bring up what happened that day was gently redirected or ignored entirely. It was as though she had quietly placed a wall between herself and the entire situation.
The image Celia had sent her that night still lingered in her mind like a stubborn shadow that refused to disappear.
Sometimes Rebecca tried to convince herself she might have misunderstood what she saw. Maybe it wasn’t what it looked like. Maybe there was an explanation.
But other times the memory would return so clearly that it made her chest tighten.
Derek asleep on the couch. Celia leaning so closely against him.
The intimacy of the moment had looked too natural, too comfortable and very familiar.
Rebecca had replayed that image in her mind more times than she cared to admit.
But she still couldn’t bring herself to confront it directly.
To her, silence felt easier than reopening a wound she wasn’t sure she could handle.
So instead of dwelling on it, she buried herself in work.
Work had always been one of the few things in her life that remained stable and predictable. Contracts followed clear rules. Numbers made sense. Negotiations had logic.
Unlike people or emotions.
By the start of the second week, Rebecca had resumed her full schedule at the office.
That Monday morning, Rebecca was inside her office, seated behind her desk.
When she had arrived that morning, she had been greeted by a towering stack of documents waiting for her review. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, she had welcomed it.
It gave her something to focus on.
Something that didn’t require thinking about the past. She had already worked through several folders, carefully reviewing each page and making small notes with a pen.
Anyone who walked into the office at that moment would think she looked perfectly fine.
But only someone who knew her very well might notice the faint shadows beneath her eyes, quiet evidence that her sleep had not been as peaceful as she claimed.
Just as she finished reviewing one set of documents, the intercom on her desk buzzed softly.
Rebecca paused and reached forward to press the button.
"Yes?"
Her secretary’s voice came through the speaker.
"Good morning, Miss Rebecca. There’s a gentleman here who says he’s interested in purchasing one of the company’s properties. He asked if he could meet with you directly."
Rebecca leaned back slightly in her chair.
Normally, requests like that were handled by the sales department. But occasionally high-profile clients preferred to deal directly with senior management.
"Did he specify which property?" she asked calmly.
"He mentioned he’s looking at several options," her secretary replied. "He said he would prefer discussing the details with you personally."
Rebecca considered it for a moment.
"Alright," she said finally. "Send him in."
"Yes, ma’am."
Rebecca gathered the documents scattered across her desk and placed them neatly into a folder.
A few seconds later, there was a light knock on the door.
"Come in," she called.
The door opened slowly.
The man who stepped inside immediately caught her attention.
For a brief moment, Rebecca was genuinely surprised.
He was tall, noticeably tall with broad shoulders and a confident posture. He wore a well-tailored navy suit that fit him perfectly, the kind of suit that suggested he was either very successful or very good at appearing so.
His dark hair was neatly styled, and his face carried striking features that were difficult to ignore. His jawline was sharp, his eyes were observant and steady, and there was a quiet confidence in the relaxed way he carried himself.
Rebecca realized she had been staring at him for a second longer than she intended.
The man noticed immediately.
A faint, amused smile appeared at the corner of his lips as he walked toward her desk.
"Good morning," he said smoothly.
Rebecca quickly composed herself and returned the polite smile, though a faint hint of embarrassment crossed her face at being caught staring.
"Good morning. Please, have a seat."
He sat down across from her, crossing one leg casually as his eyes briefly scanned the office.
After a moment, his attention returned to Rebecca.
"So," she began, her voice turning professionally, as she folded her hands neatly on the desk, "my secretary mentioned you’re interested in purchasing property from our company."
"That’s right," he replied calmly.
"I’ve been looking into some new investments recently,” he continued. “Real estate seemed like the next logical step."
Rebecca nodded and reached for a folder beside her.
"You came to the right place then. She replied, before sliding several documents toward him.
"These are some of the properties currently available that might suit your requirements. The files include the location details, pricing, and development potential."
The man glanced at the documents briefly.
But Rebecca quickly noticed something.
His attention seemed to drift back to her far more often than it stayed on the papers.
"You must be Rebecca," he said suddenly.
She looked up slightly, surprised. She had never seen him before, and she couldn’t remember meeting him in any previous business dealings, so she w
ondered how he knew her name.
"Yes," she replied.
"I’ve heard quite a bit about you."
Rebecca raised an eyebrow faintly.
"Oh? From whom?"