Chapter 125 Adrian Cole
The man’s smile deepened slightly, as though he had been expecting that question.
“From people in the industry,” he replied smoothly. “You have quite a reputation.”
.Rebecca tilted her head just a little, studying him now with more attention than before.
“What kind of reputation?” she asked calmly.
“The kind that says you don’t make bad deals,” he said. “And that you’re very hard to impress.”
There was a subtle hint of humor in his voice. Rebecca allowed a polite smile to return to her lips.
“Well,” she said lightly, “that depends on the deal.”
He chuckled softly at that and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Then he finally looked down at the documents she had given him and began flipping through the pages.
Rebecca watched him carefully. His movements were slow and deliberate, but she could already tell something.
He wasn’t really studying the documents. Or maybe he was but not the way a serious investor usually would. His eyes moved over the pages, but his attention seemed… elsewhere. Mostly on her.
Rebecca leaned back slightly in her chair.
“So,” she said calmly, “which type of property are you interested in? Residential developments? Commercial spaces? Land investments?”
“Possibly commercial,” he replied, glancing back up at her. “Something with long-term growth potential.”
“That narrows it down a little,” Rebecca said, reaching for another folder. “Our company owns several commercial sites across the city.”
She slid a second set of files toward him and he looked at them.
“These locations are currently under development. If you’re looking for something with strong future value, these would be worth considering.”
He nodded, scanning the papers again. But once again, after only a moment, his gaze returned to her face.
Rebecca noticed it immediately, and this time, she didn’t pretend not to.
“Is something wrong with the documents?” she asked calmly.
He blinked slightly and then shook his head. “Not at all.”
“Then why do I feel like you’re barely reading them?”
For a brief second, he looked caught, then he laughed softly.
“You’re very direct.”
“I prefer efficiency,” Rebecca replied simply.
He leaned back slightly in the chair, studying her now with open interest.
“That’s exactly what I heard about you.”
Rebecca folded her hands again. “You still haven’t told me who told you all these things.”
The man tapped the folder lightly with his finger before answering.
“Your company has closed several large deals over the past few years,” he said. “And every single one of them had your name attached to it.”
Rebecca remained quiet, looking him over and waiting for him to finish what he had to say.
“In my line of work,” he continued, “it pays to know who you’re doing business with.”
“That still doesn’t explain who you are,” Rebecca said evenly.
He smiled again, and then nodded. “Fair point.”
He straightened slightly in his seat. “My name is Adrian Cole.”
Rebecca’s expression remained polite, though she searched her memory quickly. The name sounded familiar, but she couldn’t immediately place it.
“I run a private investment group,” Adrian continued casually. “We usually focus on technology and infrastructure, but lately we’ve been expanding into real estate.”
Rebecca nodded slowly. “I see.”
Adrian leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on the desk.
“To be honest,” he added, “I was curious about you.”
Rebecca raised an eyebrow again, feeling slightly amused. “Curious?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” she asked curiously.
“Because,” he said simply, “every time your name came up in a deal, people had the same reaction.”
“And what reaction is that?”
“They said you were brilliant,” he replied calmly. “And impossible to manipulate.”
Rebecca let out a faint breath through her nose. “That sounds like an exaggeration.”
“Maybe,” he said. “But I prefer verifying things myself.”
Rebecca studied him for a moment then said, “So this meeting was… research?”
Adrian shrugged lightly. “Partially.”
“And the other part?” she asked with open curiosity.
His eyes held hers steadily. “I’m still deciding.”
Rebecca leaned back again. Despite herself, she felt the faintest flicker of amusement. It had been two weeks of silence, work, and emotional exhaustion.
This was the first conversation she had had that wasn’t filled with pity, worry, or careful avoidance. It felt… strangely normal. But she didn’t let that show.
“Mr. Cole,” she said calmly, “if you’re serious about purchasing property, I’d suggest focusing on the files.”
He laughed again. “You’re very good at shutting down distractions.”
“Experience,” she replied.
Adrian finally looked down at the documents again, this time actually reading them more carefully.
A few minutes passed quietly. Rebecca used the time to glance at another set of reports on her desk. Eventually Adrian closed the folder.
“This one,” he said, sliding a document slightly forward.
Rebecca leaned over to look at it. It was one of the commercial properties near the waterfront.
“A good choice,” she said. “That area is scheduled for major development next year.”
“I read that in the file.”
Rebecca nodded. “If you’re interested, we can arrange a site visit this week.”
“That would be useful,” Adrian agreed.
She made a small note on the paper. “Thursday afternoon work for you?”
“Perfect.”
Rebecca closed the folder.
“I’ll have my secretary contact you with the details.”
Adrian stood up. For a moment, it seemed like the meeting was over. But before leaving, he paused and looked at her.
“Miss Rebecca?”
She looked up.
“Yes?”
He tilted his head slightly, studying her expression.
“You look like someone who hasn’t slept properly in a while.”
Rebecca blinked once. The comment caught her off guard.
“I beg your pardon?”
Adrian shrugged casually. “Just an observation.”
Her professional mask returned instantly. “I’m perfectly fine.”
He smiled faintly. “Of course you are.”
Rebecca didn’t respond. She watched as he walked toward the door, but before leaving, he turned back briefly.
“I look forward to Thursday,” he said, then he left the office.
The door closed softly behind him. Rebecca remained seated at her desk. For a moment, she stared at the closed door thoughtfully.
Then she shook her head slightly and returned to the documents in front of her.
But somewhere in the back of her mind, a quiet thought lingered. Adrian Cole. Something about that name still felt familiar, and she couldn’t quite figure out why.