Chapter 36 The CEO's Two Portions
"When are you leaving for Riverton?" Kent asked as he and Elliot were talking alone on the back patio after a late dinner.
Rebecca was already asleep, while Finn was still not home.
"In three days." Elliot answered briefly.
"Alone?"
"According to the plan, with Stu," his eldest son answered more softly, sipping his warm tea.
He seemed to stare blankly ahead, which made Kent quite concerned. "So you haven't told the woman anything?"
Elliot was slightly surprised but quickly calmed himself by sipping his tea again before finally speaking, "I don't understand what my father means—"
"The woman in the article that time," Kent interjected, not wanting to beat around the bush, causing Elliot to spontaneously turn toward his father, who was already chuckling softly, laughing at Elliot's easily provoked and transparent demeanor.
"Are you really unwilling to tell me who she is?" This time, it was Kent who sipped his tea.
Elliot remained silent and hesitant.
"Or do I need to find out myself—"
"Dad, please." Elliot looked at Kent pleadingly, letting out a slightly heavy sigh. "I... don't want to talk about that right now..."
"You must have had a fight with her," Kent guessed with a thin, victorious smile, placing his cup on the table, making Elliot bewildered again.
"We didn't fight!" Realizing his foolishness and Kent chuckling again, Elliot just snorted softly while looking away.
It seemed Elliot was better off keeping his mouth shut than being provoked when he was with his father.
"Ah, of course. That's what I always say when your mother and I are fighting."
Elliot's face tightened even more, while Kent laughed harder.
"How is the progress with the acquisition process?" Kent finally decided to talk about something else, which Elliot seemed to prefer.
Hearing that, Elliot's mind immediately drifted to the presence of the legal team and the image of Audrey and Bruce, making him provoked again.
Slightly annoyed, Elliot put down his cup and straightened his body. "Can't we talk about something else?"
"Then what else should I talk about?" Kent asked again, leaning back in the chair and looking at Elliot with concern.
Elliot let out a long sigh, both his arms folded across his chest. He looked at his now-empty teacup. "I just... don't want to talk about anything related to work or... anything else."
Kent tilted his head, smiling faintly. "You know, the more you avoid this conversation, the more curious I get."
"Dad..." Elliot looked at Kent with an expression of despair. "Come on..."
"Okay, okay," Kent quickly replied, trying to accommodate his son's request. However, this was a rare opportunity not to tease Elliot. "We won't talk about work, women, or anything that makes you anxious. So, how's the stray cat that likes to come here? Still bothering you often?"
Elliot snorted, giving his father an annoyed look. "He still comes often, but only if there's food on the kitchen table."
"Ah, I knew he would come back," Kent chuckled. "That cat is exactly like you. Only approaches when there's something important."
Elliot rolled his eyes lazily. Meanwhile, though Kent seemed relaxed, his gaze turned serious again. "But seriously, I want to know what's bothering you. You're not the type of person who easily looks anxious. Especially to the point of refusing to talk about work."
The one being asked hesitated to answer. However, after a few seconds, he sighed again. "I... just feel uneasy lately, Dad. That's all."
"Uneasy because of what? That woman?" Kent guessed playfully again, though his eyes were full of concern.
"No," Elliot quickly replied, but his expression became even more readable.
Kent raised an eyebrow, smiling broadly. "It's very clear. That woman."
Elliot snorted irritably, looking away at the dark garden in front of them. "Dad, truly. I don't want to discuss this."
"Fine, fine," Kent said, patting Elliot's shoulder softly. "But listen to me. If you really feel uneasy because of someone, don't just stay silent. Do you know what it feels like to regret not expressing what's in your heart?"
Elliot slowly turned his head, looking at his father with a slightly furrowed brow. "What do you mean?"
Kent just smiled faintly, picked up his teacup, and stood up. "I just don't want you to make the same mistake I did. Sometimes, keeping something inside for too long just makes everything more complicated."
The old man patted Elliot's shoulder once more before stepping inside the house. Leaving his son whose thoughts were becoming increasingly complicated.
Elliot's restlessness intensified. The feeling of jealousy he tried to ignore turned into a childish reason he created himself: making sure Audrey was too busy talking to, let alone being in the same room as, Bruce!
Since the incident where he reprimanded his secretary, Elliot kept dumping a pile of work onto her desk. Starting from detailed reports, schedule revisions, to additional documents that weren't even very urgent. He even ordered Audrey to redo several document files back to their original versions.
Unfortunately, Elliot only became more pressured because Audrey still did it with a professional smile and attitude without arguing at all, even though the man could see the lines of fatigue on his secretary's face.
"Am I being too hard on her?" Elliot muttered as he typed something on his laptop. However, the image of Bruce bothered him again. She is my secretary! I have the right to ask her to focus on her work.
That uneasy feeling reached its peak when, as Elliot passed the personal assistants' room, he overheard a conversation that stopped his steps.
"Audrey, please, take a break for a bit," Liam's voice sounded pleading.
"I'm fine, Liam," Audrey replied, her voice tired but still calm.
"Fine what? Look at your face! You're even paler than this paper," Liam retorted, starting to sound annoyed. "If you keep going like this, I guarantee you'll collapse before the end of the week!"
Elliot stood silently outside the room, not wanting to go in right away. He peeked through the slightly open door crack.
Audrey smiled faintly while tidying the documents in her hand. "I'm okay. I just need to finish everything on time. Otherwise, I'll disappoint Mr. Harrington."
Liam snorted irritably. "Seriously? You work like this, he won't be disappointed. But if you collapse? Do you think he'll care?"
"Liam!" Audrey said a little louder, signaling for the man to be a bit careful when talking about Elliot. "I have to be professional. I don't want to give him a reason to think I'm incapable."
Liam let out a long sigh, his eyes looking at Audrey with an expression of frustration. "Being professional doesn't mean sacrificing your health, Audrey."
Behind the door, Elliot clenched his fist. A feeling of guilt began to gnaw at him. He sighed, deciding to enter the room.
"What are you two doing?" he asked coldly, making Liam and Audrey turn in surprise.
"Mr. Harrington!" Liam stood straight, clearly startled.
Audrey immediately put down the documents in her hand, putting on her professional smile even though fatigue was still clearly visible on her face. "Is there anything I can help you with, Sir?"
Elliot walked closer, his eyes sweeping over Audrey's desk, which was full of scattered documents, and also catching a cup of cold coffee that was only half-drunk.
"Why is all of this not finished yet?" Elliot asked, trying to sound flat.
"I am finishing it, Sir," Audrey replied, her voice remaining polite, as was her smile.
"You haven't even had a proper lunch," Elliot countered, glancing at the small food wrapper in the corner of Audrey's desk that had only been partially eaten. His heart ached even more. "How can you work optimally if you're like this?"
Audrey seemed a little surprised to hear that tone. "I'm fine, Sir. I just need a little more time to finish it."
Liam, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up. "Sir, I apologize for speaking, but Audrey has been working non-stop for the past three days. She hasn't even had time to rest properly."
Elliot looked sharply at Liam, but not out of anger. "You think I don't know?" he muttered, more to himself.
He turned to look at Audrey again, "Rest now." His voice sounded full of command.
"But, Sir—"
"Rest." Elliot stared deeper at Audrey. "Now."
Audrey was silent for a few seconds before finally nodding slowly. "Yes, Sir," she said, although her face looked hesitant.
Elliot then walked away from there and said without turning, "And order me lunch. Two portions."