Chapter 11
1294 Words
That evening, Rowan had drifted to the far corner of the hall, standing quietly with a glass of wine twirling between his fingers. He remained distant from the murmurs and gossip swirling through the room, unnoticed, untouched by the noise.
He was waiting for Cathie, when suddenly a footsteps approached.
“Hello.” A voice came lightly from behind him. “Do you think we could talk?”
Before he could fully turn, someone tapped lightly on his shoulder. Rowan glanced over, momentarily surprised. He hadn’t expected to hear that voice again after the chaos earlier in the evening.
Julia—Cathie’s friend.
She stood there elegantly dressed, exuding an unmistakable composure. There was no confusing her. He recalled how Cathie had called her name and embraced her earlier, as if Julia were a steady anchor in a storm.
Rowan studied her briefly, intrigued by her approach, then offered a polite smile. “Of course,” he replied calmly. “I don’t mind.”
Julia nodded once and gestured toward a nearby table set just out of the main flow of the room. “Over here. You can sit.”
They settled into their seats across from each other. Julia’s gaze never wavered from his face… not even for an instant. She observed him intently, searching for any signs of hesitation, discomfort, or guilt—anything at all. But she found none.
And that made her uneasy.
She couldn’t wrap her mind around it.
The image of the man sitting calmly before her felt completely at odds with the rumors circulating in the room. Cathie… her best friend, cheating? With him? He was undeniably composed, yes attractive too—but to her he didn’t seem to belong here. He still looked like just another opportunist; someone beneath Cathie’s status, someone who might be after her wealth, family name, or influence.
Jake at least had connections and power. Rumors had always linked Jake to influential circles… whispers about Ravenscoth lineage itself. Marrying Jake meant security and influence—a future secured at the top.
But this man?
He didn’t even seem aware of the weight that came with attending a Valente event. His boldness alone wasn’t enough to justify his presence here.
Julia folded her hands on the table. “I’ll get straight to the point,” she said coolly. “Who are you? And what do you want from my friend, Cathie?”
Her eyes bored into his, searching for cracks. For dishonesty. For the same emptiness she’d seen in men the day they shattered Cathie’s heart and walked away after climbing high enough for themselves.
For a brief moment, Rowan was taken aback… not by the question, but by its bluntness.
Yet he understood. To Julia, he was an unfamiliar face who had suddenly entered her life and disrupted Cathie's world.
Rowan briefly lowered his gaze and carefully placed his glass of wine on the table. When he looked up again, a glimmer of amusement danced in his eyes, subtly influencing his expression.
“I’m sorry,” he said lightly, suppressing a laugh that threatened to escape. “Could you say that again?”
Julia's patience snapped.
“Stop playing dumb,” she retorted sharply. “I asked you a question. And don’t pretend you didn’t get it.”
Rowan studied her for a moment before nodding once, as if conceding her point.
“Rowan,” he replied calmly. “That’s my name.”
He extended his hand across the table.
The gesture unnerved her more than silence would have.
After a brief hesitation, Julia shook his hand.
“Julia,” she said, then more composed this time added, “What do you want from Cathie? I’ve known her for years. She’s never kept someone significant from me. So I need to understand.”
Rowan regarded her thoughtfully for a moment before smiling.
“It’s simple,” he stated evenly. “Marriage, kids, and a happy family together.”
The words knocked the breath out of Julia.
She leaned back slightly, exhaling before regaining her composure.
“…Alright,” she replied cautiously. “How long have you known her? And how long have you been dating?”
She observed him closely, hoping to brace herself for the truth she dreaded—that Cathie had been cheating, unfaithful to Jake long before anyone realized it.
Before Rowan could respond, his phone vibrated sharply in his pocket.
The interruption captured his attention instantly.
He glanced at the glowing screen and saw it was Cedric calling.
He might have already done what I asked of him.
Rowan looked back at Julia, who was now watching him with keen curiosity and confusion flickering across her face.
“Excuse me,” he said politely. “I need to take this.”
He rose smoothly from his seat and walked away, leaving Julia staring after him in bewilderment with her mouth slightly open and questions lingering unanswered.
Rowan exited through the private reception corridor, slowing down only when he was alone. He glanced back briefly to see if she was following.
She wasn’t.
He let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. "Tch… she's so persistent," he muttered.
Suddenly, he felt a bump.
The word barely formed as something soft collided with his chest.
Rowan instinctively stiffened as a body pressed against him. At the same time, Cathie gasped, her hands instinctively gripping his shoulder to steady herself. Her forehead brushed against his chest as she struggled to catch her breath.
"Ouch… I… it—" Cathie stammered, looking up to see who it was. She flinched when she realized it was him.
"Rowan..."
For a split second, the scene replayed in her mind: his solid warmth, the way her hands had clutched at him without thinking
She recoiled instantly, stepping back as if the contact had shocked her.
Rowan watched her intently, curiosity flickering in his eyes at how quickly she flinched upon recognizing him.
"You… you jerk," Cathie snapped, her cheeks flushing red as she tried to turn her embarrassment into anger. "What the hell? Don’t you watch where you’re going?"
Rowan glanced down at his chest for a moment, as if replaying the collision himself. A faint, almost amused smile threatened to appear before he looked back at her.
"Look, I understand how this feels. It was just an accident," he said calmly, meeting her gaze again. "Trust me. I didn’t see you coming."
"Really?" Cathie scoffed. "Is that your excuse? Or were you just too blind to notice…" She didn’t finish her sentence; instead, she lowered her head for a moment as if struck by a sudden realization that pieced everything together.
Her brows furrowed tightly in outrage as she turned her gaze back to Rowan. "Wait, what did I just hear you say when you bumped into me?" she asked.
Rowan blinked. “What did I say?” he replied, genuinely confused.
“Don’t play games with me,” Cathie snapped. “It was you. I heard you. You said something the moment you walked out that door.”
Rowan studied her for a moment, narrowing his gaze as he replayed the encounter in his mind, and then sudden understanding crossed his face.
“Oh… you mean the word I used. She?,” he said, forcing a reluctant smile. “It’s nothing.”
Cathie’s jaw tightened.
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, loud and relentless. The word echoed in her mind, unsettling, and raising questions she wasn’t ready to confront. “She” Who was she? And why did it feel like something had been concealed from her all along?
Her nails pressed into her palm as she took a step forward.
Almost immediately, a voice sliced through the tension. “Hello, Boss…?”
- Writer
