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Stella instructed the driver to take the car back to the Walton residence. She didn’t get out but simply had Lydia dropped off, before asking the driver to take her away again.
Half an hour later, Tristan’s assistant walked in and reported, “Sir, Stella is waiting outside the estate. She says she has something to discuss with you.”
Tristan paused for a moment, his pen halting mid–air. He looked up at his assistant. “Tell her to leave. Say I’m not available.
“She’s probably here to talk about Arthur. I don’t want to h
“Understood,” the assistant replied and exited Tristan’s office.
about it right now. Just tell her to go. You know how to do it.”
Once the office was empty, Tristan silently pulled out his phone and opened an old photo, one that looked like it had aged with time.
It was a photo from over twenty years ago, one that his assistant had just managed to retrieve with special technology.
In the picture, standing in the middle was Tristan, with Stella and Claire flanking him. All three were young, full of life, and radiating youthful energy.
It was obvious that Tristan was positioned slightly closer to Claire than to Stella.
Tristan stared at Claire’s image on the screen for a moment, then sighed softly. “I never expected the woman who son would be you. I envy you.”
gave him
Outside the estate gates, Stella was waiting. The guards at the entrance knew her, and while they didn’t stop her from entering, there were rules to follow. This was a critical place in Clusia, so everything had to be done according to the higher- ups‘ instructions.
Still, they exchanged pleasantries. “Ms. Walton, please take a seat. Mr. Walton is probably busy. Ah, Mr. Walton’s assistant is coming out.”
Upon hearing that her brother’s assistant was approaching, Stella, who had just sat down, immediately stood up again.
“Ms. Walton, sorry to keep you waiting.” The assistant said, greeting Stella with courtesy.
Stella politely nodded. “Hello. How’s my brother?”
“Ms. Walton, Mr. Walton is tied up with some matters these days and can’t find the time to meet with you. Please accept our apologies.”
a
Stella looked slightly disappointed but said nothing. After a moment’s thought, she asked the assistant, “Could you please tell my brother that Claire is back? She’s not dead.”
The assistant smiled faintly and replied, “Of course, please rest assured, Ms. Walton. I will make sure to pass the message along.”
As Stella left and returned to the car, she felt a growing unease, an uneasiness that was oddly linked to Claire’s image, which seemed to flicker through her mind relentlessly.
*****
Many companies are often at their busiest during the period after mid–year, dealing with reports, budget management, business strategies, and corporate planning. The Chivers Group was no different.
Not long after mid–year, Morris had been caught up in a hectic period. Cherise, noticing how busy he was, refrained from
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disturbing him and instead spent the past few days with her mother.
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As Claire slowly got accustomed to life here, with Crow and Hank keeping an eye on things, Cherise had Hugh take her back to Chivers Residence.
“You guys must be swamped lately, huh?” Cherise asked from the back seat of the car.
Hugh, hearing her, answered truthfully, “You could say that. They’ve been busy non–stop for a week now. I heard from Steven that they’ve been so caught up, they even forgot to eat for a few days.”
Cherise nodded, her face showing concern. “Mm, after Group?”
to Chivers Residence, will you accompany me to Chivers
“Sure thing,” Hugh replied, sympathetic to Morris and his team. He was happy to hear that Cherise was thinking of them.
He figured that after Cherise’s visit, everyone’s energy would be boosted.
When they returned home, Cherise spent about an hour in the kitchen, and when she came out, she was carrying several thermal food containers.
Seeing her, Hugh immediately rushed to help. “Mrs. Chivers, are you personally making lunch for Mr. Chivers? I can already smell the delicious aroma from outside. Mr. Chivers is going to have a feast when he sees this.”
Cherise simply responded with a “yeah“, then added, “It’s not just for Mr. Chivers. With this much food, there’s enough for you, Steven, and Leo too. Let’s go to Chivers Group.”
Hugh was thrilled upon hearing this. “Alright!” he said excitedly.
Carrying the thermal containers, Hugh walked ahead, looking very pleased. Cherise, seeing him so cheerful every day, couldn’t help but chuckle.
As they passed by the full–length mirror in the entry garden, Cherise took a quick look at herself. Something felt off, so she called out to Hugh, who had already stepped outside, “Hugh, wait a moment. I’m going back to my room for a second.”
*****
Less than an hour later, Cherise and Hugh appeared at the door of Morris’s office, each carrying several thermal food containers.
Inside the office, Morris, Steven, and Leo were in the midst of a heated discussion about the company’s mid–year summary.
When they saw Cherise, both Steven and Leo were visibly relieved and excited.
After days of tension, with Mr. Chivers on th
verge of losing his temper, Mrs. Chivers‘ arrival was perfectly timed.
“Cherise, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be with your mom?” Morris asked, his voice filled with surprise but also a hint of complaint.
Cherise didn’t respond directly. She simply gave a soft “Mm” and then said, “You’ve all been working hard lately. I made some food for you at home. Let’s eat together.”
She then gestured for Hugh to place the thermal containers on the desk.
“Wow, Mrs. Chivers, you’re too kind! It’s enough that you’re here, but making all this delicious food too!” Leo, ever the tease, took the opportunity to shower her with praise.
Morris, of course, was the happiest. But seeing how much effort Cherise had put into cooking, he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.
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He reached over and pulled her into his arms, seating her beside him before addressing the others. “Mrs. Chivers‘ gesture is much appreciated. You three should sit down and cat with us.”
Unnoticed by everyone, perhaps due to Morris’s influence or Cherise’s own talent, her cooking had improved significantly over time, almost rivaling Morris’s own culinary skills.
Before long, the food on the table was gone.
When Cherise saw that everyone had finished eating and the thermal containers were cleared away, she paused for at moment before speaking casually, “Since you’re all here, there’s something I should tell you”
Morris looked at her with a gentle expression. “Cherise, what is it?”
Cherise didn’t respond immediately. She smiled and reached over to grab her bag from the sofa. After retrieving something from inside, she placed it on the now–cleared desk.
“What’s this?” Morris asked, slightly confused.
Leo and Steven, on the other hand, could no longer stay composed. They exchanged a glance and both exclaimed in surprise, “Ah- ah-! It’s two lines! Mr. Chivers, you’re such a fool–you’re going to be a dad!”
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