Chapter 264
Since Rowena’s refusal to shoot last time, Richard had been on edge, especially with the operations department at Nexus Innovations seething with frustration. They had even threatened to inform Alaric about the situation. Richard braced himself for the worst, preparing to grovel if Alaric decided to replace the brand ambassador in a fit of anger. But to his relief, things weren’t as bad as he’d feared.
“They say Alaric is ruthless, and the operations department has been creating this tense atmosphere, saying we’ve angered our sponsor,” Richard sighed, clearly relieved. After hearing the outcome, he immediately went to Rowena’s hotel room. “Turns out nothing happened? I’ve been worried sick these past two days.”
Rowena sat on the balcony, gazing quietly out the window, lost in thought. Seeing her like this, Richard approached cautiously. He squatted down in front of her and took her hand, trying to coax her gently. “Rowena, are you still mad? Don’t be angry. It was my fault last time. I was overthinking things. But I had no choice; after all, he is your ex-boyfriend, and his identity is sensitive. As your current boyfriend, I have to consider these things. It’s all to protect you. From now on, I’ll discuss everything with you first, okay?”
Rowena sighed softly and slowly withdrew her hand from his grasp.
Richard’s brow furrowed slightly, but he persisted. “I really know I was wrong. You’ve been in a bad mood these past two days, not eating much. How about I take you out for dinner tonight?”
“No, I don’t have much of an appetite,” Rowena replied, standing up from the wicker chair. She began walking slowly toward the bedroom. “You go with the agent and the others. I just want to rest.”
“Alright,” Richard said, his tone softening. “You rest here. I’ll have the waiter bring you dinner tonight. Make sure you eat, okay?”
Rowena didn’t respond directly, just nodded faintly as she closed the bedroom door behind her.
Once inside, Rowena lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling, her mind racing. She wasn’t really trying to sleep. Arizona had always been a place of heartache for her. One reason she had spent so many years developing her career abroad was that she hadn’t dared to come back. Now, with the casino choosing a brand ambassador, Rowena had been reluctant to take on the role. But her team had been insistent, and she had been hesitant to object.
When she received the notification that she had been selected, unease settled in her chest. She had prepared herself for a possible encounter with Cormac. She assumed, after so many years, that he was married by now, perhaps with children. She thought their reunion, if it happened, would be a simple exchange of “long time no see.” But things hadn’t turned out the way she had expected.
Her phone suddenly rang, snapping her out of her thoughts. The unfamiliar number made her hesitate, but after a few more rings, she answered.
“Hello, who is this?” she asked, her voice cautious.
“Hello, is this Miss Blaire?” A polite voice responded on the other end. “This is Stellan Knight. I got your contact information from the operations department. I hope I’m not disturbing you?”
Stellan had been in the lab for days, focused on developing a special drug for Alaric’s treatment. With him preoccupied with the jewelry company acquisition, she had been left to her own devices, feeling the weight of the situation more deeply. Today, another failed attempt at her research had left her feeling defeated, so she had decided to take a break. She played Rowena’s songs, which helped calm her down, and it gave her the idea to reach out to Rowena.
“Oh, Mrs. Knight?” Rowena said, surprised but quickly sitting up. “Of course, you’re not disturbing me. Is there something you need?”
“Nothing major, just feeling a bit tired from the experiments and wanting to relax,” Stellan replied with a smile in her voice. “Are you busy lately, Miss Rowena? If not, would you like to go shopping with me?”
Rowena, relieved at the prospect of getting out of her hotel room, smiled. “Sure, I haven’t really explored much of Arizona. I don’t know anyone here, so I’ve been keeping to myself.”
“My job here is to cooperate with the casino’s promotion,” Rowena explained. “The filming of the promotional video has been postponed until next week, so I’m free this week.”
“That’s great! How about now?” Stellan asked, her enthusiasm clear. “Which hotel are you staying at? I’ll come pick you up.”
“I’m at the Lulan Hotel,” Rowena answered.
“Alright, see you soon,” Stellan said before hanging up.
In just a few minutes, Stellan arrived at the hotel to pick up Rowena. Rowena opened the car door and slid into the passenger seat.
“Nice to see you again,” Stellan said with a warm smile.
“I’m happy to see you again too, Mrs. Knight,” Rowena responded politely.
“You don’t have to call me that,” Stellan chuckled. “Just call me Stellan.”
“Alright, I’ll call you Stellan, and you can call me Rowena,” Rowena said with a smile.
“Deal!” Stellan agreed, checking the time. “I’ll take you to the mall first for some shopping, and then we’ll find a nice place to eat.”
“Sounds good,” Rowena said, feeling lighter than she had in days.
Suddenly, Stellan’s phone rang. “Oh, I need to call Alaric,” she said, remembering she hadn’t informed him of her plans. After dialing, she spoke quickly. “Hello, honey.”
“Hello, my love,” Alaric’s voice came through immediately. “What’s up?”
“I just wanted to let you know that you don’t need to pick me up this afternoon,” Stellan said. “I’m hanging out with Rowena. I’ll come home after dinner. You should go home and spend time with the kids.”
“Rowena? You’ve only met her once, and you’re already spending the day together?” Alaric wondered, a hint of surprise in his voice.
“Yes, she’s great. We really clicked,” Stellan replied with a smile. “I’ll be careful, don’t worry.”
“Got it, honey. Have fun and stay safe,” Alaric said warmly.
After hanging up, Rowena couldn’t help but comment, “You and your husband have such a great relationship.”
Before Stellan could respond, Rowena’s phone rang. It was Richard’s name flashing on the screen.
“Teasing me, are you?” Stellan joked, noticing the caller. “Isn’t your boyfriend calling?”
Although Stellan didn’t have the highest opinion of Richard and Rowena’s relationship, she wasn’t about to interfere. She focused back on the road while Rowena answered the call.
“Hello, Rowena. The hotel staff said you left the hotel?” Richard’s voice was anxious.
“Yes, Mrs. Knight invited me to go shopping and have dinner,” Rowena replied, trying to keep her tone casual.
“Mrs. Knight invited you?” Richard’s tone perked up at once. “That’s great! I heard Alaric dotes on his wife. You must get along really well with her. Be careful with your words and actions, and make sure to keep her happy.”
“Got it,” Rowena said, her patience thinning. She wasn’t in the mood for another lecture. With a quiet sigh, she hung up the phone.
It was just a simple outing to shop and have dinner, but Richard always made everything feel so transactional. It was starting to really get on her nerves.