Chapter 284
The sound of footsteps echoed outside the guesthouse, and Rowena and Richard quickly stood up, preparing to greet the visitor.
“Miss Blaire, Mr. Walker, sorry to keep you waiting. This is our new entertainment center manager, Mr. Cormac Nash,” announced Xavier, the assistant.
When Richard saw that the new manager was Cormac, he froze. His expression went blank, and he stood there in disbelief for several seconds. He couldn’t fathom it. “Mr. Nash?” he finally asked, his voice tinged with confusion.
Just a short while ago, Cormac had been a down-and-out laborer working at the docks. Now, in a matter of days, he was the manager of the entertainment center? How had this transformation occurred so suddenly?
Rowena, however, was thrilled. She was certain that Alaric had tracked down Cormac after their last meeting and that the two had cleared the air. Seeing Cormac doing well now made her genuinely happy. “Yes, this is our entertainment center manager, Mr. Nash,” Xavier repeated, noticing Richard’s stunned expression. “From now on, Mr. Nash will be responsible for all your promotional activities and other work arrangements.”
Richard felt an overwhelming awkwardness, the situation completely throwing him off balance. He didn’t know how to respond. Cormac, on the other hand, was equally unprepared for the encounter. He cleared his throat and instructed Xavier, “You may leave now.”
“Yes, Mr. Nash,” Xavier replied before exiting.
Once Xavier was gone, the tension in the guest room intensified, with only Cormac, Richard, and Rowena left. The silence was thick, and Richard, trying to salvage the situation, forced a stiff smile. “Mr. Nash, as expected of Rowena’s senior, you are knowledgeable and capable. Your previous work at the docks was just a form of training, right?”
Cormac merely smiled faintly, not offering much in return. Seeing that Cormac wasn’t engaging, Richard extended his hand in an attempt to make peace. “The previous incident was really a misunderstanding. I was just looking for a driver and didn’t expect to find you.”
“What’s past is past. No need to bring it up again,” Cormac responded curtly.
“Yes, you’re right,” Richard said, his smile forced and enthusiastic. “It’s all in the past. We’ve signed a ten-year contract as promotional ambassadors for the entertainment center. We’ll have a lot of time to work together. I hope we can cooperate happily, Mr. Nash.”
A ten-year contract? Cormac inwardly groaned. Over the next decade, he would have to shoot promotional videos, take part in various advertisements, and attend countless events. It was unavoidable. The very thought made him uneasy. He had to admit to himself that he still couldn’t let go of Rowena, even if he tried. Being tied to her for the next ten years felt like a sentence.
But there was nothing he could do. For Aurora’s sake, he had to make it work.
“I hope our cooperation is pleasant,” Cormac replied reluctantly, his words stiff and perfunctory.
Afterward, Cormac reviewed the promotional posters and advertisements featuring Richard and Rowena. Since they were a couple, the promotional angle highlighted their closeness, with their joint photos radiating intimacy.
“Everything looks great. Thank you,” Cormac said blandly, not allowing any emotion to show. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work. Please proceed with your duties.”
“Alright, Mr. Nash, you go ahead,” Richard quickly said, clearly eager to get out of the uncomfortable situation.
From start to finish, Cormac and Rowena hadn’t exchanged a single word. He didn’t even glance at her, deliberately avoiding any contact. After speaking, Cormac was the first to leave the guest room. Once he was gone, Richard’s smile disappeared in an instant. “How could the new manager of the entertainment center be him?” he muttered, his voice laced with disbelief.
Richard turned to Rowena, his gaze searching. Cormac was her ex-boyfriend, so she must know something about this. “Rowena, what’s going on? Why is he the manager?”
Rowena sighed, trying to brush it off. “Cormac and Mr. Knight are good friends. It’s only natural for good friends to support each other.”
“Good friends, Cormac?” Richard’s voice turned sharp with jealousy. “You sure call him affectionately.”
“Richard, don’t be so sarcastic,” Rowena replied, her patience thinning. “He’s already married. There’s nothing between us anymore. Didn’t you notice he was deliberately avoiding us just now?”
Richard was still uneasy. “It really doesn’t matter, so why avoid us deliberately?”
Rowena glared at him, feeling frustration bubble up. Then, suddenly, Richard’s tone shifted, and he said something that made her blood run cold. “You just said he’s good friends with Alaric? Since you knew that, you should’ve expected to run into Cormac when you became a promotional ambassador for Nexus Innovations’ entertainment center.”
Rowena’s eyes narrowed. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m not trying to say anything,” Richard replied quickly, sensing her growing irritation. “I’m just uneasy as your boyfriend. Rowena, you know, I made our relationship public at the peak of my career. You know how many fans I lost. Now, many female fans are still chasing and cursing me. I’ve really given you a lot of security, so you can’t…”
“What are you talking about?” Rowena interrupted, her voice rising. “He’s already married. There will be nothing going on between us. If you’re not comfortable, you can handle the work next time.”
Without waiting for him to respond, Rowena turned on her heel and stormed out. In her haste, she bumped into Xavier, who was coming around the corner, carrying a coffee in his hand.
The coffee splashed across Rowena’s clothes, and she let out a frustrated sigh. Xavier, clearly panicked, stammered, “I’m really sorry, Miss Blaire! I’ll clean it up right away!” He scrambled to find a wet wipe, his face flushed with embarrassment.
“It’s okay. I’ll handle it myself,” Rowena said with a forced calm, trying to stay composed. She then turned to Richard and said, “You go wait in the car. I’ll go clean up in the restroom.”
“Alright,” Richard replied, still looking uncertain, and headed for the elevator.
Later that evening, Cormac returned to the apartment, where Aurora was waiting. She eagerly greeted him, “Cormac, are you done with work?”
“Yeah,” Cormac replied, feeling a rare sense of relief. “Today, I’ll take you out for dinner. Just this once, and then I’ll cook for you.”
Aurora smiled brightly, clearly excited. “Okay, thank you, Cormac.” She hesitated for a moment before adding, “Cormac, did I cause you a lot of trouble? If I hadn’t gone sketching, then…”
“You didn’t cause me any trouble,” Cormac interrupted gently. “In fact, you helped me.”
Aurora blinked, confused. “Helped you? How?”
Cormac smiled knowingly but didn’t explain further. “You wouldn’t understand, kid. Let’s go. We’re going out for dinner.”
As they left the apartment, hand in hand, they walked past the restroom where Rowena had just emerged. It was the first time Cormac and Rowena were face-to-face since their difficult separation. Neither of them knew how to react.