Chapter 76: Ambrose Vale
Galatea woke up to find herself alone in bed, her clothes still in place. A wave of relief washed over her, but a glance at the clock revealed it was just past seven. Where had that man gone?
She got out of bed and stepped into the hallway, only to be confronted by the team from Nexus Innovations. Her hair was a bit tousled, and her face still held traces of sleep—definitely not the impression she wanted to make in front of Alaric’s subordinates.
“Good morning, Dr. Hartley,” one of them greeted her.
The embarrassment was overwhelming. The last thing she needed was to be caught coming out of Alaric’s room at this hour, looking like she’d just rolled out of bed. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks.
“Good morning,” she mumbled, looking down and quickly retreating back to her resting room, closing the door behind her with a soft thud.
This was mortifying. Soon, everyone at Nexus Innovations would know she had spent the night with Alaric. There was no way she could escape the gossip now.
She ran her hands through her hair in frustration. What had she gotten herself into? She couldn’t help but imagine the rumors that would spread.
After an agonizing few minutes of trying to compose herself, Galatea finally felt somewhat presentable. Taking a deep breath, she left the room and walked toward the dining area, where, just as Silas had mentioned, breakfast was waiting for her. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and warm food made her stomach growl.
She grabbed a fork, stabbing into her sandwich with more force than necessary, her mind still racing with embarrassment.
The door to the dining room opened, and there stood Alaric, wearing a smug grin. “Heard you made quite the sleepy-eyed impression on my staff this morning?” he teased.
Galatea barely held back the urge to hurl the fork in his direction, aiming for his perfectly smug face, but she stayed calm.
“It doesn’t matter,” Alaric continued, unfazed. “It’s no secret that you’re my fiancée. Adults understand these things.”
“Alaric Knight, shut up!” Galatea snapped, a mix of anger and embarrassment evident in her voice.
Alaric chuckled, clearly entertained by her frustration. “I have an important client to meet later, and I’ll probably have lunch with them. You’re coming with me.”
“Why?” Galatea frowned, not at all eager for another public outing. “He’s your business partner. What do I have to do there?”
“As my fiancée, you should meet my business partners,” Alaric replied smoothly.
“Didn’t you say there’s some kind of opening ceremony or celebration banquet later on? I can go then. If I have to show up every time you have a meal with a client, I’ll be exhausted,” she complained, her voice tinged with irritation.
“Alright then,” Alaric agreed, raising a hand in mock surrender. “You’re not feeling all the way better yet. If you don’t want to go, I won’t force you.”
“Thank you, my dear and generous fiancé!” Galatea quipped, sarcasm dripping from her words.
Alaric narrowed his eyes, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “This sardonic little woman…”
Before Galatea could respond, Silas entered, announcing, “Mr. Alaric, the front desk called to say Mr. Gavin has arrived.”
Alaric glanced at the clock, noting it was still over forty minutes until the scheduled meeting time. “Tell the front desk to take him to the lounge,” Alaric instructed.
“Sure, Mr. Alaric,” Silas replied before leaving the room.
Alaric turned back to Galatea. “Our client’s here. I have to go busy myself. Take your time with breakfast.”
“Mhm,” was Galatea’s only reply, her focus now on her meal as she continued to eat.
As soon as Alaric stepped out, she let out a quiet, frustrated sigh. “Yeah, hurry off to your business,” she muttered under her breath.
After finishing her breakfast, Galatea was about to head home to catch up on her online consultations when her phone rang. The unfamiliar number flashing on the screen caught her attention.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Is this Galatea Hartley?” The voice on the other end was anxious, and Galatea immediately recognized it as Cormac Nash. “I’m Cormac Nash. I’m in a bit of a bind and need to consult with you. Can we meet? Are you available?”
“Yes,” she replied, curious about what could be so urgent. “Meet me at the coffee shop downstairs from Nexus Innovations. I’ll wait for you there.”
“Okay, I’ll be right there,” Cormac said before hanging up.
What could Cormac possibly need so urgently? Galatea had no idea, but she couldn’t waste any time. Gathering her things quickly, she left the dining area and pressed the elevator button.
As the doors slid open, she stepped inside, only to hear the doors to the adjacent elevator open at the same time. The receptionist was guiding none other than Ambrose Vale out of the other elevator and toward the reception room.
Ambrose, dressed in a sleek black suit with a light-colored tie, exuded an effortless air of aristocratic charm. He was the epitome of sophistication, his glasses perched on his nose giving him a distinguished appearance that captivated the few who took notice of him.
“Good to meet you, Mr. Alaric,” Ambrose greeted warmly as he shook hands with Alaric, who had entered the reception room a moment earlier. “I’ve always wanted to visit Mr. Alaric. Finally, seeing you in person, I must say, you’re even more impressive than the magazines suggest—a hundred times so.”
“You’re too kind,” Alaric replied, returning the handshake with a polite smile.
Ambrose settled into a seat across from Alaric after the exchange.
“Mr. Alaric, here’s a detailed partnership proposal I’ve prepared for you to peruse,” Ambrose said as he handed over the document.
Alaric glanced over it, immediately impressed with the attention to detail. The proposal was thorough, especially in the architectural planning.
“Quite good,” Alaric commented approvingly, setting the proposal aside for a moment. “As far as I know, this is the first project operated by Far East International since its inception.”
“That’s correct,” Ambrose confirmed, nodding. “Although Far East International is newly established, it’s part of the larger Far East Group. Finding partners abroad isn’t exactly