Chapter 47
Clara had barely settled in for a half–hour rest when a knock interrupted her quiet time.
She opened the door and found Aiden standing there. His tone was as formal as ever. “Ms. Clara, Mr. Dylan has invited you for dinner.”
Clara, having only snacked on apples earlier, was more than ready for a proper meal.
As she stepped into Dylan’s room, the lights were glowing brightly, showcasing a lavish dinner spread. Dylan sat at the table, engrossed in a book. He heard her enter, looked up slowly, and said, “Please, take a seat.”
Clara felt her stomach rumble and sat down without fuss. “Thank you, Mr. Dylan.”
The table was filled with at least fifteen different dishes–a showcase of culinary delights from land, sea, and air. Clara was taken aback by the luxurious spread, impressed by the effort Dylan had gone to.
She picked up her cutlery and started eating at a leisurely pace. Dylan put his book aside and began slicing into the steak on his plate.
Clara was nearly full when she noticed Dylan had hardly touched his food. She was surprised, expecting a man of his stature to have a bigger appetite.
Just then, a knock echoed through the room, but it wasn’t Dylan’s door–it was hers.
“Clara, are you in there?” Addison’s voice called, probably about the big order they needed to discuss.
Clara stood up, but a sharp pain in her knee made her stagger. Her hand instinctively grabbed the tablecloth, pulling it just enough to send a bowl of butternut squash soup flying onto Dylan’s trousers.
She froze for a moment before quickly grabbing napkins to clean up the mess. The soup had spilled onto a rather embarrassing spot, and it took her a moment to realize that this might not be the best course of action. Looking up, she met Dylan’s steady gaze. He reached out, gently taking her wrist. His eyes were filled with an intensity. “Stop.”
Clara stood up straight. “I’m really sorry, Mr. Dylan. My knee just gave out.”
Her knee continued to throb painfully.
He held onto her wrist for a few moments longer, then asked, “Is it very painful?”
Addison’s voice was still audible outside, so Clara replied, “It’s not too bad. I have to head to North Ashford tonight. It’s a bit of a drive from South Ashford, and I won’t be back until late. There are apple orchards there, too, and I plan to talk to the farmers about prices.”
North Ashford’s farmers had sort of been neglected by the government in favor of South Ashford’s more famous apples. If Clara’s help was needed there, that was where she would go.
Dylan’s grip on her wrist tightened slightly, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin, leaving a warm sensation. He let go and said, “The farmers in North Ashford can be tough to deal with. They’ve got a lot of grudges from being overlooked.”
Clara was surprised he knew so much. Had he thought about North Ashford, too?
“I know. I’ll make sure they see I mean business. North Ashford’s apples are just as good, and they just need a bit more recognition.”
She turned to leave, but then Dylan’s phone rang, the screen flashing Simon’s name.
Talk about bad timing.
Clara frowned. What did Simon want now?
Dylan answered, putting it on speaker. Simon’s voice blared through. “Uncle Dylan, where’s Clara staying? I just
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Chapter 47
got to South Ashford and need to talk to her.”
Dylan glanced at Clara, who looked less than pleased. It either meant delivering a luxury purse to his aunt or apologizing to Quinn. Nothing good ever came from it.
Dylan kept his tone neutral, “Why do you need her?”
“It’s about the mess she caused. She said something on her livestream that upset some viewers, and now they’re going after Quinn. Quinn’s been crying, and I want Clara to apologize. She’s her older sister, after all.”
Clara thought back to her livestream. She had mentioned something about those two having a fling. It was true, after all. There was no rumor there.
Her distaste for Simon peaked, her mild annoyance turning into full–blown vexation.
“Uncle Dylan, Clara joined Ferguson Corporation just to chase after me. Now, she’s stirring up trouble to get my attention, but she shouldn’t be joking about Quinn’s reputation. So many people watched that stream, and if…”
Dylan didn’t let him finish and hung up abruptly. The room was blissfully quiet again.
Clara took a deep breath. “Mr. Dylan, I need to go. Addison’s waiting for me.”
“Alright.”
Clara opened the door, spotting Addison waiting not too far off. Addison looked surprised but didn’t have time for gossip, given the situation.
“Clara, everyone’s asking when we’re shipping their orders. Quinn told her livestream we scammed people and are saying we can’t deliver. Now everyone’s upset.”
Clara pushed through her knee pain, moving toward the door. “It’s okay. Let’s head to North Ashford.”
After a short walk to the lobby, she caught sight of Quinn.
This charming guesthouse was divided into two separate courtyards, one to the west where she stayed and the other to the east, with a street in between. And wouldn’t you know it, Quinn was staying right across the way in the east courtyard.
Chapter 48
Chapter 48
