Chapter 415
Alaricka sat in her car for several minutes after arriving before stepping out. Only then did she realize her nerves were frayed—breath shallow, heart racing, palms damp. Her days with the Argent family felt distant now. Five years had slipped by. Here, Alaricka had to admit she felt “nervous about returning.” She lowered her head with a self-mocking chuckle.
A suited waiter had been waiting awkwardly by her car door. Not wanting to inconvenience him, she exited immediately. After a few steps, the waiter’s voice carried over: “Ms. Huston, Mr. Argent is waiting in the VIP Lounge.”
That voice…
Alaricka halted and turned. Her brow twitched. She knew him. This wasn’t a waiter; he was Kieran’s assistant. Kieran had an entire team; this one often shadowed him. Back then, he’d treated her with icy indifference.
Expression calm, Alaricka’s voice cooled. “It’s you.”
After a brief glance, she turned away. “Lead the way.”
Walking behind her, the assistant’s stunned expression went unseen. He stared at Alaricka’s retreating figure, dazed, before slowly collecting himself. The same person, features still recognizable, yet her aura had transformed entirely. Gone was the young girl—now she was Ms. Huston of Harmony Fame, the tech world’s rising star commanding universal respect.
Remembering who waited inside, the assistant sighed softly. Hurrying forward, his tone turned deferential. “Ms. Huston, the VIP Lounge is just ahead. You’ll see it.”
Alaricka said tonelessly, “Understood.”
At the entrance, the assistant stepped forward. “Ms. Huston, allow me.”
She retreated half a step without protest.
One wall was floor-to-ceiling glass. As the door opened, a blinding beam of sunlight swept past the window. Alaricka squinted. Fine dust motes danced in the air as the AC’s cool breeze swept through, brushing strands of hair from Alaricka’s cheeks.
“Ms. Shen, please come in.”
Kieran’s gaze snapped toward the door at the sound of its opening. The door slowly parted, first revealing a flash of red skirt draped against slender, pale calves. As the gap widened, Kieran’s eyes traveled upward with concealed urgency.
His focus settled on her face, a slight shift in his brow. Over the years, Alaricka had grown a bit taller.
The girl who was once naive had transformed. Now, Alaricka carried herself with poised elegance. Tall and striking in a red dress and heels, her meticulously crafted makeup seemed to glow under the light. Warm golden rays bathed her like a personal spotlight, making her radiate.
Alaricka had grown up. She’d matured alone, far from his sight and reach—grown well, lived well. Kieran thought silently.
After adjusting to the light, Alaricka lifted her gaze. Eyes tempered by time now held a sharper, colder edge. The aura between his brows had deepened, more resolute. Sunlight gilded his face as he watched her with restrained calm, lips pressed thin, expression unreadable.
Alaricka’s breath hitched briefly before she steadied herself. “Mr. Argent. It’s been a while.”
Years had passed. They were strangers now, almost beyond recognition. Kieran’s lids lowered slightly. His voice, steadier and more inscrutable than before, cut the silence, “Sit.”
Alaricka nodded, pulling out the chair opposite him. She set her handbag beside her.
The moment she settled, Kieran’s assistant stepped forward to pour her tea. Alaricka merely nodded, reaching for the cup. She took a sip, her composure unshaken.
The assistant froze, hand hovering mid-air. In the past, he’d never have served her unless ordered—even if she’d asked. But everything had changed. The glaring gap between their statuses now demanded he serve her without a word.
Had this happened before, she’d have beamed with delight, calling him “brother.” Now, beyond that initial glance of recognition, she didn’t spare him another look.