Scarlette pped his hand away, about to speak, when her phone buzzed-it was ra. Her heart leapt for a moment, but seeing ra''s name calmed her down. Just as she was about to answer, Nichs snatched the phone, tossed it aside, and pulled her in for another kiss.


    "Why bother with the phone? Focus on me."


    ra felt uneasy when no one picked up. Remembering the tension between Scarlette and Nichs, she sensed tonight might be turbulent and wanted to check in. With no response, she shot Scarlette a quick message: "You okay?"


    Scarlette replied the next day with just, "I''m fine." ra took it at face value.


    Later, when Cole came by, ra handed him two boxes of fruit. He set some papers on the table. "Ms. Bradford, Jared and Jeffree are together. Jeffree is head over heels for him."


    ra smirked, getting why the elite fussed over suitable matches. At least, the daughters from big families weren''t reckless enough to pull a Jeffree and try to spill the Warren family''s secrets.


    She had dinner ns with Dn, intending to apologize, and had chosen the same hotel where Richard met his business partners. She tipped Jeffree off about the hotel, confident he wouldn''t disappoint her.


    ra brought along a brooch Cole had procured a special request. Though Dn never wore brooches, the goal was to apologize, and an expensive gift would do the trick. Watches were out; Dn''s were worth millions, way beyond her budget. Her limit was two hundred thousand, enough for a decent brooch, but not a watch without being a joke.


    Satisfied with the sapphire blue brooch, she prepared to leave. Cole broke the silence.


    "Did you schedule with Mr. Dnst minute, Ms. Bradford?"


    "Yeah, why?"


    Cole hesitated. After years in the business world with Johnny, he knew Dn was notoriously hard to pin down. Since going abroad, even the Ferguson family struggled to see him. His calendar was likely booked years out, yet ra managed a spontaneous meet-up. It was curious.


    Still at the door, ra changed her shoes, puzzled. "If you''ve got something to say, just say it."


    Cole, sorting through documents, chose his words. "Is everything good with your boyfriend, Ms. Bradford? I heard Mr. Dn was recently in the matchmaking scene, and the Ferguson family probably has potential matches lined up."


    ra caught his drift and smiled. "You think it''s too easy for me to meet Dn?" Cole stayed silent.


    ra opened the door, her tone steady. "Maybe I embarrassed him at the g, and he''s been upset, waiting for my apology."


    She used to think Dn was emotionally indifferent, but on that ind, he showed something. Coupled with the plum blossom incident, he wasn''t entirely without emotion; he just kept it under wraps.


    "As long as you get it, Ms. Bradford, you..."


    Cole put down the papers, removed his sses to clean them. "You might not remember much, Ms. Bradford, but I vaguely recall you were searching for someone."


    ra paused, reevaluating Cole. He''d been Johnny''s right-hand man for years, always precise and discreet. Johnny trusted him implicitly, and though Cole''s skills probably surpassed Johnny''s, he kept them under wraps. His subtlety was a skill in itself.


    "Who am I looking for?"


    "I saw you oncete at night, Ms. Bradford. You were nothing like the person you are around the Bradford family-cold and distant. Maybe you''d had too much to drink; there was a mystery in your eyes. If I hadn''t known it was you, I wouldn''t have recognized you. Once things settle at thepany, you should think about regaining your memories."


    Cole lowered hisshes, keeping to himself the part where she''d mentioned wanting to kill Dn. Who knows if it was just drunken talk or the truth?