Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Her Attractiveness
Warren Prescott’s expression visibly turned unpleasant.
Cillian casually picked up the invitation Warren had just left on the small side table and said, "Since you’ve seen the surveillance, you probably don’t want to meet Rosalind Lynch, right? I happen to have nothing to do this afternoon, so I can go for you."
Warren stared at Cillian for two seconds.
"You’re not the type who likes to stir up trouble."
"Then maybe you don’t know me well enough. I’m off! I’ll take this as my loss." Cillian patted Warren on the shoulder and strode out.
Warren glanced at the lonely black ball left on the pool table, his thoughts drifting.
He had obtained the surveillance footage, but he hadn’t watched it.
Because there was no need to.
He trusted Ashley Shaw.
He had another use for the surveillance.
Uncle Rhodes called at that moment.
"Sir, there’s a very important company project this afternoon. The chairman asked you to attend and learn. Do you... have time?"
"I do. I’m on my way now."
The call ended abruptly, leaving Uncle Rhodes momentarily stunned.
He thought the young master wouldn’t come, as he hadn’t returned to the company since that day.
He expected to persuade him, but with things going so smoothly, he felt a vague sense of unease instead.
What’s going on? Could he be a workaholic?
"What did he say?" Lars Prescott inquired from his office chair.
Uncle Rhodes quickly returned to his senses and replied, "The young master said he’s coming now."
"Hmm."
Lars exhaled lightly, but noticed Uncle Rhodes had something he wanted to say.
"Speak your mind."
Uncle Rhodes hesitated but eventually reported, "These days, the young master has been dining and drinking with Afu and the others every day."
Worrying Lars might not understand, he added, "I mean the sons of Director Donovan, Director Hollis, and the others."
Finished, Uncle Rhodes apprehensively clasped his hands together.
Lars immediately understood.
This was networking with a few company directors behind his back.
His son caught on earlier than he did.
"Let him dine with whomever he wishes, as long as he doesn’t overdo it."
He intended to give Warren more autonomy for experience anyway; otherwise, he wouldn’t have let him audit the afternoon project.
"Mr. Rowan."
"Yes, sir?"
"There’s no need to watch over him anymore in the future. I’m not worried about Warren’s ambition being too great, just that he might lack ambition. The company will eventually be his; whether he takes it or I give it to him, there’s no difference."
Uncle Rhodes was taken aback, only catching a glimpse of the fatigue on Lars’s face.
"Chairman, you... are you alright?"
Lars smiled, "What could be wrong with me?"
But soon his smile faded, "I’m just tired."
"Once this project is finished, you could take a few days off to rest."
All Lars could do was sigh quietly, saying in a voice almost inaudible, "You know, I only have that one son, yet he just doesn’t understand my intentions. Honestly, I don’t dislike that Ashley girl, but she really can’t offer Warren any support."
"The young master is still young. He’ll eventually appreciate your good intentions."
Lars said nothing more, just added, "Mr. Rowan, when he graduates, I hope you’ll continue to assist him."
Uncle Rhodes finally understood; the chairman was genuinely planning for retirement.
"I’ll follow your instructions, but I’m afraid the young master won’t want me."
In every era, old retainers are always in an awkward position: indispensable yet seldom heavy-weighted.
He’s just in such a situation now.
Lars, however, was confident, "He will use you."
...
The sky seemed to have a gap; the torrential rain showed no sign of stopping.
Brooke felt a bit melancholic.
"Has the weather gone crazy?"
The assistant manager laughed, "Yeah, it’s raining even harder than the day Myron Vance and Reina Cruz broke up."
Brooke looked puzzled, "What Vance?"
The assistant manager remembered Brooke never watched soap operas and helplessly shrugged, "Nothing, just a plot from a TV drama."
"Oh."
Brooke replied, then glanced through the service window at Ashley Shaw, who was adding ice for customers in the dining room; she couldn’t help but shake her head with a smile.
"More customers than usual on a rainy day, it’s crazy."
The assistant manager handed over the phone mysteriously.
"Look at this."
Brooke looked down, seeing it was a forum from a nearby university.
The post contained a photo of Ashley Shaw with the caption: [Oh my gosh, bumped into a fairy while out to buy a cake today.]
Comment asking: [Wow! Is this a celebrity? Which store?]
[Pastoral Paradise.]
She scrolled further, and the comments had already reached over a dozen pages.
"No wonder..."
The assistant manager chuckled, "Thanks to her, we’ll probably be busy for a while."
Brooke directly took out her phone.
"Uncle, could you get one of your computer experts to delete a post for me?"
The person on the other end probably agreed, as Brooke smiled, "Thank you, Uncle. I’ll send you the link. I’ll treat you to a meal sometime."
Within minutes after the call, Ashley Shaw’s post vanished from the school forum.
The assistant manager was puzzled.
"I don’t get why you’d cut off a source of income like this."
"You don’t need to understand; just consider it...nipping trouble in the bud."
Kidding, this university is famous in Westcroft for its handsome athletes.
Her scholarly brother wouldn’t stand a chance against these college guys, right?
While they chatted, yet another group of male college students came to place orders.
Brooke was busy, and right then, the client for the 200 small cakes called to rush the delivery.
"Please have the cakes delivered within an hour."
"Oh, and it’d be best if they were delivered by someone young and attractive; it’s a high-end cocktail party."
The assistant manager relayed this to Brooke.
Brooke immediately looked at Ashley Shaw, who was helping outside.
Young and attractive, wasn’t that her?
"But why does delivering cakes need someone young and attractive?"
The assistant manager shook his head, "I’m a commoner, I don’t get the rich people’s rules. How come you, being wealthy, ask me?"
Brooke gave the assistant manager a look and took off her apron.
"The last batch of small cakes should be almost ready to come out of the oven. I’ll take Ashley with me, borrow the bakery’s van next door, and deliver them. Keep an eye on the store."
"Sounds good. You’re familiar with the people at that company, even if something goes wrong, they won’t make a fuss."
However, the kitchen’s machine started beeping, automatically printing orders, all of which were Brooke’s newly created products from the last two days that no one else could make.
Helpless, she could only instruct the assistant manager to go.
"You happen to know how to drive; go with Ashley to deliver. They asked for someone young and pretty; it’d be better not to send ’Acne Brother’ for that."
’Acne Brother’ was the nickname for the male delivery guy who worked with Ashley Shaw, given due to his acne-covered face.
"Alright, I’ll go see the world a bit."
"Be quick to come back after delivering. Don’t get dazzled by the glamorous world, hurry back to work."
The assistant manager wanted to crush it, leaving with a wry smile to call Ashley Shaw.