Bones Learn To Listen When Silence Speaks by Ryn Miles 190

Chapter 190 

It was only then that Aurelia noticed Cassian had followed her into the private room. 

“Yes,” Cassian replied. 

“No.” Aurelia answered. 

Two people gave two answers. 

Graham chuckled. “Looks like you two didn’t get your stories straight.” 

Aurelia had no idea what Cassian was up to, and she didn’t care enough to guess his intentions. 

35 vouchers 

“Ms. Corin, let me raise a toast to you. Congratulations on becoming the richest woman in Ashmont,” Breon beamed, raising his glass to Aurelia. 

“Mr. Youngkin, you’re a bit behind the times. The rankings have already changed. The new number one is Mr. Locke’s fiancée, Ms. Rowe,” Graham reminded Breon. 

Breon really hadn’t known. After all, the rankings had just been updated this morning. 

“Sorry, I’m out of the loop. But I still want to toast you, Ms. Corin,” Breon said with a smile, apologizing to Aurelia. 

Aurelia was just about to say she’d driven herself there and shouldn’t drink, so she’d pass it. 

But before she could say anything, someone reached out and took her glass away. 

Aurelia noticed the hand was still wearing a compression glove. 

Cassian spoke up, “Ms. Corin drove here, so I’ll drink this for her.” 

His words made Aurelia pause, and she finally met Cassian’s gaze. 

She was a bit confused, not sure what he was getting at. 

‘Is he actually taking the drink for me?‘ Aurelia thought, taken aback. 

‘Is he messing around?‘ she wondered. 

Aurelia didn’t even get a chance to say no. Cassian just tipped the glass back and finished it in one go. 

She wasn’t grateful at all. Honestly, she thought he was just being extra, acting like some hero for no reason. 

She could handle her own drinks. She didn’t need anyone to step in for her. 

“Cassian, what brings you here?” Tessa asked. 

Before Aurelia could get a word in, Tessa jumped in. 

She must’ve seen Cassian as she was passing by the private room and just popped in to say hello. 

‘So, they didn’t come here together, Aurelia thought. 

“We were just talking about you, Ms. Rowe, and here you are. So you and Mr. Locke came together?” Graham said, offering Tessa a seat. 

But Tessa just smiled and explained, “No, I’m here for a dinner meeting. I didn’t expect to see Cassian here. What a coincidence.” 

Then she turned to Cassian, pouting playfully, “Cassian, why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve come over and said hi to everyone.” 

“I didn’t want to interrupt your business meeting,” Cassian replied. His usually cool tone softened a little, and even his eyes grew gentler. 

As Tessa got closer, she caught a whiff of alcohol on Cassian. “Have you been drinking?” she asked. 

Graham chimed in, “Mr. Locke just drank on Ms. Corin’s behalf.” 

Tessa frowned and pursed her lips, not really getting why Cassian would do that. 

Seeing her reaction, Cassian explained, “It’s all men here. I couldn’t just let a woman drink, right?” 

He was just being polite, and that was all. There was no other reason behind it. 

His voice was completely indifferent, his eyes cold and detached, and he didn’t even look at Aurelia. 

Tessa realized she was worrying for nothing. 

Everyone could see how good Cassian was to her. 

She thought to herself, ‘I really shouldn’t have doubted him.‘ 

“You’re way too much of a gentleman, Cassian. But sometimes, not everyone needs that kind of chivalry. What if people start reading into it?” Tessa teased. 

Everyone picked up on what Tessa was hinting at, and things got a bit uncomfortable in the room. 

“Everyone, I’ve got another appointment, so I’ll head out now,” Aurelia said, clearly not interested in hanging around any longer. 

She’d only come by to say hi, and since that was done, there was no reason to stick around. With that, she turned and walked out of the room. 

Behind her, Graham started teasing, calling for Cassian and Tessa to link arms and toast together. 

Cassian just went along with it without hesitation. 

As Aurelia walked out, the laughter and teasing in the private room died down. 

As Aurelia stepped out, she spotted Kyler standing at the far end of the hallway. 

He was staring at the room Tessa had gone into, looking pretty bummed out. 

But when he noticed Aurelia, his face went cold, almost icy. 

Kyler kept replaying Murel’s flat–out rejection in his mind. 

Murel had been so blunt about it, like Aurelia was the only person he’d ever consider. 

Even when Kyler laid all his cards on the table, it still wasn’t enough to sway Murel. 

Totally stumped, Kyler just asked straight up, “Mr. Abbott, is it really just because of Aurelia that you won’t work with us?” 

Without missing a beat, Murel said, “Yes.” 

“I thought you were the type to keep business and personal matters totally separate,” Kyler said. 

“I am,” Murel answered frankly. “But it depends on who I’m dealing with. When Ms. Corin and I discuss projects, she always puts herself in the founder’s shoes. However, you and Ms. Rowe only ever see things as investors. That’s the real difference. Founders need more than just money.” 

Murel wasn’t budging, so Kyler had no choice but to make a decision. 

But he just couldn’t let go of the idea of roping Tessa in. 

Back at the hotel, Kyler was still trying to figure out his next move when his phone rang. It was his dad. 

His dad said he’d be landing in Ashmont tomorrow afternoon and wanted to pay a visit to Stephen. He told Kyler to come along. 

Kyler said yes. 

***** 

That night, Aurelia got a call from Zofia. She said she was really impressed with Aurelia’s business plan. 

Zofia even asked how Aurelia managed to make something as dry as a business plan so interesting and moving. 

Aurelia thought for a moment and said, “Someone once told me to write a business plan like it’s a love letter.” 

Zofia had never heard it put that way before. She was genuinely impressed and totally agreed with Aurelia. 

After all, the whole point of a business plan was to win over investors, to make them fall for your project. 

It was just like trying to win a girl’s heart with a love letter. You had to figure out what she cared about and write to those points, so she would get interested and choose you. 

Zofia asked Aurelia to meet face–to–face to discuss the merger deal next week, and Aurelia agreed. 

Right after Aurelia ended the call, Gideon called her. 

He asked if she had time the next day to see Stephen with him. 

Aurelia said she was free, and even if she weren’t, she’d make time for it. 

“I’ll come pick you up tomorrow,” Gideon said. 

“Sure,” Aurelia replied. 

The next day, Gideon showed up right on time outside Regal Investment, holding a bouquet of sunflowers. 

“Just picked these up on my way over,” he said. 

“They’re beautiful,” Aurelia replied. 

Most girls couldn’t resist flowers, and Aurelia was no exception. 

Seeing how much she liked them, Gideon was in a great mood. He even opened the car door for her himself. “Let’s go.” 

After the car drove off, Tessa finally stepped out of the lobby. 

She’d come to Alpite Group to check on the progress of Dreamscape, but she hadn’t expected to run into Gideon. 

Before, she hadn’t really gotten it, but today, she saw it for real. 

There was something different in the way Gideon looked at Aurelia. 

To be exact, it was on a whole other level. 

Tessa frowned hard, totally stumped. ‘What’s up with that look in his eyes? I just don’t get it,‘ she thought. 

Plus, ever since Gideon got back, he hardly ever reached out to them, almost like he was going out of his way to dodge them. 

Once Tessa got in her car, she called Jasper and asked if he knew what Gideon had been up to lately. 

“No idea. Haven’t seen him in days,” Jasper replied. 

“Can you find out for me?” Tessa asked. 

Jasper wasn’t one to overthink things, so he just straight–up asked Gideon’s secretary. 

He got back to Tessa, saying, “Hey, Gideon has a dinner appointment tonight at East Pastures Estate.” 

When Gideon and Aurelia arrived at East Pastures Estate, Stephen and Elias were already there, having coffee. 

Elias knew Gideon, but he didn’t recognize Aurelia, so he asked who she was. 

Aurelia glanced at Stephen for a cue, but since he stayed quiet, she just said she was Gideon’s friend. 

Elias assumed they were a couple and smiled, saying they looked great together. 

He couldn’t help but grumble to himself, ‘My son’s already getting up there in age, and he’s still single, not seeing a hint of a girlfriend.’ 

Glancing at the time, he realized it was almost time, and Kyler still hadn’t shown up. So he called to see where 

he was.