CHAPTER 157: THE ART OF IGNORING

In the morning,

The sun was peeking between the drapes of the floor-to-ceiling windows when Alaric woke up to the sight of the little lady in his arms.

A delicate strand of hair was resting against her cheek like a silken thread. Her lips were slightly parted, breathing soft and even, while her lashes cast gentle shadows on her skin.

He did consider taking her back to her apartment or to his guestroom, but he chose his bedroom. He looked at the half-empty bed and the little frame that chose to snuggle him all night.

Though it was his first time cuddling someone, it didn’t just feel good, it felt natural, and dangerously addictive.

It was hard to resist her charms and do nothing, yet he tried to take his frozen arm away and get off the bed.

He hadn’t even managed to pull halfway away when frowns appeared on her peaceful face.

"Wait..." Aveline groaned drowsily when she was losing his warmth.

He watched her nestling back into his arms. "Sunshine!?"

She hummed, rubbing her face against his chest and finding a comfortable position to rest like a cat.

She was aware that she was with him, yet she was cozying up without bother. He brushed the hair strand away from her petite face and warned her, "If I stay any longer, you will be screaming on my bed."

She froze for a moment. Then she struggled to restrain her grin and giggled as she opened her eyes to his gorgeous face. Her gaze lingered on his green ones. "Was that supposed to scare me?"

Starting his day looking at her, hearing her giggle, it couldn’t be better. "No," he responded as he kissed her on the forehead and got off the bed.

"To warn you," he added as he walked away.

Aveline guessed him to be entering the ensuite. She slept on her back as she yawned.

At night, she had woken up after he had laid her on his bed, but she was so drowsy, she just slept back.

Stretching her arms, she sighed, "That was a good night’s sleep." Her eyes brushed over the dark, sleek, textured walls.

A small corner of lush green plants caught her eye, and behind her, a delicate showpiece peeked from the shelf when she lazily flipped on the bed to take a look.

Then her gaze landed on the remote on the bedside table, and with a click, the drapes quietly slid open.

Warm light poured in, brushing over the armchair by the window. Her lashes fluttered closed as the bright sunrays kissed her morning face. When she opened her eyes, her hazel eyes sparkled.

Alaric stepped out of the ensuite and found her bathed in morning rays on his bed, her eyes sparkling and her smile breathtaking.

Feeling his gaze, she turned and smiled at the sight of him in gym wear, but the next second, her eyes widened. "I have to do my yoga," she announced, tossing the blanket. In one swift move, she got off the bed, pressed a kiss to his cheek, and darted out.

"Good morning." Her voice was light and airy.

By the time he reached the stairs, she was already downstairs. "Your mobile," he called out.

She was halfway to the door. "I’ll come for breakfast!" she replied, slipping out.

The house fell silent the moment the door closed. She had only stayed the night, yet the space suddenly felt empty, vast, without purpose.

On his way to the gym, he spotted Martha exiting the dirty kitchen with a faint smile on her face. Her eyes looked for Aveline before stopping at him.

"Good morning, Mr. Lancaster," she greeted. "Your pre-workout snack is on the table. I’ll bring your protein shake to the gym. And... breakfast for two will be ready on time." She had heard Aveline’s voice.

"Good morning," he said, giving her a small nod of acknowledgment.

....

At the lobby, Ivory Towers,

Disgruntled Oscar Astor arrived at Ivory Towers with his wife and daughter, who was dragged there. All they knew was that Alaric lived in the penthouse of Ivory Towers.

Dahlia herself lived in a grand apartment, yet the lobby of Ivory Towers was unmatched against her expectations. It wasn’t about luxury; rather, it was elegance personified.

Though she hated how Lancaster treated them the previous night, it was an undeniable truth that they were loaded in ways that would let her live her life celebrating every day.

Thus, the idea of marrying Alaric was just getting stronger the more she learned about his lifestyle.

"Dad, is this an expensive place?" she asked, wondering if she could live there and get the chance to meet Alaric frequently.

Oscar responded as they walked toward the elevator, "A few million a month as rent."

Dahlia’s eyes widened, and her jaw dropped when she heard it. She didn’t understand that rent wasn’t just about facilities, but also about the prime location of the city.

He glanced at Dahlia as he added, "Sera said Alaric owns the building."

That came as another shock to Dahlia. She started dreaming of living there with Alaric and owning the building in her name. Before she could count the number of zeros if she got rent from all apartments into her bank account, her dream saw cracks.

"Excuse me, excluding residents and people approved by the residents, nobody is allowed upstairs." A man in a suit spoke respectfully.

"What nonsense?" Oscar blurted out, despite knowing it wasn’t something new.

Dahlia narrowed her eyes at the man. "Instead of stopping us, call Alaric Lancaster and tell him the Astors are here." The arrogance in her voice was undeniable.

The manager was patient, ignoring cocky Dahlia. "Please take a seat. I will make the call immediately." He pointed at the waiting area.

Returning to the reception, the manager did make a call, but to Ezra. "Secretary Kane, I have sent you a picture of three. They would like to meet CEO Lancaster."

After a brief pause, [Let them wait there,] Ezra instructed him.

The manager looked at the Astors. Oscar was sitting with his head held high, his wife was busy adjusting her dress, and Dahlia elegantly applied her lipstick.

He reluctantly, but professionally in his work, approached the three and reported, "Please wait. CEO Lancaster might arrive soon."

That brought frowns to their faces. So was there a chance Alaric might not even arrive?

Dahlia slowly breathed to stay calm while Oscar’s face was dark. He was the brother of the country’s president, but Lancaster treated him like a random person on the street.

Having no idea that even the walls had ears in Ivory Towers, he dialed his brother’s number and complained about the audacity of the Lancasters and added that they should do something and show them the power of politicians over businessmen.

Before he got an answer from his brother Lucien, a sound from the elevator chimed. Not just the Astors, everyone in the lobby turned, and time slowed down when the faint click of polished shoes against marble echoed his presence.

A black overcoat draped effortlessly over his shoulders, framing the sharp lines of his light grey checkered suit. His crisp white shirt with the pocket square looked effortless. With a sleek motion, he adjusted his cuffs as he unhurriedly walked.

Dahlia stood up subconsciously while a chauffeur rushed to Alaric and received a car key fob from him.

Between the greetings of the Ivory Towers staff, a sharp voice cut through: "Alaric."

His steps paused, and his head turned to the side. His eyes turned dark, his expression cold when Oscar stood in front of him, feigning a grin as if they knew each other.

"Alaric, my boy, you look absolutely outstanding this morning," Oscar began with fake warmth. "We’ve been waiting for you." He added, pointing at his wife and daughter.

After a pause, he cleared his throat, his smile becoming more strained. "Listen, I owe you an apology on behalf of my daughter here." He gestured toward Dahlia, who was blushing beside him. "Dahlia can be quite... spirited."

Alaric just looked at the man who was addressing him as if they knew each other.

Mrs. Astor stepped forward awkwardly, her hands fidgeting with her purse. "You see, Alaric, we have only one daughter. We’ve spoiled her with everything, and she’s always been frank about everything. She just couldn’t hold back her opinion."

So, is there no difference between rude and frank?

Oscar nodded, continuing the rehearsed speech. "Whatever Dahlia said wasn’t a lie, anyway. Maybe she was too blunt. But Alaric, you might like Aveline, but I’m sure you know how the world is looking at her." He sounded convincing.

Dahlia and Mrs. Astor nodded at that when Alaric hadn’t even spared them a glance.

Oscar continued, "You have everything, you have a thriving business and a bright future waiting. Why choose a woman on a whim? It’s alright to play around, but relationships and marriage should be done carefully, because that makes or breaks the future and life."

Alaric didn’t react as if he was too lazy to do it.

Slowly, Oscar realized Alaric hadn’t uttered a word yet. It was like he was talking to a wall.

As if the air wasn’t tense enough, there was an elevator chime in the air. Alaric turned to the elevator. Aveline walked out, wearing a pretty yet stylishly formal dress with thigh-high boots.

Her expression changed when her eyes caught Dahlia, maybe guessing who those two other people were. Nevertheless, he didn’t want to ruin her mood.

The Astors’ expressions changed when Alaric’s eyes softened and he finally spoke as he removed his overcoat, "Sunshine..."

Aveline looked back at Alaric, and he continued, "Why are you wearing no layers?" With that, he draped his overcoat on her shoulders and adjusted her hair while hearing her response.

"I’m not feeling cold."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and took her out. "The temperature is dropping day by day." He reminded her.

She simply shrugged. "I’ll borrow your coat." Her sweet voice held a hint of tease.

Alaric: "..."

Then the Astors watched as Alaric opened the door of his Rolls-Royce, helped her in, then he got in on the other side before the chauffeur drove away.

They realized they had spoken to a wall. And Alaric Lancaster wasn’t like his father, who maintained healthy relationships.