Chapter 14

"Mrs. Hendrix, you know what Mr. Hendrix's temper is like. I can't possibly go against his orders," Aaron said, and he seemed hesitant. Diana paused for a bit. Aaron wasn't wrong. Ever since Vincent had recovered from his amnesia, he hadn't quite been the same. Or maybe it all started changing since he met Gabriella. Aaron knew Diana wouldn't make things difficult for him, simply because she was gentle, understanding, and had a good temper. However, a kind person like her ended up… Aaron thought of that person in the CEO's office, and he couldn't help but sigh. He suddenly felt sorry for the pitiful, frail beauty in front of him. "All right. Thanks." Diana didn't insist. She handed Aaron the lunchbox and quietly stepped back into the elevator. … Inside the CEO's office, Gabriella, with her legs crossed, sat on the black leather chair. She looked up at Vincent with a wide grin, her gaze alluring. It was already fall, but she still dressed lightly. Vincent set down the document in his hand. He looked up, and their eyes met. Chuckling, he rose to his feet and walked up to Gabriella before casually picking up the blanket to cover her bare legs. "It's fall already, and you're still dressed like this? Do you want to catch a cold?" Vincent chided with concern. Gabriella's red lips curled into a smile. She placed her hand on his arm and slowly slid it down before reaching for his warm palm. "I can't help it. I'm an actress," she said with a pout, her eyes full of affection. "I just finished a magazine shoot and didn't have time to change." Gabriella had been so busy these days. She had to go to the filming site every day and apply for leave from the directors to attend events. Her days were packed. "Since you're so busy, what are you doing here?" Vincent frowned, clearly disapproving of her unannounced visit. Gabriella leaned in with a playful whine. "I missed you! Am I not welcome anymore? Fine, I'll just go." She threw him a teasing glare and was about to leave. The next instant, Vincent's hands landed on her shoulder, guiding her back to the chair. "Since you're here, just stay. I'll take you home later," he said. "Are you going to ask your assistant to send me back?" She blinked and stared at him with a smile. Vincent looked down and said indifferently, "How would you prefer to get home?" Gabriella grinned. "I want you to take me home personally. Is that okay?" Vincent saw her adorable look and laughed helplessly. "All right. I'll send you back myself." "That's more like it." She beamed. Then, she sat on the leather chair and dangled her feet playfully as she scrolled her phone. Vincent returned to his desk and picked up where he left off. A soft knock came a few minutes later. Aaron stepped in, placed the lunchbox on the desk, and said, "Vincent, Mrs. Hendrix brought this over. It's stew." "Oh." Vincent didn't even look up. "Just leave it." Gabriella's ears perked up when she heard Aaron mention Diana. She instantly looked up, and a flicker of amusement flitted through her eyes. In a sweet voice, she asked, "Vincent, did the housekeeper make it?" Vincent might have been cold or impatient with others, but he was always patient with Gabriella. "No," he said, glancing her way. "Diana made it herself. It's vegetable stew." She had even added a few rare medicinal herbs. Stews like that often didn't taste great, especially with those kinds of herbs. However, Diana had gone out of her way to balance the flavors and mask the bitterness. She had spent hours perfecting the recipe, hoping that it wouldn't taste bad and that Vincent would drink it. Diana had invested so much time and so much care, all into that one bowl of stew. Gabriella's eyes darted around. "Oh… I see." Then, she requested, "Vincent, I want to try this stew. I've never tasted anything Diana made before." "Just try it if you want." Vincent didn't even blink. He waved his hand, gesturing for Aaron to bring it to Gabriella. Aaron's eyes flickered with surprise, but he said nothing. Gabriella sipped the stew, and a delighted smile spread across her face. "Not bad at all." "You like it?" Vincent chuckled. "I'll have her make it for you every day. How does that sound?" Gabriella's eyes lit up instantly. "Really?" Vincent's expression softened, and his gaze was full of indulgence. "When have I ever lied to you?" Aaron watched their interactions and left the office thoughtfully. Not everyone could just enter the CEO's office. Besides the two assistants, only the top celebrity, Gabriella, was allowed to enter as she liked. Anyone else had to inform beforehand and ask for Vincent's permission. Even Diana, Vincent's wife, had to obey the rules. Everyone in the company knew that Vincent disliked it when someone crossed the line, but it was different for Gabriella. As Vincent's "younger sister", Gabriella always had things her way since she came to Heyton. Vincent doted on her and would let her do everything she wanted to. If she were to ask for the stars, Vincent would probably try his best to get them for her. If Aaron hadn't known that Vincent was married, he would've thought Gabriella was actually his wife. Meanwhile, Diana's phone buzzed with a message from Vincent. He said the stew was good and that she should start making it every day. Diana stared at the screen and smiled. Thus, for the next ten days, she woke up early every morning. She would head straight into the kitchen and focus on perfecting the stew. Vincent hadn't come home once during that period. Diana knew he was swamped at work during the day, and he would stay at a hotel near the filming site in the evenings. He was worried about Gabriella. She was timid by nature and afraid of ghosts, but somehow, she had taken on a role in a horror movie. Maria approached her. "Mrs. Hendrix, let me finish up here. Why don't you rest for a bit?" Diana, already weary, nodded. She had been waking up at the crack of dawn every day, studying cookbooks and medicinal herbs guidebooks. "Thank you, Maria." Diana smiled, and her tone was gentle and calm. After washing her hands, she pulled two tissues from the box and delicately dried her pale fingertips. In the light, her slender fingers looked almost translucent. She walked over to the couch and sat down for a brief rest. Then, her phone buzzed again. She reached for her phone, and the screen lit up. It was a friend request from Gabriella. Diana was stunned for a moment, but she still accepted the friend request. Things had been awkward between her and Gabriella. Diana had never felt comfortable around her. Over time, Diana and Vincent had argued about Gabriella more than once. Eventually, Diana had removed her from her contact list out of anger. But now, Diana was trying to make things right with Vincent. That meant she could no longer avoid the things she didn't want to face. Vincent always insisted that there was nothing between him and Gabriella. If that was truly the case, then it was time for Diana to face it. This time, she didn't plan on running away. Gabriella never knew how to set a boundary with men. Most of the celebrities in the entertainment industry were like her. They were actors, after all. Intimate or kiss scenes were part of their jobs, and that kind of physical contact was something they couldn't avoid. Over time, the actors and actresses had a different way of setting the boundaries from the ordinary people.