85

David nodded after listening. Aria was his niece, and he had no reason to disregard her.
With a warm smile, he asked, “Aria, what are your plans for the future?”
David, being the Deputy Mayor, could easily arrange for his niece to find a leisurely job.
However, Aria responded, “Uncle, I majored in performing arts in college. I want to enter the entertainment industry.”
Aria’s statement surprised him. She seated herself beside David, holding his arm with a hint of coquetry. “Uncle, you must help me.”
“When Aria was at school, she played some roles. Her teachers praised her talents, saying she was a rising star. She loves performing, and as her uncle, you must support her,” Mrs. Ada chimed in.
David slightly furrowed his brow. With two daughters already in the entertainment business and now his niece aspiring for the same, this was becoming quite a pot of stew.
“So, Aria wants to become a star. That’s not a problem. I’ll ask Robert to arrange for a competent agent to guide you,” Charlotte smoothly continued the conversation.
Mrs. Ada’s suggestion was likely aiming to place Aria in Moonlit Art Inc. David, being a filial son, would undoubtedly not oppose his mother. Regardless of whether Aria enters the company, it seemed almost certain. Charlotte might as well put it forth early and appear accommodating.
Indeed, Mrs. Ada’s gaze softened considerably.
Aria was triumphant, expressing her gratitude, “Thank you, Uncle. Thank you, Aunt.”
Victoria remained silent, wearing a faintly scornful smile on her lips.
Isabella sat by, seemingly enjoying the drama.
In her view, although Mrs. Ada was astute, her cultural literacy was limited. While Mrs. Ada might think she’s arranging for Aria’s benefit by placing her in Moonlit Art Inc., the truth was that Aria, in Robert’s hands, wouldn’t make much of a splash.
With gifts distributed and the necessary conversations exchanged, breakfast was going cold. The family finally sat down at the table.
After the house quieted down, Isabella left and went to a bar. She instinctively took out her phone and dialed Andrew’s number.
She didn’t know when it started, but whenever she felt upset, she immediately thought of him.
“What are you doing?” she asked as the call connected.
“Just got free,” Andrew replied. Five minutes ago, he had just finished a video conference with the UK branch and was currently relaxing in his office chair.
“If you’re not busy, come out for a drink with me,” she casually said.
He hesitated briefly but agreed. He knew Isabella wasn’t a heavy drinker, and when the little girl wanted a drink, it meant her mood wasn’t great.
“Send me the location, I’ll come find you,” he said as he hung up, grabbing his suit jacket.
As he walked out, Ryan happened to enter. “Leaving to rest?”
They had been working two consecutive nights, and even Andrew, known for his resilience, couldn’t withstand it. His eyes showed slight signs of fatigue.
“Right,” Andrew casually responded, bypassing him and leaving the office.
“Why in such a hurry?” Ryan muttered in confusion. He felt like Alpha’s hurried departure resembled going on a date.
However, the only response he received was the sound of the door closing heavily. Andrew left the office and headed straight for the underground parking lot.
In his phone, Andrew had Isabella’s location, not far from the company, just a ten-minute drive away.
As he entered the bar, Isabella was already sitting at the counter with a case of beer in front of her.
He sat down beside her, adopting a casual posture.
Isabella turned slightly, gazing at him without blinking. All she saw was a profile of a man, dressed in a charcoal gray suit, displaying his usual composure and aloofness.
Observing him for a while, she didn’t miss the trace of weariness between his brows. He seemed tired.
“After all that staring, not had enough yet?” Andrew’s gaze wandered ahead as he gracefully picked up a glass, swishing it lightly.
Drinking the same beverage, he appeared so refined, while she felt like a cow drinking. What a disparity.
“Been busy lately?” she casually asked.
“Yeah, had a lot of work recently,” he replied, brushing off the weight of the question.
After Henry went back, Thomas wasn’t staying put either. Even at the verge of entering the grave, he still had the energy to cause trouble for him.
Watching his slightly reddened eyes, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity.
“It’s good to have serious things to do, but don’t push yourself too hard. Your primary task now is to take care of Asher.” Isabella thought that as her man, if he could avoid drugs, gambling, and drinking, and earn money to support the family, that was her task.
Andrew: “…”
Alright, in her mind, he was forever stuck as the ‘jobless drifter’ and the ‘househusband’.
He didn’t want to continue this conversation, so he subtly changed the subject. “Feeling down?”
Isabella remembered the troublesome grandmother and granddaughter duo.
“My grandma, David’s mother, and my cousin Aria just came back from England.”
“When my mom was alive, she sympathized with Aria’s unfortunate background and treated her exceptionally well. She let her choose first for good food and fun things before me. But my grandmother and Aria not only lacked gratitude, they became even more demanding. On Aria’s birthday, my mom put in a lot of effort to organize her party and choose gifts. But on my birthday, if the gift was slightly more expensive, they would complain that my mom was biased and cause a scene. After many arguments, my mom became disheartened and wasn’t as sincere towards them,” Isabella explained.
“People often take advantage when you give in, the more you concede, the more they demand,” Andrew said, his deep blue eyes momentarily flashing a hint of coldness.
Isabella felt his words seemed directed not only at her grandmother and Aria.
However, the frostiness in his eyes dissipated quickly, and before she could dwell on it, he continued, “Now that your mother isn’t the matriarch of the Harris family, Charlotte might not be as forgiving. But the greed between your grandmother and cousin won’t change, there will be inevitable conflicts of interest between them. Isabella, do you remember me telling you about using leverage?”
Listening to Andrew talk always gave her a sense of enlightenment.
In the eyes of those people, the Harris family was a piece of meat. Mrs. Ada and Aria wanted to take more bites. Charlotte aimed to claim that piece of meat for herself and naturally wouldn’t want others to have a share.
Isabella had seen wildlife documentaries where hyenas, wolves, and leopards fought over food. She felt she didn’t need to do much; just at the right time, ignite a few sparks and watch them battle, then reap the rewards.
At this moment, Isabella didn’t just admire and look up to Andrew; she almost worshipped him, he seems to be capable of anything.