Chapter 14
Although Autumn had expected the man to be good–looking, seeing his face still caught her off guard. How could anyone possess such exquisitely defined features and a flawlessly sculpted profile?
It wasn’t the first time she had encountered a handsome man, but the last time someone had left her this stunned… It had also been him.
Three years ago, he had appeared at the small, private wedding she held with Damien.
His name was Dawson Faulkner–Damien’s older half–brother.
At their first meeting, Autumn was on edge—not just because of the sheer force of his looks but also because of his commanding presence, which made people instinctively hold their breath.
Three years had passed, and Dawson’s presence had only grown more composed–and more inscrutable. Though dressed simply in a long black coat and casual attire, he still exuded an undeniable air of mystery.
For a moment, Autumn forgot to breathe.
She hadn’t expected to run into Dawson, especially not in this place.
Jamie said, “Mr. Faulkner, this is my old elementary school deskmate, Olivia Clements, and her friend, Autumn Gray. Both are top talents in the tech field.”
Then, turning to Olivia and Autumn, he added, “This is my boss, Dawson Faulkner.”
Dawson glanced at the two of them.
Olivia was never one to lose her composure, no matter the company. But the moment she saw Dawson, she froze for several seconds before recovering. She shook his hand and greeted him politely, but didn’t try to make conversation afterward.
The next second, Dawson’s gaze swept over.
His eyes seerned to carry real weight–so heavy, it was almost suffocating.
Autumn quickly recovered from the surprise. Her expression remained composed as she extended a hand. “Hello, Mr. Faulkner.”
Dawson’s gaze dropped to her hand.
She couldn’t help but worry he might bring up Damien. After all, she wasn’t a complete stranger in his eyes–she was his brother’s wife.
But Dawson had never struck her as the talkative type. At her wedding with Damien three years ago, he had raised a glass and offered a single word, ” Congratulations.” Then he drained his wine and left early.
That had been their only meeting.
Autumn thought all these briefly before the warmth of a gentle hand touched her palm. In the blink of an eye, Dawson had already withdrawn his hand.
He didn’t bring up the awkward topic she had feared.
Autumn let out a quiet sigh of relief. At the same time, she noticed Dawson’s long, slender fingers that carried a calm, restrained strength beneath their elegance.
Olivia had come for the big shots of the Clerestia elite circle, but after seeing Dawson, she lacked the confidence to continue the conversation with him.
It was clear at a glance that they came from entirely different worlds.
Networking upward was important, but one couldn’t take too big a step all at once.
For now, Olivia decided to stick with Jamie and stir up some “trouble” there instead.
Autumn walked over to the viewing platform to watch the race.
The big screen displayed information about the racers, and Emilia was in lane one.
The race had already begun, and the entire venue erupted in deafening cheers as the crowd rallied behind their favorite racers.
The broadcast switched to a close–up of Emilia, who had her helmet on. Though only her eyes and brows were visible, she was utterly focused on the
race. Her precise, confident movements made the moment captivating–no wonder the crowd was cheering her on.
Autumn lifted a pair of binoculars and scanned the racetrack, spotting the front row of the stands closest to the racetrack.
Britney was loudly cheering for Emilia, jumping up and down with excitement, shouting as the cars sped past her.
Britney came from a privileged background and was always used to looking down on others with her chin held high. It was hard to imagine her admiring someone so deeply.
Surrounding Britney were several people who were clearly wealthy or influential, including a few of Damien’s friends, all there to show their support. Without exception, they were cheering for Emilia.
Autumn shifted her focus back to the race.
She hadn’t been deliberately searching for Emilia, but the image through the binoculars stayed fixed on her.
GIANA
Chapter 14
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Autumn gazed for a moment, about to look away, when she suddenly noticed a lily necklace pecking out from Emilia’s collar.
On the day they had run into each other by chance on Emilia’s birthday, Barry mentioned that Damien had custom–made a one–of–a–kind lily necklace for Emilia because she loved lilies.
And now, she was wearing that very necklace at the racetrack.
Autumn’s jaw tightened slightly.
Damien had quietly remembered Emilia’s preferences and put thought into surprising her.
Seeing this, Autumn lost interest in the race.
By coincidence, the view from the VVVIP suite was so good that even the VIP viewing platform downstairs was clearly visible.
As she lowered her gaze, she spotted Damien.
Though his face was out of view, his body language revealed complete focus on the racetrack. His attention was locked on a single figure without a hint of distraction.
Over the years, Autumn had been chasing after Damien’s shadow, longing to be close to him once more. She yearned for that warm, broad embrace the one that had pulled her back from the brink when she nearly drowned in the sea.
But she had always overlooked the fact that Damien’s heart had long since drifted elsewhere.
She accepted the bitter consequences of these past three years as her fate, and in a way, felt no resentment.
Autumn took several deep breaths but still couldn’t quell the ache in her heart.
With no mood left to watch the race, she returned to the suite.
Eyeing the entertainment setup, she began experimenting with it as a distraction. Autumn picked up new things quickly, and before long, she had already mastered them.
Seeing Autumn enter the suite, Olivia already guessed what she was thinking. After greeting Jamie, she followed her back inside.
She walked up to Autumn and whispered, “This might sound a bit rude, but I have to admit, if you were racing, you’d be at least ten thousand times cooler than Emilia.”
Autumn was momentarily speechless.
“Thanks, I guess.”
“Feeling a bit better now?”
Autumn had never considered finding confidence through comparison, but she had to admit Olivia’s words did lift some of her gloom.
Just as Autumn was about to reply, Dawson entered the suite with Howard, the wealthiest man in Havenmoor, at his side.
Jamie had mentioned that Howard was hosting the event and had invited Dawson to watch the race.
Though they were nearly 30 years apart in age, Howard’s respectful and courteous tone spoke volumes about Dawson’s high status.
“Mr. Faulkner, do you have a favorite racer today?”
Seeing this, Autumn and Olivia quietly stepped aside.
Dawson picked up a glass of champagne from the table.
Howard immediately raised another glass and clinked it with his.
Dawson took a small sip and said, “No.”
Howard said, “I’ve heard that Mr. Faulkner used to be quite interested in racing. Coincidentally, my son is a fan as well. I’ve gathered quite a bit of information about various racing events from him–it really is thrilling.
“I’m curious, is there a particular racer Mr. Faulkner admires? If so, when they compete next, I’ll make sure to invite you to watch.”
“There is one,” Dawson replied.
Hearing this, Autumn and Olivia exchanged curious glances.
Howard prompted, “Do tell.”
Dawson set down his glass and said simply, “I like Sun.”
