Chapter 28

Autumn responded to Jamie, “Alright.”

After lunch, Dawson gave her a task—pick up a set of cups from a dinnerware store and deliver them to his home. He sent the smart lock code to her WhatsApp. During the meal, the three of them had exchanged personal WhatsApp contacts, though it was Jamie who had pushed for it. Autumn herself wouldn't have dared ask Dawson for his.

The dinnerware store was a well-known international brand. The two cups together cost nearly $100,000 on the official site. Even though the sales associate had wrapped them in layers of foam, Autumn still held the bag with great care.

Just as she turned around, Britney appeared with a few friends, walking straight toward her. Autumn thought, what a small world.

“Britney, isn’t that the one you said the Caldwell family keeps like a pet? She’s so pretty, and they still kept her like that?” whispered Serena, one of Britney’s friends, leaning in close. She had been at the hospital that day too.

Britney noticed Autumn ignoring her and deliberately raised her voice. “She’s just got a decent face. That’s it. Nothing else is going for her.”

Autumn clearly heard it but didn’t even blink. She walked past the group and out of the store, disappearing from their view. Britney stood frozen. Hadn’t she told Damien to put Autumn in her place? Now Autumn could walk past her without a glance. She was getting more arrogant by the day. Did she really not understand her place?

Britney had never seen a woman so foolish. If she really wanted to win Damien back, wouldn’t it make more sense to curry favor with her? Instead, she showed her attitude. That was unbelievable!

Did Autumn actually think that acting this way would somehow spark a rebellious streak in her and Damien, making them see her differently? Serena couldn’t help but be intrigued. “She’s got quite the attitude. Who is she?”

Damien had kept the marriage under wraps, and Britney didn’t like Autumn, so she had never mentioned her to anyone. The truth was, she didn’t take Autumn seriously enough to even talk about her. Autumn simply wasn’t worth it. All her friends, however, knew exactly who Emilia was.

Britney’s tone was sharp. “She’s just a pet. Who else would she be?”

Serena got the message. The two clearly didn’t get along. Best not to stir things up. “Let’s check out a different store.”

But the more Britney thought about it, the angrier she got. She decided that she had to go to Damien’s house and stir things up. She would make Damien really take this seriously and teach Autumn a proper lesson. But she would wait until evening, as Damien wasn’t home now.

Autumn entered six ones. Dawson’s smart lock clicked. It was probably the default code. He hadn’t changed it.

Flery Residences was a riverside property in the center of Havenmoor. It was well known online and boasted one of the country’s top security systems. From the gated entrance to the unit door, there were layers of security. The chance of a break-in was nearly zero.

Autumn suddenly understood why Dawson handed this errand to her—convenience. She stopped by her own place first, grabbed a clean pair of shoe covers, and stepped into the unit next door. The layout was identical. Her own apartment was minimalist, and Dawson’s was even more so.

Large swaths of black, white, and gray filled the space. There was no sign of anyone living there. Boxes were stacked in the living room, unopened. Clearly, he had just moved in.

Autumn found a pair of scissors in the kitchen, carefully unwrapped the glasses, and placed them on the display shelf. There was still plenty of empty space. She wondered if it would eventually be filled.

The task was done, and it was only just after 2:00 pm. Autumn was planning to head back to the office, but then Della called. Autumn answered, “Della?”

Della said, “Once you finish what Mr. Faulkner asked, you don’t need to return to the office.”

Autumn was puzzled. “Why not?”

Della replied, “No real reason. Just part of the work arrangement. Think of today as fieldwork.”

Before Dawson’s return, the entire secretary department had been working overtime for a week. Everything that needed doing had already been done. The arrangement made sense, so Autumn didn’t question it and accepted the directive happily.

After hanging up, Della looked at Jamie, confused. “I passed along the message just like you asked. But… What’s the reason?”