Chapter 59

When Rosetta checked with the shop, the answer she received was a complete surprise. The suit she had collected wasn’t for Damien. But then, who was it for? Another man? If so, that meant Autumn was cheating on Damien.

Rosetta quickly abandoned that notion; it would only make her resent Autumn further. She’d been with the Caldwells long enough to know Autumn’s true character and unwavering devotion to Damien. Autumn was simply incapable of cheating.

Maybe she had secretly commissioned a custom suit for Damien. After all, she’d been feeling down for a long time, and Damien hadn’t tried to comfort her. Autumn might have felt embarrassed and tried to regain his good graces. Giving him a new custom suit would be a perfect excuse to return home.

But that would be nothing; Damien had never used any of the gifts Autumn bought him. Not that it was his fault. Autumn had dug herself into this hole. A high-end suit wouldn’t win him over so easily.

Having noticed that Dawson was a clean freak, Autumn stopped by his place to pick up some shoe covers before heading to his home. She keyed in the passcode—once the lock clicked, she opened the door and stepped inside. A large, floor-to-ceiling window dominated the living room, and the white marble coffee table gleamed so brightly it almost sparkled.

After setting down the items she bought, Autumn was about to leave when she heard footsteps. Tim—at the entrance. She turned toward the sound and saw Rico on a call. His presence didn’t surprise her. As one of Dawson’s close friends, he often dropped by the Faulkner residence whenever he was in Havenmoor. But he was clearly surprised to see her. He ended his call quickly and looked over at the boxes on the coffee table.

With a teasing smile, he asked, “Are you living with Dawson now?” Dawson had once warned Rico not to spout nonsense in front of Autumn, but it seemed long forgotten.

Autumn alone, and yet she was here—Dawson’s… Autumn was caught off guard. Rico really had no filter once he started talking.

He wasn’t going to waste the opportunity to get to know her better. “I’m Mr. Faulkner’s secretary,” she said calmly, pointing at the coffee table. “This is part of my job.”

Rico raised an eyebrow. “Then you’re Dawson’s secretary, but he has more than one. So why did he choose you to handle this? Seems a bit suspicious.”

“Jamie assigned the task,” Autumn replied. “Jamie’s orders are Dawson’s orders.”

Autumn retorted, “Jamie is Mr. Faulkner’s assistant. I’m sure he’s capable of making decisions on his own. This is a minor task. Does he really need to ask for approval first?” Rico considered her words and realized she had a point. Still, something felt off.

“I was actually planning to drop by your apartment. Since we’re both here, why not give me your number?”

Autumn didn’t respond, unsure of Rico’s intentions. Rico remained undeterred. Most men were flattered when he asked for their numbers, and none had ever rejected him. After all, he was good-looking and easygoing.

“I gave you a Maplewire cup,” Rico continued, “but you had Dawson transfer the money to me. Ma Gray, you’re too polite. Let me return the money. Or if you prefer, you can give me another.”

Autumn had transferred 3,000 to Dawson, but the system automatically refunded it, meaning Dawson had paid Rico himself. She glanced at the display shelf and saw Polaris, then she saw Dunson, placed prominently in the center. She understood instantly. Dawson didn’t want to owe anybody anything.

Autumn rejected the offer. “Since you’ve taken the money, the matter’s settled, but thank you, Salazar, for your kind gesture. I appreciate it.” She paused, then added, “Mr. Salazar, I still have work to do. I need to return to the office.”