Chapter 455
The next afternoon, Charlotte received a call from Desmond.
The moment she saw his name on the screen, her heart skipped a brat.
Desmond had always strongly opposed her relationship with Sean and ever since she got back together with him, she had kept
it a secret from her father.
Seeing his call now made her nervous. What if he had found out and was calling to confront her?
Her heart raced, and her mind scrambled to come up with all sorts of possible explanations.
But when she answered the phone, Desmond’s voice was calm. “Lettie, there’s a cocktail party the night after tomorrow. I’d like you to come. I want to introduce you to a few business partners. It could be a good opportunity for your law firm.”
Charlotte let out a quiet sigh of relief. So he just wanted to help her network.
“Alright, Dad. What time is it? Can you send me the address?”
On the night of the cocktail party, Charlotte wore a long, strapless black gown. The dress was elegant and understated, revealing only her shoulders and arms. The rest was modest and refined.
Desmond introduced her to several executives from companies that had long–standing partnerships with the Riley Corporation. Most were older–seasoned professionals and longtime family acquaintances.
After a few rounds of drinks and light conversation, Charlotte had already secured several major cases worth millions in legal fees.
Once they finished the introductions, Desmond led her over to meet someone closer to her age.
Charlotte paused when she saw him.
“This is Tyler Ziegler, the younger son of the Ziegler family,” Desmond said. “He just returned from overseas and is now serving as general manager at the family company.”
Tyler wore a deep navy suit and had his hair neatly styled. He looked every bit the polished young executive.
He lifted his glass of champagne and smiled. “Nice to see you again, Miss Riley.”
“Hello,” Charlotte replied, her tone noticeably cooler.
What was her father doing?
Was this… a setup?
Desmond grinned. “You’ve met before?”
“Just once,” Tyler replied. “At a dinner Ian hosted.”
“Perfect. I’ll leave you two to chat. I need to speak with someone,” Desmond said before walking off.
Charlotte sighed inwardly. She had assumed tonight was just about networking and picking up cases. Clearly, there had been another agenda all along.
Tyler was one of Ian’s college friends. Technically, he was in the same social circle, but back then, Charlotte rarely hung out with them. Most of her time in college was spent studying in the library. During breaks, she preferred outings with Mia or Lena and rarely went to large gatherings.
Tyler hadn’t met her until after he returned from overseas. Their first encounter had been at the private garden restaurant he
ran.
+25 BONUS
“Don’t feel pressured, Miss Riley,” Tyler said with a friendly smile “Tan mentioned you and Sean are together. I’ll keep that from your father.”
Charlotte didn’t expect him to say that. She paused before replying “Thank you.”
Tyler looked relaxed as he continued, “I’m sure you’ve figured it out. Your father just wants us to meet and spend some time together. It’s basically a matchmaking setup.”
Charlotte nodded. “I figured.”
“My family has the same idea,” Tyler added with a sheepish laugh “But don’t worry, I’m not the type to come between a couple. I’m just here to play along.”
