Chapter 504 Troublesome Matters
The cake was simple, but it tasted pretty good. After the three of them got their pieces, they let the servants have the rest.
Charles took a small bite and popped it into his mouth. The soft, sweet cake combined with the cream and the tangy fruit was a pleasant surprise, not overly sweet like he had expected.
Whether it was psychological or for some other reason, he, who usually didn't like desserts, ended up finishing the entire piece.
After they finished the cake, Diana spoke up, "Let's make a few more for practice."
After all, tomorrow was the actual birthday, and she wanted the birthday cake to look nice.
However, Benjamin, having lost interest, shook his head. "I'm stuffed. I need to go for a walk to digest. Ms. Spencer, you go ahead. I'll cheer you on from here."
Diana then turned her gaze to Charles, but he wiped his mouth with a napkin and said, "I have some work to do at the office. I need to go."
Both of them had agreed to practice together, but now they were both bailing out.
Diana felt like losing her temper, but the father and son duo were quick to escape, leaving her alone in the dining room.
Jacob, seeing this, smiled and tried to smooth things over. "Mrs. Percy, take a break. The cake will turn out fine."
In fact, they had brought in the pastry chef to ensure that if their attempts failed, she could make a good one for the actual birthday.
The lesson had brought the three of them closer, which was what Jacob wanted to see.
However, Diana shook her head. She hadn't made a big deal out of Benjamin's birthdays before. Often, she would give him expensive gifts or have Dean take him out.
The Alliance's affairs kept her busy, and despite her efforts, Benjamin's childhood had its imperfections.
"Please teach me again. I want to make a beautiful cake for him."
The pastry chef nodded in agreement, and the two of them resumed their previous steps.
Meanwhile, Charles wasn't just making excuses to leave.
With Zachary's passing, many overseas projects had stalled, and some accounts were unclear.
Until a new representative was chosen, the head office had to review everything before moving forward.
Charles had managed to come home for a bit only because Nolan had taken on all the work.
Now he had to go back to the office to ensure that tomorrow's birthday celebration wouldn't be interrupted by other matters.
"Mr. Percy, I've reviewed the branch office's accounts, and there are significant issues," Nolan said, his expression serious as he handed Charles the documents.
Charles flipped through the accounts, his expression unchanged.
The issues Nolan mentioned were nothing more than embezzlement.
Zachary, having been sent abroad, wouldn't have been content to be just a puppet. Gaining money through projects was nothing new.
"I understand. Have the finance department recheck the missing funds. There are probably more people involved."
He wondered how many of them were connected to Elise.
Charles didn't want to deal with these people unless they caused a public scandal.
But handling these matters was indeed troublesome. It was time to teach them a lesson.
"There's one more thing," Nolan said, changing the subject.
"Go on."
"Elise has been very quiet lately. Even after you clarified your marital status, she hasn't reacted. It's unusual."
Charles was aware of this. But with Benjamin in his custody, he assumed Elise was behaving because of her grandson.
"So, what's your guess?" Charles raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not sure. The people monitoring her haven't noticed anything unusual. She still attends charity events and stays at home."
But her prolonged silence made Nolan suspicious.
Even when Charles took Benjamin, Elise hadn't done anything significant.
Charles nodded slightly. "Keep an eye on her. With Zachary gone, her only leverage is in my hands."
He even had to celebrate this "leverage's" birthday tomorrow.
Nolan nodded and, having nothing else to report, left the office.
As he exited, he found an unexpected visitor at his desk.
Claire, smiling, held a cup of coffee. "Nolan, we ordered coffee and got you one too. It's a bit of a hassle now that our desks aren't together."
Nolan's eyebrows twitched, but he didn't refuse her kindness. "Thanks, but you don't have to go to the trouble next time."
"We've been colleagues for a while. No need to be so polite. You've helped me a lot with work," Claire replied with a gentle smile, her eyes soft and inviting.
But knowing her connection to Elise made Nolan uncomfortable. He rubbed his nose and said, "No need to thank me. It's my job."
"Don't be so formal," Claire said, patting his shoulder. "I actually have a question. Should we reschedule or cancel tomorrow's meetings? Mr. Percy mentioned it, but I didn't catch it clearly."
She seemed a bit embarrassed as she adjusted her hair.
Relieved that it was a work-related question, Nolan said, "Mr. Percy is busy tomorrow. Just reschedule the meetings. I'll notify you of the new times. You and Abigail can prepare the materials."
"Got it. Mr. Percy is usually a workaholic. It's rare for him to be out all day. Is it something at home?" Claire asked, probing a bit.
Nolan immediately became cautious. "I don't know. You should ask Mr. Percy. I'm just an employee."
Claire rolled her eyes internally. Nolan was indeed a perfect assistant, loyal to Charles.
But getting some information was still a win.
Claire smiled and said, "I was just curious. I'll get going. Let me know if you need anything."
Seeing her give up so quickly, Nolan felt relieved.
Claire was an enigma. She clearly liked Charles, but after five years as his secretary, she hadn't made any progress.
If she applied that persistence to something else, she'd succeed at anything.
Nolan thought to himself, but outwardly, he smiled and bid her farewell.
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