Chapter 6

As the heiress to Park Pharmaceuticals, Mercy was no stranger to powerful and influential people.

Even so, the man beside David carried such an overwhelming presence that a chill ran through her.

Like David, he wore a black suit, but the superior tailoring and fabric gave him an air of understated elegance and restraint.

A black suit should have made him look composed and professional, yet it did nothing to conceal the intimidating edge that radiated from him.

Mercy took the seat across from David.

Once she saw the man's face up close, amazement flickered across her eyes.

His features were so flawless he barely looked real.

She always considered Joshua exceptionally handsome, but beside this man, he paled completely in comparison.

For a fleeting moment, the man seemed strangely familiar, though Mercy couldn't place him.

Perhaps he resembled a famous actor.

Their eyes met briefly, and the cold intensity in his dark gaze made her heart jolt.

Was he glaring at her?

Mercy quickly looked away and turned to David.

"Mr. Day, thank you for taking the time to meet with me and giving Cooper Aesthetics this opportunity."

Mercy exchanged the customary pleasantries with David and shook his hand.

A sharp gaze immediately fell on their joined hands.

Mercy glanced at the man, who remained seated and motionless like a statue.

"And this is..."

Before David could answer, the man parted his lips.

"I work in the office."

He seemed to realize that his introduction was far too vague and added, "I handle some business matters."

Despite his cold, intimidating gaze, his voice was remarkably pleasant—low, rich, and effortlessly captivating.

Mercy quietly considered his words.

His clothes, his manner, and the deliberately vague way he described his job led Mercy to assume he came from a wealthy family and landed an easy office position at Felinda through family connections.

She assumed his family wanted him to gain some experience, which was why David brought him along to the meeting.

Mercy extended her hand.

"Hello. I'm Mercy Park."

For the first time, the man rose from his seat.

Only then did Mercy realize how tall and imposing he was, with broad shoulders, a lean waist, and exceptionally long legs.

Mercy also noticed that the man wore a pair of pristine white gloves.

They were unlike ordinary gloves, with a subtle pearlescent sheen that made them look as though they were made of silk.

She suspected he might be a germaphobe and quickly withdrew her hand to spare them both any awkwardness.

"Caleb Shaw..."

The two crisp words echoed through the spacious conference room.

"...My name."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shaw."

Mercy offered the usual polite response, but Caleb said nothing more.

Her discussion with David went relatively smoothly. Mercy gave a detailed presentation on Cooper Aesthetics' flagship repairing serum, then outlined its market potential and competitive advantages.

However, Cooper Aesthetics lacked advanced technology. In Mercy's honest opinion, the serum wasn't good enough to earn a place on Felinda's shelves.

"I understand your proposal, Miss Park. Allow me to briefly introduce Felinda to you as well."

David's introduction began normally enough, but before long, he shifted the subject to Astra Biosciences, Felinda's parent company.

Astra Biosciences was a major corporation specializing in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and scientific research.

Felinda was merely one of its many smaller subsidiaries.

Even so, a company of Felinda's standing was already far beyond Cooper Aesthetics' reach.

"The general manager of Astra Biosciences is twenty-eight years old—mature enough to understand how to care for someone.

“He graduated from a prestigious university. He may appear cold, but he's actually kind, considerate, and exceptionally handsome. Everyone at both the parent company and its subsidiaries speaks very highly of him...

"His family situation is uncomplicated. Both his parents are alive, and he has one younger brother. They get along well, and there are no inheritance disputes for you to worry about."

Mercy was confused.

Was she here to discuss a business deal or go on a blind date with the head of Astra Biosciences?

The man in charge of Astra Biosciences was an extremely mysterious figure in the public eye.

Their vice president, Logan Shaw, had always represented the company publicly.

As for the CEO who controlled everything from behind the scenes, no one had ever seen his face; even his name had never been disclosed.

While David described Astra Biosciences' general manager, Caleb quietly watched Mercy's expression.

She seemed completely uninterested in him.

Caleb frowned.

The meeting finally ended, and Mercy immediately took out her phone.

Her phone vibrated several times during the meeting.

The messages were from Joshua:

“Mom wants us to have dinner at her place tonight. Go straight there after your meeting.”

Mercy slipped her phone away, but before she could leave the conference room, a tall figure stepped into her path.

"Mr. Shaw?"

Her eyes met Caleb's.

Perhaps it was his commanding presence or the coldness of his expression, but Mercy couldn't shake the feeling that his deep-set eyes were glaring at her.

Caleb took out his phone.

"May I add you on Messenger?"

His tone was noticeably gentler than when he introduced himself.

Mercy couldn't help wondering whether he had actually been nervous around her earlier.

"Of course."

She saw no reason to refuse.

Another connection could always prove useful. Even if Caleb was only a junior employee, he still worked for Felinda.

Besides, adding a handsome man on Messenger certainly wasn't a loss.

Once they exchanged contact details, Mercy expected Caleb to step aside.

He didn't.

"Is there something else, Mr. Shaw?"

"Do you already have plans tonight?"

"Hmm?"

"I'd like to take you to dinner."

Mercy stared at him in surprise.

She hadn't expected someone so cold and restrained to be this direct.

"I'm sorry, but I can't tonight."

Caleb remained silent, but the question in his eyes was unmistakable.

Why not?

Mercy gave him a rueful smile.

"My mother-in-law invited me to dinner at her house tonight."

Mercy expected to see shock or disappointment on Caleb's expressionless face.

Instead, there was nothing.

At twenty-seven, Mercy certainly wasn't old, but neither was she a carefree college girl anymore.

She was beautiful and took excellent care of herself. Men often struck up conversations with her, assuming she was single.

More often than not, they were stunned and visibly disappointed when they learned she was married.

Caleb was the first man she'd ever met who didn't react at all.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be going."

Only then did Caleb step aside.

After Mercy left, David accompanied Caleb out of the Felinda Experience Center.

A black Rolls-Royce was already waiting at the curb.

The chauffeur, Sam Cook, stepped out and opened the rear door for Caleb.

"This way, Mr. Shaw."

Caleb slid into the car. Even after the door closed and the window remained raised, David continued standing beside the vehicle with his head bowed.

By the time Mercy arrived at her mother-in-law's house, night had already fallen.

The moment she walked in, she saw Evelyn Jones, Joshua, Wendy, and Yuna already seated around the dining table, halfway through their meal.

"Oh, Mercy, you're here!"

Evelyn greeted her with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"You've worked hard today. Go wash your hands, then bring out the herb-roasted sea bass from the kitchen. Joshua told me it's your favorite, so I made it especially for you."

The entire Cooper family was already eating while Mercy, after a full day of work, was expected to serve the food.

Over the past four years of marriage, it became routine.

After every meal, she was also the one left to wash the dishes.

The only reward was an occasional compliment from Joshua about what a wonderful wife she was.

With her back to the Cooper family, Mercy walked into the kitchen.

The desire for revenge burned even hotter inside her.

Herb-roasted sea bass really was Mercy's favorite.

Joshua knew that and mentioned it to his mother more than once.

Yet in four years of marriage, Evelyn never cooked it for her.

On the way over, Mercy wondered why Evelyn would suddenly make her favorite dish after she'd taken twenty million dollars from the Cooper family's private fund.

The moment Mercy lifted the platter, everything became clear.