CHAPTER 4 GEBY'S PLAN

CHAPTER 4

GEBY'S PLAN

Aron stood silently by the window, staring at the landscape beyond the glass.

The young green leaves trembled beneath the fading afternoon light. His blue eyes looked far into the distance, yet they seemed focused on nothing in particular.

As if he were watching something that no longer existed.

Yorkshire had a way of slowing time.

For a man like Aron Loghan, who was used to constant movement and endless demands, the quietness felt almost unbearable. There were no endless phone calls, no digital meetings waiting to begin, no financial reports requiring his approval before sunset.

Only the sound of birds.

The ancient stone walls of the estate.

And the heavy sky slowly filling with dark clouds.

Rain was coming.

And Aron had never liked the rain.

All day, he had spent most of his time standing in front of the library window on the second floor, looking across the endless fields and hills of Yorkshire that seemed untouched since his childhood.

But the boy who once admired this land was gone.

There was no wonder in his eyes anymore.

Only coldness.

Only silence.

Only the empty gaze of a man staring at memories he refused to face.

From behind the half-open door, Geby watched him quietly.

"He used to be such a cheerful child," she whispered.

Jeremy, sitting in his favorite chair nearby, slowly lifted his head but said nothing.

"He talked to everyone. Even the gardeners."

A faint smile appeared on Geby's face as she remembered the younger Aron.

"He would sit in the kitchen with the servants and talk for hours. Do you remember that?"

Her voice sounded like a memory that had been softened by time.

Jeremy only gave a quiet hum, still refusing to comment.

"And then, somehow, he became like this."

Regret lingered in a mother's voice.

"When exactly did he change?"

The question seemed directed more toward herself than her husband.

Jeremy remained silent for a moment before answering.

"Maybe when he went to university. Maybe even before that."

Geby lowered her gaze.

"We were so busy celebrating his achievements that we forgot to ask about his heart."

She turned toward Jeremy and took a slow breath.

"I want my son back."

And for that reason, Geby had created a plan.

A slightly manipulative one.

That evening, when the clouds grew heavier and a thin drizzle swept across Yorkshire, Aron's phone vibrated on the old marble table.

The name appearing on the screen made his expression shift slightly.

Catherine.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Loghan..."

Catherine's voice sounded hesitant, though she tried to remain composed.

"I am currently in Yorkshire because your mother invited me. I thought I had arrived, but apparently I am lost. The GPS cannot locate these countryside roads. The taxi driver from the airport dropped me near a crossroads. There is nothing here except fields and sheep."

Aron remained silent for a moment.

He was surprised.

Then he understood.

Of course.

His mother had arranged another unexpected move.

And this time, she had invited Catherine all the way to this remote place.

"You came here on a commercial flight?"

His voice remained calm and controlled.

"Your mother sent the invitation suddenly, and I needed to come as soon as possible."

Geby liked women like Catherine.

Beautiful.

Intelligent.

Independent.

In many ways, Catherine reminded her of herself when she was younger.

"Ask the taxi driver to take you to the nearest town. I'll send one of the family drivers to pick you up."

Before Aron could say anything else, another voice came from behind him.

"Why don't you pick her up yourself?"

Aron turned sharply.

"Me? It's raining outside."

"It's only a drizzle."

Geby smiled sweetly, though her eyes revealed the cleverness behind her words.

"Imagine a woman like Catherine standing alone in an unfamiliar place."

"Mom, you invited her without properly arranging anything."

Aron reminded her of what he considered a careless decision.

"Aron."

Geby's voice softened, but it carried the strength of a mother who knew exactly how to persuade her son.

"She came because of my invitation. Your secretary is not only intelligent and capable. She is loyal."

She paused.

"She followed my request and ended up lost because of it. Can't you pick her up as an apology from your mother?"

Aron understood where the conversation was heading.

His mother was not asking.

She was challenging him.

"Go get her as a man, not as some untouchable business tycoon."

Aron released a heavy sigh.

He wanted to argue.

But he knew this was not really about Catherine.

It was about his pride.

And his mother's ability to push exactly the right button.

Despite his dislike of the rain, Aron took his car keys, grabbed his leather jacket, and stepped outside.

For Catherine.

But perhaps more for the battle he knew he had already lost.

The black Range Rover moved along the wet stone roads as the evening drizzle continued to fall.

The windshield wipers moved steadily, revealing fields slowly disappearing beneath a thin layer of mist.

A message from Catherine appeared on his phone.

She had sent the name of a small restaurant in a nearby town.

"Unbelievable."

Aron muttered while gripping the steering wheel.

No one could compete with his mother's talent for creating elaborate schemes.

And deep down, Aron was certain the taxi driver who brought Catherine there had been generously paid to make sure his passenger got lost.