The woman's embrace came fast and urgent. Alessia leaned to the side, but the woman seemed to anticipate her move and leaned away first, catching Alessia in her arms.
"Sia, I finally found you, it's great!"
The woman breathed a sigh of relief in her ear, gently patting her back a few times.
Feeling the warmth emanating from the woman's body, Alessia stiffened, her hands hanging by her sides, a moment of confusion flashing in her eyes.
The intimate nickname 'Sia' made her feel familiar, as if someone had called her that a long time ago.
Alessia was certain that the woman must have been very familiar with her before. But even so, she was a stranger to her now.
Alessia moved to push the woman away, but to her surprise, the woman released her first, creating some distance between them.
Alessia's eyes flickered, her tolerance for physical contact lasted three seconds, the woman knew her well!
At that moment, Dominic, holding a golf club, with an expressionless face, strolled over.
Alessia narrowed her eyes, on guard.
However, in front of Dominic, the woman showed no intention of reminiscing.
The woman pulled her to her side, wearing a smile on her face, and generously introduced her to Dominic.
"Mr. Carter, this is the younger sister I mentioned to you earlier."
Dominic's gaze fell on Alessia's face. His dark eyes revealed no emotion, leaving no clue to what he was thinking.
After a while, Dominic pressed his lips slightly, his gaze returning to the woman, seeming suddenly interested, his voice low as he spoke, "Miss Das, you said your sister's last name is La Rosa? What is her full name?"
Alessia's eyes darkened.
This arrogant man, always aloof and self-centered, wasn't the type to actively inquire about others' names, especially since he considered her intentions to be malicious.
He must be suspecting something.
Just as Alessia was about to speak, she heard the woman answering for her, "Chiara La Rosa!"
Alessia glanced at the woman without changing her expression.
The woman had just called her 'Sia' moments ago!
Yet now she claimed her name was Chiara. Quite amusing.
Alessia remained silent for a moment, then heard the woman's voice, half teasing and half probing. "From the way you behave, it seems like you have some objections to the La Rosa last name?"
Dominic didn't directly answer. He suddenly turned his head, his eyes, deep and unreadable, once again falling on Alessia, his voice carrying profound meaning.
"The last name La Rosa reminds me of a woman."
Alessia kept a cold expression, pretending to be uninterested in Dominic's words, but she felt a bit annoyed in her heart.
She understood this man.
Dominic was like a lion ready to hunt at any moment. Once he caught a scent of his prey, he would not let go until he had sunk his teeth into their neck.
She wasn't afraid of Dominic, but she feared the endless troubles that would come if her identity were exposed.
She hated trouble the most.
Alessia bit her lip, then saw the woman subtly move to her side, just enough to block Dominic's gaze.
With a natural smile, the woman smoothly picked up Dominic's words.
"A woman that can make Mr. Carter think of her must be very important to him!"
"Indeed, very important. If she were to appear in front of me now, I would..." Dominic's voice trailed off, his gaze shifting away, his tone unchanged from before, but the temperature around them dropped a few degrees suddenly.
'He hates me that much?
Just for a coin!
Indeed, he's a precious young master, accustomed to being pampered and unwilling to suffer any loss.'
Alessia rolled her eyes in her mind, even more determined not to let Dominic recognize her.
Dominic didn't finish his sentence, but the momentum he emitted was enough to send shivers down one's spine. The woman wisely didn't ask further.
Dominic, acting as if nothing had happened, played with the golf club in his hand, casually picking up the conversation again.
"Since when did Miss Hannah Das have a younger sister? In all these years, it's the first time I've heard about it."
The woman chuckled talkatively, "Oh, she is my best friend, and I treat her as my sister. We've known each other for over a decade. It's normal for Mr. Carter to not know.
"Indeed!" Dominic casually replied with a smirk, finally ending the questioning.
Alessia narrowed her eyes, coldly sneering inwardly.
Dominic had been prying about her in front of her, this kind of sleazy operation was really something.
However, the woman in front of her temporarily couldn't discern her background, and with Dominic around, it wasn't convenient to speak up. Fortunately, the woman hadn't said anything detrimental to her.
Staying still was the best choice for now.
Dominic handed the golf club to the nearby caddy and leisurely removed his white gloves. His voice remained as low and husky as usual, "Since Miss Das still has matters to attend to, we'll discuss matters of cooperation next time."
"Alright, after I return to the company, I'll have the contract drawn up and pay you a visit." The woman replied politely.
Dominic nodded. As he turned to leave, he glanced at Alessia again.
Alessia caught Dominic's gaze, her eyes darkening once more.
Dominic was like a ticking time bomb now, ready to explode at any moment. She had to take some measures.
Alessia retracted her thoughts, her keen perception making her aware that she was being watched.
She pinpointed the direction and sharply looked over.
In the distance, hiding under a parasol, wearing high heels and sunglasses, Bianca immediately guiltily averted her gaze.
Oops! She was scared out of her wits.
Bianca reached out to pat her chest to calm herself, but she realized that it wasn't appropriate.
She angrily glared.
What was she afraid of, what trouble? She had come here openly to investigate the enemy's situation.
Bianca turned to ask David beside her, "Who's the woman standing with that woman? Why does she look familiar?"
"Miss Carter, that's Miss Hannah Das from L Group. Mr. Carter made an impromptu appointment with her for cooperation."
Bianca propped her chin and thought for a moment before finally recalling.
Hannah Das was a legend in the business world. After her father, the CEO of L Group, died in a car accident, Hannah, at the age of twenty, was forced to take over the company. At that time, L Group was no longer the leader in daily necessities.
With the death of the CEO, the company's stocks plummeted, on the verge of collapse.
Just when everyone was waiting to see Hannah's downfall, she not only attracted huge investments but also took charge of the research and development of a perfume called 'Ethereal'.
'Ethereal' was instantly sought after by everyone when it hit the market. Its fragrance was fresh and elegant, just like the unique beauty of a young girl.
Moreover, 'Ethereal' had limited monthly production, truly achieving a market with demand exceeding supply. Even as a young lady from the Mr. Carter family, Bianca had to make a reservation in advance to get this perfume.
Bianca lightly bit her lip. How could this woman be so familiar with Hannah?
What was her background? Knowing oneself and the enemy leads to a hundred victories.
Bianca's bright eyes flashed, seeing her brother approaching, she tossed the binoculars to David before slipping away, instructing him before leaving.
"David, I want the information on this woman. Look it up carefully."
Dominic approached, just in time to see Bianca's fleeing figure.
His cold gaze fell on David, who was still holding the binoculars, furrowing his brows, he asked, "What is Bianca up to again?"
David didn't dare to hide anything, "She asked me to investigate the lady who was standing with you and Miss Das just now."
A chill flashed in Dominic's dark eyes. He remembered several encounters with that woman, each time feeling inexplicably familiar, as well as the irritability brought by the La Rosa last name. His brows furrowed tighter.
Although he had already learned the full name of that woman from Hannah, he absolutely wouldn't allow any accidents to happen.
Dominic nodded, his voice low, "Look into it carefully. I want all her information by tomorrow."
***