From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 165: A Missing Face

So when Aiden called him that morning, half-joking about swinging by Ashford Group for a visit, Sebastian—uncharacteristically—didn't say no.

He told himself it was a sound business reason: scoping out a potential partner firsthand was just part of being thorough.

But deep down, he knew the real draw was Riley—he'd heard she'd be in the office that day.

If he could catch a glimpse of her, maybe even find a moment to talk, he wanted to make it clear he wasn't actually upset with her.

That silence the other night hadn't been about her; it was him being frustrated with himself for letting his emotions slip.

"Mr. Torres, we're here."

The driver's voice pulled him back to the present.

Sebastian opened his eyes, any trace of softness quickly replaced by his usual detached cool.

He straightened his cuffs and stepped out of the car.

But as he walked through the lobby doors from the elevator, the scene ahead gave him pause.

Lucas stood front and center, flanked by what looked like every top executive at Ashford Group lined up in two neat rows, all wearing polished, professional smiles.

And beside Lucas stood Sophia, holding a lavish bouquet of champagne roses wrapped in elegant paper, her gaze fixed intently on him.

Sebastian's eyes swept once across the welcoming party—left to right, taking in every face.

The one person he was looking for wasn't there.

His expression, already cool, tightened almost imperceptibly.

Sophia missed the subtle shift, mistaking his demeanor for natural executive gravitas.

She stepped forward gracefully, extending the flowers.

"Mr. Torres, welcome to Ashford Group," she said, her tone sweet and rehearsed.

But as she approached, Sebastian took a slight, deliberate step back.

"I'll have to pass," he said evenly. "I'm allergic to pollen."

His flat delivery left Sophia frozen, the bouquet hovering awkwardly in her hands.

Lucas jumped in smoothly. "Sophia, why don't you set those aside," he said, then turned to Sebastian with a polite gesture.

"Mr. Torres, if you'd like to head up to the conference room—Mr. Quinn arrived a bit earlier and is waiting for you."

Sebastian gave a curt nod and strode toward the private elevator, Lucas falling in step beside him.

Once the elevator doors closed, Lucas caught a faint scent in the enclosed space—something familiar, though he couldn't quite place it.

He considered asking about the cologne, but stopped himself.

Bringing up something personal right before a high-stakes meeting wasn't just irrelevant—it was unprofessional.

When the elevator reached the top floor, Lucas pushed the thought aside and led the way to the main conference room.

Inside, Aiden was already lounging at the table, casually sipping coffee.

After brief greetings, Sophia—having composed herself—knocked and entered, taking a seat next to Lucas.

The meeting began.

Aiden, as co-lead on the proposal, outlined the project's vision and potential.

Then it was Sophia's turn.

She launched into a well-prepared slide deck, detailing all the groundwork Ashford Group had laid to secure the deal.

Sebastian leaned back in his chair, listening with an impassive face.

But within minutes, a faint hint of disdain flickered in his eyes.

Her presentation was all style, no substance—full of buzz about media blitzes, launch events, and public relations strategies, but glaringly shallow on the actual mechanics: technical hurdles, budget controls, execution timelines.

Whenever those points came up, she glossed over them with vague, rehearsed replies.

Just as Sophia was building momentum, ready to unveil the campaign slogan she'd crafted, Aiden cut in, amused.

"Hold on a second," he said, setting his coffee cup down.

He looked toward Lucas. "Mr. Ashford, I'm curious—on a day like this, why is Ms. Myers leading the presentation?"

He paused, letting his gaze drift to Sophia's startled face before adding, "Where's Riley?"

Sophia hadn't expected Aiden to bring up Riley's name—especially not in front of Sebastian.

Her eyes darted toward Lucas, anxiety flashing openly across her face.

Lucas kept his composure, though inside, his stomach dropped.