From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 255: Meet at the Café

"I could have spoken to him the very first time you brought Sophia into this house. I wouldn't have waited until now."

Stung by her sharp retort, Lucas grew flustered and defensive. "I'm not blaming you. You know Grandpa's health is fragile—I was only worried the news would upset him."

"Worry about upsetting him?" Riley cut through his hollow excuse without hesitation, scorn deepening in her eyes. "Fragile or not, he's still your grandfather. You knew exactly what he detested most, yet you deliberately defied his orders and brushed his warnings aside. Now that your secrets have unraveled, you turn around and pin the blame on me, who has done nothing at all."

Riley's phone rang mid-conversation.

The second she answered, Caleb's warm, jovial voice drifted through the line—an utter contrast to his stern demeanor back at the villa. "Riley? Are you still at the office?"

"I am, Grandpa." Riley's tone softened instinctively.

"Wonderful. I'm at the boutique café right across from your building. Come keep me company for a cup of coffee."

Glancing at Lucas, whose face had turned livid with dread, Riley let a faint knowing smile tug at her lips.

"Of course, Grandpa. I'll be right down shortly."

She ended the call.

Lucas' expression darkened further; he was terrified she would lay every messy secret bare to Caleb.

Stepping forward quickly, he tried to caution her. "Remember, Grandpa is our elder, and his health comes first. Choose your words carefully later—don't go spilling every detail—"

Riley's icy stare cut him off mid-sentence.

"Save your lecture. I'm far more composed than you are. I don't jump to wild conclusions or shift my own faults onto others so casually."

Left without a retort, Lucas fell silent.

Not bothering to spare him another glance, Riley turned and left the office.

A short walk took her to the café opposite Ashford Group's towering corporate building.

Though just across the street from the bustling business district, the café's atmosphere felt worlds apart from the city's chaos.

Stepping through its carved wooden entrance shut out all outside noise and commotion instantly.

Giving Caleb's name to the host earned her immediate respectful service, and she was led to a private booth tucked away on the second floor.

Thick, rich coffee aroma lingered in the enclosed space.

Seated behind a vintage brewing station, Caleb focused intently on preparing pour-over coffee with an exquisite set of classic wares.

Dressed in understated retro formal attire, he stood with a frame that had stooped slightly with age, yet the authoritative poise forged by a lifetime of power remained unshaken.

The sound of footsteps drew his gaze upward. The stern, unyielding edge he carried around the rest of the Ashford family melted away at the sight of Riley, replaced instantly with a warm, grandfatherly smile.

Riley hurried forward, genuine concern lacing her words before she even sat down. "Grandpa, you've grown so thin. Has your health not fully recovered yet?"

Caleb's hand stilled around the coffee cup.

Back at the villa moments earlier, none of his own family had noticed his gaunt frame. All they cared about was protecting their own interests and covering up their scandals.

Only this granddaughter-in-law had spotted his changed appearance at first glance.

Caleb smiled and gestured for her to sit, saying, "Silly girl, it's not weight loss. It's just the march of time. Vitality fades with age, and no one can outrun that natural course."

In truth, Caleb had taken a liking to Riley long before Lucas ever set his eyes on her.

Back then, she was just an ordinary, little-known employee in Ashford Group's marketing department.

Blessed with outstanding talent, she faced constant exclusion and workplace prejudice within the department's clannish, insular local circle.

Never one to wallow in self-pity or resort to underhanded tactics for advancement, Riley bore it all with quiet resilience.

Night after night, she stayed late, long after every colleague had left the office.

Time and again, her painstakingly crafted project proposals had their credit stolen by an incompetent superior. Even so, Riley approached every new assignment with relentless dedication, striving for nothing less than perfection.

One ordinary day, Caleb chose to make an unannounced private inspection of the company's departments.

Upon entering marketing, he chanced upon James Sterling, Riley's arrogant department head, berating her harshly in front of the whole team.

"Riley, what kind of shoddy proposal is this you've drafted?" James snapped sharply.

"What seems to be wrong with the proposal, Mr. Sterling?" Riley stood to her feet, calm and unflappable.

"Plenty is wrong!" James jabbed a finger at the document, ranting loudly, "You filled it with complex overseas market models and convoluted data frameworks. I nearly embarrassed myself in front of clients during yesterday's presentation, unable to follow your overly technical content. Did you do this on purpose just to make me look incompetent?"