Chapter 5 Can You Take Things Seriously?

The sound of a deafening explosion echoed in Adeline's mind, as though something had just detonated within her thoughts. Sitting in her car after the call, she remained motionless, lost in a haze of emotions. The last words from Celeste were filled with the helplessness of an elder asking for understanding from a younger generation. "Adeline, as long as Christopher doesn't commit any unforgivable mistakes, for the sake of his late father, David, don't rush to divorce him." Adeline massaged her aching temples. If she really went through the divorce, her father, Lloyd, wouldn't be any more supportive. She glanced at her watch, sighing softly, and started the car, leaving the villa behind. … Upstairs, a tall figure stood by the window, his sharp, dark eyes following the red Ferrari as it drove away from the property. Once the car disappeared from view, Christopher turned and walked downstairs at a leisurely pace. Not long after, the villa's main gate opened, and a sleek, black, limited-edition Maybach rolled into the driveway. Christopher swirled the wine in his glass, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he looked toward the approaching man. "Uncle Carlos, are you dropping by this early in the day to check on me?" His gaze then shifted to the elegantly dressed woman following Carlos. "Ms. Shaw, you're here too?" Hannah Shaw offered a polite nod. "Good morning, Mr. Lambert." Carlos Leishman's face was stern as he scrutinized Christopher. His nephew was lounging on the couch, wearing a loosely tied bathrobe that revealed faint marks on his neck. That was undeniable evidence of a night spent in someone else's company. His posture was as carefree as ever, with one leg draped casually over the coffee table. Carlos surveyed the villa briefly before speaking, his tone laced with irritation. "Where's Adeline? Why don't I see her?" Christopher shrugged nonchalantly. "No idea." "You don't even know where your wife is?" Carlos' voice rose in frustration. "Christopher, can't you take things seriously for once?" He gestured toward the faint marks on Christopher's chest, his face darkening with anger. "Just look at yourself! How could you bring other women home and spend the night with them? Do you think that's appropriate? What do you expect Adeline to think when she sees this?" Christopher let out a quiet laugh. "She's free to think whatever she wants. That's her business." With his lips curling up into a sly grin, Christopher added, "But since you're so concerned about her, why not make her my aunt instead?" "Watch your mouth!" Carlos snapped, his headache intensifying. Rubbing his temples, he muttered, "You're getting more and more out of hand." Hannah stepped forward, her voice soothing. "Mr. Leishman, Mr. Lambert is still young and enjoys his freedom. There's no need to get so upset." Having worked as Carlos' secretary since graduating university, Hannah was known for her professionalism and tactful communication. Christopher raised his glass to his lips, taking a sip before directing a teasing gaze toward her. "Ms. Shaw, you always know how to say the right things. Perhaps you'd make an excellent aunt too. What do you think?" "Um…" Hannah glanced at Carlos briefly before lowering her eyes, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Mr. Lambert, that's not a joke to be taken lightly." Christopher smirked but said nothing further, his gaze moving from Hannah back to Carlos. Carlos ignored Christopher's flippant remarks, tossing a stack of photos onto the coffee table. His stern expression matched the sharpness in his tone. "This woman… Is she the reason you've been avoiding the company lately?" Christopher glanced at the photos, instantly recognizing the one Adeline had shown him last night. The time, the scene had been captured from multiple angles, leaving no room for ambiguity. He leaned back slightly, a faint smirk playing on his lips. It figured Carlos was here because of this. "Dorothy Clark. 26. Unemployed. Her family runs a small logistic business," Carlos listed with a tone dripping in disdain, his gold-rimmed glasses glinting under the light. "Christopher, as the CEO of Lambert Group, is this really the kind of company you choose to keep? Someone so… unremarkable?" The humor in Christopher's gaze disappeared. His tone turned icy. "Uncle Carlos, you investigated her?" Carlos didn't flinch under Christopher's glare. "You've surrounded yourself with countless women. It's my duty to know what they're after." Seeing the shift in Christopher's demeanor, Carlos softened his approach, his voice adopting a note of earnest concern. "Christopher, your father entrusted this company to you before he passed. You need to step up and take it seriously. Don't let yourself become a laughingstock." Christopher swirled the wine in his glass, then downed it in one smooth motion before standing. He tilted his head slightly, offering Carlos a sly smile. "With you at the helm, Uncle Carlos, who's laughing?" "Lambert Group is your family's legacy. I'm just a vice president—an outsider temporarily filling in." He placed a firm hand on Christopher's shoulder. "But eventually, you will have to take full control. Stop making waves and focus." Christopher chuckled, his words deceptively light. "Why not hand over the company to you, Uncle Carlos? That way, you can manage it openly and legitimately." The air in the room thickened, tension creeping into every corner. Hannah blinked in surprise. Christopher's tone didn't sound like a joke. His gaze carried an unsettling seriousness. Just as she glanced toward Carlos, his sharp reprimand cut through the silence. "Christopher! Stop talking nonsense!" Christopher's smirk widened. "Relax, Uncle Carlos. I was joking." "Be mindful of your words," Carlos snapped. "If the wrong ears hear something like that, they'll twist it into a scandal. And another thing—treat Adeline better. She was handpicked by David. Even if you don't care for her, you have a duty to uphold the alliance between the Lambert and Keller families. Don't give the media any ammunition to embarrass us." After delivering his final piece of advice, Carlos strode out. Once alone, Christopher's gaze fell on the photos scattered across the table. His expression darkened as he reached for his phone and dialed a number. The line connected, and his voice was cold and clipped. "Joe, why weren't last night's photos handled by the PR department?" On the other end, Joe Scott froze. "Mr. Lambert, there was no directive from Mrs. Lambert to handle any photos last night." Joe, as Christopher's special assistant, was no stranger to his frequent tabloid scandals. Normally, whenever photos surfaced, the paparazzi would send them over immediately, and Adeline would promptly instruct Joe to pay top dollar to have them suppressed. In the past, those few photos had cost millions in PR fees. But this time, Adeline hadn't said a word. "She didn't say anything?" Christopher pressed, his tone sharp. Joe hesitated, his voice growing quieter. "Well, she did say something…" Christopher's brows furrowed, his patience wearing thin. "What did she say?" Joe stammered, feeling like he was on the verge of his last breath. "Mrs. Lambert said…" He paused, then decided to just rip the band-aid off. "She said, 'People need dignity like trees need their bark. If you don't care about your reputation, then do whatever you want!'" Joe delivered the line with perfect mimicry, even nailing Adeline's tone. The silence on the other end was broken by the sound of shattering glass, which was sharp and jarring. Then, the call abruptly ended.