Chapter 11 Julian had just stepped out of Dominicks office when his phone rang .
He glanced at the caller ID and frowned , his expression tightening with barely concealed disgust .
The ringtone continued to echo in the hallway , the sound grating on his nerves .
After what felt like an eternity , he finally picked up .
smooth and friendly like always , a stark contrast to the contempt in his eyes .
Ms.
Sullivan , how can I help you ? his tone Brittanys voice , overly sweet and dripping with affected charm , floated through the line .
Mr.
Hale , hello , I wanted to thank Mr.
Vanderbilt for securing the lead role for me in the film .
Hes been such a huge help , and Id love to show my gratitude by treating him to a meal .
Could you pass that along ! Julians eyebrows furrowed , a mix of irritation and something darker flaring in his chest .

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He had known shed pull something like this .
Sorry .
Im afraid Mr.
Vanderbilt has been quite busy recently , Ms.
Sullivan , he replied , keeping his voice neutral , though the disapproval was unmistakable .
There was a brief silence on the other end , Brittany clearly disappointed but unwilling to let go .
When will Mr.
Vanderbilt be free ? Im flexible anytime works for me Realizing she might have sounded too eager .
Brittany quickly backtracked .
Not just me .
Mr.
Hale .
My whole family we all want to thank Mr.
Vanderbilt for his generosity Her desperation seeped through the phone , and it deepened Julians distaste .
He knew all too well the kind of game Brittany was playing Understood .
Ms.
Sullivan .
Il pass your message along .
If Mr.
Vanderbilt finds the time , I will contact you Hearing that Julian hadnt completely shut the door on her request , Brittany hurriedly expressed her gratitude before ending the call .
Yet , the look of scom on Julians face remained unchanged .
As expected , anyone associated with Paisley is cut from the same cloth .
That entire family is all the same he thought with derision , Julian held little regard for Paisley , and even less for the Sullivan family .
Taisley may have been away from Harrowfell for a while , but now that shes back .
I believe her family has reconnected with her .
In the grand , elegant living room of Sullivan Villa , Christina sat poised beside her daughter , a subtle gleam of expectation in her eyes .
So ? Did he agree ! Brittanys mood soured , though she hid it behind a tight smile .
Mr.
Hale said Mr.
Vanderbilt was too busy right now to meet .
But he promised to pass along my message .
Hell back to me .
Her voice faltered just a bit , revealing the frustration bubbling beneath the surface .
She had hoped for more .
I need to see him now , not later The reality was , over the past few months , she had only seen Dominick twice .
Once at a charity gala , the other at a party .
Both times , hed been surrounded by others , with barely a moment alone with her , let alone the chance for a meaningful conversation .
Thats not exactly a clear rejection , so theres still hope , Christina said , trying to soothe her daughter .
Brittany nodded slowly , a reluctant comfort settling in her chest .
She had no other choice but to believe that Mom , could we have misunderstood ? Misunderstood what ? Whether Mr.
Vanderbilt has any interest in me … Brittany didnt want to admit it might be a misunderstanding , but the doubts gnawed at her .
If he was interested in me , why hasnt he made a mover Why hasnt he called , asked to meet ! She had been waiting for months , hoping hed reach out , but the phone never rang .
Every time she made the effort to ask for a meeting , she was met with the same excuse that he was too busy .
And to make matters worse , she still didnt have Dominicks personal number .
Every time she needed to get in touch with him , it was through Julian , his assistant .
It felt like a constant roadblock always one step removed from the man she wanted to get close to Christina furrowed her brows in thought , trying to reassure Brittany .
But if Mr.
Vanderbilt wasnt interested , why would he help you so much ! Why would be go out of his way to support our business ! They all knew the truth that with Sullivan Groups modest capabilities , becoming a Vanderbilt Group parmer was nothing short of a pipe dream .
1/2 Chapter 11 Yet here they were Vanderbilt Group had not only become their largest client but also the primary source of revenue for Sullivan Group .
In other words , the Sullivan family was surviving solely on the orders provided by Vanderbilt Group .
Theres no such thing as unprovoked kindness or unsolicited support , Gregory Sullivan , Brittanys foster father , finally spoke , calm but deliberate .
If Mr.
Vanderbilt is going out of his way to do all this , he must have a reason Both Christina and Brittany silently agreed with him .
After all , in their eyes , businessmen were notorious for being profit driven .
Historically , the Sullivan and Vanderbilt families had no connection whatsoever and the two families were worlds apart .
To them , the stadden generosity and attention from the Vanderbilt familys heir were inexplicable , unless there was a hidden motive .
And the Sullivan family , for all their aspirations , was well aware that their company had nothing of value that might interest Vanderbilt Group .
Which left them with only one logical explanation Brittany .