Grayson Pierce and Eloise Caldwell novel Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Unexpected Reunion

At The Mayfair Kitchen in Ekloland, someone announced, “Mr. Pierce is here.”

Eloise Caldwell rose with the others in the private room to greet the newcomer.

Rumor had it that this “Mr. Pierce” was an exceptionally capable man, low-key and mysterious. Few people ever managed to invite him out.

Eloise had come with her boss, Beckett Hayes. Having just returned to Ekloland to join the head office, Beckett needed to build his network. The dinner was arranged by one of Beckett’s friends, and even Beckett was attending thanks to this connection.

The heavy door swung open from outside. Staring at the tall figure who stepped inside, Eloise froze on the spot. ‘Grayson Pierce?’ she thought.

Grayson was Eloise’s ex-boyfriend. She had spent five years searching for him. Never once had she imagined he was the mysterious “Mr. Pierce” from Ekloland’s elite circles.

‘No wonder I could never find him, no matter how many people I asked. We’ve been living in completely different worlds. How could I possibly track him down?’ Eloise suddenly understood.

All this time, Eloise had lived in Ucrevine, knowing little about Ekloland, let alone its elite circles. It was only after moving here with her boss that she heard about the immensely powerful Pierce family in Ekoland.

The Pierces kept an extremely low profile, rarely appearing in the media. Their only son had never once shown his face in public. People knew almost nothing about him.

Before coming today, Eloise hadn’t even asked for Mr. Pierce’s full name. She had never once connected her ex-boyfriend to that elusive figure from Ekloland’s high society.

As Eloise looked at Grayson, he looked back as well, his eyes widening slightly with a flicker of surprise. But then he looked away quickly and started talking with the others. Eloise’s heart sank. ‘Has Grayson long since forgotten me?’

Once everyone was seated, they began to talk about stocks, global economic trends, and all manner of high-level business. Eloise sat in the corner, her heart a whirlwind of emotions, her eyes drifting uncontrollably to Grayson.

Dressed in a tailored high-end suit, he exuded an air of noble elegance. Though he chatted and drank with those around him, a cold detachment lingered in his eyes.

‘He seems colder than he was five years ago.’ Eloise felt the distance between them acutely, a gap that felt impossible to cross.

She overheard them talking about Grayson’s training at a branch of VirtuFusion Group, a company owned by the Pierce family. That very branch in Ucrevine was where Eloise had landed her first job after college and had met Grayson.

So he hid his background to train at the company. We were together for over a year, yet he never mentioned it to me. He must have been testing me. And clearly, I failed. That’s why he erased every trace of himself and disappeared from my life,’ Eloise thought.

Introduced by a friend, Beckett stepped forward to raise a toast to Grayson. “Mr. Pierce, I’m Beckett Hayes. Your reputation precedes you. Let me propose a toast to you,” he said.

Grayson raised his wine glass in a brief gesture, barely sipping. With so many people there that evening, Beckett hadn’t expected much more. Knowing when to step back, he exchanged a few polite words and returned to his seat.

Then Grayson’s eyes settled on Eloise. His voice cut clearly through the chatter. “Mr. Hayes, Ms. Caldwell here is your…” He left the question hanging.

Beckett was taken aback, wondering how Grayson knew Eloise. “She’s my secretary,” he replied. Then he turned to Eloise and said, “Ms. Caldwell, why don’t you toast Mr. Pierce with juice?”

Beckett explained, “My apologies, Mr. Pierce. My secretary is allergic to alcohol.”

Now that Grayson had brought Eloise into the conversation, Beckett wasn’t going to miss the chance. He just hadn’t expected that the two seemed to know each other. Eloise had never mentioned it.

Grayson’s eyes sharpened, and the air around him turned heavy. Eloise stood up nervously and reached for her glass. But Grayson stopped her. “No need,” he said coldly.

Eloise hesitated for a moment, then walked closer. She looked in his eyes and whispered, “Grayson.”

Grayson was much taller than Eloise. He looked down at her, his gaze sharp as he exhaled a slow ring of smoke.

“I’ve been looking for you for so long,” Eloise said softly. “Do you still blame me?”

Grayson flicked the cigarette into a nearby bin, and then turned back to her with a cold smile. “What? Now that you know who I am, you regret it? Think this little act will win me over?

“You’re thinking too much, Ms. Caldwell. That little thing between us was just a small detour in my life. If you hadn’t shown up today, I would have forgotten you ever existed.”

Eloise’s eyes filled with tears. The words she’d wanted to say stuck in her throat. She had wanted to explain what happened back then. She had wanted to tell him they had a child. But now, it all seemed pointless.

She took a step back, forcing an unsteady smile. “I’m sorry. I spoke out of turn.” Not daring to look at him again, she turned and walked slowly back toward the private room.

Two minutes after Eloise returned, Grayson came back in. She kept her head down, shrinking into her corner, trying her best to be invisible. She just wanted the dinner would end soon.

The man she had searched for over five long years was finally right in front of her, but all she wanted was to get away.