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.

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