A Day with the President

The heavy silence in the car stretched between them for the entire drive back to the Ashcroft villa. Tires crunched against the wide gravel driveway, signaling their arrival in the dead of night. As soon as Margot and Bennett stepped through the heavy front doors, Evelyn was already waiting for them in the center of the brightly lit living room.

"It is only your second day in this city, and you are already staying out this late," Evelyn lashed out, her sharp tongue immediately cutting through the quiet foyer. Her eyes swept over Margot with blatant distaste, taking in her casual demeanor. "Nobody even knows who you went out with tonight. You could be ruining this family's reputation right under our noses. How could any of my respectable sons ever marry such an undisciplined woman?"

Before Bennett could say a word in defense, Alistair stepped out of the adjacent study. Noticing the two of them arriving together, he immediately offered a warm, welcoming smile to diffuse the mounting tension.

"I see you two found each other," Alistair said smoothly. He turned his attention to the young woman standing near the doorway. "Margot, in regards to the marriage arrangement, I have a proposal. You will spend a designated amount of time with each of my five sons in turn. This will allow you to figure out which of them you genuinely like before making any final decisions. How does that sound?"

Margot nodded her head in agreement. "That sounds fine, Mister Alistair."

Knowing she could not overturn her husband’s decision, Evelyn tightly crossed her arms and settled for glaring at Margot in silent, mounting frustration.

Early the next morning, a tired and slightly grumpy Margot was abruptly awakened by a loud, demanding knock on her bedroom door. She dragged herself out of bed, running a tired hand through her messy hair, and yanked the heavy wooden door open. She found Bennett standing in the hallway. He looked incredibly sharp in a tailored black business suit, his expression unreadable.

"Get ready," he ordered curtly, glancing at his watch. "You are accompanying me to the company office today for your first date."

During the silent drive to the corporate headquarters, Bennett decided to lay down his boundaries with absolute clarity. He kept his eyes locked firmly on the road ahead, his voice dripping with cold indifference.

"Let's get one thing straight," he informed her flatly. "I only agreed to spend the day with you to appease our father. I will take decent care of you at the office, but I will never actually like you. Do not waste your time trying to get to know me."

Instead of being offended by his blunt rejection, Margot's eyes lit up with playful mischief. A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. She leaned much closer to him, casually invading his personal space.

"Really?" she teased, her voice dropping to a dramatic, breathy whisper. "Because after observing the five brothers for the past two days, you are actually the one I like the most. What should I do now?"

Her sudden flirtation left Bennett visibly flustered. His calm demeanor cracked entirely, and he shot her a glare born of sheer frustration. Margot simply chuckled softly, leaning back into her seat and turning to look out the passenger window.

Their arrival at the massive Ashcroft office building instantly sparked a massive wave of whispers among the passing employees. The staff, who had fully expected to see a dowdy, uncultured village girl based on the vicious internet rumors, were completely stunned. Margot stepped out of the luxury vehicle radiating elegant presence and effortless beauty.

"Look at her," one female employee murmured to a colleague, her eyes wide. "She is gorgeous. She looks like a perfect match for our cold president."

However, as Bennett walked over to hand his car keys to the head security guard on duty, Margot's face suddenly lit up with genuine delight.

"Mister Quentin!" she warmly called out to the elderly guard, recognizing him instantly.

To Bennett's deep suspicion and the utter bewilderment of the surrounding employees, Margot casually waved a hand at the powerful CEO.

"Go on ahead to your meetings," she dismissed him easily. "I am going to stay behind and help Quentin park the car."

Rather than clinging to the wealthy, powerful president, Margot proceeded to spend the entire morning lounging in the small, cramped security booth. The sound of her happy chatting and laughing with Quentin drifted out the open window, completely ignoring the fast-paced corporate world moving around her.

The office rumor mill quickly shifted from awe to mockery. Employees snickered as they walked through the lobby.

"Guess you can't hide her background," a manager whispered. "Her rural roots are showing. She only feels comfortable wasting time with low-class, insignificant people."

Completely ignoring the brewing gossip, Margot waited until Quentin's shift ended. She happily accompanied the older man to a nearby local restaurant for lunch. The place was bustling with the lunchtime rush, but they managed to find a spot. Just as they sat down at a small corner table, her phone buzzed with an unknown number.

When she answered, Bennett's icy, commanding voice echoed through the line.

"Come up and eat lunch in my private office immediately."