She Used Me for a Dare… Now I Own Her Mother Chapter 522: Old Faces, New Standing(2)

David Bennett stared at Alex for a second longer, as if confirming he wasn’t imagining things. Then a wide, genuine smile spread across his face.

"Well, I’ll be damned..." he said, standing up from his chair. "Look who finally decided to come back."

He walked around the desk without any of his usual formality and clapped a hand on Alex’s shoulder, giving it a firm, almost proud squeeze.

"My favorite junior returns," David said with a low laugh. "You’ve grown even more insufferable, I can already tell."

Alex smiled. "It’s good to see you too, David."

Claudia watched the exchange with an amused expression, arms lightly crossed.

"I’ll leave you two to catch up," she said, already stepping back toward the door. "Try not to talk his ear off too quickly, David."

David glanced at her. "Have someone bring coffee. The good one. Not that weak nonsense from the third floor."

Claudia gave a small salute with two fingers. "Understood."

She shot Alex one last brief look... still faintly curious... before stepping out and closing the door behind her.

The office fell quiet for a moment.

David gestured toward the chairs in front of his desk as he returned to his seat, still smiling.

"Sit down," he said. "I want to hear everything."

David leaned back in his chair, studying Alex for a moment with a familiar sharpness in his eyes.

Alex sat down across from him. He had always enjoyed David’s company... the old man’s sharp tongue and straightforward nature made conversations easy.

For a while, he spoke casually, sharing a few of his experiences from the past months.

David let out a short breath that was almost a laugh.

"Good," he repeated, shaking his head slightly. "You disappear for a while, come back looking sharper than before, and casually take first place at Blackwood University." His expression softened into something more serious. "I’m proud of you, Alex. Truly."

He paused, fingers tapping once against the desk.

"It’s not every day someone like Catherine offers a hand to an outsider," David continued. "That woman doesn’t waste her time. For her to take interest in you... you must have been outstanding."

His gaze stayed fixed on Alex as he asked,

"So, Alex... what do you plan to do now? Do you already have your own plans, or are you going to accept her offer and train under her?"

Alex was silent for a moment.

He considered how much he should say. In the end, he chose the safer answer.

"I still haven’t decided yet."

David nodded slowly, looking satisfied.

"Yes. Don’t be hasty with big decisions. Take your time."

Then his expression shifted. The usual dryness on his face faded, replaced by something heavier.

"But as your senior," David said, his tone turning serious, "let me tell you something. You’ve reached a position where things will no longer move smoothly for you. From now on, whatever you do... think it through carefully."

He paused for a moment, eyes steady.

"Keep your greed in check. And be careful of the people around you. There are all kinds of them in this world — some good, some bad. Once you step into the circle of those with real power, even a single careless step can cost you more than you expect."

His voice softened slightly, though the weight behind it remained.

"I just don’t want to see you get consumed by it."

His eyes stayed locked on Alex, making sure the weight of his words landed.

Alex met his gaze and gave a clear nod. He understood exactly what David meant.

A man in such a high position would not be oblivious to the realities of this world. David must have seen and known far more than he let on. Alex wasn’t afraid of anyone... but he still clearly appreciated the warning.

David watched him for a moment longer.

Seeing that Alex had taken the words seriously, his expression softened, and a small smile returned to his face.

"And I know you’re not lacking in connections," he added. "But if you ever need me, contact me anytime. I still have a few good connections and some influence of my own."

Before Alex could reply, there was a knock on the door.

A staff member entered carrying a tray, carefully placing two cups of coffee on the desk before quietly stepping back out and closing the door behind them.

They both picked up their cups and took a quiet sip of coffee.

David set his cup down after a moment and leaned forward slightly.

"Mrs. Victoria really is a genius when it comes to selecting people," he said. "I didn’t fully understand her vision at first... but I do now."

He opened a drawer, pulled out a thin black file, and placed it on the desk between them.

At the top, in clean bold letters, was written:

Future Mind Initiative.

David tapped the cover once.

"This program has already brought more value to the company than most of us expected. We’ve trained two individuals who are already performing at a very high level, and a few others are showing exceptional progress as well. They’re not ordinary talents." He looked up at Alex. "They’re rare. Real geniuses."

Alex’s eyes rested on the file for a second longer.

The Future Mind Initiative...

It had originally been created just so he could remain close to Victoria. That was the real reason it had started. Yet under her hand, it had quietly turned into something valuable for the company itself.

A faint thought crossed his mind.

’I still have a lot to learn from her.’

They continued talking for a while longer, moving between lighter topics — old cases, company changes, and a few casual remarks that carried no real weight. The conversation flowed easily, the same way it always had between them.

Eventually, Alex set his empty cup down and rose from his seat.

"It was really good seeing you again," he said. "But I should get going now."

David stood up as well and extended his hand. His grip was firm and steady.

"Same here. It was refreshing," he replied with a small smile.

"Don’t disappear again. Keep in touch. And if you ever need anything... you know where to find me."

"I will," Alex answered.

With that, he turned and walked out of the office. The door closed quietly behind him as he stepped back into the hallway.

Inside, David remained seated, eyes fixed on the closed door for a long moment. Only after that did he finally lower his gaze and return to the documents on his desk.

***

Alex walked out of David’s office and paused for a brief second, glancing back at the closed door before turning away.

The executive floor was alive with quiet activity. People sat focused behind their desks, typing on laptops, flipping through documents, and speaking in low, efficient tones. The atmosphere carried the steady rhythm of a place that never truly slowed down.

He made his way toward the elevator.

Just as he reached it, the doors slid open — and Margaret stepped out.

She wasn’t looking ahead..

She collided straight into him.

Alex reacted instantly, catching her before she could fall... but in that hurried motion, his hand landed firmly against the soft underside of her breast.

Both of them froze.

Margaret’s body stiffened completely. Her eyes widened as a deep flush rushed up her neck and spread across her face. For a short, painfully clear moment, they remained exactly like that — his hand still pressed against her.

Alex removed it a second later.

Margaret quickly stepped back, her breathing slightly uneven as she tried to regain her composure. She adjusted her blazer with slightly trembling fingers, though her face remained noticeably red.

"...Mrs. Victoria has called for you," she said, her voice a little tighter than usual.

Without another word, she turned and pressed the elevator button again. When the doors opened, both of them stepped inside.

The short ride upward felt much longer than it should have.

Margaret kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, still visibly conscious of what had just happened, while the quiet hum of the elevator filled the space between them.

The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime.

Alex stepped out first, and Margaret followed closely behind him. They walked side by side down the quiet executive corridor, the polished floor reflecting the soft overhead lights.

Neither of them spoke.

Margaret maintained her usual composed posture, but there was still a faint stiffness in her steps — the lingering embarrassment from earlier had not completely faded. Alex, on the other hand, walked with his usual calm, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

After a short walk, they stopped in front of a pair of elegant double doors.

Margaret raised her hand and knocked twice.

A clear voice came from inside.

"Come in."

She pushed the door open and stepped aside slightly, allowing Alex to enter first.

Victoria Blackwood was seated behind her desk, posture composed, presence quietly commanding. The moment her eyes landed on Alex, a soft smile curved her lips.

"You’ve finally arrived," she said.

Margaret opened the door and stepped aside, allowing Alex to enter first.

Victoria Blackwood was seated behind her desk, reviewing a document. The moment her eyes lifted and landed on him, everything else seemed to fade.

A soft smile bloomed across her face.

She stood up at once and, without the slightest hesitation, walked quickly around the desk toward him. Before Alex could say a word, her hands rose to cup his face, and she kissed him — direct, warm, and unrestrained.

The office fell into complete silence.

Behind them, Margaret stood frozen near the doorway, eyes wide in pure shock. For a second, she couldn’t even process what she was seeing.

The always-composed Mrs. Victoria Blackwood... kissing someone so openly, so familiarly, right in front of her.

Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out.