Freya herself also looked surprised as Adrian casually tossed out that Charles was already in a relationship. She couldn't help giggling at the sight of James being scolded. Bringing the cup to her lips once more, her mind wondered if that thirty second rule was true. Watching the two of them come up with rather effortless solutions to what she thought would be quite the task to overcome, a bright smile graced her lips. "Honestly, I think the whole house would be in shambles without your combined efforts." Nodding, she glanced towards James. "I'll need to get in touch with Charles and figure out what works best for him...As for Alex..." She paused, staring at her small amount of tea left before finishing it. "We should meet with him sooner than later to establish what kind of relationship we want with them."

The conversation air seemed to shift from business matters to one of personal affairs. Her cheeks flushed at Adrian's ability to seamlessly shift from two different topics. Catching the small look from James, she cleared her throat, "R-Right. Well, we uhm...we planned to tell you at the same time, as I said - but...uhm...I guess now? If we wait too long it will look as if we were all keeping it from him and I'd rather not..." Setting her empty cup down, she looked to Adrian. "I will admit I'm not really sure how to approach Daddy. I mean, I could say 'Yes, hi - James and I are dating now' but I don't think that alone would sit well with him? You're around him all the time, Adrian. Can't you suggest...uhm...I don't know? Something? I know his plan is to have me with one of the heirs, to strengthen our namesake and all that, but...I want to be with James." To be honest, Freya had no game plan for what to tell her father. She knew that she needed to at least defend her position, but...would simply saying that she...trusted him entirely, and even...well...other things.

James’s gaze stayed firm on Freya as she admitted that she wanted to be with him instead of the other men. The men that could provide for her easily take care of her financially and help her set her future to one of profit but… she didn’t care. Instead she wanted a live of love, dedication and happiness; that was what he could give her. Well that was his goal from when they decided to become something serious and onward.

“My advice?” Adrian asked but he didn’t sound the least bit surprised. “My advice is tell him, the sooner you tell him the sooner you don’t have to feel like you’re sneaking around. You’re in your own home and you don’t feel comfortable to be yourselves. The sooner you talk to him the better. Plus he will change his approach with the other parents; I think you’d be fully supported and… I think you’re both foolish for not telling him sooner.” His tone of his words were a bit harsh but it was a harshness the two needed to hear.

Placing his finished cup down on the saucer James turned his deep blue gaze back to Freya with a tender smile. “We should go talk to your father. He could help us shift the train of thought with the fathers and build a partnership instead of a relationship.” A determined nod rose and fell his head before he turned his gaze back down to his hands, “I’m so nervous…” He said softly to his palms as… well Adrian snickered.

“I’m not surprised but you shouldn’t fear. I think he’ll understand.” Adrian said with a nod as he stood up and began to load the empty cups and saucers onto the tray.

Freya practically slumped down in her seat once Adrian had given his opinion on the matter. What should she have expected? Of course he was going to tell her to speak to her father about the truth. He did have a point - this was her home after all. Thinking to last night that James had to resort to climbing the foliage outside her window so they could spend time together was not her ideal situation. Nodding, she gave a soft sigh. They were really doing this, it seemed. Glancing over towards James once he began to speak, she gently bit her lip. "Y-Yeah, I know..." Freya stood, and cleared her throat. "Well then, let's...do this."

The walk to her father's study seemed to be a longer one than usual. Her news were always happy ones when she walked through the halls, pushing the heavy doors open and seeing her father deftly working through his business for the day. She wasn't delivering unhappy news by any means, but she certainly wasn't going in with as much confidence as she had once done with her acceptance letter to her father in the dining room in what felt like so long ago. Knocking on the door, she glanced between James and the door before her father's voice called for them to enter.

There he sat, the master of the house looked up and his eyebrows rose slightly, surprised to see James beside his daughter on her visit. "Well, well. Not the guests I would think to receive this afternoon." Marking his place in his work, he set it aside to give the pair his attention. "Go ahead, Freya."

Nodding, she straightened her posture and cleared her throat once more. "Right. W-Well. Daddy, it's about the partnerships. I want to continue with them as our partners, it's just...I don't want to pursue any of them romantically."

"Is there something wrong with them, Freya? You've been seeming to get along with them up until this point. Did something happen at the party?" He asked, some concern showing in his aged features.

"N-No! Nothing like that! Well...maybe with one..." She grumbled and shook her head. "Anyway, no. I don't want to be with them romantically because I..." She glanced towards James. "B-Because I...I want to be...with James.." As if anticipating something terrible, she began quickly speaking again. "I-I don't care that he isn't from some really big family, because he makes me happy. He's so wonderful to me all the time, Daddy. Even when he isn't working. He's kind, and sweet, and...and.." She paused, realizing she was rambling, her cheeks growing hot.

A small silence filled the room before her father simply gave a hearty laugh. "Ah! I see, I see. Well. It warms my heart to hear you speak with such conviction, my dear. However - I am your father and even though I do want you to be happy you simply cannot drag James into our affairs. You are the heir to a business. A business that relies on your every decision." Turning his attention towards the young man beside his daughter, he raised an expectant eyebrow. "So, James. What are your wishes? I do hope my daughter hasn't talked you into going along with her wishes to run from her duties or anything of the like..?" As much as he wanted to go along with what Freya was saying, he needed to hear both parties and understand how this was to come together. He had no doubt about James' capabilities to adapt - that was what his duty had been up until this point.

It took a lot for James to get nerves so as you can imagine the closer they got to her father’s office the more he seemed to almost… shake. He was nervous but he wanted to do this. He had to do this, he had to because he loved her.

Arriving at the door, he took a deep breath and with an exchanged look between the two of them he pulled the door open and allowed her to go in first. The Master of the house sat behind his desk carrying on with his normal day while the two walked up to the desk with surprising news. Placing his hands behind his back James took in a deep breath as Freya began to speak. It was now or never and they were already here.

The look of concern on the Master’s face for his young daughter was touching considering things did happen but it wasn’t something they wanted him to worry about. Additionally that wasn’t why they were standing before him but as the words left Freya’s mouth, I want to be with James the reality set in that they were really doing this. They were really, honestly, telling her father that she, the heiress to the company, wanted to be with him, a lowly servant who hadn’t been employed at the residence for that long.

The silence was deafening, nothing felt as loud as the silence that was brought into the room after she stopped talking. His heat slammed in his chest but he stood his ground and didn’t run. He couldn’t run. He loved Freya and he had to stay and speak his peace.

The hearty laugh was a relief to hear but when those eyes shifted back to him he stiffened just a bit. A small cough left him, it wasn’t normal for him to get asked what his own wishes were. “Sir, my wish is to be with your daughter… as her boyfriend. If this requires me to leave my post to do so I completely understand and I…”

Holding his hand up, the Master laughed softly. “You do not need to leave your job.”

That clarification brought obvious relief across the young man’s face and he was flagged to continue on. “Freya is not doing anything to ignore her job as the heir to the company and I feel if I am able to work under Adrian until her graduation I can help her in the same ways Adrian helps you and then some if the education is allowed. I want to support her in any way I can because… I love her.”

As James freely offered up his position, Freya tensed. He couldn't just leave his position, what about everything he had been working for up to this point? She was about to say something, before her father interrupted the train of thought that James had been going with. Listening to him next to her and offering up ways that he could shift and change to make this work warmed her heart. Once those words left James, she sniffled softly. "Oh, James..." She smiled up towards him and gave his hand a squeeze before turning back to her father.

Taking a moment, he turned his attention to Adrian who had entered in with the couple, but had stayed silent this time. "Adrian - you are one of my trusted confidants in regards to this company and what the future holds. I know personally from you that James is a hard worker and will completely dedicate himself to whatever tasks lie ahead. However..what do you think? Perhaps it isn't fair to ask you to take on even more work to train James into someone of proper knowledge to be able to support my daughter. Do you think it is a wise decision?" He asked, and laughed to himself, waving his hand. "Of course, of course. If I know Adrian, if he had even a doubt that you wouldn't be able to do this, I'm sure you wouldn't be standing in front of me." Looking back towards Adrian, he nodded. "Would you train him, Adrian? It will be like old times all over again."

"With that in mind Freya, you will have to start sorting out when to see your partners within the next week."

Nodding, Freya swallowed. "Of course! I was just going to start sorting out a visitation schedule with them and start to work on blueprints."

It wasn’t until the realization that Adrian would start training him on being a proper support to the business instead of just a butler that caused a small drip of sweat to roll down James’s brow… why? Because Adrian was scary behind closed doors and he was not walking into a lion’s den without so much as a chair to fend off the beast that is, his dark blue eyes went towards the man in the corner who just crossed his arms and smirked in agreement to train James.

Everything went better than they expected and soon the three were dismissed and James was dragged by his collar towards Adrian’s office and the grilling began.

Throughout the day, James was released to check on Freya and he looked more and more exhausted each time he came to visit her. It wasn’t until dinner time when he was allowed a full break and he made them a quick meal and went to the office she was using in order to organize herself.

“Hey.” He said as he pushed open the door and kicked it shut softly with a tray in his arms. He opened the lid of the tray when he set it down on the desk top to reveal two plates of Hainanese Chicken Rice and two large glasses of ice water. Leaning down he gave her a gentle kiss before moving the chair to sit next to her rather than across from her. He then removed the plate from the tray along with the glass and placed it before her with silverware and did the same for himself.

Sitting down in the chair he unfolded the silverware and began to eat, “Have you had a chance to organize any meetings with anyone? Adrian… wants to know my schedule…” His tone held a small shiver to it but really, it was just a lot to take in and Adrian wasn’t one for repeating himself. All things he knew already but getting a very harsh reminder of it.

While Freya couldn't think things have gone smoother, she could have sworn James looked more tense than when they first entered the room. Only after Adrian dragged her boyfriend out of the room did she start to get why James was nervous. Deciding to stay back a little to talk with her father about the schedule they had drafted up, she ended things productively, and excused herself once her father had gotten a business call. Checking the time, she wanted to give her mind a small break from all things business, deciding to head out into the gardens. Taking some blankets with her, she laid one down for a pillow and another to keep her warm while she gazed up at the sky. Compared to whatever hell Adrian was giving James, she really was getting the easy part at least for now. Every now and again a maid would come make sure she was alright in James' place, and he would come sit with her to take in a bit of fresh air. Before the last time he left, she gave him a quick tug and smiled. "I'm going to move to the office on the second floor and start gathering information together, okay?"

Once he had gone back, she moved herself up to the office, and printed out paperwork that would need to be signed and began compiling questions she might have for the meetings with the local heirs. The door made a soft creak, causing Freya to look up. "Oh James, hi." She happily hummed after her welcoming kiss and couldn't help but take his hand and gently kiss it, her thumb stroking the back of it. "You look like you're going to fall out. Is everything alright?" Picking up a fork, she began eating and nodded to his question.

Swallowing, she smiled. "I got in touch with Wonderland, and he responded to come anytime we like. The Porcelain Doll Company wishes to meet this Thursday, and Charles from the Steel & Manufacturing has yet to respond. I think he's tied up with an order so we might have to stop by in person or reach out to the secretary? Other than that, Alex has said he is free anytime to give a tour." Freya gave a small laugh. "I'm sorry it isn't more cut and dry, but that's what I have right now." Giving a small wave of her hand, she dismissed it. "Enough of that. You've done nothing but talk about business since you got here. Don't tell me the James I know and love has checked out?" She teased. "Who am I possibly going to gush over how delicious this dish is?" She gave a fake huff and glanced back towards James.