billion book
Chapter 148
Chapter 148
“Uh, kinda, yeah,” Sophia piped up before Cindy could get a word in. “Last time I was back, I ran out of juice on my phone during dinner and didn’t have any cash on me, and she covered the meal for me.”
She kept her composure and tone casual, and after she finished, Sophia coolly turned to Cindy. “I really owe you one for last time. I didn’t get around to adding you on WhatsApp to pay you back. Let’s swap numbers, shall we?”
Whipping out her phone, she opened WhatsApp and went straight to add Cindy’s contact.
Cindy was totally thrown off by Sophia’s pace, puzzled at first but then totally focused on adding each other on WhatsApp. She happily nodded, “Sure thing!” and quickly pulled out her phone, flipped to her WhatsApp QR code, and turned her screen towards Sophia.
Cindy’s eyes were lit up with excitement and admiration, just like someone who’s had the surprise of bumping into a stranger and later finding out it was their boss.
Kent chuckled and chimed in, “It’s a small world, isn’t it? Fancy you two having such a twist of fate.”
As Sophia scanned Cindy’s WhatsApp, she replied with an easy smile, “You bet.”
Casually glancing at Cindy, who was buzzing with the excitement of a new connection, Sophia’s gaze then seemingly drifted unintentionally to Brandon. Their eyes met, his gaze calm yet unreadably deep.
Sophia felt her heart pound wildly, her palms sweating as she clutched her phone.
She never imagined that the girl she casually chatted with at the police station would turn out to be a colleague, giving her such a big surprise right after signing her employment contract.
Feeling a bit rattled under Brandon’s intense stare, she was saved by the arrival of guests coming to congratulate him, momentarily drawing his attention away with a “Mr. Crawley.”
Sophia forced herself to stay composed, exchanged smiles with Cindy, and then turned to the others. “Let’s all add each other on WhatsApp, shall we? Looking forward to working with everyone. Please forgive any shortcomings on my part.”
She showed her QR code to them, and they all whipped out their phones to connect. The atmosphere quickly shifted to work mode, and Cindy’s initial surprise was soon forgotten.
After everyone had added her, Sophia pocketed her phone and stole another glance at Brandon. He was standing side-on, engaging politely with a client, his expression cool and detached but with that effortless control he always had. His attention
didn’t return to her.
As people began mingling again, Sophia felt out of place. She wasn’t one for schmoozing, and the long flight and jet lag were taking their toll. She didn’t join the crowd but drifted towards the dining area, messaging Cindy. [Sorry for the trouble, but could you keep the other day’s incident under wraps? It’s a bit too much for some folks to wrap their heads around.]
After sending the message, she watched Cindy glance down at her phone as it buzzed, then promptly replied with a [No worries, I get it. Your secret’s safe with me.]
[Thanks,] Sophia sent back, then after a moment asked, [Could you delete this chat, please?]
Cindy looked confused and a bit puzzled as to why but after spotting Sophia in the crowd, she replied with a quick [Sure thing] and deleted their chat history.
Sophia saw Cindy delete the messages, feeling a weight lift off her chest, though she was still somewhat uneasy.
Running into Cindy was totally unexpected and threw her for a loop. She didn’t really know Cindy and whether she could keep her promise of confidentiality.
Sophia was just there to work, to push the Zenithan-style resort project forward, not to stir up any complications, especially not after Brandon’s unexpected kiss had caught her off guard, and now Cindy.
Feeling lost, Sophia absentmindedly swirled the wine in her glass, deep in thought and oblivious to the curious glances of those around her.
Sophia was a looker fair-skinned, slim, and with a girl-next-door vibe that was effortlessly charming and disarming, the kind that sparks a protective instinct in men. So even though she wasn’t mingling, she caught the attention of others.
A young-looking guy approached her with a drink in hand and greeted her confidently, “Hello, Director.”
Sophia snapped out of her reverie and looked up at the young man.
He was tall, easily over six feet, with a handsome and sunny demeanor, exuding the fresh energy of someone straight out of college. His eyes were clear and bright, untouched by the cynicism of the corporate grind.
08:41
She vaguely remembered seeing him during the WhatsApp exchange but her mind had been elsewhere, so his name didn’t stick. “Hello,” Sophia replied with a smile, not quite comfortable with the formal title. “Just call me Sophia.”
“Sophia?” The young man mulled over the name. “Unique and charming. It suits you.”
His ease showed no hint of formality or nervousness around a superior.
Sophia offered a polite smile. “Thanks.”
He introduced himself with a cheerful grin, “I’m Augus, part of the design team too. I hope you can show me the ropes.”
With that, he flashed a broad, friendly smile.
He’s got pearly whites and a smile that could light up a room so dang infectious it puts everyone in a good mood just looking at him.
Sophia flashed a polite grin back, “Let’s learn from each other.”
Off to the side, mingling, Brandon glanced over at Sophia. His gaze lingered when he caught the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. Then, turning to the tall dude chatting her up, he couldn’t help but furrow his brow just a tad.
Kent was right next to Brandon and, noticing the wrinkle in his forehead, instinctively followed Brandon’s line of sight to Sophia. Spotting the guy yapping away with her, he quickly sifted through his memories and filled Brandon in, “That guy’s name’s Augus, fresh out of grad school this year, currently working as an assistant designer in the design department.”
Brandon shot him a look, “Assistant to who?”
“The head hon,” Kent started to say “head honcho’s assistant” but caught himself mid-sentence under Brandon’s piercing stare, correcting himself, “Head manager’s assistant.”
Brandon probed further, “What’s he like?”
“Pretty talented, his designs are fresh and innovative, a real design wiz,” Kent replied, making sure to add, “That’s according to Don. He was a personal hire.”
Brandon pressed on, “And his personality?”