Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 100

| trailed behind Hogan and Zachary, tiptoeing into the CEO’s office with butterflies in my stomach. “Hey, would black tea be okay?”

| glanced at Hogan as he was taking off his suit jacket and gave a small nod.

Moments later, in the vast CEO’s office, it was just Hogan and me. The man sat in his black shirt at his desk, his long, slender fingers flipping through documents, a face already serious now etched with deep concentration, as if | didn’t exist.

He was obviously giving me the cold shoulder. But | wasn’t in a rush. When people were asking for a favor, they'd got to play the part, right?

So | picked up a business magazine from the coffee table and started reading patiently. However, before | could even finish the table of contents, Hogan spoke up, “Ms. March seems to be quite at ease.”

He said this without looking up from his documents, his tone casual but dripping with sarcasm. To be precise, this was the second time I’d seen him tonight, and both times he’d spoken with this weird, sarcastic twist.

| was used to his antics. Closing the magazine, | spoke softly, “Mr. Zade, there’s something | feel | need to clarify with you.” Hogan didn’t respond, which usually meant | could continue.

“Reaching out to Director Irwin privately was out of line, | admit, but | had no intention of making things difficult for her.” | paused for a breath before continuing, “Also, contacting a lawyer wasn’t to go against Rainbow Capital, but rather...”

“Not so?” Hogan suddenly cut me off, “Yet I've heard you went out of your way to find a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.” He put deliberate emphasis on “out of your way*. Confronted with his piercing gaze, | had no choice but to swallow my pride and say, “It’s our fault.”

“Why come to me?” Hogan glanced at me with disdain, “Don’t you already have the competent Professor Yearwood on your side?”

Mentioning Darren left me momentarily speechless. After all, Darren meant well.

“Hah, one minute you’re talking settlement in front of the lawyer, the next you’re busy scouting for one.” Hogan sneered, “Is this how you always play the field, Ms. March?”

He practically gritted his teeth over the words “play the field".

Of course, | couldn’t tell him that our rush to find a lawyer was only because Cecilia had taken 1/2

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such a firm stance, so | softened my tone. “You’re right, Mr. Zade. Our biggest mistake was imagining you as someone who is petty. But now that I think about it, you’ve always been so magnanimous. Why would you stoop to our level?”Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Normally, | wouldn’t be caught dead saying something like that, but desperate times and a bit of liquid courage made the flattery flow easily.

Hogan probably didn’t expect me to butter him up like that. He was silent for a couple of seconds before awkwardly averting his gaze back to his documents and saying lightly. “Xaviera, | never realized before how slick you are with words.”

His tone was light, as if he wasn’t put off by it. | decided to strike while the iron was hot, “Just speaking from the heart, telling it like itis.”

“Ahem.” Hogan cleared his throat and pressed the phone on his desk, asking, “What’s taking you so long to make a cup of tea, huh?”

Great, he didn’t want to continue our conversation.

Shortly after, Zachary came in with the tea, “Xaviera, your black tea.”

| immediately stood up to take it, but suddenly felt a weight on the back of my head, and my hands started to fail me. With a whoosh, the cup of tea spilled onto my chest.

“Watch out!” The warning came with the sharp pain of scalding hot tea hitting my skin. “Are you okay? Does it hurt?”

The man’s anxious voice was right next to my ear. | looked up to see his distinct knuckles reaching towards my collar, starting to undo my buttons.

| tried to stop him, but ended up touching the warmth of his palm. My heart skipped a beat at the brief touch.

The next second, as | tried to pull my hand away, Hogan held it tightly.