Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 81

After walking in, Wallis gave me a heads up, “The new car’s gonna need a break-in period. Knock off work early for the next couple of days and take it for a spin where it's not bumper—to—bumper. Oh, and maybe hit up Professor Yearwood to join you.”

“Huh?”

Wallis raised an eyebrow and let on, “You guys are twinning.”

No wonder | felt some familiarity hopping into the car.

| was about to chime in with something when | caught sight of Cecilia, all peppy, coming out of the break room. Our eyes met, and she quickly toned down her triumph, whispering a greeting, “Xaviera, you are back.” “Mhm.”

“| heard from Hogan that you had to bail on tonight's shindig at the last minute?”

The moment her words hung in the air, all eyes landed on me, and Wallis’s face dropped a notch, instantly. “Yeah,” | said, nonchalant as ever. “so Director Irwin, you and President Lott will have to fly solo tomorrow night.” Cecilia's lips curled up at my confirmation. She humbly boasted, “Don’t worry, Xaviera, |’ll make sure to shine.” The kid’d got spunk, thanking me when it was Wallis and Hogan who threw her a bone.

“Whoa, Xaviera got a new ride?” Zora barged in cluelessly, eyeing the car keys in my hand and gushed, “And it’s a BMW, no less!”

| brushed it off, but when my glance swept over Cecilia, she was eyeing my keys like a hawk, her smile quickly turning sour, a flicker of annoyance that was gone in a flash...

By the time | looked her way again, she was all smiles, assuring me, “With your paycheck, Xaviera, a BMW’s small potatoes.” She'd got a mouth on her, giving me props like that.

Little did she know it was thanks to her that | could afford the down payment.

Wallis didn’t miss a beat.

Later, she hauled me into her office and griped, “You sold out for a measly ten grand?”

| tried to smooth things over, “At least there’s some extra cash in it. Who knows, maybe Hogan. will have an epiphany and throw some more investment bucks our way.”

Wallis was having none of it, “I don’t care. Deduct the car money from the books. If Hogan dares to object. I'll have Gecilia pack her bags and hit the road!”

Gotta hand it to President Lott for her way of thinking. After work, | gave Tina a ring to talk shop about driving practice...

She was the first in our class to get her license, a real hotshot behind the wheel, and thanks to that, she was living it up with the boss.

“You've come to the right person, Xaviera. I’ve got the perfect spot, just wait for me.”

True to her word, Tina zoomed to our office building on her Kawasaki 400.

“Same as Darren's, huh,” she eyed my new car. “You've always had an eye for the good stuff. Xaviera.” | facepalmed, explaining. “It was President Lott’s pick.”

Tina shot me a knowing grin, “Alright, let’s hit the road and get you driving!”

Like magic, Tina led me to a driving school.

As we chatted during practice and brought up tomorrow’s business mixer, Tina chuckled, “You should wear that dress again, Xaviera. You'll knock ‘em dead.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

| sighed, “Can’t make it to the mixer tomorrow night.” | didn’t mention Cecilia, just that there weren't enough invites to go around.

“You should've said something earlier, Xaviera. Glory Capital and N University set up a joint program. Darren might still have a spot.”

Darren hadn't mentioned it, but I’d already leaned on him too much, and it felt wrong to ask for more favors.

| was about to decline when | heard Tina on the phone. “Darren, you're dropping the ball here. Xaviera’s missing out on the mixer, and you're not even trying to help out.”

She had already dialed him. Darren, caught off guard, said, “Hand the phone to Xaviera.”

Tina obediently passed me the phone, and within moments, Darren’s concerned voice came through, “Xaviera, what’s up?”