Gossip spread like wildfire, and Zara's recent flurry of meet-ups with various companies was no secret among insiders.Yosef, who was out horseback riding with his friends on the grasslands for a weekend of unwinding, ended up having to discuss it.James, always a bit behind on the news, blurted out, "For real? Yosef is alright with letting Ms. Lowry leave?""It's gotta be real. My HR manager even reached out to her. Whether it's because of her career plans or the fact that I'm friends with Yosef, she rejected our offer."Harper Young shot Yosef a look, seemingly blaming him for getting in the way of his company recruitment. Yosef was dressed in sleek black riding gear. He was perched on a white horse, looking like an aloof heartthrob. He appeared a lot more laid-back compared to his usual suit-and-tie outfit. They were all talking about Zara, but Yosef seemed unbothered and unfazed. Thinking about it, Yosef had always been this way. Years went by with Zara as his one and onl
Yosef's reply was cold. "You think it's a waste, and you probably think I'm doing her wrong. You'd always thought we'd tie the knot, right?"Ophite had once asked him when he would pop the question to Zara, just like his folks had.With a hint of a tease, Ophite said, "Ms. Lowry's the full package, a real catch. If you let her slip away, there'll be a line of guys ready to swoop in. I just don't want you to end up regretting it when she's off the market."Yosef's tone was flat. "She won't be.""She won't go for someone else? Are you that sure of yourself?"Yosef shot him a look, acting laid-back and indifferent. "Hey, if you're so interested, why don't you give it a shot?""You're such a jerk," Ophite muttered, steering his horse a little farther from him. He understood why Yosef was so full of himself, though. Zara had been nothing but compliant for the last three years.Zara only ever had eyes for Yosef. She hovered around him constantly, barely taking a moment for herself.Y
Zara quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Mr. Kingsley, you're here for dinner too, right? You should try the mushroom soup here. It's pretty good. "And about that thing you mentioned to me before, I'm still thinking it over. I'll get back to you once I've decided."Edward, not wanting to make things awkward for her, shot James a look. He then said, "Sure, I'll give the soup a shot. I'll be waiting for your answer."With that, he walked off to another table with his female companion.Zara turned to James, who blurted out, "No, Zara. Don't think about him; think about me. I mean what I said."Zara raised an eyebrow. "What is it?""I really want to hire you as my secretary! I'm clueless about running my dad's company. I need you more than anyone else," James confessed with sincerity."Don't worry, I'm the kind of boss who doesn’t micromanage. I won't breathe down your back. With me, you'll have all the say!"Zara had been a little annoyed with him earlier, but his straight
Getting into an argument with him would just lead to a never-ending cycle of questions.Anyway, she did not owe him any answers.Dodging the issue, Zara said, "Mr. Moore's on it, so Mr. Sate and Mr. Kingsley should be good. I'm taking my leave."She sounded detached, as if she were talking to someone she barely knew.Yosef gave her an icy stare. It was not until she was a couple of steps away that he said, "A whole week's gone by and you still haven't gotten past it?"Zara stopped in her tracks, and realization dawned on her. He thought she was still upset about being falsely accused at the hospital and that she had lost her cool in the heat of the moment. He thought that by now, she should have calmed down.As she looked back, she realized she had been too emotional by letting out all her pent-up frustration on him. She probably looked like a total clown in his eyes that day.Zara had nothing to say. She had quit her job, and their paths had diverged. She did not need to worry
Zara jumped at the sudden touch and turned her head around to find herself staring into James' bright, eager eyes."I knew it! The music I heard over your phone was the same as here. You had to be close by, yet you still tricked me!"Zara felt a sting of guilt.Cecil was here to meet a client and had texted her. She was a bit tipsy and asked Zara to come get her. Cecil hardly ever asked for help, so Zara hurried over with concern for her friend.Cecil had not given her the room number, and Zara did not know which room she was in. She had been waiting for her to text back when James called.She did not feel like explaining everything to him, so she simply made up an excuse about having relatives over. Now...She bit her lip and eventually told the truth, "Mr. Sate, I'm waiting for a friend."Her story had changed from entertaining relatives at home to waiting for a friend outside. James was not buying it. He was determined to pull her into West Palace, and Zara could not wriggle
Zara grabbed the glasses and knocked back the shots one after another—three in quick succession. She then flipped her last glass over.She grinned. "Done. May good vibes follow you wherever you go, Mr. Sate. Sorry, but I've got something urgent today and can't stick around."Yosef watched her with an inscrutable look as Zara spun on her heel and bolted.She did everything fast—drinking, talking, leaving. The crowd barely had time to process her exit, and no one thought to stop her. It was only after she was gone that someone grumbled, "What a drag." Zara was never one to stick around for the dull parts.She was left with no choice. Without taking a drink, she would not be able to leave the room. Just three glasses stood between her and her freedom to find Cecil. Why not just drink them?It would have been noble to stand her ground, but when it was just for show, it did not solve anything. It only gave the people another reason to laugh at her.Zara did not want to dwell on why
Zara replied, "I might look like a lightweight, but I'm pretty sure you guys can grasp a simple concept like this."Look, companies only shake on a deal if they both get something out of it. If things get too heated and the deal blows over, it's not just a loss for Cecil's company but your company too. Am I right?"That hit the nail on the head.A deal was a deal because everyone was looking to score a win. It was not about one side getting the upper hand. Some guys just could not help themselves, always trying to throw their weight around with the ladies, snagging little perks here and there. Still, it was not like they would ditch the deal over it.A guy nearby gave Zara the once-over and blurted out, "Hey, haven't I seen you somewhere before? You're Mr. Webb's secretary, aren't you?"Another dude's face twitched. "Which Mr. Webb are we talking about?""Who else but the big shot from Azure Cloud Group?"Suddenly, the vibe at the table shifted. The glances thrown at Zara had
The contract had been signed. Zara clutched it in one hand and steadied Cecil, who could barely walk, with the other. They followed James out of the lounge.Peering down the hallway, James did not spot Yosef. He scratched his head and looked back at Zara. "You guys okay?""Yeah, we're good. Thanks, Mr. Sate," Zara said with heartfelt gratitude. She could have handled those last two drinks, but it would have been rough. James had truly saved her.For the first time, James was on the receiving end of Zara's earnest gaze, and it made him a little sheepish. He flashed her a grin, one of his pointy canines showing. "Don't mention it. Just think about taking that job offer, okay?"Zara promised she would consider it.She turned down James' offer to get a ride for them, and with Cecil leaning on her, Zara headed out first.Feeling the warm glow of being thanked for a good deed, James strolled back to his own private room. There was a spring in his step.Yosef was just lounging there wh