"Your analysis makes sense."Felfast now has a dedicated fan base. If the design and concept are indeed as excellent as Luke claims, Felfast would easily surpass Hanque with a new car, leaving Hanque to endure ridicule. Perhaps I am overthinking this."I will respond to IQ soon.""I've already sent someone to investigate his identity. We can wait before replying.""Understood, Mr. Walker."Agreeing to IQ's terms was a gamble. Responding too quickly might portray Luke as desperate for collaboration, potentially leading IQ to make even more demanding requests. It is better to keep him waiting. If Luke's investigation fails to uncover IQ's identity, we can negotiate later."I am heading home. You should rest early."I held the dog's leash, ready to leave, but it resisted. It did not want to be separated from Goofy."Sweetie, be good. Goofy needs to rest. We will come back to play tomorrow," I tried to reassure my dog.It whimpered in disagreement."Sweetie, if you continue, I wi
In the courtyard, the cool night breeze helped clear my head a bit. What just happened was an accident. I practically fled from Luke's house, feeling as if I had some improper thoughts about him, and my guilty conscience was all over my face!But I have no fantasies about him!I patted my slightly warm cheeks, hanging my head in frustration as I returned home. Just as I was closing the gate, I saw Luke standing not far away. He always keeps his word. When he said he would see me home, he meant it. He must have followed me, witnessing my awkwardness. He's so perceptive, he must know I have no feelings for him!Right now, I wished I could adopt the ostrich tactic and pretend not to see him, quietly shutting the gate."You forgot something," Luke said, handing me the shopping bag."Thanks for bringing it over."I approached Luke and took the bag from his hand."Get some rest," he said, glancing down at me."You too."I didn't dare look him in the eyes the whole time. Back in the
I answered the phone and greeted the caller politely."Hello, is this Jen Middleton?""Yes, this is she. Who's calling, please?""I'm Mrs. Walker's driver. Do you have time to meet with her today?""Mrs. Walker... You mean Mr. Walker's mother?""That's correct, Ms. Middleton.""I'm sorry, but I still have some work to finish up."Why did Mrs. Walker want to see me all of a sudden? Whatever the reason, I needed to talk to Luke first. I would only go if he agreed."No problem. Mrs. Walker has kept her schedule open today. Please contact me once you're free."I paused. It seemed that Mrs. Walker was determined to meet me."Mrs. Walker hopes you won't mention this meeting to Luke. She's asking for your discretion on this."Why couldn't I tell Luke about meeting his mother? I tried to remember what little information Wendy had shared about the Walker family. It wasn't much.After a moment's thought, I replied, "Alright, please send me the address. I'll head over as soon as I'm d
"Shall we taste the wine?" Mrs. Walker suggested."After you, Mrs. Walker," I replied politely.I lifted the glass, giving it a gentle swirl before taking a small sip."This Cabernet Sauvignon has several distinctive notes," Mrs. Walker explained. "The one we're tasting today has a lovely bouquet of blackcurrant with a hint of cedar.""You certainly know a lot about wine, Mrs. Walker."My father was a wine enthusiast, and I occasionally joined him for tastings. However, I never fully grasped its complexity, often finding the tannins overwhelming.Father always advised me not to rush, to savor each sip. He would say that every wine had its unique character, and once you developed a taste for it, it became irresistible.I usually lacked the patience, but here I was, experiencing my first serious wine tasting under such unusual circumstances."Wine tasting can be quite meditative, cultivating patience and refining the palate. Luke is quite skilled at it.""Mr. Walker only drinks
If the Walker family found out about Luke's feelings for Joey, the consequences would be out of my control. Even though I didn't particularly like Joey, I couldn't ruin things for her either."The reason he said that in the interview was to divert our efforts in setting up meetings for him," Mrs. Walker explained. "He made up this person to throw us off track.""Mr. Walker didn't seem to be lying," I commented.If Luke had only mentioned it once in the interview, I might have believed Mrs. Walker."Then let him bring the girl he likes home," she challenged.That was a request that Mrs. Walker needed to make to Luke herself. I took a sip of wine, trying to buy some time."Lu is at the age where he should be considering marriage. He can't keep postponing it," she continued. "How about this - you help me arrange separate meetings between him and these girls. If he still doesn't bring home the girl he claims to like after that, it'll prove she doesn't exist.""I'm his assistant. Our
"I was just climbing the stairs.""Sweetie, if it's something you're not good at, don't do it.""I won't climb anymore.""I meant, don't lie anymore.""Why do you all know me so well?"They see right through me. I can't keep any secrets."You all? Besides me, who else knows you that well?" Wendy's tone was teasing, clearly fishing for gossip."I have some juicy gossip about Luke. Want to hear?"I couldn't tell Wendy that Luke was the other person who knew me well. Her imagination would run wild."Of course, tell me! I can't miss out on any gossip about Luke.""His family is trying to set him up on blind dates.""Given his age, it's time for him to settle down. Was his recent interview a response to his family's pressure?""I don't know." I briefly recounted my meeting with Mrs. Walker to Wendy. "Do you think his family will accept the person he likes?""The Walkers usually marry within their social class.""Do you think Luke could be an exception?"I'm conflicted. Even t
"Bring her home, and will they accept her?" Luke's eyes were cold. "They broke the agreement first. I owe them nothing."Is Luke's relationship with his family strained? He never talks about them. I hesitated, wanting to ask but thinking better of it. I held back my words.Luke handed the folder back to me. "You handle it.""Mr. Walker, are you agreeing to go on the dates?"I was surprised. Given Luke's character, I expected him to ignore this. His quick agreement caught me off guard."Don't want me to go?"Luke looked up, his sharp eyes making you feel as if your secrets were laid bare.I quickly shook my head. "You must have your reasons, Mr. Walker."Remembering his earlier words, I knew he had a plan."You seemed to trust me a lot regarding this," Luke said with a hint of self-mockery. "Arrange it discreetly, as she requested. I'll play along.""When would be a suitable time for these dates?""Don't let it interfere with work.""Understood, Mr. Walker.""If the Walker
Bryan and I trailed behind Luke, whispering quietly. Luke noticed our discreet movements, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes as he took a seat at the table I had reserved.Luke tends to draw attention, so I had booked a corner table by the floor-to-ceiling windows to minimize disruptions. Through the clear glass, we had a view of the outside.Bryan and I sat side by side, with Luke sitting across from Bryan. Just as we settled in, a waiter approached to take our order. At that moment, a tall, beautiful woman appeared next to our table."Excuse me," she politely said. "I've heard that this restaurant's sirloin steak is excellent. I didn't realize it would be so busy and didn't make a reservation. There are no available tables left. Would you mind if I joined you? I promise to be quiet and not disturb you.""That's up to our boss," I said, glancing at Luke. My eyes silently conveyed that this was Tina Watson, the arranged date for today.Tina Watson was the heiress of Watson C