novelnext Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Before I could catch my breath, my phone buzzed. It was Lisa Martin, one of my subordinates.
"Miss Wendell, I messed up the project negotiation!" Lisa's voice trembled, her words coming out between sobs. Despite her distress, she managed to explain the situation clearly.
"Shine Co. suddenly backtracked and overturned everything we had finalized. What should we do now?" she cried.
I knew exactly what this was about, Sonny had figured out that I was avoiding him and was now intentionally making things difficult.
I closed my eyes briefly, taking a deep breath, and responded in a calm voice, "I'm on my way. Send me the address."
Mark saw the sudden shift in my demeanor and immediately asked, his concern evident on his face, "Is everything okay?"
"The project we negotiated ran into some trouble. I need to handle it," I explained, my anxiety showing despite my attempt to remain composed.
Without a second thought, Mark said, "Don't worry. I'll bring the car around. I'll take you there."
He drove quickly but smoothly, and when we arrived at the company, he stayed in the car, clearly not wanting to add to my stress.
"Thank you, Mark," I said gratefully. "I'll go in now. No need to wait for me. I'll text you when I get home."
Mark agreed immediately, though it was clear he had no intention of leaving me there alone. His eyes fell on my red, swollen ankles, and without a word, he popped the trunk and pulled out a pair of athletic shoes.
"Change into these before you go in. We came a little early," he suggested.
I was surprised at how perfectly the shoes fit, but I pushed aside the thought. I wasn't about to let Sonny's manipulation affect my decisions. My personal issues weren't going to jeopardize the team's success.
My salary wouldn't change, but the group's year-end bonuses were tied to their performance. As the team leader, I had to protect my team's interests.
"Let me take you inside," Lisa said, stepping forward. Her eyes were red from crying, and she looked completely frazzled.
I felt a pang of sympathy. This fresh graduate had always been diligent and never expected to be put through something like this.
"Don't worry, I'm here now," I reassured her, offering a comforting pat on her back before taking a deep breath and pushing open the door.
"Mr. Simmons, Miss Wendell is here," the receptionist announced as I entered the room.
Sonny and I had prepared for this moment, but seeing each other after so many months still caused a momentary pause.
Sonny looked the same as ever, dressed impeccably in a shirt and trousers, every button fastened to perfection, exuding his usual refined aura. But there was a subtle weariness in his eyes.
He seemed taken aback when he saw me in the dress, and it wasn't hard to guess I had come straight from another engagement.
"It's been a while," he said, his gaze lingering on me, a mix of emotions in his eyes.
The tension in the room was palpable as everyone at the table exchanged glances, sensing the undercurrent between us.
With a neutral expression, I addressed Mr. Simmons. "Do you have any feedback on our proposal?" I asked, deliberately ignoring Sonny's attempt at familiarity.
I had no interest in reminiscing about the past. I knew Sonny had forced my presence here for more than just a casual reunion.
Lisa stepped aside to let me take her seat. I spread the project documents across the table and adjusted the PowerPoint presentation to highlight the key points.
"Feel free to raise any concerns you have," I said with a calm yet resolute smile. "I'll address them one by one."
I spoke with confidence, my eyes locked on Sonny's. Despite all this time, there was still a slight unease around him, but I felt no lingering feelings.
I had thrown away the past and would never look back. I barely had time to even think about him anymore.