Chapter 7

Brandon was in the middle of a meeting with his phone lying next to him. When he heard the ping of a notification, he glanced over and caught a glimpse of a text from Patricia, pausing for a beat.

Kent, who was presenting at the time, was pretty sharp at reading the room. He paused mid-sentence, his eyes couldn’t help but sneak a peek at Brandon’s phone, only catching the name “Sophia” before Brandon smoothly flipped the phone face down on the table and looked up at him.

Kent got the jitters, thinking Brandon was about to chew him out, but all he got was a cool, detached glance, “Carry on!”

Kent hesitated, then nodded and tried to wrap up the design presentation, but as soon as he finished, Brandon’s face scrunched up in displeasure.

“Who greenlit this trashy proposal?” he asked, his voice was calm but it cranked up the tension in the already tight meeting room to eleven.

Kent was caught like a deer in headlights, glancing at Brandon and biting back his words.

Brandon’s gaze swept over the others in the room.

One by one, they all bowed their heads, feigning deep thought, scared stiff of locking eyes with Brandon and getting called out.

“Nobody has an answer? Brandon probed.

Silence Everyone clammed up.

Help-me looks were sneakily cast towards Kent.

Kent, Brandon’s right-hand man and the company’s VP, was always the one to take the heat, especially lately.

Even the slowest folks had picked up on Brandon’s off vibes. He wasn’t snappy or nitpicky, just inexplicably brought a chill to the room, with a laser focus on work that could freeze them.

And the kicker? He seemed to be on another planet half the time, like he was hit with a bout of amnesia.

With all eyes on him, Kent felt the heat. He could normally handle the blowback, but this time, could he really?

Kent tried to make himself small, hoping to slide under Brandon’s radar, but no dice. Brandon’s gaze followed the crowd’s and landed on him.

“Since everyone’s looking at you, why don’t you speak for the team, Kent? Brandon said, glancing at the Ephemoran architecture design on the big screen behind him, Who greenlit this trash?”

Kent was speechless.

Man, they were all throwing him under the bus

Brandon’s gaze held on Kent. “Kent?”

Kent, taking a deep breath, looked back at Brandon I, I don’t know.”

the guts

him, then

down, pretending to be deep

your thoughts? Brandon called

lobbed the question back at him. “Kent’s

to take notes, then hesitantly met

it on Brandon

bit the bullet. “Mr. Crawley, It was you

added, barely above a

room went dead

caught a rare glimpse of bewilderment on that handsome

turned to look at the design on the

Crawley, you’ve seemed a bit off these past few days.

was back to neutral, “Sorry, my oversight. Redo the design

Brandon grabbed his phone from the table

the meeting room door

gave Kent a

“Warrior.”

the times I’ve had your backs, you just toss me to the wolves when it counts. Not

have you who can

worked hard. We’ll treat you to dinner

back into comfort, but still puzzled “Is something up with Mr. Crawley?

I noticed that too. He’s been zoning

never been like

again unanimously

Mr. Crawley? Kent

to have off days and zone out

up the meeting and bantering with the team, Kent retreated to

work until Brandon walked by, prompting everyone to straighten up,

few heads with the documents in his

afraid of Brandon, Kent

was considerate, offered better compensation

the aura of authority, Kent thought, his eyes drifting through the office space

his phone onto the desk corner, clearly

that

only bumped into Sophia a few times, but man, she left a good impression on him. She was easy on the eyes, with sweet and innocent vibe, all quiet and no-fuss. She talked in this soft, slow voice that was just soothing to the ears no rush, no drama queen antics. She was polite and courteous with everyone, not pulling any of that high and mighty actake Patricia, who strutted around like she owned

so yeah, he

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Chapter 7

why they’re calling it

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