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.”

didn’t have the guts to spill

at him, then back

down, pretending to

thoughts?

lobbed the question back at him. “Kent’s in charge of this project Brandon’s eyes shifted

pretending to take notes, then

it on Brandon

“Mr. Crawley, It was you

he added, barely

went dead

Brandon and caught a rare glimpse of

the design on

ventured. “Mr. Crawley, you’ve seemed a bit off these past

“Sorry, my oversight. Redo the design

grabbed his phone from the table and

door closed, the

others gave

“Warrior.”

had your backs, you just toss me to the wolves

who can handle Mr. Crawley’s

We’ll treat

back into comfort, but still puzzled

right, I noticed that too. He’s been

feel the same. He’s never been like this. Did

once again

What could be up with Mr. Crawley? Kent smoothly diverted the topic, “With

to have off days and

wrapping up the meeting and bantering with the team, Kent

until Brandon walked by, prompting everyone to straighten up, sit stiffly, and not make

few heads with

of Brandon,

didn’t expect the same from his employees. He was considerate, offered better compensation than competitors, and never lost it with his staff. He was a top-notch bass, but his presence alone, serious and no-nonsense, meant

Kent thought, his

his phone

had something to do with that “Sophia” he had accidentally glimpsed

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

was hooked up by him, so yeah, he was clued

11 42

Chapter 7

as to why they’re calling it quits,

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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