Chapter 75
Chapter 75
The next few days had flown by in a blink of an eye.
Between juggling work along with the checking up on the ns and how they were going for the uing event and trying to
maintain and set the tone of professionalism with Scout Vanderbilt, | really didn’t know where all the time had gone to so much
so that it hadpletely sI*pped my mind to find something to wear for the evening.
Scott Vanderbilts reputation was pretty well-known, however | don’t think anyb*dy actually knew just how well the man had been
aware of himself along with the tactics that he used to either impress or get under a woman’s skin.
the man would refuse at every chance to meet formally at the office building despite how much Lucy would reason with him he
would find a way to set up a meeting outside the bonds of what made up the office building, even for the smallest issues such as
signing documents or discussing the particrs and how things worked with him now joining the team he refused to have it done
formally.
it didn’t have any sort of desired effect on me. if anything it had only served to irritate me. Our very first meeting had been held at
the marina, the second one he had insisted that it take ce at one of his many hotel bars, with the most recent one that | was
yet to attend being at the local cafe just down the street. if it were left to him, he would have us served lunch in a private room at
his penthouse but | refused and insisted on the cafe close to work.
Scott, as much as he were rich and handsome, he was also very persistent with a one track mindset when he set his attention on
some thing he wanted. | didn’t like to acknowledge it too much and | tried my best to remain as stoic and formal with him as |
could manage. Perhaps it would take some time and he would eventually give up when he realised that he was wasting his time.
The more | dealt with the man, the clearer things became. | knew now why Adam had said what he did and it all added up as to
why Dante was so opposed to him. It was because they knew just how tactful and plotting Scott could be. | assumed men knew
more about each other than what even the media could extort
fortunately for me at this point in my life there had only been two things that matter to me most. the first being Hayley and the
second being thispany. | would never fall into Scott’s traps especially since | knew just how fast news about him spread. if
he was so much a spotted with any woman in an unlikely and unfavorable situation that suggested anything other than propriety,
it became the talk of the entire city spreading like wildfire would no means of clean up except for time where he would find
another woman to cause a scandal with.
is Scott so much as assumed that | was going to be that woman then he was entirely wrong about me. | just needed to survive
this event and then | would hardly see him let alone here from him once the formality had been concluded, even if he did drop by
to check-in on things | could easily hand him over to Lucy or one of the other executives of thepany to show him around
and answer his questions.
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Until then, | nced at my watch before looking at the cafe door, | had to deal with the man for the next half an hour at least.
Scott Vanderbilt entered the quaint cafe and looked every bit as our of ce as one would imagine. It was like looking at a bull in
a fine china store. Every head turned to attention at his presence and he watched like some prized possession, a Greek god, a
spectacle, as he strided over in a three piece suit which had been a first in times | had interacted with him.
It went without saying that he wore it to perfection. It defined his b*dy like a second skin yet was still a good enough fit that it
didn’t look ufortable or tight. His hair was styled back like he was some mafia lord and as he spotted me at the table, his
I*ps spread in to a smug grin whilst his eyes raked over my face and n*eck, and even though my n*eckline was not by any
means low, it now felt like it. It was a good thing that the rest of me was hidden by the table.
“Nice to see you as always, Sophia. My name’s rolled of his tongue like velvet against steel.
“It is good to see you, too, Mr Vanderbilt. | emphasized the formality of his name and the corners. of his eyes tightened but | saw
the fire grow as it fueled his need for the chase.
“Please, take a seat. We have much to discuss with very little time. | warned him hoping he’d not waste my time but when he
chuckled lightly | knew that he might already have.
“There is nothing to discuss. | had your assistant send me the particrs via email. Mywyers have read it and | have already
signed the documents. He paused to nce as his expensive watch. “It should be getting sent back to your office right about
now.” He dropped his wrist to hisp and | gritted my teeth together.
| tried to remain calm and not let my irritation show on my face. As much as he was overbearing, he was still a very vital,
beneficial individual for mypany. | didn’t owe him any thing but | could ruin all of it if | was an ass.
| managed a stiff smile. “I see. That is rather efficient of you.” The tightness in my voice was inevitable. “Then why are we here?
I''m sure you have much to do, as do I. | felt my face tightened and he saw it, too.
“To enjoy brunch together. I’m sure you can afford me that, at least.” He said with a smile that might have worked on the sea full
of women before me but did nothing for me.
“Of course, | just do not like to be deceived or double yed.” | made that clear and he nodded.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.
“It isn’t that deep, Sophia.” He brushed it off before looking for a waiter. He found one then. motioned with his hand for the young
man toe our way.
“Good day, Sir-‘The sandy blonde waiter looked to me in acknowledgement. “Ma’am. What can | get for you today?” He reached
for a small writing pad and a pencil tucked in to his apron.
“I''ll have a smoked salmon eggs Benedict, a ss of orange, and an espresso. Scott said with out even looking at the menu.
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“Excellent choice.” The waiter said before looking at me patiently. “And for you?”
“A bastrami on rye with a sd and a cappino.” | thanked the waiter before handing him the menu and he left.
l itched to look at my watch but it would be rude considering we just got here minutes ago. Scott wasn’t over bearing and
perhaps if | were open to his passes then he may have not been all that bad
but | was not.
“You know, your uncle and | went way back. | owe a lot to the man.” Scott began to speak and my attention shifted back to him.
“| can’t imagine how. There is a good age difference between the two of you.” | pointed out curios about how they had formed
any rtionship considering that fact.
Scott smiled but not like he always did to impress me but it was a secret one, one that held a lot of fondness. An emotion sh
expression | never thought I’d see on such a man.
4
“Let''s just say
that | was a broke kid just out of college with no idea of which way to head in life until your uncle took me under his wing and
guided me. He was a surprisingly good mentor. Ahh, that made a lot more sense.
| had always thought that they were friends and | couldn''t imagine how given the generational gap. but this made perfect sense. |
didn’t think my uncle had that quality in him. We were close and he was always good to me but | didn’t think it extended beyond
his family to such an extent.
“Why didn’t he want you to invest in thepany when he was alive?” | asked since | wondered why anyone would ever deny a
good investor.
Scott chuckled and shook his head. “He thought that | was investing out of pity. When he had grown older, he wasn’t too involved
in thepany as you may know. It was why the business dipped a little. He thought I just wanted to drop money in hispany
out of pity when that wasn’t the case at all.” He exined with a shrug.
“That is surprising but I’m d you have fond memories of my uncle.” | said with a small smile.
| opened my mouth to say some thing but the door to the cafe had opened catching my attention. | looked away but then it had
registered in my head who exactly had walked through the door and my head snapped back again.
Dante looked the image of danger and death as he walked through the sea of tables with his destination being our table. His
eyes were so dark with anger that they looked ck even in the distance. His jaw was firmly set causing it to appear more
defined, more daunting
What the hell was he even doing here?
“So. Sophia, when can we-”
“Well, well, | didn’t know that I’d be excluded from business rted meetings. Dante’s voice cut
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through what ever it was that Scott was going to say. His tone was hard and sarcastic on the word ‘meeting since this was any
thing but.
“Dante Crawford.” Scott said his name with recognition with a hint of hostility. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” He looked
around the cafe like this was the most unnatural ce for Dante to be
seen in.
Dante’s eyes tightened. “I could say that same for you, Vanderbilt. This isn’t really your scene. Not
lly club like andcking in strippers.” | gasped in horror at his words and whilst Scott’s eyes lost
its dazzle, he still chuckled it off as nothing.
“That was the old Scott. Those kind of scenes do not interest me any more.” His as if | hadn’t known his reputation at all.
gaze darted to me
lly made
“What are you doing here?” | asked Dante who threw me a piercing look that me shrug inwardly a little bit.
The memo for this little meeting might have gotten lost some where through my emails but it doesn’t matter. I’m here now. What
did | miss?” Dante reached for a chair from the empty table next to ours before he settled down in it inviting himself to brunch.
“Nothing much. | was just telling Sophia about how | knew her uncle. Scott replied in a very light. friendly tone not letting Dante’s
snide remarks get to him at all.
“Ahh, yes, you were the old man’s charity case back then.” Dante said mockingly and Scott’s face fell but he quickly rposed
himself.
“Dante!” | said in horror but he ignored me.
“It''s fine, Sophia. He is right and I’m not ashamed of it. | was, in fact, a charity case to your uncle. There’s no harm in admitting
that” He said with a wave of his hand and | felt horrible for Scott.
As much as he had his ways that | could easily disagree with, it didn’t mean that he deserved to be mocked and rediculed for
some thing out of his control.
If Dante’s motive was to make him look bad, he failed terribly at that.
Scott exhaled just as the waiter brought over our food and set it in front of us. He nced at his watch the did a very fake inhale
of air through his teeth.
“| better get going. There is some thing | needed to take care of that sI*pped my mind. His tone was dull and | immediately began
to feel worse than before.
Scott reached in to his pocket then ced enough money on the table to cover brunch here for a week before he left the cafe.
The waiter looked confused and took Scott’s te back and | no longer felt like eating either.
When both Scott and the waiter left leaving me to deal with Dante and | was damn well going to put him in his ce..
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Chapter 75
“What
you did was so uncalled for not to mention absolutely rude! What business did you have butting in here?” My voice rose and
octave and | didn’t care who heard.
Dante tsked at me arrogantly. “He deserved it. The man will use this whole thing as a mean to plot and n his way to more than
just yourpany.” His words squeezed out through his tightly clenched teeth.
| stared at him utter disbelief. | couldn''t believe Dante had stooped to such a low level. “l am more than capable and able to take
care of things with out your belittling ways and remarks. What you did was horrendous!” | still couldn’t get over it.
“So he has already managed to get under your skin. You defend him so passionately.” He acussed. and my anger grew tenfold.
“You are disgusting, Dante. | can’t believe | once thought you were the man | wanted to be with.” | blurted out and saw his entire
face fall.
“And yet you are still the only woman | can see myself with.” He muttered in a pained voice before he pushed his chair back,
threw me onest heavy look, then stormed out of the cafe.
| buried my head in my hands and silently screamed in frustration. Not only did | feel terrible for Scott but now | felt like such an
ass for saying what | did. Whether Dante deserved it or not was an entirely different question.
f&
SEND GIFT