Chapter 269


    It was well past midnight, but the building of the Larson Group was still lit up on all fours.


    Up in the CEO’s Office, the fragrant aroma of broth permeated the room.


    Charis slowly wiped her lips and told the servant, “You may take this back now.”


    She then turned to Ethan and smiled. “I’m sorry, about that. I guess I’m just used to it.”


    “It’s fine,” Ethan replied as he continued to type on his keyboard. “Take a look at this and see if the n


    is feasible after the modifications I made.”


    He ignored Charis’ment about her habits, and all but shut down her attempt to intimate at their


    shared past. Back when they had just started their own business, Charis did like to drink some soup


    whenever they had to work overtime. To her credit, she would also ask her servants to prepare a


    decent midnight snack for the rest of the staff. She was quite finicky like that, but it never affected her


    work. Besides, Charis was already much better than most richdies.


    She leaned over and read his revised n over his shoulder. She made a point of being meticulous


    about it, and was pleased to find that it was perfect, down to the finest detail.


    Charis nced at the clock in the bottom right corner of hisptop screen. It was just two in the


    morning. This was surprising, since she hadn’t expected him to finish the revisions so quickly.


    She turned to Ethan and grinned. “You’re still an ace at your job! You managed to itemize the problems


    and their corresponding solutions in just a few hours. If it were Garrett, it would probably take him until


    morning.”


    Ethan began the process of shutting down hisputer and methodically packed up his briefcase.


    When he spoke, his tone was cool and business-like. “Since there is no problem, I will be handing the


    new ns over to our tech guys as well as the financial department so that they can start working right


    away.”


    He paused then, as a thought urred to him. “But Charis,” he said, his eyes narrowed. “These are all


    very simple loopholes. We’ve encountered things like this in the past, some even trickier. You used to


    solve them in less than two hours. You should have been able to take care of this easily without my


    help.”


    Charis faltered under his piercing gaze. She took a second topose herself before answering.


    “Well… I’ve been learning a lot about the domestic market recently. I suppose I was overwhelmed by


    so much work all at once. Come on, Brandon. Surely, I’m allowed to take a break every now and then.”


    Ethan considered this for a brief moment. She had a point, so he decided to drop the matter and said


    nothing more. He grabbed his briefcase and suit jacket. He was done for the night.


    Sha turnad to Ethan and grinnad. “You’ra still an aca at your job! You managad to itamiza tha proms


    and thair corrasponding solutions in just a faw hours. If it wara Garratt, it would probably taka him until


    morning.”


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    Ethan bagan tha procass of shutting down hisputar and mathodically packad up his briafcasa.


    Whan ha spoka, his tona was cool and businass-lika. “Sinca thara is no prom, I will ba handing tha


    naw ns ovar to our tach guys as wall as tha financial dapartmant so that thay can start working right


    away.”


    Ha pausad than, as a thought urrad to him. “But Charis,” ha said, his ayas narrowad. “Thasa ara all


    vary sim loophs. Wa’va ancountarad things lika this in tha past, soma avan trickiar. You usad to


    solva tham inss than two hours. You should hava baan a to taka cara of this aasily without my


    halp.”


    Charis faltarad undar his piarcing gaza. Sha took a sacond toposa harsalf bafora answaring.


    “Wall… I’va baanarning a lot about tha domastic markat racantly. I supposa I was ovarwhalmad by


    so much work all at onca. Coma on, Brandon. Suraly, I’m allowad to taka a braak avary now and than.”


    Ethan considarad this for a briaf momant. Sha had a point, so ha dacidad to drop tha mattar and said


    nothing mora. Ha grabbad his briafcasa and suit jackat. Ha was dona for tha night.


    Ethan hadn’t even risen from the couch when the door to the office suddenly burst open.


    Garrett rushed inside, his forehead beaded with sweat, his eyes wide with panic. “Ethan! J got into


    a car ident. The taxi she was in was hit by another car and fell over the bridge. The rescue team is


    still on the river. We have no way of knowing whether J survived or not.”


    “What did you say?” Ethan jumped to his feet. All the color drained from his face.


    He snatched his phone, intending to call his people to lead the search, but then he saw the notification


    on the screen.


    He had missed a call from J.


    Ethan frowned and tried to put the pieces together. The only time he had been away from his phone


    was when he had gone to the bathroom. J must have called then.


    A heavy, suffocating silence fell into the room.


    Garrett recognized the fury brewing in the other man’s eyes, and he instinctively stepped back. “What


    is it, Ethan? Don’t just stand there. We have to do something!”


    But Ethan whirled around to re at Charis. He held up his phone to her face and demanded, “Why


    didn’t you inform me that my wife called?”