Chapter 18
She stood to leave, but Hannah stopped her, “Wait”
Susan turned. “Something else?”
“Just thought you’d beg a little, given how much effort went into your proposal,” Hannahmented,
eyeing the
documents in her hand.
Susan forced a grin. “So, is this personal for you?”
‘Not really Hannah replied bluntly “I’m just not sold on your business district. I don’t see it pulling in
crowds. The country’s littered with these so-called ‘new areas, but how many actually take off?”
Susan sized her up. “With that vision of yours, I’m surprised you’re not some corporate spy sent to tank
Brandon’s
“I’m not that capable, Hannah shrugged
Susan found some humor in the situation. “Guess not. But seriously, how’d yound a job at the
Starlight Group? I heard it’s tough to get in.
Hannah gave her a look “Guess I’m just that good.”
Susan cracked a wry smile. “I thought with your business acumen, you must’ve gotten in through the
back door.”
Hannah’s gaze sharpened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Susanid it out. You’re not here thanks to Brandon?
“What’s it to you?”
“Plenty, Susan said, her smile fading as she locked eyes with Hannah. “It affects the happiness of a
good friend of
mine. So, does it matter?”
Hannah frowned. “Sophia?”
“Yeah, Susan nodded. “Didn’t you know? They’ve been married for two years.
She saw Hannah’s momentary shock.
Susan couldn’t tell if Hannah’s surprise was simply because Brandon and Sophia were married, or that
they’d been married for two years, or maybe, just maybe, that Brandon had been ying her?
She couldn’t guess, and Hannah wasn’t giving anything away.
“What’s it got to do with me?” Hannah replied coldly.
Susan observed her reaction and chuckled lightly. “Nothing, really. But they just got divorced.”
The surprise in Hannah’s eyes seemed genuine.
Susan still couldn’t tell if her shock included any hint of involvement in Sophia and Brandon’s marital
woes.
“Is it any of your business?” Susan never beat around the bush in all the years she dealt with Hannah.
She was always straight to the point, so, without mincing words, she asked her directly this time too.
But Hannah, just like before, didn’t give her a straight answer “What gives you the right to grill me?
What’s it to you?”
“Forget it.” Susan wasn’t in the mood to y cat and mouse. “Hopefully, it’s got nothing to do with me.
Otherwise, it just shows Brandon’s a total jerk and paints Sophia as having lousy taste in men. Better to
keep some wishful thinking
alive.”
I’m out.” She waved at Hannah breezily, turned on her heel, and left without a second nce.
Hannah didn’t call out to stop her, just stood there, unmoving
As Susan reached the staircase and nced back at the meeting room, she noticed Hannah’s
stunningly beautiful face looking lost in thought
Susen: had no clue what was running through her mind, nor did she care. Sophia had chosen to cut
ties with Brandon, so
om then on, who he married was none of her business.
That was the thought, but Susan still felt a twinge of resentment towards Brandon. She couldn’t fathom
how he could let go so easily. If he didn’t love her, why did he bother starting something in the first
ce?
That irritation quickened Susan’s steps, her anger pounding through her feet, not paying attention to
her surroundings. She turned around too quickly and bumped into someone, papers flying everywhere
with a “smack”.
“Sorry.” Susan quickly apologized, looking up as she did. When she saw Brandon’s familiar handsome
face, her apology abruptly got stuck in her throat.
Kent, who was following behind Brandon, couldn’t help but scold Susan. “Hey, watch where you’re
going? The hallway’s wide enough, how did you manage to barrel right into us?”
Susan was already peeved at Brandon and shot back. “Isn’t this wide hallway where you guys ran into
me too?”
“We were keeping to the right. Were you?”
Susan was speechless.
Kent wasn’t done. “Didn’t you see we were in the middle of a discussion? And on a call? With our
backs turned, who would expect someone toe charging from behind?”
Susan fell silent.
N?velDrama.Org owns this text.
Brandon, who had finished his call, put away his phone and nced at Kent. “Kent!”
Kent immediately shut it.
Only then did Brandon turn to Susan.
“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”
Susan wasn’t one for making a scene, and at the sound of Brandon’s deep, polite apology, she felt a bit
embarrassed.
“No harm done, it was my fault.
Muttering that, she bent down to pick up her papers.
Brandon beat her to it, picked them up without a nce, and handed them back to her. “Sorry.”
Taking them back, Susan looked at him. “Come on, we’re all old ssmates, no need to be so formal,
right?”
Brandon gave a half-smile as a response, not taking her bait, still wearing that distant, cold demeanor
he was known
for.
Susan chuckled, “You really treat everyone the same, huh? Don’t tell me you’re like this with Sophia
too.”
As soon as she said it, she could sense Brandon’s aura turn a shade colder.
Kent behind him was blinking furiously at Susan, signaling her to drop the subject of Sophia.
Confused, Susan nced at him and then remembered the proposal in her hand. She’d already
bumped into them, might as well seize the opportunity. “Oh, right, I’m the Market Development
Manager at Celestial Synergy. We’re sincerely inviting your hotel brand to join our shopping district. Mr.
Crawley, take a look, will you? Our ce is really well-suited for a hotel.”
This project isn’t my responsibility, Brandon cut her off, pushing the proposal back at her, “You should
try our Market Development Department. They’ll weigh it.”
After a brief apologetic nod, he stepped past her and walked away.
Susan pursed her lips, exhaled deeply, and mumbled to herself, “Sophia really called it.”
Brandon paused mid-step, a moment of silence hanging. He turned back to look at her. “What did she
say?”
Susan looked at Brandon in surprise.
Brandon stood still, waiting for her answer.
Susan snapped back to reality. “Oh, she said you hate backdoor dealings and nepotism, so going
directly to you would be pointless.”
Brandon gave her a look, his eyes slowly dropping to the proposal in her hands, then extended his
hand towards her.
Give it to me
Susan was stunned