Chapter 106
Once I got closer, I could clearly see the restlessness hidden in Hogan’s eyes, an emotion I hadn’t seen in him before.
With the hazy feeling brought on by the booze, he seemed oddly vulnerable at that moment. Yet this was the same guy who’d just celebrated their important day with Cecilia.
What was he so curious about? Curiosity at times like these, even a little bit, could be downright laughable.
If I didn’t consider Darren’s position, I had no reason to explain myself.
“We’re just friends.” I said honestly, feeling that a good Samaritan shouldn’t be subjected to unwarranted hostility. “You’re worrying too much.”
“Why explain?” Hogan stepped closer, looking down at me, “You think I’m still curious about things after all this?”
His arrogant tone was like a weight on my ears. I looked up, meeting Hogan’s eyes, and saw a flash of resentment. Must be the alcohol playing tricks on me, I thought.
“Wasn’t it Mr. Zade who asked first?” I quickly averted my gaze, playing it cool.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hogan’s hand holding the cigarette butt twitch slightly. The next second, I heard him say, “Xaviera, you really like to toot your own horn.”
With a shadow of a sneer, he turned on his heel and walked away. I watched his staggering figure, slowly opened my palm, and let out a gentle sigh.
I thought tonight was going to wrap up nicely, but the next morning, we got Candy’s resignation letter.
1
“I’ve caused you and Wallis so much trouble; I just can’t face staying on.” Candy said, seemingly more grown–up overnight, her usual wildness tempered with a hint of regret, “And you know, Xaviera, I joined this team because I loved the work, but now, I just can’t hang on anymore.”
She said she couldn’t hang on. It was clear the girl was still hung up on what had happened. Forcing her to stay and work with Cecilia would be torture.
But with the project at this stage, losing a familiar artist meant serving up a dish without its presentation – a surefire way to grind progress to a halt. A real headache.
And as for the collaboration Hogan wanted with FreeMan, there was zilch progress so far. Since I filled out that form from Morgan, it’d been radio silence – hope was slim.
We were suddenly on the back foot. After some negotiation, Candy agreed to handover until the end of the month.
But Wallis and I knew that once her attention wasn’t in the company, she was as good as gone.
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Chapter 106
That meant we had to nail down a deal with FreeMan before she left. It was like climbing Mount Everest.
Wallis rubbed her forehead and sighed, “You’re just too nice. Even if we get lucky and bring in FreeMan, it’ll take at least a month or two to gel. If it affects Cecilia’s thesis defense, we’d be breaching the contract, and Hogan won’t let us get off easy.”
Wallis‘ words plunged me into a funk, feeling the pressure mount. Our hopes were pinned on the FreeMan fan meet–and–greet happening that afternoon.
“Traditionally, FreeMan himself never shows up.” Wallis patiently analyzed, “But a little birdie told me over drinks that day that he likes to blend in with the crowd, watch the reactions from the sidelines. So Xaviera, FreeMan has got to be among the fans this afternoon.”
But with fifty fans in attendance, spotting FreeMan himself in the crowd wasn’t going to be
easy.
