Chapter 18
Gossip spread like wildfire,
no secret among
insiders.
unwinding, ended up having to discuss i
on the s
James, always a bit behind 5
Lowry leave?”
news
lurted
Yosef is alright with letting Ms.
“It’s gotta be real. My HR manager even reached out to her. Whether it’s because of her career plans or the fact that I’m friends with Yosef, she rejected our offer.”
Harper Young shot Yosef a look, seemingly blaming him for getting in the way of his company recruitment.
Yosef was dressed in sleek black riding gear. He was perched on a white horse, looking like an aloof heartthrob. He appeared a lot more laid–back compared to his usual suit–and–tie outfit.
They were all talking about Zara, but Yosef seemed unbothered and unfazed.
Thinking about it, Yosef had always been this way. Years went by with Zara as his one and only, but he never really put her in the spotlight.
His friends had discussed before what Zara meant to Yosef.
She was definitely not his fiancée, and he had never called her his girlfriend. ‘Mistress‘ did not quite fit the bill either, since Yosef did not splurge on her the same way they splurged on their flings–fancy cars, swanky homes, and designer bags.
Even Beatrice was flaunting a Hermés bag, courtesy of Yosef.
Harper, who had known Yosef since they were kids, nailed it when he said Zara was more like a
‘tool‘ to him.
Yosef was just a regular guy with needs, and he did not want to waste time dating, so Zara was the woman he sought out.
with youp
Put simply, while Zara was all caught up in the drama of their ‘relationship,‘ Yosef could care less about it.
As for Beatrice, even Yosef’s friends could not figure out what made her the exception.
The whole hospital debacle had been sorted out, and everyone knew Beatrice had falsely accused Zara. Somehow, Beatrice was still hanging around Yosef like nothing ever happened. His favoritism toward her was kind of mind–boggling.
Ophite cracked a grin and said, “No way it’s because of that. Ms. Lowry knows what’s
up
with
1/2
UI
the entire afternoon.“.
James piped up, “Well, then my HR needs to get involved too. A secretary like Ms. Lowry will make my life a breeze. I’ve had my eye on her for ages!”
Ophite shot Yosef a look and drawled, “You guys are slow on the news.‘
Harper quirked up an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean? You’ve snagged her?”
Ophite tossed out a question instead, “Ever heard of Edward Kingsley?”
James answered, “The heir to Kingsley Catering Group?”
“Yep, that’s the one. I saw him having lunch with Ms. Lowry yesterday.”
James whistled. “Ms. Lowry’s quite the catch, huh…”
Ophite added, “It’s not just that. It seems Ms. Lowry hurt her leg or something. He was all gentlemanly, helping her in and out of the car. She didn’t shy away either. They seemed pretty
cozy.
“Also, Edward posted on social media last night about hitting the jackpot in love and in work.”
James and Harper shared a knowing look. They then glanced over at Yosef before keeping silent. They all understood.
The grassland stretched out endlessly, and they had a blast racing their horses across it until the sun climbed high in the sky. It was time to head back.
Yosef hung back, his mood clearly in the dumps. Ophite reined in his horse to ride shoulder–to -shoulder with him.
“Yosef.”
Yosef turned to look at him.
Ophite Moore was as smooth and cool as the gemstone he was named after. He had the charm and the manners that made the Moore family the undisputed ‘gem royalty‘.
When the Moores‘ gem mines hit a rough patch, it was Azure Cloud that lent a hand. That was how Ophite and Yosef struck up a friendship, and it was one that went beyond casual chit–chat. They could even share secrets.
Ophite broke the silence. “Ms. Lowry’s been nothing but perfect for the past three years. She’s never slipped up, and she’s been devoted to you. Are you sure you want to call it quits? Honestly, it seems like such a waste.”
