Chapter 54
Kristin clenched her fingers tight with fear as she threw Lisa a look begging for help.
“Mr. Bryce, she’s the new girl, just finished training, our new receptionist. Is there a problem?” Lisa quickly dashed over.
“Lift your head up!” James was icy and seemingly short on patience.
Kristin gripped her fingers tight and slowly raised her head.
James paused for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Never mind, I got you mixed up with
someone else.”
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief and motioned for Kristin to scram.
James didn’t linger and made a beeline for the entrance.
Kristin exhaled deeply, feeling a wave of relief. After five years, James surely must have forgotten her.
Once James was out of earshot, Yara came shivering over. “Man, that big shot’s got an aura like no other, scared the living daylights out of me.”
Kristin felt her legs turn to jelly.
Yara chuckled and steadied Kristin. “Scared you, huh? I thought Mr. Bryce had his eye on you for a second there. Talk about a heart attack!”
Kristin offered an awkward smile.
“Did you catch what Mr. Bryce’s assistant was saying?” Yara led Kristin to the front desk. “The annual dinner for the Chamber of Commerce gonna be here at our club, the biggest in
Crescendo Town. Even front desk jobs here are for the educated. You landed this gig just in time with the hiring spree.”
Kristin nodded. “I heard it.”
“Do you know who shows up at these dinners? Ever heard of the FitzGerald family from Silvergrove City? They’re even bigger fish than Mr. Bryce. In the business world, there’s always a bigger fish.”
Kristin stiffened her fingers, panic rising within her.
If it was the dinner for the Chamber of Commerce, Vincent and Clarence would surely attend.
“Can I… can I take that day off?” Kristin asked in a hushed tone.
“No go, Lisa said everything’s leading up to this night, no one’s allowed to bail,” Yara shook her head.
Kristin tightened her fingers anxiously as she calculated her next move. Staying put meant risking being dragged back. And being dragged back by them meant a one–way ticket to the
Chapter 54
grave.
“Kris, room 3688 upstairs needs a fruit platter delivered. The catering staff’s swamped, go give them a hand,” Lisa instructed, sending Kristin on her way.
“I could go, Kris isn’t up to speed yet.” Yara offered, thinking she should handle it.
“No need, it’s just a fruit platter. I need you here for something else, Lisa said dismissively.
Kristin nodded and, unaccustomed to the high heels, made her way to the catering area.
“This bottle of wine costs over a million per piece, handle it with utmost care,” the staff member instructed, pointing to a wine bottle chilling in an ice bucket.
Kristin nodded nervously and wheeled the cart into the elevator.
In the past, a million–plus bottle meant nothing to Kristin, but now, it was a fantasy figure.
“Sir, your fruit platter and wine,” Kristin announced, knocking on the door.
No answer from inside.
Noticing the door was ajar, Kristin pushed it open and entered.
Inside, James was lounging on the sofa, schmoozing with a few bigwigs.
Kristin, head down, first set the wine bucket on the table, then arranged the fruit platter.
Moving Silently, she turned to leave.
“This club’s different alright, even the waitstaff are hotter than celebs. It seems like a waste to have a looker like her serving drinks,” Zack, previously dragged away by Harriet, gawked at Kristin, dazzled by her slim legs.
James glanced at Kristin, saying nothing. Feeling anxious, Kristin kept her head down and tried
to exit.
Zack stood up, blocking her path. “Hey, miss, what’s your name?”
“Ha, looks like Zack’s taken a shine to this girl.” someone booed.
“Let me tell you, catching Zack’s eye is a stroke of luck.”
The others chuckled, egging Kristin on not to miss her chance.
Kristin’s palms began to sweat as she wondered how to handle the situation.
It was her first day on the job after three days of training, and she didn’t want to cause trouble for Harriet.
“A college girl?” Kristin looked young and fit. No one could tell she’d had a child.
Zack’s hand almost reached Kristin’s leg.
“She’s not up for grabs,” James finally spoke with a firm voice after a long silence.
Kristin flinched, standing still with her head bowed.
Zack paused, confused, and James added. “She’s had a child.”
Kristin faltered her grip on the tray, her heartbeat racing. James had indeed… recognized her.
Zack and the others were taken aback. “Do you know her? Is she still in such great shape after having a kid?”
“I like that even more,” another boss joked, laughing.
Kristin flushed her cheeks, not with embarrassment, but anger.
The way these men appraised women, as if they were picking out produce at a market, was humiliating.
“Her? Tough cookie to crack.” James smirked, implying a challenge. “It’s up to you big shots to show what you’re made of.”
“Ha, it sounds like Mr. Bryce’s tried before?” The men laughed, probing further.
“Yep, chased her for three years and got nowhere,” James joked half–seriously.
Kristi burned with the effort to hold back and just wanted to flee.
She could already predict the humiliation that was coming. James would take this chance to
mock her.
“That hard to get. huh? Not even accepting Mr. Bryce? Is she playing hard to get or is the money just not enough?” Zack sneered, reaching out to grab Kristin’s wrist. “A million for one night, I’m offering top dollar here.”
Kristin dodged in panic, her aversion to being touched by men was a reflex.
A plate smashed against Zack’s head. In that instant, Kristin nearly collapsed to her knees.
It wasn’t intentional, really not…
It was just an unconscious reaction, her body acting beyond her control.
Near tears, Kristin choked out, “I’m sorry, so sorry…
Zack, stunned, touched his forehead, feeling a scratch.
Everyone else gasped, too. This chick… really doesn’t know how to play the game.
“Man, that’s a slap in the face,” Zack dropped his voice, throwing a pissed–off glance at Kristin. “If it weren’t for your looks, you wouldn’t even get the chance to stand here.”
She seemed to strike a chord with the guys‘ competitive spirit. Another boss chimed in with a grin.
“I’ll put down two million. Mr. Bryce, I’ll take her off your hands.”
James was smirking, eyeing Kristin like he knew something she didn’t. “Back in the day, I was
11:38
Chapter 54
ready to shell out eight million for her.”
Kristin stood there shivering like a leaf.
Six years back, Vincent and Clarence dragged her to court, accusing her of squeezing a cool eight million out of the Turner family and the FitzGerald family…
Eight million, that was the number James used to poke at her.
That year, James had approached her, proposing he could make her eight million debt disappear if she agreed to be with him.
“What? Eight million? For a woman who’s had a kid?” That boss couldn’t believe his eyes. “Ha? Why would I do that when I could get a young starlet for fun? It’s all about the connections, you know.”
“With the current rates, eight million.” Zack was clearly picking a fight with Kristin. “But shouldn’t I get to check on her first?”
Kristin turned to leave but Zack yanked her back, slamming her against the wall. “How are we gonna settle you hitting me? I’ll get my injuries checked and see how much you owe me. deduct it from your eight million!”
Zack had never met a woman who dared to hit him. Today, for the sake of his pride, he had to take Kristin with him.
“Zack, this lady’s had a kid. She ain’t worth eight million now, right?” someone joked from the
side.
James, with a thoughtful look, spoke mildly. “What if her kid was mine? Wouldn’t that make her even more valuable?”
Everyone was at a loss for words.
The moment James finished speaking, Zack instinctively let go of Kristin, looking at James with an almost terrified expression and thinking, “Had I just laid my hands on James‘ woman?”
