Chapter 9: NINE

"I swear, Lyra, this new chef is a godsend," Abby exclaimed.

"I had given up on eating lunch here because the food always gave me indigestion, but when I heard that this new guy was young and handsome, I thought I'd give it another try."

"My PTSD literally flew out the window,” she added with a loud laugh.

Lyra chuckled at her friend's enthusiasm, taking a small bite of her sandwich. Abby continued, "And let me tell you, he didn't disappoint. The food is amazing, and the view isn't bad either."

Lyra raised her eyebrows at Abby's comment, and Abby responded with a cheeky grin.

"What? A girl can appreciate a good-looking man, can't she?"

Lyra couldn't help but laugh at her friend's playful attitude.

Abby was always the life of the office, cracking jokes and making everyone feel at ease. Lyra, on the other hand, was more reserved and didn't speak up as much.

She had a bubbly and outgoing personality. She was always the life of the party, cracking jokes and making everyone around her laugh. Her infectious laughter and vibrant energy drew people to her like a magnet. Abby was never afraid to speak her mind, and she had a unique way of looking at things that always left people feeling inspired.

As they chatted, Lyra noticed some ladies sitting behind her, giggling and whispering to each other. She tried to ignore them and focus on her food, but she couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"I heard Kian, Jared, and Ace are all single," one of the ladies said. "Can you imagine? Three handsome and successful CEOs, and they're all available!"

"They're not just handsome, they're dreamy," another lady chimed in. "I saw them at the last company event, and I was practically swooning."

"I think Jared is the cutest," the first lady said.

"He's the youngest, you know, only a year younger than the twins. And speaking of the twins, they act so much alike, they might as well be triplets!"

Lyra rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink, trying not to let the conversation bother her. But then another lady spoke up.

"Did you hear about Michelle Turner? I heard she's dating one of them," she said.

Lyra's ears perked up at the mention of Michelle Turner. She was a famous model and actress, and Lyra had always admired her from afar.

"Really?" one of the ladies said. "Which one?"

"I don't know," the lady replied. "I heard it was one of the twins, but I'm not sure which one."

Abby, Lyra's coworker and friend, joined her at the table and noticed the ladies behind them talking.

"What are they giggling about?" Abby asked.

"They're talking about the three brothers," Lyra replied, rolling her eyes. "They think they're all dreamy and single."

Abby chuckled. "Well, they're not wrong about the dreamy part," she said. "But I don't think they're all single. I heard one of them has a girlfriend."

Lyra tensed up at the mention of a girlfriend. She couldn't help but wonder if it was true, and if so, which one of the brothers it was.

"I don't really care," Lyra said, trying to brush off the conversation. "I mean, they're just our bosses, right?"

Abby laughed. "Speak for yourself," she said. "I wouldn't mind being swept off my feet by one of those handsome CEOs."

Lyra shook her head and went back to her food, trying to ignore the conversation behind her. She couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable, knowing how poorly the three brothers had treated her in the past. But she didn't want to ruin her lunch or let the ladies behind her know that their conversation was bothering her.

Abby, on the other hand, was happy to join in the conversation and occasionally chimed in with her own comments about the brothers' looks and charm. Lyra couldn't help but smile at her friend's enthusiasm, even though she didn't share it herself.

Thankfully, Abby changed the subject back to the chef. "So, have you met him yet, Lyra?" she asked.

It was hard to listen to people speak so highly of them without feeling the need to set the record straight.

But Lyra was also aware that this was not the time or place to bring up her past with the brothers. Instead, she decided to keep quiet and let Abby continue with her story about the cafeteria food.

As Abby went on about the new chef, Lyra tried to tune out the conversation behind her. It was difficult, as their voices were quite loud, but she managed to focus on Abby's voice instead. She appreciated Abby's efforts to change the topic and make her feel more comfortable.

Lyra glanced over at Abby and was struck once again by her fashion sense. Despite not being conventionally pretty, Abby had a unique style that was both elegant and edgy. She had won best-dressed worker at the company several times, and it was easy to see why.

"Who?" Lyra quizzed cluelessly.

"Him….the chef…”

Lyra shook her head. "Yes. A few times, I usually bring my lunch from home though, so I hardly order anything except water," she said. "But maybe I'll have to try it out now that you've convinced me."

"So, what do you think about him?” She queried with a sly grin.

“Uh…he's good looking.”

Abby giggled. "Good-looking? That's an understatement, Lyra. He's drop-dead gorgeous!" she said, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Lyra couldn't help but laugh at Abby's enthusiasm. She was glad that Abby had a way of making her feel at ease, even in uncomfortable situations like this.

Abby grinned. "Should we try and wait till he comes out of the kitchen? Trust me, you won't regret it. Plus, if we're lucky, we might even catch a glimpse of one of the brothers while we're there."

Lyra rolled her eyes playfully, but she couldn't deny how upset she felt anytime the brothers were mentioned.