Chapter 23
I said nothing, just gave him a cool glance.
Samuel's programming skills were average, but he was pretty smart.
I didn't answer his question. Andrew and I walked out of the suffocating ballroom side by side.
The evening breeze carried a chill that brushed against my face, slightly clearing away the stuffiness from inside.
The moment I stepped onto the smooth marble floor of the hotel entrance, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
I pulled out my phone. The screen lit up, and a new message appeared right before my eyes.
The message was brief, but like a stone thrown into the long-frozen lake of my heart, it stirred up barely noticeable ripples.
James: [Can you really meet ZeroSpecter?]
I scrolled up with my fingertip. The last message was from two months ago.
A cold accusation.
James: [Isabella's lips were dry after ballet class. Why didn't you prepare water for her? Can't you even handle such a small thing?]
Even now, I still clearly remember that day.
Pouring rain. Because Isabella insisted on having that limited-edition cake from the shop on the west side of town, I drove across half the city, arriving at the ballet studio entrance soaking wet.
But Isabella threw a tantrum in public because there were a few drops of rain on the cake box, throwing the cake on the ground and crying endlessly.
I endured the cold wetness and exhaustion to comfort her, only to receive this baseless accusatory message from James.
He didn't even ask where I was or what the weather was like, as if my existence was only to serve his niece well.
Something in my chest felt like it was being lightly pricked by tiny ice shards—it didn't hurt, but carried a numbing coldness.
"What's wrong?" Andrew's gentle voice sounded in my ear, full of concern.
I snapped back to reality, my thumb quickly darkening the screen as I shoved the phone back in my pocket, trying hard to maintain a calm expression. "Nothing."
After a pause, I changed the subject, keeping my tone as natural as possible. "Recently, has the Smith Group been pushing to meet ZeroSpecter?"
Andrew pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes behind the lenses settling on my face.
He was silent for a moment, not immediately answering my question. Instead, he took half a step forward, closing the distance between us.
The evening breeze stirred the hair on his forehead, his gaze unusually focused.
"Sophia." His voice was deeper than usual.
"If James gives you a hard time tonight, or about the ZeroSpecter thing, you don't have to deal with it. I can take all the pressure for you." His words were clear, and the emotions in his eyes were almost overflowing.
No matter how slow or deliberately avoidant I was, I couldn't ignore this protection and promise that clearly crossed the boundaries of business partners.
My heart jumped, as if burned by something, and I instinctively wanted to dodge.
I hurriedly looked away, not daring to meet his eyes. My throat felt tight, and for a moment, I didn't know how to respond to this overly heavy emotion.
Just as my thoughts were in chaos, trying to figure out how to gently respond, Andrew suddenly laughed softly.
His laughter broke the somewhat ambiguous and tense atmosphere.
He stepped back half a step, returning to his usual refined and elegant manner, his tone lightening up.
"Just kidding, look how scared you are." He paused for half a second, then continued. "The Smith Group has indeed sent another invitation, more urgent than before. If you don't want to take this job, or if facing James makes you uncomfortable, I can decline directly for you, or I can handle it myself."
He cleverly used the joke to dissolve the earlier awkwardness, putting the choice completely in my hands.
I secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but felt a complicated emotion I couldn't quite describe.
After adjusting my breathing, I met his gaze again, the corners of my lips curving into a cold smile. "Decline? Why decline? Mr. Smith pays well. How could I miss such a good money-making opportunity?"
Andrew raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by my decision.
"However." I changed my tone, a cunning and cold gleam flashing in my eyes. "We can work with them, but I have one additional condition."
"What condition?" Andrew asked with interest.
I gestured for him to lean in closer.
He bent down slightly, and I brought my lips close to his ear, speaking my request quickly and clearly in a whisper only we could hear.
Andrew's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
He straightened up, looking at me with surprise in his eyes, which then transformed into a knowing light tinged with amusement.
He laughed softly and shook his head. "Haven't seen you in a few years, and you've learned to be bad."
" This is called an eye for an eye." I didn't care.
Unexpectedly, James agreed unusually quickly.
This quickness actually made me wary.
Because my condition was really hard for him to accept.
But regardless, the stage was set. I had no reason to back out now.
I set the meeting place at the presidential suite of the city's top Azure Palace Hotel.
The privacy here was excellent, fitting ZeroSpecter's mysterious persona, and convenient for some additional plans.
At night, I came alone to the Azure Palace Hotel, taking the private elevator straight to the top floor presidential suite.
The hallway was covered with thick carpet, silent. I took a deep breath and swiped open the door to the presidential suite.
Only a ring of dim wall lamps was on in the room, the light hazy.
The air was filled with a faint smell of cigars and a familiar cold woody scent that belonged to James.
I had just closed the door behind me, not yet adjusted to the dim light, not even seeing if anyone was in the room, when a swift figure pounced like a long-lurking leopard from the shadows beside the door.
A powerful force suddenly pressed me hard against the cold, heavy door.
My back hit painfully. I groaned, my wrists pinned behind me with absolute strength, unable to move.
A hot, hard male body pressed tightly against me, completely trapping me between his body and the door, an intense sense of invasion and oppression washing over me.
My heart jumped in alarm, but then that familiar scent entered my nostrils, letting me immediately identify who it was.
"You!" I struggled, but was held even tighter.
Realizing it was me, there was slight annoyance in his voice at not catching his target.
"You like following me that much?"
He actually came in person?
And in this way, as if catching a criminal?
It seemed he must deeply hate the condition I proposed.
I slowly raised my head. Though I couldn't see his face clearly in the darkness, I could feel his breath so close and those eyes that must be full of scrutiny and suspicion.