Chapter111 Stood Up on a Deal
Halfway through dinner, Clifton's phone rang.
After hanging up, he looked at Miranda with a hint of apology in his eyes. "I have to go. The mission got moved up."
Miranda's heart sank, but she kept her expression neutral, even reaching up to straighten his slightly wrinkled collar.
"Stay safe. Don't forget about your back injury."
"Don't worry."
Clifton wiped Miranda's mouth with a napkin, then grabbed his suit jacket and strode out of the hotel room.
The door clicked shut.
The room fell into an eerie silence.
The intimacy and warmth from moments ago seemed to still linger in the air, but now she was alone, facing an empty king-sized bed.
The sudden emptiness left Miranda feeling hollow inside.
She walked to the window, gazing at the bustling nightscape below, silently praying for his safety.
Waves of soreness washed over her body, reminding her of the afternoon's recklessness.
Miranda shook her head, forcing herself not to dwell on those thoughts.
Wash up. Sleep.
Maybe it was exhaustion, maybe it was that lingering worry, but she didn't sleep well.
The next morning.
Miranda groggily opened her eyes and instinctively reached to the side.
Cold.
No sign that anyone had returned.
Miranda sat bolt upright, looking around.
Only her own breathing filled the room.
Out all night?
Worry immediately took over. She grabbed her phone, her finger hovering over Clifton's number. After a second's hesitation, she sent a text instead.
[Are you done? Are you safe?]
The reply came almost instantly.
[Safe. Mission's not over yet. Don't worry about me, focus on your work.]
Seeing those brief, reassuring words, Miranda's racing heart finally settled.
She took a deep breath, climbed out of bed, and headed to the bathroom.
Cold water splashing on her face brought instant clarity.
Miranda applied precise, professional makeup, chose a sharply tailored white suit, and pinned her long hair up high. She looked commanding, like a queen marching into battle.
At nine-thirty sharp, Miranda arrived at her potential partner company's building.
Though the company's reputation in the industry was somewhat polarizing, they held several core technologies, making them the most suitable partner for Miranda's company right now.
"Miranda, this way please."
The receptionist politely led her to a lounge. "Max is in an emergency meeting. You might need to wait a moment."
Miranda glanced at her watch.
Nine-thirty.
She made it a habit to arrive early. It showed respect for partners and demonstrated her sincerity.
"That's fine. I'm early anyway." Miranda smiled faintly, settling elegantly onto the sofa. "Our appointment is at ten. I'm not in a rush."
The receptionist looked relieved. "What can I get you to drink?"
"Coffee would be great, thanks."
The lounge door closed, shutting out the noise outside.
Miranda pulled out her tablet, reviewing the project materials she already knew by heart.
Time ticked by.
Ten o'clock.
No one came for her.
Miranda didn't mind. Big companies had unexpected situations all the time. Waiting a bit longer was normal.
Ten-thirty.
Her coffee cup was empty, long since gone cold.
Miranda closed her tablet, her brow furrowing slightly.
Even if the meeting ran over, someone should have updated her, right?
She got up and stopped a passing assistant at the door. "Excuse me, how much longer will Max be? Our appointment was half an hour ago."
The assistant's expression flickered, and he adjusted his glasses. "Ah, sorry Miranda. Max's meeting is really important, with all the executives. It might... take a while longer."
"How much longer?"
"Well... I can't really say." The assistant hedged. "Could you wait a bit more?"
Miranda nodded. "Alright. I'll wait another half hour."
Back in the lounge, Miranda refilled her water glass.
This kind of waiting was the worst. It didn't just waste time; it wore down patience and dignity.
Eleven-thirty.
Still nothing.
Noon.
The lounge door finally opened.
The same assistant, this time wearing an awkward, fake smile.
"Miranda, I'm so sorry. Max's meeting just ended, but a major client showed up and he has to meet with them now... And it's lunchtime, so maybe you could grab some food first?"
Miranda set her glass down hard on the table with a sharp clink.
"So I waited all morning and didn't even see Max's face?"
She stood up, staring coldly at the assistant.
"If your company isn't serious about this partnership, just say so. No need to waste each other's time like this."
The assistant flinched at her presence, quickly offering an apologetic smile. "No, no, we're just really busy. Max specifically asked me to tell you, three o'clock this afternoon, he'll definitely make time to see you! Could you possibly be flexible?"
Miranda took a deep breath.
Though anger burned inside her, she thought about the several projects at critical junctures back at her company. Without this partnership, things would get very difficult.
In the adult world, sometimes you had to swallow your pride for business.
"Fine."
Miranda coldly spat out the word. "Three o'clock then."
With that, she grabbed her bag and left.
She bought a sandwich from a nearby convenience store and forced down a few bites. Miranda didn't return to the hotel to rest. Instead, she stayed in her car, refining her negotiation strategy for the afternoon.
Two-fifty p.m.
Miranda appeared at the reception desk again.
"Miranda, you're here."
This time the receptionist looked at her with a hint of sympathy. "Please wait in the lounge."
The lounge again.
A bad feeling washed over Miranda.
Sure enough.
By three-thirty, the so-called Max still hadn't appeared.
The silence in the lounge was suffocating.
Miranda's patience had finally run out.
This wasn't a business negotiation. This was a game.
She stood abruptly, pushed open the lounge door, and strode toward the office area.
"Wait! Miranda, you can't go in there!"
The assistant from before rushed over in a panic. "That's a restricted office area, outsiders can't..."
"Move."
Miranda shot him a cold glance, her steps not slowing.
"I want to see just how busy Max is that he can't even maintain basic professional courtesy."
She walked through the corridor, heading toward the director's office, when she suddenly heard laughter from the break room nearby.
"Max, Miranda's still waiting in the lounge."
Then a male voice responded, dripping with disdain and mockery.
"Let her wait. A divorced woman who pissed off the wrong people wants to partner with me?"