Chapter 20

His voice was low and gentle. “It’s raining out, and the temperature’s dropping. Let me come with you to grab a jacket.”
“Alright.” Bianca gave Noreen a nod, then left with Seth.
So Seth could be thoughtful, after all.
Noreen stood frozen for a few seconds, surprised–she’d never seen this side of him.
Back in the dining hall, just as Bianca had said, there wasn’t much left to eat.
Noreen grabbed a couple of bread rolls, planning to make do, and was about to sit down when her phone rang. It was Seth.
She answered.
His voice was cold now, none of the warmth from earlier. “Come out.”
“Now?” Noreen glanced at the bread in her hand, hesitating.
“What, are you planning to keep us waiting?”
She paused, then quietly agreed. “Alright.”
She shoved the bread into her bag and hurried to the main entrance. By the time she got there, Seth and Bianca were already in the car.
The two of them were sitting together in the backseat, leaving only the front passenger seat open for her.
Noreen lowered her lashes, hiding her thoughts, and quietly took her place in the
front.
No sooner had she closed the door than Seth told the driver to go, his impatience
obvious.
The bread in her bag was still warm, but Noreen didn’t get a chance to eat–Seth didn’t like anyone eating in his car.
After seven years as his secretary, she knew all his preferences by heart. They’d become second nature; she obeyed them on instinct.
Even now, when her stomach ached for something to settle it, she didn’t reach for the bread.
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Chapter 20
Not that Seth would have given her the chance; he cut straight to business.
“How exactly did you negotiate with AeroEdge before?”
His tone was accusatory, as if the project’s setbacks were all her fault.
Noreen kept her voice calm. “The project’s already through two rounds. The term sheet is signed, and the investment ratio was agreed on from the start. If we suddenly change the terms, Aero Edge is bound to have concerns-”
Seth cut her off before she could finish. “As long as the process isn’t finalized, anything can still change.”
He paused, eyes meeting hers in the rearview mirror, lips curving in a slight, cool smile. “You’ve worked with me this long and still don’t get that?”
Noreen looked down, then asked quietly, “Then can you tell me why the investment
ratio has to be cut?”
This time, Bianca answered. “From where I stand, Aero Edge’s drones just aren’t commercial enough. There’s no way the market will live up to what their proposal promises. That’s why I recommended lowering the ratio.”
“AeroEdge is an established brand, with solid tech and full after–sales service. That’s what caught Aurelion Group’s eye in the first place,” Noreen argued.
“But business is about profit, not sentiment,” Bianca countered, dismissing the point
with a wave of her hand.
She flashed Seth a teasing smile. “Looks like you haven’t taught your people very
well.”
Seth gave a noncommittal hum, then glanced at Noreen with a casual air. “That’s why she’s just a secretary, not an investment director.”
Bianca let out a light laugh. “Investment takes brains and vision. Secretary
Gilmore’s only got a bachelor’s degree–it’s no wonder handling a project like this is too much for her.”
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