Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 18

I casually said, “No biggie, if Hogan is cool with tossing in another five hundred thousand, make sure even his precious girl is well taken care of,”

What was more solid than cold, hard cash, right?

I was about to hang up when, lo and behold, I spotted Hogan and Cecilia not too far away.

Talk about freaky timing.

Cecilia blinked those big beautiful eyes of hers and said in a tone of surprise, “Xaviera, you live

here too?”

Hogan and Cecilia were just a stone’s throw away.

I wasn’t sure if they caught any of my chat with Wallis,

Awkwardness washed over me, tinged with a hint of guilt.

I was worried Hogan might read my mind.

After all, no investor likes someone eyeballing their wallet all day, every day.

played it cool and said, “Been living here for a few months now.”

“Me too,” Cecilia’s voice rose and fell dramatically. “But I’ve barely seen you around.”

“My schedule’s all over the place.”

Us coders were a different breed – burning the midnight oil was business as usual, and my sleep was all messed up. Sometimes I was nocturnal, so running into someone was pure serendipity.

Kinda like today.

three of us ended up

Cecilia and me

my floor button, Cecilia’s face froze for a sec.

hadn’t moved in before her, she’d probably tag

for not thinking things through.

him a heads–up.

darting all over me, finally landing

new Davidliu design?” Cecilia eyed me enviously, “It’s not even out at

referring to the handbag Darren

11:39

Chapter 18

thought was it felt nice, had no clue about this Davidliu

Cecilia’s look, it must be

“A friend gave it to me.”

limited edition, only a hundred in the world – a real

was the one lost for words.

was some exclusive

just

heard him ask Cecilia, “It’s just a bag,

it’s not that,” Cecilia dialed back the envy, “I just think Xaviera has good taste.”

opened, I nodded slightly and walked out without a

vaguely heard Hogan say,

spot

only was I clueless about bags, but my taste in men

of bags, I took a peek at the logo and looked up the price online.

bliss, they say well,

–