Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 47

I gritted my back teeth, feeling a surge of rage welling up in my chest. In the next second, I pointed at Cecilia’s desk and snapped, “Then you better cough up a rose gold one just like it. Mr. Zade. You clearly have an eye for the good stuff, saves me the hassle of picking another.

Hogan probably didn’t expect me to come on so strong, and for a moment he was totally lost

for words.

Cecilia, the instigator, was turning all shades of red and white.

The atmosphere got super tense real quick.

Just in time, Wallis stepped in to smooth things over, “Even though Director Irwin didn’t mean any harm, the laptop’s definitely toast. Considering she’s still a student, how about the company covers the difference?”

Cecilia’s eyes went wide with confusion, her lips quivered, showing she was on the edge of saying something but held back.

“No need.” Hogan cut in crisply. “We’ll do as Ms. March suggested. I’ll handle it.”

“Hogan,” Cecilia burst out, obviously worked up, “this isn’t right, I can’t let you shell out for this.” “Come on, Director Irwin,” Wallis interrupted Cecilia with a chuckle, “Let’s just go with that. you’re really in luck, aren’t you?”

After finishing, Wallis turned to Hogan and asked, “Are we heading straight to the store. Mr. Zade?”

She was even more down–to–earth than me.

So there we were, me, Hogan, and Cecilia hitting the mall together.

The shop owner took one look at the fried laptop, sighed, and said, “The motherboard’s fried, it’s a goner, no fixing it.”

I wasn’t planning on fixing it anyway, but it was packed with important files that I needed to ensure wouldn’t leak.

right to the point, pointing at a laptop priced at

guard by his decisiveness and paused before suggesting. “Sir, there’s an upgraded model of this one, just two hundred

glanced at me immediately, as

owner added, “Your girlfriend must be in IT, right? In that field, the laptop is all about showing off. Gotta get something

since the owner suggests it, why don’t

Chapter 47

between the three of us, his gaze loaded with unsaid thoughts.

and said, “Alright, we’ll go with your

grinning from ear to ear,

the waterlogged wreck Cecilia

stuff, and I made up my mind quick, “Could you toss it in the trash for me, please?”

excuse and left

out when they saw the

out, “Man, I wish Director Irwin would spill coffee on my laptop tomorrow morning.”

“You’re

help but

the end of the day, Tina suddenly called.

there’s a comic con at the convention center tomorrow afternoon, wanna

it out?”

wasn’t really interested.

how she went out of her way to clear up that photo mix–up

saying no.

all

was pretty tempting.

with Wallis, I agreed to Tina’s invite.