From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent

Chapter 48

Daniel had been talking non–stop, and his throat felt dry. Glancing around the room, he asked, “Hey Sherman, got any bottled water in this joint?”

It wasn’t that he had anything against sipping a cup of coffee.

It’s just that Sherman was particular about his stuff, especially his coffee gear.

And it wasn’t just the coffee gear. Sherman didn’t like anyone touching his things, not even his mother.

Sherman was an odd duck. He was a loose cannon in his younger days, but his temper had mellowed out a bit since he took to that unworldly lifestyle and went vegan.

But the quirk about his stuff stayed put.

Sherman fished out a bottle of water from a drawer and tossed it to Daniel, who caught it with a

thankful nod.

“Look, if those detectives downtown can’t dig anything up, hand it to the International Department,” Sherman said, leaning back in his chair.

“Got it.” Daniel replied, his mind already churning with plans.

up his laptop and shot Phoenix a message on GlobalGigaNet, “Hey Ace, fancy

online, he was giving Daniel the silent treatment, a move

Phoenix? Was he still sore about being unfriended last time?

I’m so sorry. mate. I didn’t mean to unfriend you last time. It was a slip of the thumb. I swear it. Let bygones be bygones, yeah? I’m waiting for

“Ace…”

after message Daniel sent, but Ace remained

flipped over to the forum page, only to see that it

starstruck they’d even prefixed their handles with

not expecting to

them and realized that last time wasn’t a fluke. The bloke had unfriended her. But Anthea wasn’t one

her response, Daniel thought his eyes were playing tricks. After rubbing

1/2

realizing it wasn’t a mirage, he hurriedly replied, “You’re a saint, Ace! Say, can we

her online life separate, Anthea replied, “We

Ace, cool

voices filtered through

eyebrow, she snapped her laptop shut, slipped into