Love or Die CEO’s Daily Dose of Swoon

Chapter 119

The Pioneers Group chat had been silent for days, so when someone finally piped up, the others quickly bubbled to the surface of the conversation.

Mathster replied, [Never heard of ‘em.]

Bland replied, [Farly bird interrupts my sweet dreams, huh?]

Painter said, [Ever heard of mute?]

Bland replied, [Set this chat to priority alerts, man. What if the boss needs me and I miss it?]

The others mentally rolled their eyes at his brown–nosing, but no one dared to say it out loud. Instead-

Painter said, [Same here, bro.]

Chef echoed, [And me]

Clothing Retailer said, [Me too]

Pianoman asked, [Who’s this person, anyway? Never heard of them. Are they famous or something? @Painter]

Painter said, [This person had a real flair for painting 18 years ago. Young and talented. But then I heard she married into some high society and stopped painting altogether. Not many people know her because of that.]

Bland asked, [So why are you looking for her?]

Painter replied, [To paint, obviously.]

Bland said, [? But you’re a renowned artist yourself. Why do you need someone else to paint for you?]

Painter said, [Let me school you, newbie. Watercolor themes fall into three categories, landscapes, figures, and still lifes. I specialize in figures, not landscapes.]

Painter said, [I got roped into this game design gig, doing character art. I need a landscape artist for the scenery. Most of the famed landscape artists here have either aged out of the game or their work is too superficial for my taste.]

said, [After much thought, only Lorn from 18 years ago caught my eye. Her landscapes had the touch. of a master, truly spirited. I

shot in the art world, chairing the Superiority Country Fine Art Association and heading the Superiority Art Academy. You must have the widest network. If you can’t find

just a pseudonym she used to storm the national art scene. I was just a rookie myself, couldn’t dig up her real identity, and then she vanished. She might have changed her name, but talent like hers doesn’t just disappear. I’ve cast a wide net in my circles. You all have your connections. Hit me up if you hear anything. There’s

replied, [No

said, [Got it.]

paint, but Lorna could. Maybe there was a lead there. So she chimed

replied, [Got it.]

grabbed her book. It was physics–related, hard to understand, but she tackled them with zest,

But it wasn’t until she’d visited her grandparents‘ house that she realized how superficial her knowledge

university professors, and when she visited them

Chapter 119

to delve deeper into the subject.

a place to stay, and her grandmother was supposed to arrive tonight, delayed by

car pulled up

stairs and entered Midnight Scent.

the table effortlessly,

Everard. These two didn’t seem like former colleagues at all. But Everard had a presence that naturally commanded

couldn’t help but glance at Calvert, asking with a hint of curiosity,

was about to reply when Everard’s smooth voice intervened, “He’s

he added, “Yeah, I

really knows how to kick him to the curb once he’s

table, expecting the usual handshake. But when it didn’t come, he looked up, puzzled, to see Cordelia staring–not at him, but at his lips?

at him today, but she wasn’t. And now, the idea of even touching his hand was making her blush?

and his gaze, she hastily grabbed his

to her. But today, she noticed how attractive his hands really were–long, defined, with calluses that spoke of work but didn’t detract from

and that heat

But today, when

needed a ten–minute handhold to

stood up quickly, grabbing her backpack, I’m off to school

watched her leave Midnight Scent toward the school, pondering why she seemed different