Chapter 7

Brandon was in the middle of a meeting with his phone lying next to him. When he heard the ping of a notification, he glanced over and caught a glimpse of a text from Patricia, pausing for a beat.

Kent, who was presenting at the time, was pretty sharp at reading the room. He paused mid-sentence, his eyes couldn’t help but sneak a peek at Brandon’s phone, only catching the name “Sophia” before Brandon smoothly flipped the phone face down on the table and looked up at him.

Kent got the jitters, thinking Brandon was about to chew him out, but all he got was a cool, detached glance, “Carry on!”

Kent hesitated, then nodded and tried to wrap up the design presentation, but as soon as he finished, Brandon’s face scrunched up in displeasure.

“Who greenlit this trashy proposal?” he asked, his voice was calm but it cranked up the tension in the already tight meeting room to eleven.

Kent was caught like a deer in headlights, glancing at Brandon and biting back his words.

Brandon’s gaze swept over the others in the room.

One by one, they all bowed their heads, feigning deep thought, scared stiff of locking eyes with Brandon and getting called out.

“Nobody has an answer? Brandon probed.

Silence Everyone clammed up.

Help-me looks were sneakily cast towards Kent.

Kent, Brandon’s right-hand man and the company’s VP, was always the one to take the heat, especially lately.

Even the slowest folks had picked up on Brandon’s off vibes. He wasn’t snappy or nitpicky, just inexplicably brought a chill to the room, with a laser focus on work that could freeze them.

And the kicker? He seemed to be on another planet half the time, like he was hit with a bout of amnesia.

With all eyes on him, Kent felt the heat. He could normally handle the blowback, but this time, could he really?

Kent tried to make himself small, hoping to slide under Brandon’s radar, but no dice. Brandon’s gaze followed the crowd’s and landed on him.

“Since everyone’s looking at you, why don’t you speak for the team, Kent? Brandon said, glancing at the Ephemoran architecture design on the big screen behind him, Who greenlit this trash?”

Kent was speechless.

Man, they were all throwing him under the bus

Brandon’s gaze held on Kent. “Kent?”

Kent, taking a deep breath, looked back at Brandon I, I don’t know.”

the guts to spill

then back

kept their heads down, pretending to be deep in

thoughts? Brandon called

of his wits, glanced at Kent and lobbed the question back at him. “Kent’s in charge of this project Brandon’s eyes shifted back to Kent

at his colleagues who were all busy pretending to take notes, then hesitantly met

it on

bit the bullet. “Mr. Crawley, It was you

added, barely

room went

sneaked a look at Brandon and caught a rare glimpse

turned to look at the

“Mr. Crawley, you’ve seemed a bit off these past few

“Sorry, my oversight. Redo the

grabbed his phone from the table and headed

door closed, the tension

gave Kent a

“Warrior.”

his fingers. After all the times I’ve had your backs, you just toss me to the wolves when it counts. Not

only have you who can handle Mr.

worked hard. We’ll

comfort, but still puzzled “Is something

noticed that too. He’s been zoning

been like this. Did something

again unanimously

Kent smoothly diverted the topic, “With

to have off days and zone out once in a

bantering with

walked by, prompting everyone to

few heads with

afraid of Brandon, Kent knew, including

the contrary, he was known for keeping his cool. He was a workaholic but didn’t expect the same from his employees. He was considerate, offered better compensation

aura of authority, Kent thought, his eyes drifting through the office space

into his office chair, tossing his phone onto the desk corner,

something to do with that “Sophia” he had accidentally glimpsed on Brandon’s

with sweet and innocent vibe, all quiet and no-fuss. She talked in this soft, slow voice that was just soothing to the ears no rush, no drama queen antics. She was polite and courteous with everyone, not pulling any of that high and

mandori’s divorce was hooked up by him, so yeah, he was clued in about the split

11 42

Chapter 7

to why they’re calling it quits, that’s still a mystery to

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