Chapter 163

Marian looked up and flashed Daniel a grin, “My name’s Marian. Please don’t call me anything else, not my cup of tea.”

With that, her smile quickly vanished as she dove back into her phone.

Daniel’s smile froze a tad.

Louis jumped in to smooth things over, “She’s got no memory of her childhood, man. The chick had it rough growing up outside, took us two years of sweet-talking to get her to even peek back home.”

Hearing this, Daniel felt even more for her and didn’t mind Marian’s lack of manners, keeping up his smile he asked, “Got a boyfriend yet, Marian?”

“Nah,” Marian glanced up briefly, “Swamped with studies, dude. No time for boy trouble.”

“This girl’s a bookworm, just graduated from Apex Engineering University, nailed a master’s in architecture.”

Louis couldn’t help puffing up with pride as he rattled off the university name, boasting, “Called it when she was a tot, said she was brainy material. Quiet, diligent, focused, and smart as a whip, knew she’d land in a top school and she did!”

Daniel had been to that uni with Louis back in the day but still couldn’t help marveling, “That’s seriously badass.”

He was genuinely stoked for Yolanda.

He’d been rooting for Yolanda since she was a kid.

Finally, Marian looked up again, “Thanks.”

Her smile this time held a genuine spark.

That bit of sincerity touched Daniel, and he couldn’t help but steer the convo back to matters of the heart, “Got anyone you fancy, Marian?”

“Nope,” Marian answered straight-up, without a trace of shyness or discomfort.

Louis seized the moment to bring up Brandon, “Brandon still flying solo?”

Patricia jumped in, “Yup, still on the market, Heard from Kent he’s thinking about trying his luck at matchmaking events.”

“Why bother with matchmaking?” Louis looked at Marian, “Both unattached, childhood friends, families know each other inside out, same age range, might as well play Cupid, right?”

“Wha?” Marian looked at Louis, surprised, “Is that really cool?”

Thinking she was just playing hard to get, Louis reassured her, “Just hang out, see if it clicks. No matchmaking, no wedding bells, no pressure.”

Daniel was all for Louis’ idea.

been tight for decades, matched well, and despite the distance after Yolanda’s disappearance, they

bachelors and bachelorettes in both clans, match-making by the elders was still

on how to play Cupid.

the type to follow through on a dinner setup just because his dad

back, Daniel couldn’t help but strategize with Patricia.

Daniel. When he asked her what to do, she shot back, “How should I

quickly softened, “We should probably chat with Brandon first, see his take on Marian. Ever mentioned

was new territory for

fend off the girlfriend talk with Yolanda. Now that she’s back, not a peep about it. It’s

charms Sophia used to get Brandon to tie

of which,” Patricia remembered her encounter with Sophia at Star-Dempsey Architects,

1/3

09:49

a Design Director.

frowned, “She’s

didn’t

shot her a look, his

his watch, still before quitting time, and instructed the driver, “Nell, back to the office.”

Crawley, Nell responded, taking the

up for the

date with a real estate agent to see some places and was ready to dash as soon as the clock struck the

6

birds of a feather-women who’d rather hit up a sperm bank than deal with men she felt a kinship with Sophia. No sense of hierarchy between them, she peeked into Sophia’s office as the end of work neared, “Hey, dinner tonight?”

an appointment to see some apartments,

picked up the thread, “I’ll tag along, extra pair of eyes can’t hurt. I know this area

over and nodded, “Sure,

on, what’s this ‘trouble’ talk between us? Got nothing better to do after work anyway. My biggest joy is house hunting, even if I can’t afford it,” Cindy confessed with an embarrassed chuckle, “But who says I

I’ll hit you up

walked Daniel. But instead of moving

no clue who this tall, imposing guy with a mean mug was looking for or what he

politely asked him, “Hey there, can I help you find someone?”

her.

each other that look again, and the quiet

name being called

got up and walked toward the door, where she paused at the sight of Daniel standing

her too, sizing her up from head to

still had that authoritative air of the head of the family. Without waiting for Sophia’s response, he turned to leave, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed she

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255