Leave it to me
The room was quiet as the silence dragged on as Elijah and Bryan sat there, relaxing on the couch, now that Curtis, Hosah, and Joey had left them alone.
“Well, I don‘t know why I underestimate a Maxwell… But I thought you were going to find Joey’s words offensive and not want to work with him.” Bryan broke the silence.
“And miss the opportunity of correcting my image in the eyes of someone who acted out of ignorance?... After today, what do you think Joey‘s impression would be of me… still the same or...?” Elijah paused and looked at Bryan
“He seemed to respect you.”
“And he didn‘t have that for me when I first walked in here… Have you ever worked under someone you have wronged and had to live up to correcting your image with them, every time you see them?”
“He‘s going to be very careful around you, from now on, always remembering his mistake.”
“Exactly. Now, isn‘t that more fun watching the one that disdains you in your face, spent his days respecting your opinions and you, rather than have him out there, being salty about you, and you, having resentment for him?”
Seeing the half smile forming on Elijah‘s face and hearing the soft chuckle escaping his lips, Bryan smiled, mumbling, “Well, I never thought that far ahead before, but, yeah, it is.”
After a brief silence, Elijah looked at his watch and said, “I need to get back to my wife.”
“So it‘s really love?” Bryan questioned, raising his eyebrows.
“What is love?”
“You and her...”
When Elijah didn‘t respond immediately, Bryan elaborated, “Forgive me for such sensitive words… But, first, you kept your identity for years, while being married to Melina, and allowing everyone to walk over you, and now, you are with Peach, and judging from the last name she bears from you...”
A brief silence passed between the two men again as Bryan saw how Elijah tensed, and then he mumbled, “She doesn‘t know that you are a Maxwell... till this day, does she?”
out the tension he felt, saying, “I should
phone and putting it away into his pocket. Then he stood up from the couch, saying, “Thanks for today... I appreciate everything you have done so far. I know how to scratch the backs of those that scratch mine, So when the day comes for me to repay my debts, know that I got
gaze as he let out, “I know that this started as a business transaction,
slight smile was the only response Elijah gave before walking off, and Bryan shook his head with a smile, following him out the
the hall, realizing that a couple of Bryan words had stuck in his
voice that Elijah remembered way too well grabbed
gears in a bag, smiling
Bryan said with a grin
between Bryan and Elijah, looking confused and yet amused, asking, “What an odd
big smile on his pinkish lips and said, “Well, what do
Mr. Gordan began, before staring at
in the country was actually being goofy with the so–called low–life son–in–law of the Hayes family was a mathematical solution that seemed
Bryan said with
between the two of them, and he muttered to himself, “is that
Bryan‘s arm around his shoulders, making him notice the
Bryan‘s eyes, Elijah hesitated, and then he gave him a manly pat on
away, leaving Bryan smirking as he watched his back and then turned to
are you friends with a, ‘nobody?!” Mr. Gordan
his steps, Bryan looked at Mr. Gordan and then laughed in an amused tone, mumbling, “A nobody? Hah, you are a funny man, Jeffrey... Good
from Bryan‘s remark, Mr. Gordan watched him stick his hands in his pockets and walked off before he mumbled, “Am I missing something here?! Why would I be joking about him being a, ‘nobody?‘...
a stop in front of the hotel, causing
a brief moment of calmness, he unlocked the door, stepped out, deeply inhaled, and then smiled as the thought of seeing Peach ran crossed his
been quiet for a while until Peach reached her gaze to stare at Ryan,
falling out of
back a laugh, Peach took a second to suppress it all and mumbled, “Sorry that I startled you... I was talking about what I said back in
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XNm6vIGHBbCohxaKha+TGlHtaE7ZaJodOwOiGRyv51L7ByXsb1g9GEJyl8XH8dsKO3sL94FA0EQpkbd6Nr00ePbC7ao+ccCHuKLWWzz2XFsdg06UDe45uI1RNH3pG4LY3coAptmFeCusG7gA9j/8nySz3tuJxv+Ty5N/VSTLWBPZFvfb/ZzMyXZpqDwyFmVJ82u2bJIQv8ZlADMw06Zs9c8R4wlURMmSD3JlQcuFqoOvEj+rmIEC3kbtXo+9bSylLA==
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