Chapter 47
“Ah, Scarlett…”
Ignoring Macy’s whining, I returned to my bedroom and buried myself in work for Fuller Corporation. Tomorrow, the bidding for the audit would begin, and there was still much to prepare.
At first, I thought the middle-aged man from before would reappear, but after some time had passed without a trace of him, I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. There were too many uncertainties surrounding him, and I had more pressing matters to handle.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the apartment windows by eight, signaling another hot day in J City. Macy, ever the night owl, was still fast asleep, while my body clock had woken me up early after days of being occupied with work.
Arriving at the office in a rush, Stacey was already waiting. She handed me the prepared documents and said, “Let’s head straight to the bidding venue.”
Nodding, I gathered my laptop and the files before following her out.
As we waited for the elevator, we ran into Ashton and Jared. The latter casually handed me a lunch box. “Devon made some soup for you. It’ll help with your recovery. I heard you’ve been vomiting badly lately, but that’s probably just a side effect of the miscarriage. You should get some rest.”
A chill ran down my spine at his words, but I quickly composed myself. Thankfully, Jared had phrased it in a way that wouldn’t arouse Ashton’s suspicion. Taking the lunch box, I nodded. “Thank you.”
Ashton’s expression darkened, his gaze unreadable. What was he thinking? What did he feel toward me?
The elevator doors slid open, and the four of us stepped inside. Silence filled the space, thick and heavy, making the short ride feel unbearably long.
Once we exited, Stacey hesitated before asking, “Ms. Stovall, about you and Mr. Fuller—”
“We don’t have time for this. Let’s get to the bidding venue,” I interrupted, changing the subject. Since our encounter at the restaurant, Ashton and I hadn’t spoken or seen each other, and I preferred to keep it that way.
The venue was crowded with representatives from various companies vying for the audit contract with Fuller Corporation. Just as I stepped inside, an enthusiastic voice called out, “Scarlett, you’re here!”
Nick. Just my luck.
Feigning politeness, I gave him a nod and walked past him into the room. The bidding process was long and exhausting, and before long, a headache began creeping in. Stacey, noticing my discomfort, led me to the lounge and handed me a glass of water.
“Ms. Stovall, there are still a few more companies left to present. If you’re not feeling well, maybe we should go to the hospital,” she suggested.
Shaking my head, I downed the water and instructed, “You handle the remaining presentations. If you come across any promising candidates, keep their information. Otherwise, dismiss them.”
After listening to multiple presentations, I already had a general idea of which companies were worth considering. While Stacey returned to the bidding hall, I leaned back to rest, my mind briefly wandering to the weight of motherhood and the countless challenges that came with it.
“A penny for your thoughts?” A cold, mocking voice interrupted my reverie.
I glanced sideways to find Nick standing nearby. Frowning, I scoffed, “Aren’t you supposed to be preparing for your bid? What are you doing here?”
“I’m concerned about you,” he said smoothly, stepping behind me to massage my temples.
His hands were firm, applying just the right amount of pressure. At first, I wanted to push him away, but exhaustion made me relent.
“Stop pretending you’re fine,” he chided.
I didn’t have the energy to argue. Surprisingly, the throbbing in my head eased slightly.
Nick loosened his grip and asked, “How do you feel now?”
I offered a faint smile. “Much better. Thank you.”
Dropping into a nearby seat, his playful demeanor faded into something more serious. “What exactly is your relationship with Ashton?”
I sighed, uninterested in the conversation. “Shouldn’t you be more concerned about the bidding results?”
He chuckled. “I’m more concerned about you.”
I ignored him. Just then, Stacey returned, signaling that the bidding session had ended. She informed me that all relevant proposals had been compiled for review.
Taking the stack of documents, I scanned through them and selected a few promising candidates. “Draft a report comparing these companies’ audit performances over the past two years. Once you filter them, submit the final selection to me.”
Stacey nodded, then hesitated. “Ms. Stovall, should I arrange for a ride back for you, or…”
“Ms. Holmes, don’t worry about it. I’ll take her home,” Nick cut in immediately.
Stacey still looked to me for confirmation. Meeting her gaze, I shrugged. “You can go ahead.”
After she left, I turned to Nick with a raised brow. “You’ve been dancing around the point this whole time. If you don’t get to it, I don’t mind waiting.”
He pouted. “Scarlett, being too smart isn’t always a good thing for a woman.”
I rolled my eyes and reached for my bag, preparing to leave.
Finally, he sighed and said, “Fuller Corporation’s audit is crucial to its future. Aren’t you curious why Ashton chose to partner with me instead of AC Credit, the company he’s worked with for years?”