The car rolled to a stop just beside Rachel. She leaned over to open the door of the passenger seat. After a couple of tugs, however, the door remained stuck fast. I looked over at Joseph with concern. “Mr. Campbell, I think you didn’t unlock the door,” I reminded him.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Featherstone. It must have slipped my mind.” Joseph returned. He sprang into action, suddenly getting out of the car. Before I could react, Anthony had replaced Joseph in the driver’s seat and was already calmly fastening his seatbelt.
Joseph, meanwhile, had settled into the passenger’s seat.
Rachel’s rosy smile faltered, her face darkening. She said rather haughtily, “Is Ms. Stanhope here too? Didn’t Mr. Murphy arrange a car for her?”
“The rain was rather heavy last night. I’m not a very skilled driver, and the roads leading to Lavelian Village aren’t smooth. That’s why I didn’t drive today,” I informed Rachel, darting a look at Anthony.
Joseph fidgeted in the backseat in trepidation. He looked visibly distressed at being chauffeured by his employer.
Ignoring him, Rachel exclaimed sappily, “Mr. Featherstone, have you had breakfast yet? I made pancakes this morning. Why don’t you let Mr. Campbell drive while you try them?”
“I’ve already eaten,” Anthony replied dryly.
“Sienna also made breakfast this morning! Mr. Featherstone just finished it,” Joseph added helpfully.
The corners of my mouth twitched. I turned to look at Rachel and said goodhumoredly, “Ms. Zimmer, I think Mr. Campbell hasn’t eaten breakfast yet.”
Rachel reluctantly shoved the lunchbox in her hand to Joseph. “Try it, Mr. Campbell,” she muttered.
Joseph would have refused if the lunchbox hadn’t already been unceremoniously dumped into his lap.
He gave a faint smile and began digging in.
The car was silent save for the sound of Joseph chewing. Determinedly, Rachel turned once more to Anthony. “Mr. Featherstone, the Magpie Festival’s today. Do you have any plans for tonight?”
Is this woman planning on asking Anthony out? I thought in amusement.
I glanced at Anthony. He kept his eyes fixed firmly on the road like a model driver. “I’m busy with work tonight,” he answered shortly.
Does he mean that he has no time to waste? I wondered.
Rachel tittered daintily. Undeterred, she continued, “You should be done with work rather quickly tonight. Why don’t we get dinner together afterward?”
Glancing sideways, I noticed Anthony observing me from the corner of his eyes. Then he inquired with sudden interest, “What are you doing tonight?”
I stoned for a moment before blurting out, “I’ll just be at home.”
Anthony snorted. He then addressed Rachel, saying, “I’ll be going home for dinner.”
It was too frank a rejection. Rachel’s eyes widened but she remained silent. She looked tremendously displeased.
The car sped towards Lavelian Village. Murphy Corporation had erected a temporary office here for the ease of project supervision.
I proceeded to the office to put my things down. After a short catch-up with my colleagues, I headed to the Featherstone Corporation’s site to check things out.
Lavelian Village occupied a sizeable area. Besides the areas required for tourist boarding and eating facilities, the rest of the land was covered in fields of flowers and fruit trees.
It was the time of the year when the fruits had all mostly ripened. The journey to Featherstone Corporation’s AI base was a rather long one. It was, on the other hand, too bumpy to be driven on. I grabbed a nearby bicycle and happily cycled over.
Fruit trees and flowers lined the road. With the cool autumn breeze blowing in my face as I pedaled, I felt as if I was in some kind of paradise.
When I reached the AI base, however, I groaned inwardly to see Rachel. Donning a hat and a long dress, she looked entirely out of place on a worksite. It was as if she had been sightseeing around the area and accidentally stumbled upon the base instead.
Rachel was clutching a set of documents and looked annoyed to see me. She immediately turned away from the direction from which I was approaching.
I refused to take offense and marched in straight away to look for the site supervisor, Leedon.
“Ms. Stanhope, we begin work today at the base. We’ve already informed Mr. Murphy. Will you be here for the next few days?” Leedon asked. He handed me a deck of documents containing the necessary information and data for their project.
I flipped through it, then nodded. “Yes, this project has always been under my charge. When you start work, be sure to observe safety. The holidays are approaching, and the number of tourists in this area will definitely increase. You must keep an eye out for both their safety and your crew’s!”
We were doing construction work, after all. Safety was paramount for the project to proceed unhindered.
Leedon nodded in understanding. Then he asked, “Do you need to take a look at Emerald Base as well?”
I shook my head. “Not for now. Featherstone Corporation will hand it over when it’s ready.”
The Emerald Base was more or less complete. All Featherstone Corporation needed was to do was to input their AI technology into the system.
The afternoon passed in a flurry at the base. Occupied with work, I neglected Nora’s call until lunchtime.
I quickly dialed her number back. She answered within a few rings.
“Sienna, are you busy with work? Why didn’t you pick up my call?” Nora’s voice rang concernedly over the phone.
“The Featherstone Corporation’s project starts today. I’m at Lavelian Village, busy settling several things. What’s up?” I asked, watching Leedon walk over with two lunch boxes. He wordlessly handed me one of the boxes when he saw that I was occupied.
I nodded my thanks to him. In the meantime, Nora continued, “It’s nothing. Tabitha called to ask if we were available anytime these few days, hoping to organize a reunion of sorts. Didn’t we say that we would set up a business together or something? I think everyone’s been rather free lately, so we’re looking for something to do.”
“Sure. Why don’t you ask her to pick a date and place? You can let me know afterward. I’ll head over there straight,” I said, stuffing food into my mouth by the spoonful. In my haste, I choked, spluttering.
Leedon handed me a glass of water. I mouthed a “thank you” to him as I drank it gratefully.
On the other end of the line, Nora said, “That works too. I’ll let them decide then.”
Just then, I recalled the events of last night and probed, “Did you spend last night with Armond?”
“Um…” Nora stammered, then said meekly, “Um, I’m busy with something else right now, so I’ll be hanging up! I’ll text you once we’ve agreed on a date.”
Nora then immediately ended the call. She was clearly set on avoiding the question altogether.
I looked down at my phone chuckled to myself. I then turned to Leedon and properly thanked him once more. “Thank you!”
Leedon waved away my thanks. “All of Lavelian Village’s projects used to be managed by men. I don’t recall ever having seen a female manager here before. Prepare yourself, Ms. Stanhope. You have a long ride ahead of you.”
I took another few bites of rice and grinned at him. “No problem. What’s life without a purpose to strive for?”
Leedon agreed, then exhaled. “You look so young! You’re probably as old as my daughter.”
I laughed. “I’m already over thirty years old! You aren’t too old yourself either, from the looks of it.”
Leedon hesitated. He looked me up and down, then commented ruefully, “Here I was thinking that you were still in your twenties! You have a youthful air about you.”
We broke out into guffaws. At that moment, Anthony appeared, accompanied by Joseph and Rachel.
Leedon reached forward and covered his half-eaten lunchbox. He then stepped forward and extended his hand in greeting, “You’re here, Mr. Featherstone!”
I, too, got to my feet and called out likewise, “Mr. Featherstone.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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