Novel Reader
Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Chapter 65 We’re Just Friends
Joseph grabbed the tissue and vigorously wiped his face. Annoyingly, Chloe’s lipstick would not come off no matter how hard he tried to rub it off.
It was Lucas who came up with a smart solution. He ran out to buy a bottle of makeup remover, which finally did the trick.
As a result, Joseph had a dark expression on his face throughout the meeting with the high-level executives. His imposing aura made him look like a demon from the depths of hell, and everyone was so intimidated that they barely said a word.
After the meeting ended, Joseph asked Jack to stay behind.
Ten minutes later, Jack walked out of the meeting room, completely puzzled as to why he had been transferred to a different position for no apparent reason…
In the afternoon, Chloe’s superior seemed to be in a foul mood and was snapping at everyone. Her colleagues avoided him like the plague, afraid of getting caught in the
crossfire.
“What’s wrong with him?” Chloe asked the secretary as she went to the pantry to get
some water.
The secretary shrugged and lowered her voice, “Mr. Jack from Fairlight was transferred today.”
Chloe was taken aback. “Does that mean our bid is doomed?”
“That’s right.”
“Could it be that Fairlight got wind of something?” Chloe wondered aloud.
Her superior had asked her to talk to Jack before this, so he must have known what they were after, and Jack was probably aware of their intentions as well.
The secretary remained silent for a few seconds then said, “It’s possible.”
Chloe tightened her grip on her glass, not knowing whether to be happy or worried.
Near the end of the workday, Harry came to see her. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
“Want to hang out after work? I’ll bring my wife and Icarus.”
She thought for a moment. “Sure. I don’t have much work today. Where do you want to
eat?”
“Up to you. We’re not picky.”
“Okay!”
Time flew by quickly. Chloe buried herself in work, her ten fingers flying over the keyboard. When the clock struck six, she closed her laptop, picked up her bag, and met up with Harry at the company entrance.
Harry checked the time. “Icarus should be here soon. Let’s wait for him.”
Just as he said these words, a BMW came to a stop beside them. Icarus was in the driver’s seat, and he rolled down the window, snapping his fingers at them. “Get in.”
“You’re unusually punctual today,” Harry joked.
“When am I ever late?” Icarus replied.
“You’re especially punctual today,” Harry said before turning to Chloe. “You sit in the front. My wife and I will sit in the back.”
She nodded, thinking it was no big deal.
Icarus handed Chloe a bottle of water. “What do you feel like eating?”
“Three choices-barbecue, hot pot, and seafood. Which one do you guys want? They’re all nearby, and we can pick up my wife on the way.”
“Seafood sounds good,” Icarus said, turning the steering wheel. “I know a good seafood restaurant nearby.”
“Sure. Let’s do seafood then.”
After picking up Harry’s wife, they drove straight to the seafood restaurant. As they were finishing their meal, Chloe got up to pay the bill, but the waiter told her that it had already been paid for.
She was stunned for a moment and asked, “Are you sure? I didn’t pay for the meal.”
Chloe and her friends had been in the private room the whole time and had not gone
out.
“Mr. Icarus has already paid the bill. He’s a regular customer of our restaurant and left us instructions when he came in. He paid the bill with his card,” the waiter explained.
Chloe pursed her lips, feeling embarrassed. She thought of transferring the money for her portion of the meal to Icarus when she got back to the room.
“Chloe, if he wants to treat us, just let him. You can always treat him back next time,” Harry said.
Icarus pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose and gave a gentle smile, “It’s not right for a girl to pay when we’re out having a meal.”
“But I should be the one paying,” Chloe insisted. “Without you, I would never have gotten into Baxon.”
“Your success in the interview and being able to join Baxon is your own achievement. I only played a small role,” Icarus said modestly.
“That’s right. You’re so young and yet you can lead a team. It’s your own abilities,” Harry’s wife added.
At this point, Chloe felt that it would be too insistent to decline again.
“Fine, but the next round’s on me, all right? Let’s make a deal. No one is allowed to pay in advance next time,” she said with a smile.
“Sure,” Icarus replied warmly. Chloe found that he lacked the typical shrewdness of a businessman and instead exuded a welcoming demeanor akin to that of a friendly teacher.
She enjoyed being around him. He was not like that scoundrel who always bullied, exploited, and insulted her!
On the way out of the restaurant, Harry’s wife whispered to her, “Mr. Icarus is a rare, good man. He’s the dream man of many girls. Are you sure you don’t want to consider him?”
Chloe was slightly stunned and explained seriously, “We’re just friends.”
“Friends can become something more. Do you already have a boyfriend?” Harry’s wife asked.
‘A boyfriend?’
Chloe smiled bitterly. “No, I don’t.”
Even if their legal relationship classified her and Joseph as husband and wife, in reality, their relationship was only slightly better than that of strangers. 1
He was not her boyfriend at all.
Upon hearing this, Harry’s wife made an “okay” gesture toward Icarus behind Chloe’s
back.
After dinner, Icarus had planned to send Chloe home, but she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure outside the restaurant and declined his offer, dashing off to catch up
with the person.
Icarus watched as she disappeared from view, then slowly looked away and answered his ringing phone. It was Jake.
“Uncle Icarus, we’ve set a date for the engagement. It’s this Sunday at the Imperial Palace Hotel.”
“Okay.”
“Uncle Icarus, do you know anyone at Patterson Real Estate? Ava and her family want to collaborate with them on a new project-
“I can’t help you with that,” Icarus interrupted.
“Why not?”
“You’re asking me why? Do you really think a giant corporation like Patterson would take notice of a small company like Johnsons? Stop dreaming and don’t try to take on everything yourself.”
Jake fell silent for a few seconds before finally deciding not to say anything else.
Meanwhile, Chloe had chased after Miles Upshaw for a whole block before catching up to him.
Panting for breath, she called out, “Mr. Miles, wait up!”
Miles turned around and, upon seeing her, a flicker of guilt crossed his face. But he quickly composed himself and asked, “Who are you?”
“Hello, I’m Chloe Johnson. Before my mother passed away, she entrusted you with the assets that she left behind for me. I just wanted to confirm with you that I’ll be able to receive it by the end of this month according to our agreement.”