Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 40

Hogan cut into our chat, “We're gonna be late for the concert.”

Cecilia waved at me with a grin, “So, Xaviera, we're heading off first, alright?”

Once they were gone, | immediately fired up the N University forum.

Boom, there it was, the top post — Hot rumor: N University’s hunkiest prof, Darren, is off the market! And slapped right there was a pic of Darren and me chowing down in the student cafeteria.

Gotta hand it to the OP, they'd got some mad candid skills. Smiles, forehead flicks- even |, the subject, felt like there was something fishy in those snaps.

The comments were all over the place.

[Holy moly, is this the legendary match of brains and beauty? That prof’s date’s got some killer looks!] [I mean, how can someone rock both sweet and icy vibes? She got a celestial face!]

[We totally approve of Professor Yearwood’s love life!]

The more | read, the wilder it got, until my eyes landed on this gem: Ain’t that Xaviera, the one who used to drool over the finance department's golden boy?

The reply was fresh, with just a handful of likes.

After some thought, | decided to play hacker and wiped that gossip post off the map.

Alittle misunderstanding about me was fine, but | couldn’t let Darren’s rep take a hit.

By the time | wrapped up, it was the dead of night.

Stepping off the elevator, | spotted a lean figure in the distance, standing by the window, fingers holding a half-smoked cigarette.

Outside, bare branches swayed, the man’s face obscured in the backlight, murky and indistinct. But | recognized Hogan from that familiar silhouette.

| was surprised. Wasn't he at the concert? What’s he doing here at the office building?

Pretending not to notice, | walked past with a poker face, but when | was just two meters from Hogan, | heard him ask, “All this for a project, really?”

| paused, puzzled, and looked up at Hogan.

Our eyes met, and | heard him scoff, “Or is it, you programmers are best at making backups for 1/2

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yourselves?”

Backups?

Now | was totally lost, so | just came out with it, “Mr. Zade, care to explain?”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Hogan slowly exhaled a ring of smoke, eyes sharpening as he replied, “Frank's just being polite for the Yearwood family’s sake. You don’t actually think, with his status, he’d be into your project, do you?”

My heart skipped a beat as | caught Hogan’s insinuation. Guess he figured out why Wallis and | approached Frank. And in Hogan’s eyes, my closeness to Darren was just to use him to snag more investment bucks.

“Mr. Zade, | don’t think that’s against any deal we have with your company,” | said calmly, “but still thanks for the high regard.”

Climbing the ladder by any means, even flirting — it was kinda like a backhanded compliment.

But my thanks didn’t sit well with Hogan. He watched me quietly, frowning. “You'd do better focusing on things that matter. Rainbow Capital won't shortchange you.”

| almost burst out laughing... So Hogan’s late-night mission was just to give me a heads-up?

| met Hogan’s frosty gaze and shot back, “If Frank’s so uninterested in our project, then pray tell, what caught your eye in the first place, Mr. Zade?”

Hogan was taken aback, speechless for a moment.

| smirked, drawing my own conclusion, “Was it because you're head over heels for Director Irwin, Mr. Zade? Blinded by love?” He stiffened at my words, his pupils contracting slightly. “So, you plan to follow in her footsteps?”

Suddenly, | was the one caught off guard, defiance bubbling up as | retorted, “What's that to you, Mr. Zade?”

Hogan was silent for a long while.

His imposing aura almost suffocating me.

Just when | felt at a loss, he finally spoke, his tone laced with mockery, “Xaviera, you’re quite something.”