章 12: MR. HANDSOME BAZ

Sebastian grinned, clasping his hands together, "I figured I'd counter your rumor about you and Jessica. I heard she was furious."

Daniel snorted, caught off guard by Sebastian's clever retaliation.

"Kind of you, brother," Daniel said dryly, visibly irritated. "Jessica was merely confused; I hadn't briefed her beforehand."

"Please pass along my apologies," Sebastian deadpanned, straight-faced. "I wouldn't want my potential sister-in-law to be misled."

Daniel furrowed his brows, "Sister-in-law? What are you talking about?"

"Aurora mentioned Mother's plans for an engagement between you and Jessica's family," Sebastian informed, feigning concern. "Weren't you aware?"

Daniel clenched his jaw, biting his lower lip. "That brat. She always spills everything to you."

Sebastian smiled wryly. "Our cousin adores me. Guess I'm more family to her than you."

Daniel's expression darkened. "Enough of this."

He stood, ready to leave, but paused to drop a bombshell.

"We have a family dinner tonight. Father's returning from the States."

Sebastian's eyes widened in shock. "What?!"

Daniel's smile resurfaced, savoring Sebastian's shock. "Looks like Aurora's love has limits when it comes to sharing information."

He headed for the door, tossing back one last request. "Do me a favor, arrive late tonight."

With that, Daniel left , leaving Sebastian bewildered.

"Damn," Sebastian cursed, raking his hands through his hair. The man he dreaded most was returning after two years.

_____

Rachel's arms crossed, her eyes narrowing as she watched Charlotte's focused typing.

"Are you going to say anything?" Rachel asked, her voice tinged with confusion. "You've been quiet ever since we got back from Elite HQ. You didn't even say a word in the cab."

Charlotte's gaze drifted up, her eyes distant. "Where's Natalie? She's not here yet."

Rachel's brow furrowed. "Charlotte, You're avoiding my question. What did Mr. Handsome Baz say to you?"

Rachel's voice rose, her curiosity turning to frustration. "You went to confront him about those comments, didn't you? The ones you called 'offensive' in the meeting?"

Charlotte's gaze dropped, her fingers pausing over the keyboard.

Rachel leaned forward, her eyes focused on Charlotte's. "Come on, tell me. What happened?"

Charlotte's silence was heavy in the air, fueling Rachel's growing curiosity.

Rachel's eyes sprang wide. "He didn't cancel the contract, did he?" she asked, her voice racing.

She began pacing, her feet clicking against the floor. "Penalty fees! We'll get slammed!"

Charlotte leaned back, her shoulders sagging into the seat. A sigh escaped her lips.

"Rach, calm down."

Rachel halted mid-stride, her gaze snapping back to Charlotte.

"What is it, then?" she pressed, her voice still laced with urgency.

Charlotte's eyes drifted, lost in thought, "It's not about the contract. I'm just...processing something Mr. Sebastian said."

"What did he say?" Rachel asked, leaning toward her.

Charlotte bit her lips, "Nothing you should be worried about. Let's just get back to work. We need to prove to that team that size doesn't matter."

Heavy silence descended, as Rachel's intense gaze bore into Charlotte.

"I'm being serious," Charlotte pressed as her fingers typed on the keyboard, her eyes never leaving the screen. "It's nothing to worry about," she murmured, her tone dismissive.

Rachel's gaze lingered, then she turned away, her chair scraping against the floor as she returned to her desk.

Charlotte's eyes flicked up, watching Rachel leave, then her gaze drifted, her eyes unfocused as she stared at the screen. Sebastian's words replayed in her mind like a relentless echo.

"You want to avoid tarnishing your company's reputation?" she whispered, Her fingers paused over the keyboard, frozen in thought.

"Focus on delivering the best results." The phrase hung in the air.

Charlotte's lips moved silently, repeating the words like a refrain. "That's what will truly boost your standing, not small talks."

She couldn't shake off the feeling of her defeat in her argument. But it wasn't just losing that bothered her - it was losing to Sebastian Grande, a well-known playboy who is all fun and girls and not brains.

She had studied how he interacted with people and was surprised by his sharp responses to her arguments. His tone was unfamiliar, stern, and serious.

Charlotte wondered if Sebastian had a hidden side, beyond his carefree reputation. Had she underestimated him?

She replayed their conversation, searching for answers. Sebastian's unexpected intellect unnerved her.

Just then Natalie burst through the door, bag strap slipping off her shoulder. "Hello ladies, I'm so sorry," she said, breathless.

As she unstrapped her bag, she dabbed at her sweaty forehead with a tissue. "I had to rush to CrestWood to pick up Lydia. School holiday, you know."

Rachel's face lit up. "Lydia's here!" she exclaimed, scanning the room.

But Natalie's next words dashed her excitement. "She's at home. I left her there."

Rachel's face fell, her lips pouting. "You could've brought her. We have so much work to do."

Charlotte emerged from her desk space, her eyes meeting Rachel's. "Let her rest, Rach. She's tired."

Natalie rubbed her neck nervously as she asked, "How did the meeting go?"

Charlotte opened her mouth to respond, but Rachel cut in, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

"Girl, it didn't go well. Their team said our company doesn't meet their standards, which, let's be real, is true." Rachel's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Charlotte got upset and confronted Mr. Handsome Baz."

Natalie's brow furrowed. "Mr. Handsome Baz? Who's that?"

Charlotte sighed, her cheeks flushing. "Rachel means Mr. Sebastian."

Natalie's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, you've already given him a nickname!" She exclaimed, her gaze darting to Charlotte.

Charlotte shook her head, her ponytail swaying. "Rachel did, not me."

Natalie's curiosity deepened. "But you confronted Mr. Sebastian. What did he say?"

Charlotte's gaze dropped, her eyelids fluttering closed as she sighed once more.

The room fell silent, Rachel and Natalie holding their breath, awaiting Charlotte's response.

Finally, Charlotte's eyes opened, muttering. "He said I should focus on delivering the best results...for the event."

Rachel's laughter filled the room, a rich, throaty sound. "Wow, Handsome Baz got some words!"

Charlotte's face remained serious, her brow furrowed. "I was just offended by the way he spoke about our company. It makes us look like a charity case."

Natalie nodded thoughtfully, her eyes supporting Charlotte. "Charlie got a point, Rach. It's about our reputation."

Rachel shrugged, nonchalant. "Why should I be offended? They weren't lying."