Chapter 355 Mutual Testing
But Louis and Kay were quite relieved. At least for them, today was a safe day coming out of Harmony Alliance.
Checking the time, Reese decided it was about time she headed back to the company; otherwise, Malcolm would definitely suspect her for going out too frequently these days.
"Alright, you two go back first."
Kay, his nerves still unsettled from their narrow escape, clutched the car seat.
"Miss Brooks, since we've dealt with such a big issue, can't we celebrate a bit?" Reese packed the documents back into the file. "Celebrate what? I still have to go back to the company. You guys need to figure out how to calm Calvin down."
As soon as Calvin was mentioned, Kay and Louis shrugged helplessly.
Louis understood Calvin well. Despite his usual carefree attitude, the moment he missed out on anything related to Reese, he would sulk and nag for days.
Calvin was quite the complainer, sometimes making them doubt if he was really a guy.
Louis leaned back on the chair, sighing repeatedly.
"Just thinking about Calvin's endless rambling makes me not want to go back."
Kay patted Louis on the shoulder, teasing, "Louis, it's all up to you. Normally, only you can subdue Calvin. Give him a shoulder throw and make him shut up."
Louis shook his head. "Forget it. He’s been hanging out at the boxing gym every day recently. I probably wouldn't be his match now."
Reese chuckled. "You guys..."
Before she could finish her sentence, her phone in the bag started vibrating. She took out the phone and saw Calvin's name flashing on the screen.
Reese was helpless, and Kay and Louis chuckled behind her, looking mischievous.
"It seems we don't need to offer any psychological comfort. Reese's words work better than anything else."
Reese answered the call, her voice softer than usual. "Calvin."
She rarely called Calvin by his name like that.
"Reese, you actually left me behind and went by yourselves! Reese, do you have a problem with me? Are you afraid I'll hold you back?"
It was only now that Calvin realized he had been left out, supposed to go with a few others.
Hearing him grumble on the other end, Reese moved the phone away a bit. After Calvin finished complaining, she brought the phone back to her ear.
"Kay, Louis, and I have already finished our business. Your presence wouldn't have made a difference. Besides, we're here to discuss matters, not to fight."
"Yeah, you’re right, but what if things escalate and you guys end up fighting? If you don't bring me along, your chances of winning will be halved, you know?"
Upon hearing this, Reese found it amusing.
"Alright, star player, I'll bring you along next time. Today, we've already completed our mission and returned victorious."
Calvin was still a bit upset, but since it was Reese, what could he say? He couldn't drag Reese out for a fight, especially since he couldn't win against her.
"Fine, you must bring me next time. Reese, I know what you're worried about. If you favor me like this, how will others feel? They'll be jealous."
Understanding his joking tone, Reese knew Calvin wasn't angry anymore. He also understood that she was looking out for his best interests.
"Okay, next time I'll make sure to treat everyone equally. I have to go now. I have something to attend to."
"Alright."
Putting away her phone, Reese glanced back at Louis and Kay, sharing a knowing look. Calvin always seemed like a child who never grew up, the one who relied on her the most among many.
Reese instructed them to keep an eye on the follow-up matters. They had to wait until Harmony Alliance released the business before they could transfer the contract to Gideon.
Suddenly, Louis thought of something. "Miss Brooks, if you transfer this contract to Gideon, won't we incur losses?"
After all, the business they exchanged for wasn't Reese's but Nolan's, and the profits would go to Nolan. Reese had no stake in it.
But Reese had already considered this. "I didn't intend to profit from it. I just wanted to resolve this matter. Don't worry. It's just a project. I can afford the loss."
Compared to her background, losing money on a project was nothing. She could always earn it back.
Kay patted Louis on the shoulder. "Exactly! What's the big deal? It's just a project. Miss Brooks will soon sign another one."
Louis chuckled, believing in Reese's capabilities.
On her way back, Reese made a phone call to Nolan.
Nolan chuckled over the phone. "I've heard the news. You truly are the person I've set my eyes on. I've always believed that as long as you step in, this business will surely come back. But I didn't expect it to go so smoothly. I thought Gideon might give you a hard time."
Reese sneered, "Nolan, I'm just a small figure. Whether I encounter danger at Harmony Alliance this time or not, what does it matter? Even if I didn't get the deal back, your loss won't be greater than mine."
If something happened to her at Harmony Alliance, not only she but even Kay and Louis would be implicated. She didn't care about herself, having long since accepted life and death, but she couldn't risk her family.
Nolan liked Reese all the more for her clear-headedness. Smart people preferred dealing with other smart people because with just a few words, they could understand each other.
"If I guess correctly, Gideon probably wants you to come over to his side. He's always been curious about you. Perhaps that's why he didn't make things difficult for you."
Reese's lips curled coldly, her voice devoid of warmth.
"You can rest assured. After so many years in the organization, I'm well aware of the dirty dealings inside. How could I jump from one mud pit to another?"
"I believe you're a smart person. Bring the contract over tomorrow, and I'll tell you what you want to know."
Reese didn't expect Nolan to be so straightforward, but once he promised something, he wouldn't go back on it.
"Alright, goodbye."
Ending the call, she thought that tomorrow she would finally learn about her origins. Surprisingly, she felt a bit nervous, wondering who her biological father would be.
Meanwhile, on the eighteenth floor, Malcolm observed every move, his eyes cold behind his gold-rimmed glasses.
Turning to Justin, he asked, "Did Gideon give her a hard time?"
"Mr. Flynn, don't worry. Gideon didn't trouble Reese. Some of the guys might be curious about her, though. Reese almost got into a fight at Harmony Alliance."
Malcolm chuckled. "That's in line with her character. She's never one to take things lying down. If she didn't have that rebellious streak, she might not have made it this far."
It was all thanks to her indomitable spirit.
Justin couldn't help but smile. "I bet even if Reese wanted to let go, Mr. Flynn, you wouldn't allow it. If anyone at Harmony Alliance dared to touch Reese, you'd surely dismantle Harmony Alliance."
"So, Harmony Alliance narrowly escaped a disaster. Now the question is whether Nolan will actually reveal Reese's origins to her easily."
He was still worried. If the outcome wasn't good, could Reese accept it?
Even Justin didn't know. Reese's situation and identity were too complex, and even they couldn't find out about her origins. Perhaps Nolan was the first one to get in touch with Reese.
Just as Reese sat down, taking a sip of water and still processing everything, she received a message from Malcolm.
Malcolm: [Come up.]
Seeing those words, Reese felt a pang of anxiety. 'Could Malcolm already know what was going on? Otherwise, why would he call me up out of the blue, and how did he even know I was back? He's even sneakier than me,' she thought.
Playing with her phone for a few more minutes, Reese finally stood up and headed towards the elevator, going up to the eighteenth floor.
The entire company referred to the eighteenth floor as "hell on earth" because it housed a man known for exploiting his employees' labor. Not many wanted to go up there.
Reese pushed the door open and walked in. Malcolm sat on the sofa, relaxed, holding a cup of coffee, looking nonchalant.
The more relaxed the atmosphere, the more uneasy Reese felt. It seemed like the calm before the storm.
Approaching him, she noticed another freshly brewed cup of coffee on the table opposite him, seemingly prepared for her.
His face was lit with a smile that sent chills down Reese's spine. "Reese, have a seat."
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