Chapter 16 Secret Glances

Spare Credit Group was situated just across from the Quinn Corporation, nestled in the coveted Central Business District where every square inch was of sky-high value.
Eleanor worked for Gaia BioTech Industries, a company located in the Old Business District of Nan City. The locals clearly divided the cityscape into the New District and the Old District.

It was a little over an hour's drive from the New District to the Old District.

Stepping out of the car, Eleanor instinctively glanced across the street at the majestic Quinn Corporation building basking in the sunlight before she and Nora entered the Spare Credit Group.

"Good morning, I'm Eleanor from the Gaia BioTech Industries Project Department. I had a phone appointment with your Project Manager," she informed the receptionist.

"Just a moment, let me check for you," the receptionist replied.

After a brief wait, she received a shake of the head, "I'm sorry, but the Manager has stepped out."

"Stepped out?" Eleanor was taken aback, recalling the dismissive tone of the Manager over the phone, which had given her an uneasy feeling.

She was certain the Manager was still around. Pulling out her phone, she dialed his number only to be greeted with a message that he was on another call. When she tried again, his phone was switched off.

"What's wrong, Eleanor?" Nora asked with trepidation.

Eleanor was about to reassure her when she turned around and saw the Manager's secretary walking through the revolving doors, carrying a bag and humming a tune.

Grabbing Nora, she approached the secretary, "Declan, picking up some coffee?"

Startled, Declan met Eleanor's smile. She managed a nervous chuckle, "Oh, Miss Patterson."

She guiltily tried to hide the coffee behind her back.

Eleanor said meaningfully, "I remember the Manager prefers his coffee with this flavor, not too sweet, and no milk, right Declan?"

Declan let out an awkward laugh and hurried toward the elevators.

"Hey!" Eleanor almost wanted to tell her to slow down, fearing she might twist her ankle.

"Eleanor, what do we do now?" Nora asked anxiously, stamping her foot. "It's clear the Manager is here; he's just refusing to meet with us."

With the Manager now unreachable by phone, it looked like they were in for a wasted trip.

Eleanor wrapped an arm around her shoulder, asserting firmly, "If he won't see us, we'll just wait. We've worked too hard to secure this project to give up now. Are you willing to let it go?"

Nora shook her head silently, signaling her determination to persist.
Eleanor knew she was being too hard on herself, "Come on, buck up, now's not the time to hang your head."

The executive elevator came to a stop on the first floor.

As the doors slid open, a middle-aged man in a dark gray suit, the GeneralManager of Spare Credit , second in command only to the Chairman, stood respectfully beside a younger man dressed in a sharp black suit.

"Aaron, I can't thank you enough for this. If it weren't for your support, I'd have been in deep trouble today," he said with gratitude.

Aaron, with his striking features accentuated by the play of light and shadow, his expression reserved and cool, responded briefly, "You earned it."

Not one for flattery, and understanding Aaron's disposition, the older man didn't press further, ensuring instead to personally see him out of the building.

Across the way was the main lobby's waiting lounge.

"Aaron, that's Miss Patterson," Wesley whispered at his side.

Aaron paused mid-stride and looked over.

Eleanor was speaking to a girl beside her. The smoky purple suit she wore highlighted her delicate and fair complexion.

Her slightly bent posture emphasized the tightness of her outfit across her chest, drawing covert glances from many passing men.

Aaron’s expression darkened. H4brushed over his silver rings as he exited through the revolving doors, with the General Manager of Spare Credit seeing him to his car.

Just before the door closed, Aaron mentioned offhandedly, "Seems like the men in your company have plenty of free time."

The General Manager, taken aback, noticed the men's lingering glances and outright gawking towards the lounge area.

He quickly walked over; the men scattered like birds at his approach.

The black Bentley departed from Spare Credit's building, smoothly entering Quinn Corporation's underground parking.

"Check why she was there."

...

Eleanor was about to make another call to try her luck when she suddenly heard her name from the elevator area.

"Miss Patterson."

Johnny Pitt, the manager hurried over with his secretary; Eleanor caught a glimpse of what looked like sheer relief on his face.

It puzzled her, but that wasn't important. What mattered was that Johnny Pitt was willing to see her.

She quickly pulled Nora with her towards him, "Mr. Pitt."

He welcomed her with a smile, "Miss Patterson, my apologies for making you wait. I had to step out for a moment."
Eleanor's beaming smile was flawless as she spoke, "Mr. Pitt, it's no small feat to juggle the demands of your position, and your prowess is a true benchmark in the industry. To collaborate with you is an honor for us; I'd readily wait however long necessary as part of the younger generation."

After exchanging pleasantries, Johnny Pitt rubbed his hands together, shifting to a more cordial tone. "Miss Patterson, it must have been a long trip from the Old Quarter. Why don't we head to the café to sit down? Or is there something specific you'd prefer?"

Truth be told, Eleanor felt unexpectedly favored, but she wasn't the type to become arrogant because of it.

"It's just as good to talk here. There's no need for formalities, Mr. Pitt."

Grasping Nora's arm with genuine concern, she said, "I must apologize for the inconvenience this incident caused. We're here today specifically to express our regrets and hope for your understanding."

Johnny Pitt offered a benevolent glance toward Nora and waved dismissively, "It's a trifle, really. I was too quick to judge. We've all made mistakes in our youth, haven't we? We should be providing more opportunities to the youth."

"Especially someone like you, Miss Patterson, with such a promising future ahead," he added meaningfully.

Eleanor maintained her composure and simply thanked him. "Here's the revised proposal. Apologies for the oversight before."

Johnny accepted the documents graciously. "You're too kind, Miss Patterson. An email would have been sufficient. I do feel badly for making you come all this way."

"It was the least I could do."

As they left the Forsythe building and settled into the car, Nora was still processing how easily things were resolved.

She kept shaking Eleanor's arm , "Eleanor, I can't thank you enough. I had no clue how to handle this. Thankfully, it's sorted now. Does this mean I won't have to leave the company?"

Eleanor lightly tapped Nora's forehead with her finger and chuckled, "You've dodged a bullet this time, but you're not off the hook. Write me an 800-word reflection."

"Understood!"

In reality, Nora was puzzled. She had double-checked the email before sending it and was certain she had sent the updated proposal. How did it revert to the previous version?

She kept her concerns to herself, worried Eleanor might think she was making excuses and refusing to admit her mistake.

But inside, she couldn't figure it out. Had she really remembered it wrong?

As their car rolled away from the New District, Eleanor glanced back at the receding silhouette of the Quinn Corporation building. She must have been mistaken earlier.

How could Aaron possibly be at Forsythe?