Chapter 277 Can I Hug You?
Sharon was totally caught off guard, her face going tomato-red in a flash.
Lately, Sharon had been all wrapped up in worrying about Demetrius, so she hadn't even had a second to think about this whole thing.
Honestly, there wasn't much to mull over since she’d already made up her mind to give Zachary a shot.
She said, "Zachary, I've thought it over. I wanna try dating you, but I've always seen you as a good friend, so I can't promise I'll fall head over heels for you."
Sharon couldn't deny that Zachary had done a ton for her over the years. She also couldn't ignore his feelings for her, thinking no one else would treat her as well as he did.
So, she didn't wanna lead him on.
She was super grateful for everything he’d done, but if it was just gratitude, she couldn't see herself spending her life with him.
Hearing this, a flicker of disappointment crossed Zachary's eyes, but he knew he couldn't force feelings.
He nodded. "Alright, let's give it some time. How about three months? If after three months you still can't fall for me, we'll go back to being friends."
Guilt flashed in Sharon's eyes as she mumbled, "I'm sorry."
Zachary looked at her gently. "Sharon, don't apologize. You haven't done anything wrong. Besides, I'm already stoked that you're giving me a chance."
He loved her, so he wanted to be good to her. Sure, he hoped she’d be with him because of what he did, but if she really couldn't fall for him, he wouldn't push it.
From start to finish, all he wanted was for her to be happy.
Looking into his eyes full of tenderness, Sharon felt a wave of emotion.
"Okay."
Even though she hadn't fallen for Zachary yet, she’d give it a try.
He grinned. "So, does this mean I'm your boyfriend now?"
Sharon nodded. "Yep, but there's still a three-month probation period."
Zachary raised an eyebrow. "I'll work hard to make it official ahead of time."
"Good luck!"
Zachary said, "By the way, I came over today to tell you something. My guy found out that Paul is still digging into Demetrius. I talked to him before coming here, and he probably won't keep at it, but he’s likely figured out that Demetrius is Seb's kid."
Hearing that, Sharon frowned but wasn't too shocked.
She hesitated, "I'm still kinda worried. After all, he's Seb's secretary. What if..."
Zachary held her cold fingers and said softly, "Don't stress. Even if Seb finds out that Demetrius is his kid, I won't let him take Demetrius away from you. Besides, he’s got amnesia and a fiancée now. He’s got no feelings for you or Demetrius. Even if he knows, he might not fight you for Demetrius."
Zachary added, "And if he does, it'll come down to what Demetrius wants."
His words gradually calmed Sharon down, and she realized she’d been worrying for nothing. Nothing had happened yet, and she was already freaking out every day.
She nodded. "Okay, I get it. Thank you, Zachary."
"The last thing I wanna hear from you is 'sorry' and 'thank you.' Don’t say them anymore. Besides, solving problems for my girlfriend is what a boyfriend should do."
Sharon laughed, "You got into character pretty quick."
"Of course. Now that I can finally call myself your boyfriend, I can't wait to tell everyone."
His expression was serious, his eyes full of tenderness and love, but it didn't put pressure on Sharon. It was like a gentle breeze brushing past, stirring her hair and touching her heartstrings.
Her heartbeat suddenly went all over the place.
Sharon instinctively pulled her hand back and looked away, feeling a bit shy. "It's getting late, and you just got back from a business trip. You must be wiped. You should go rest."
Zachary noticed her reddened ears and knew she was feeling shy, but he didn't call her out on it.
His gentle gaze stayed on her as he said, "Alright, I’ve got a full day of meetings tomorrow. How about dinner the day after?"
"Depends if I need to work late on experiments the day after."
"Okay, I know you're busy. I'll check in with you then."
Sharon got up to see him out. Just as they reached the door, Zachary turned to her and cautiously asked, "You don't need to see me out, Sharon. Can I hug you?"
Before he even finished speaking, Sharon reached out and hugged him.
Zachary's body instantly stiffened, his eyes wide in disbelief. He had been ready for rejection, but Sharon answered him with her actions.
After the initial shock, he was over the moon.
It took him a few seconds to gently hug Sharon back, his movements tender, like he was handling a rare treasure.
He whispered affectionately, "Sharon, I'm so happy you're willing to respond to me."
Hearing the tremor in his voice, Sharon released him and said slowly, "Zachary, I will try to accept you, so you don't have to be so cautious."
"Okay, I get it."
"Alright, go home now."
Zachary reluctantly went downstairs. After getting into his car, he was already thinking about buying the house across from Sharon's so he could see her and Demetrius every day.
Watching from the window as Zachary's car drove away, Sharon couldn't help but touch her chest, her heart still racing.
The flutter in her chest when she hugged Zachary made her thoughts linger for a long time.
Meanwhile, in the president's office of Silvercrest Group's branch.
Even though it was late at night, Seb was still grinding away at his desk.
In recent years, Silvercrest Group had blown up, but there were also a ton of hidden issues. Now that the company was stabilizing internally, he needed to start cleaning up those risks.
The phone on his desk suddenly rang, and Seb's pen paused sharply. Seeing the name flashing on the screen, he put down his pen and answered.
The voice from the other end of the line sounded. "Seb, guess what my guy saw today?"
"Get to the point, I'm busy." His expression was indifferent, with no emotion on his face.
"This evening, Paul met with Zachary Cook, the president of the Cook Group."
Seb frowned. "Are you sure?"
Silvercrest Group and the Cook Group had almost no dealings. Why would Paul meet with Zachary?
When Silvercrest Group first entered the Aidamore market, Seb had thought about teaming up with the Cook Group, but they not only had no interest in working together but also snatched several projects from Silvercrest Group.
Although Silvercrest Group eventually broke into the Aidamore market on its own merits, it paid a hefty price, and many hidden issues were planted at that time.
It could be said that Silvercrest Group and the Cook Group were rivals. As Seb's secretary, Paul had no reason to meet with the president of the Cook Group privately.
"Of course, I'm sure. My guy even took photos. I'll send them to you later. Seb, a lot of people are eyeing that amusement park project in Aidamore, and the Cook Group is one of them. As your friend, I advise you to be cautious. Paul might really be stabbing you in the back."
Seb's eyes turned cold, his voice devoid of warmth. "Got it."
With that, he hung up the phone.
Thinking about Paul's recent unusual behavior, Seb's eyes narrowed.
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