Chapter 100 Can You Have My Back？
George: [Yo, you guys hang out a lot, right? So, you must've seen Tristan's assistant, Katniss, a bunch of times. She's hot, sweet, smart, and generous, but she's stuck with him and doesn't even fight back. It pisses me off. He's rich, sure, but he's got nothing on you, man. Not even close!]
Across the table, Tristan's phone was right by his hand. It lit up for a sec 'cause it was on silent.
He glanced at it, picked it up, and checked the messages. His smile turned icy.
His face darkened as he looked up at George, who was busy ranting in his messages.
'George is such an idiot,' Tristan thought.
George: [Dude, you gotta hate guys like him as much as I do. Next time you throw a party, invite him and have my back. Can you do that for me?]
He sent like seven or eight messages, all just complaints.
A second later, Tristan replied: [Sure.]
George slammed his phone on the table, giving Tristan a smug look.
Katniss and Matilda jumped and looked over.
"Some people are gonna get what's coming to them. Just wait!" George said.
Katniss's eyes darted between George and Tristan.
George looked all cocky, while Tristan stayed cool and collected.
Feeling something was off but not knowing what, Katniss just signaled George to start eating.
Most of the food on the table was made by Tristan; George could only whip up two or three dishes.
Tristan's cooking was right up Katniss's alley, and she ate a lot.
After eating, she found a moment to quietly tell Tristan, "We gotta hit the hospital this afternoon. If you're tired, you can chill here or head out."
"I'll go to the office." Tristan changed into a spare suit she had, grabbed his coat, and glanced at the sportswear he had changed out of. "Don't forget to bring my clothes when we go to the Neville family next week."
Katniss nodded. "Got it."
Tristan left before them. After the three of them watched him drive off, Matilda suddenly realized something.
"Katniss, you don't have a car now?" Matilda asked.
The car Tristan drove off in was the one Katniss used to drive, a perk from the company for being an executive assistant.
Now, her little yard was empty.
Katniss nodded. "Company cars are only for execs."
Hearing this, George jumped up and flipped off Tristan's car, cursing him in his head.
In the end, George drove the two of them to the hospital but didn't go up.
At D.V, Michael set up the hangout, and Tristan rolled in that evening. In the private room were Bella and Nicholas, with Samuel hanging out outside.
Ryan, being the smart assistant he was, stayed outside too.
"Tristan." Bella lit up when she saw him and got up to greet him. "What have you been up to these past weekends? You didn't answer calls or texts, and you didn't show up at the office."
She tried to link her arm with his, but he just kept walking, and her hand slipped off.
She pouted and followed him, sitting super close.
"At the Forbes Mansion with Grandma." Tristan's tall frame sank into the sofa, not even glancing at Bella.
Michael handed him a glass of wine and grinned, "How's Grandma Forbes doing? Still not a fan of you and Bella?"
"Don't even start. She gets pissed every time." Tristan frowned, looking a bit annoyed.
"Next time, bring Bella with you on the weekend. Maybe if she spends more time with Grandma Forbes, it'll help." Michael kept an eye on Tristan's face, then suddenly threw in, "Is that new guy your assistant? Haven't seen him much, so he probably hasn't earned your trust yet, huh? I thought you'd be swamped after Katniss left, but you still have time to chill at home with Grandma Forbes."
He was fishing for info.
Those eyes were glued to Tristan, not missing a thing.
The room was dimly lit, and he could only see Tristan's profile.
To give him a better look, Tristan turned his head, his deep eyes locking onto Michael's.
"No matter how good she is, she's just an assistant. If my work efficiency tanks without her, what kind of CEO of Synergy Global Corporation would I be?" Tristan shot back. His face wasn't exactly pissed, but his tone was rock solid.
Bella quickly jumped in, "I knew Tristan was the best, but Michael's got a point. Next week, I'll go with you to the Forbes Mansion to see Grandma Forbes."
"We'll see." Tristan said.
Michael went back to his single sofa, pulled out his phone, and sent a message.
Outside, Samuel's phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at it, his face darkening, then put it away and spoke up. "You're Mr. Forbes's new assistant, right?"
Ryan nodded politely. "Hey, Samuel. I've heard a lot about you."
Samuel smiled. "We're in the same game. Let's add each other on Facebook. Mr. Astor and Mr. Forbes are tight, so we might need to hit each other up in the future."
He then pulled up Katniss's Facebook and said, "I also keep in touch with Mr. Forbes's old assistant, Katniss."
It seemed like he was trying to show that adding each other on Facebook was just for convenience.
But Ryan still looked wary. He didn't refuse, but he kept his distance from Samuel.
"They often come to D.V. for hangouts, always in this private room. Sometimes, if they eat, they hit up the restaurant next door..." Samuel went on about the usual spots where Tristan and Michael hung out.
Gradually, Ryan's tense expression eased up. "Thanks for the heads-up, Samuel. Katniss left in a rush, and she didn't have time to fill me in on Mr. Forbes's private schedule."
He brought up Katniss on his own, and Samuel glanced inside the private room through the window, then pointed to a corner not far away. "Go have a smoke and chill. They won't be coming out anytime soon."
"Sorry, I don't smoke." Ryan politely declined.
Samuel paused as he was about to light a cigarette, smiled, and went to the corner to smoke alone.
Ryan thought Samuel might bring up something about Katniss when he came back.
But he didn't. After a few more casual comments about Michael and Tristan's different vibes, they stopped talking.
Inside the private room, Michael kept drinking with Tristan, one glass after another, and soon a bottle of red wine was empty.
Seeing this, Nicholas joined in, sitting next to Tristan and drinking with Michael. Soon, Michael was wasted.
Tristan was only slightly buzzed but still pretty clear-headed.
"I'll have Samuel take Michael home. Tristan, let me take you home," Bella tentatively offered.
Tristan propped his hands on his knees, looking up at her. "No need, someone outside will drive me."
With that, he stood up, a bit unsteady, and walked out with his coat.
Bella wanted to follow him but was stopped by Nicholas. "Bella, you take care of Michael. I'll handle Tristan, don't worry!"
After saying that, Nicholas chased after Tristan. Bella looked at Michael, who was slumped on the sofa, then at the two walking out the door, and stomped her foot in frustration.
Outside the private room, Nicholas threw a line to Samuel. "Go in and get Mr. Astor out of here."
Then he ran after Tristan. "Michael did this on purpose, didn't he? Trying to get you drunk so Bella could get into your bed! They're getting desperate. You should set things straight with Bella now."
"Set what straight?" In the elevator, Tristan's tall figure leaned against the wall, his indifferent eyes looking at Nicholas.
Nicholas choked, wanting to say that Tristan had fallen for Katniss.
But thinking about the complicated situation between Katniss and him, Nicholas felt it was too early to say anything.
Katniss hadn't shown any reaction yet.
Moreover, even if Bella was dealt with, there was still a wife to consider.
He was worried for Katniss.
Thinking of something, Tristan felt a bit agitated. He tugged at his tie, unbuttoned two buttons, and rolled up his shirt sleeves, the watch on his muscular forearm catching the elevator light.
"But Michael's a lightweight. Just a few glasses and he's out." Nicholas added.
Tristan sneered. "He's faking it."
Seeing that Nicholas was helping him and couldn't get him drunk, Michael pretended to be drunk first.
Nicholas was shocked and cursed, "That sneaky bastard. He kept testing you, even bringing up Katniss. I think he's up to something."
As Tristan said, Michael was indeed pretending.
When Samuel entered the private room, Michael had already opened his eyes and was even sipping a glass of wine.
Bella understood the reason and couldn't help but hit the sofa. "Nicholas is really something, going against us."
"How did it go?" Michael directly asked Samuel.
He wanted to find out Katniss's whereabouts, and the best way was through someone close to Tristan. Ryan was the biggest shortcut.
Samuel frowned. "Ryan is very cautious. Whenever the topic of Katniss comes up, he deflects with 'I don't know.' But I heard he's Adelaide's man. If Mr. Forbes intends to hide Katniss, he definitely wouldn't tell him."
"I know he's cautious. But where there's a will, there's a way. Find a way to make him talk. I don't believe he doesn't know Katniss's whereabouts," Michael said.
The people involved in Katniss's transfer were few: Tristan, Ryan, and the HR manager.
Others wouldn't have the right to know.
The HR manager had been with Synergy Global Corporation for nearly twenty years and was Tristan's confidant.
Approaching him rashly would alert Tristan and be counterproductive.
The only option was to go through Ryan, and Samuel had to make contact.
"Okay." Samuel nodded slightly, his lowered eyes hiding his emotions.
Bella, listening to their conversation, suddenly thought of someone—Jessica.
'Jessica must know where Katniss lives. If I had someone follow her, wouldn't I find out where Katniss went?' Bella thought to herself.
In the car, Nicholas shamelessly hitched a ride, sitting in the back with Tristan.
Tristan asked Ryan, "What did Samuel talk to you about?"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
