NovelOnline
Not one to wait, he opted to give her a call.
Ariana picked up immediately, but an uneasy silence followed as neither knew how to break it.
Eventually, Holden broke the ice. His voice was tinged with concern.
“Working late again? Don’t push yourself too hard.”
Feigning ignorance, Ariana saw her chance to express herself.
“I really don’t want to work overtime, but this client seems impossible to please! I’m stuck having to
keep refining this proposal.”
Holden let out an awkward cough.
“I happened to take a look at your proposal, and I know a bit about the energy industry. Let me help
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtyou make it better.”
Ariana responded with feigned enthusiasm, “That would be fantastic!”
Holden pointed out several issues that needed fixing, and Ariana listened attentively. She found his
real-time feedback much more valuable than endless back-and-forth document exchanges.
During the call, Holden walked Ariana through the entire proposal revision.
ninja.com
As Ariana reviewed the greatly improved document, she let out a sigh of relief. Experienced
professionals like Holden had a different perspective, and with just a few pointers, her understanding
had grown significantly.
She showered him with compliments.
“It’s obvious that you’re an expert, not just ‘someone who knows a bit!’ You must work in this industry,
right?” She subtly probed, hoping he would reveal his identity so she could end their contact if she
eventually met him and felt let down.
But Holden chose to keep things ambiguous.
“I manage a small business and dabble in various areas, learning along the way.”
Ariana, though unimpressed with his lack of detail, continued to flatter him, “You must be incredibly
bright. It can’t be just a small business. With your sharp mind, you must have expanded the company
significantly by now!”
Holden was amused by her compliments.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Success in business requires more than just intelligence.”
Their conversation flowed casually, and neither of them wanted to end iS Ariana gradually succumbed
to exhaustion. The day took a toll on her.
Listening to Holden’s voice brought her comfort, reminiscent of being close to Theodore. Her eyelids
grew heavy, and she unconsciously drifted into sleep.
Holden, listening to her gentle breathing, felt an unusual sense of warmth and a feeling of contentment
washed over him.
He brought out the engraved pendant she had left on the cruise and stared at the two sets of initials.
One set belonged to her. Who could the other belong to?
A sudden realization hit him. It was likely for her late husband, Theodore.
Visit our social media platform to read fascinating stories every day and connect with the community!
