Lingering Passion: Mr. Sutton Wants to be Your Male Lead!-Chapter 103: Staying True Amidst Lights and Temptations
What kind of man do you like?
If this question is asked between the same sex, it’s certainly not a problem, at most it’s just idle chat or gossip.
But when asked between the opposite sex, no matter how pure the relationship is, after this question is posed, there always seems to be a hint of ambiguity.
Staring at ’Forrest Keller’s’ message for a while, Stella Grant had to reply: Someone gentlemanly.
Silas Sutton: Like?
Stella Grant: Ray Woods.
Stella Grant replied decisively, Silas Sutton’s long fingers paused on the screen at the other end of the call.
Stella Grant: Assistant Keller, I have some work to handle here, let’s talk later.
Silas Sutton: Okay.
Closing the phone, Silas Sutton masks his emotions on the surface, but his eyes are terrifyingly dark.
After a few minutes, Silas Sutton speaks in a deep voice, "Forrest Keller."
Forrest Keller shudders, "President Sutton, you said?"
Silas Sutton asks expressionlessly, "Do you think Ray Woods is gentlemanly?"
Forrest Keller, having learned from past experiences, dares not answer recklessly, "He’s, he’s alright."
Silas Sutton raises an eyebrow, "Alright?"
Forrest Keller replies nervously, "Just, just so-so, kind of average."
Even the smartest people have moments of self-deception.
Just like Silas Sutton now.
He knows Forrest Keller is being perfunctory due to his ’intimidation’, but hearing Forrest Keller say average feels better than hearing praises for Ray Woods as gentlemanly.
After Forrest Keller’s words, he sees in the rear view mirror that the chilling expression on Silas Sutton’s face slightly softens, he breathes a quiet sigh of relief, internally reflecting: Making money is not easy, cherish it as you earn it.
Meanwhile, after setting down the phone, Stella Grant first briefly organized the items in her suitcase, then picked up the phone to check Hugh York’s schedule in Portmere via email.
Hugh York arrived this morning, reportedly for a real estate project.
Yet Stella Grant checked all large projects in Portmere and found no projects invested by Shawn Bishop.
After triple-checking, Stella Grant picked up the phone and dialed Peter Wright.
After the call connects, Stella Grant directly asks without preamble, "Assistant Wright, are you sure President York is here in Portmere for a project investment?"
Peter Wright replies hesitantly, "Manager Grant, that’s the result of my investigation, but if you ask me to be certain, I really can’t confirm."
Hearing this, Stella Grant furrows her brow, "Who did you investigate this with?"
Peter Wright says, "I have a friend who’s a minor leader at Shawn Bishop’s, that’s what I heard from him."
Stella Grant, "Alright, I understand."
Peter Wright, "Why? Manager Grant, did I investigate incorrectly?"
Stella Grant says mildly, "No, carry on with your tasks."
After hanging up, Stella Grant’s expression darkens somewhat.
Though previous companies she worked for had internal conflicts, no one dared to manipulate anything as significant as ’projects’.
Indeed, the bigger the organization, the more diverse the ’birds’ are.
In smaller companies, leaders are often directly responsible, a minor disturbance would lead you to pack your things and leave. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎
But in larger companies, it’s like in ancient times with distant mountains and remote emperors, the ’county official’ is not as powerful as the ’current manager’, and the upper levels are clueless about matters below; once things go wrong, the project leader will inevitably take the blame.
Even if others are implicated, they mostly face demotion or pay cuts.
Stella Grant mentally processes these issues, picks up her phone and walks to the floor-to-ceiling window, dialing a number.
The call is to a colleague from her time in Brynnfield, named Sophia Lowell. She recalls that during last year’s competition with Shawn Bishop for a project, this colleague had some interactions with Hugh York.
Upon connecting, the voice on the other side greets her with a surprised smile, "What a rare caller, Manager Grant remembering to call me."
Stella Grant laughs and says, "Don’t tease me, I’m in urgent need."
Sophia Lowell responds generously, "Speak, as long as I can help, I won’t hesitate."
Stella Grant doesn’t hold back, directly asking, "Do you remember Hugh York?"
Sophia Lowell replies, "Yes, the old president at Shawn Bishop who competed with us for last year’s project."
Stella Grant, "Right, when you interacted with him, was there anyone around him with a Portmere accent, or..."
Before Stella Grant could finish her sentence, Sophia Lowell cuts her off, "Are you trying to find out if President York has any extramarital affairs?"
Stella Grant candidly admits, "There’s a bit of that."
Sophia Lowell, "Why are you suddenly asking about this?"
She knows Stella Grant well from working together for years, and knows Stella is never one for gossip.
Stella Grant openly states, "The company I’m with currently intends to acquire a project under Shawn Bishop. I heard he’s on a business trip to Portmere this week, but upon following him here, I found there’s no Shawn Bishop project investment, so I’m wondering..."
Pretending to be on a business trip to Portmere, without any official work, must mean there’s something indiscreet going on.
Trusting her instincts, Sophia Lowell’s voice lowers slightly, "There’s indeed something, but whether that woman is Hugh York’s lover, I don’t know, anyway Hugh York is very attentive to her."
Stella Grant asks, "What kind of woman is she?"
Sophia Lowell says, "A Portmere woman who is about seven or eight months pregnant, they call her Lena outwardly claiming she’s Hugh York’s secretary..."
Secretary...
After finishing the call with Sophia Lowell, Stella Grant stands by the window and stares outside for a while.
In this society, traffic streams ceaselessly, and restless hearts abound.
Few can hold steadfast amid the glitz and glamor.
Just as Stella Grant is pondering, the phone in her hand beeps.
Lowering her gaze, Stella Grant sees a Twitter notification pop up on the screen: Sutton Group’s CEO is about to get engaged!!
