Chapter 52
Chapter 52
Cordelia froze. Once she heard Jesse’s voice now, everything in her automatically shifted to fight mode. She looked at him in alert.
Jesse could not help chuckling when he came close and saw her like this. He turned to Annie. “You can go back. Cordelia stays.”
Annie could only leave first, but she kept turning back to check on Cordelia, worried. Everyone knew about Jesse’s ulterior thoughts regarding Cordelia. Was he up to something by retaining her alone? NôvelDrama.Org owns © this.
Annie stopped when she got to the company exit.
Before she and Cordelia went on the business trip together previously, the company regulation stated that each employee had to leave an emergency contact with both the company and their partner. She remembered that Cordelia had saved her husband, Marcus, as the contact.
Annie searched for Marcus’ number from her phone contacts and sent him a text after a moment of hesitation.
…
Jesse smirked at Cordelia in the office.
“What a capable junior I have.” He looked her up and down. “The company hasn’t been able to score Centrolis’ Bayers for years, but you managed to push the sales proposal in right away! Amazing, amazing!”
Cordelia’s expression was impassive. “Is this why you’ve asked me to stay back?”
“Of course not.” Jesse cleared his throat. “There’s a business dinner tonight. Come along!”
Cordelia looked at him loathingly, but he only grinned with nonchalance.
Jesse knew that Cordelia hated events like this the most and intentionally annoyed her with it. Since he could not have her, she could become his stepping stone and give him a boost.
“Sigh, I didn't actually want to ask you.” Jesse smirked darkly. “But you’re the only pretty one in the company. Sometimes, it’s troublesome when a woman’s too pretty!”
“Sorry, I can’t make it,” Cordelia rejected coldly. “My husband’s waiting for me at home. I have to—”
“Go back and make him dinner?” Jesse scoffed. “What? Your husband can’t take care of himself?”
“Jesse Ford, watch your words.” Cordelia glared at him. “It’s none of your business whether my husband can take care of himself or not, but if you dare provoke me again, he’ll beat you up, so you won’t be able to take care of yourself!”
Jesse glowered and stopped the topic.
“Anyway, Mr. Johnson specifically asked for you. I’m only a messenger. If you refuse to go and offend the client, forget about staying in the company!”
He left with a swing of his arm after that, leaving Cordelia to gnash her teeth at his back.
Her job was at stake here. She could only give in even if she was unwilling to attend the dinner.
Cordelia texted Marcus and dragged her feet to the Eterous Hotel. The moment she stepped into the room, she saw a handsome man sitting in the main seat, almost like a celebrity. She froze.
She had not looked carefully back when she was at the Bayer Group’s building, but now that she was seeing from such a close distance, Annie was right—the man was better looking than his photos.
Josiah did not expect Cordelia to be here either. He was surprised when he saw her enter before he felt chills down his spine. When he came in just now, Michael and Jesse hurried to pander to him and told him mysteriously that a beautiful girl would accompany him tonight.
‘If Z were to find out about this…’ Josiah sucked in a cold breath and sprang up, his eyes trained on Cordelia.
“Mr. Bayer?” Cordelia nodded. “I’m Cordelia Jenner, from the sales department.”
“Oh, oh.” Josiah nodded stiffly.
Michael and Jesse smirked inwardly. It seemed that no matter how successful a man was, he would barely pass up on a beautiful woman. Josiah would definitely be put in Cordelia’s hands!
“Cordelia, stop standing there!” Michael gave her a look. “Pour Mr. Bayer some wine!”
Cordelia approached Josiah weakly. Just as she was about to pour him wine, the latter anxiously stopped her. “No, no! Don’t… You don’t have to be so courteous…”
The two men were stunned.
Josiah chuckled awkwardly while fat droplets of sweat dotted his forehead, and he had no idea where to place his hands.
Jesse looked at Cordelia. “Propose a toast to Mr. Bayer!”
Cordelia could only pour herself a glass of wine and empty it as a courtesy.
Josiah felt chills to his core. How would he dare let his sister-in-law give him a toast? He poured a full glass for himself and guzzled it down thrice.
“Don’t just keep drinking!” Michael said again, “Hah, Cordelia, help Mr. Bayer with the dishes!”
Before Cordelia could pick up anything, Josiah was quick to cry, “I’ll do it myself! I wouldn’t dare trouble si— Ms. Jenner!”
Michael frowned, finding the situation not right, but he could not point out what exactly.
It was said that Josiah Bayer was a womanizer and had seen plenty of women. Even if he did like Cordelia, there was no way he should get nervous to this extent.
As Michael observed Josiah with a squint, however, this young and rich heir seemed to act like a cowardly mouse in front of Cordelia.
He met eyes with Jesse, and they left the room with the excuse of getting a smoke.
As for Cordelia, she had a low alcohol tolerance and had drunk too fast, so she was dizzy now that the alcohol had started running in her system. She looked apologetically at Josiah. “Mr. Bayer, excuse me.”
“Mm, please feel free.”
Cordelia smiled, stumbling a little as she walked out.
She had wanted to catch some air at the hotel entrance, but she heard two people talking to each other in a hushed tone just as she turned the corner of the lobby hallway.