Chapter 0208
Valerie entered Marcus’s office, where he was already deeply absorbed in his work. The man who had been peacefully asleep next to her daughter just hours ago was gone, replaced by the serious, focused CEO.
“How’s Serenity this morning?” Marcus asked without looking up.
“She’s fine, Marcus. Thank you for asking,” Valerie replied politely.
“I’m glad to hear that. Tell her I love her,” he said, finally Ifting his gaze.
When Marcus looked at her, his expression remained neutral, as if nothing had changed.
“Do you have last night’s reports?” he asked.
“Yes, one moment,” Valerie replied, walking to the desk to retrieve them. She couldn’t help but scold herself for worrying about how she looked in the skirt. ‘This man has far more important things to focus on than such a minor detail,‘ she thought.
But when Marcus glanced up again, he felt a strange pang in his stomach. The sight of her standing before him, effortlessly stunning in that simple yet flattering outfit, made his pulse quicken. ‘She should dress like this more often,‘ he thought fleetingly, though he quickly buried the idea, keeping his face impassive.
Valerie poured him his morning coffee as usual, beginning the familiar routine: reviewing the day’s agenda, prioritizing urgent matters, and leaving the less pressing tasks for later. Afterward, she left to send a detailed email to the rest of the team with Marcus’s notes. This was typically Frederick’s role, but with him out of the office, Valerie had taken it over.
Marcus exhaled a quiet sigh of relief once Valerie left the room. He found her presence unusually distracting today, and he needed to focus. By afternoon, they had a dinner meeting to finalize a deal at the Four Seasons Hotel, so they would need to leave early to beat the traffic.
Later that day, Marcus called Valerie into his office to go over the final details of the meeting. He patiently explained the contract highlights and requested some additional materials for the presentation. Together, they ensured everything was complete well before it was time to leave.
At 6:30 p.m., they arrived at the hotel. The client was expected at 7:00 p.m., and for once, traffic had been kind, giving them an extra thirty minutes. As a gentleman, Marcus stepped out of the car first, handed the keys to the valet, and then helped Valerie out of the car.
He retrieved a small suitcase from the trunk along with a briefcase containing their presentation materials. They walked together to the reception desk, where Marcus gave his name.
“Mr. Bartz, it’s a pleasure to have you at our hotel,” the receptionist said warmly, recognizing him immediately.
“Thank you. I’ve reserved a room. I have a dinner meeting tonight, and I don’t want to drive back late,” Marcus replied.
“Oh, of course. Do you have any luggage with you?”
“Yes, just my bag. Could you send it up to the room for me Marcus asked, handing over the suitcase.
“Absolutely, sir. Anything else you need?”
“That will be all. Thank you, Mr…”
“Louis Mendez.”
+25 BONUS
Chapter 02000
“Thank you, Mr. Mendez,” Marcus said with a polite nod before turning away.
Valerie, unaware that Marcus planned to stay overnight, felt a small pang of discomfort. He hadn’t mentioned this detail to her, and though she knew it was a reasonable precaution, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being left out of the plan. Still, she pushed the thought aside, focusing on the task at hand.
“Let’s go. We’ve got time for a drink–I could really use on,” Marcus said, gesturing toward the hotel bar.
“Okay,” Valerie replied, following his lead.
