Chapter 21

The food inside had always been warm—words from earlier that day echoed in Scarlett's mind. By now, Li… she had given him so much compensation, (probably wasn’t…)

Cedric’s voice cut through her thoughts, pulling her back to the present. As he pushed the door open, the rich aroma of freshly prepared food wafted out.

“I knew you’d still be working overtime. No matter how busy you are, you can’t ignore your livelihood. I had them deliver this just for you. See if it suits your taste,” Cedric said with a warm smile. Then, he began unpacking the containers, settling them one by one.

The dishes were simple and light, mostly vegetables.

“Cedric, thank you. It’s so late, and you still went out of your way to bring this for…”

A faint warmth thickened her expression. At that moment, she felt a rare…

“Eat while it’s still warm,” Cedric said, handing her a set of utensils.

“What are you talking about? It’s in your hands now. It’s my job to take care of you, Holly…”

But as he spoke, his eyes subtly darted across the desk, scanning her documents as he talked.

Scarlett didn’t notice Cedric’s discreet actions; she focused on the comforting warmth.

Cedric’s gaze flicked across the papers until he spotted the document he’d been looking for.

“Lettie, I heard the company’s working on a project and is looking for reliable partners.”

Scarlett sighed. “Chase must’ve told you. Yeah, I’ve been busy with that lately.”

Her tone was flat, signaling that she wasn’t interested in continuing the conversation. It was just another work matter, after all.

Cedric chuckled, undeterred. “Lettie, I want to help alleviate some of your burden. While I was out, I met a businessman; he’s from Ashbourne, too. If you need…”

As he spoke, his tone softened, his eyes taking on a faint redness.

“You’ve been so busy lately that I can count the times we’ve spent together on one hand. I’m really scared you’ll forget about me one day,” he continued. While speaking, Cedric started cleaning up the stray trash under his desk.

“If I’m going to stay by your side, I need to be strong enough; otherwise, no one out there will even take me seriously,” he added.

Cedric’s gaze was steady, unwavering, and Scarlett froze for a moment.

Without meaning to, her thoughts wandered to Leroy. Leroy had never said anything like this. They were like people from two completely different worlds. “Alright. I’ll promise you this. Come to the company tomorrow, and I’ll speak to the employees about it properly.”

With that meal, Cedric had managed to win Scarlett over. The small victory left Cedric feeling strong, almost invincible. In his mind, he was certain Scarlett was…

“Don’t bother you anymore tonight. Get some rest, okay? I need to head back and check on my parents,” he said smoothly.

Before leaving, Cedric pulled Scarlett into…

She arrived at the office and was immediately greeted by the buzz of her subordinates’ chatter.

“I just saw the group notice. Apparently, they’ve already found a partner for that project,” one whispered.

“I can’t believe they locked it down so quickly,” another replied.

“Who brought them in? Think they’re reliable?”

Scarlett paused for a moment, the words winding in before she walked to her office. There, she found Bartlett meticulously organizing a stack of documents.

“Background research, and everything seems pretty decent,” Bartlett said.

Scarlett looked up and nodded calmly.

“It wasn’t easy. Because this is my last night meal with…” Scarlett explained.

But her straightforward response only brightened Bartlett’s already alert expression.

“Is he brainwashing you or something? How could you trust him with something this important?”

Care couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Scarlett had actually suggested this on her own. This wasn’t just any decision; this was about the entire Payne Group.