Chapter 249
Aher, Sebastian, and Warten left. Abigail sat alone in the spacious office, gazing at the cityscape below through the window, no longer able to code. A pang of loss for that.
After sitting for a while, she pulled her gaze away and looked at the contracts and documents piled high on her desk, an involuntary sigh escaping her lips. Abigail wasn’t familiar with the day-to-day operations of the company, but when it came to project content—especially anything AI related—she understood it instantly. Honestly, she thought, I’m probably a better coder than the head of BEO.
After sitting quietly for a while, she picked up the phone and dialed the internal line. Once it connected, she said, “Lila, book a private dining room at a five-star hotel for tonight. Make sure it’s spacious. I’m hosting a dinner for our clients.”
Though multiple partners threatened to sue Gibson Group, Abigail remained convinced the situation was salvageable.
“On it,” Lila responded immediately. She was Wyatt’s assistant, but she was still new and couldn’t handle anything important yet.
While Lila handled the arrangements, Abigail personally called each client to invite them to dinner that evening. Some turned her down, but many, out of respect for her late grandfather, agreed to come.
As the workday was winding down, Abigail headed to the hotel with Lila to meet with their clients. As soon as she stepped out of the Gibson Group building, James’ car pulled right up in front of her. With a smile, he said, “We’ve already booked a table. Let’s go, I’m taking you to dinner.”
After he finished speaking, he only then noticed a young woman accompanying Abigail. Lila carried an overstuffed bag, her long hair was in a high ponytail, and she wore thick-rimmed glasses, looking every bit the fresh-faced office newbie.
“I have a dinner with clients,” Abigail said, offering a polite but apologetic smile.
As soon as she finished speaking, the back door opened. Sebastian was sitting inside and looked up at her. “Where’s the dinner?”
“At a hotel,” Abigail replied.
“Get in,” Sebastian said, shifting over to make room for her.
“Drive safely on your way to the hotel,” Abigail said to Lila.
Once Abigail got into the car, she gave James the hotel address, then turned to Sebastian. “Some of these projects still feel worth discussing. I don’t think compensation is the only way out.”
“With Gibson Group’s current reputation, it’s not surprising clients are hesitant to stay onboard,” Sebastian replied.
Abigail gave a noncommittal hum, letting the conversation lapse into silence. She had honestly thought that now that they weren’t working on a project together, he’d stop being in touch with her altogether.
When they arrived at the hotel, Lila was already waiting outside the private dining room. As Abigail, Sebastian, and James approached, Lila leaned in and said quietly, “Only three clients showed up. The other five called to say something came up at the last minute.”
Abigail had Lila reserve a table for ten, so the meals couldn’t be canceled or refunded even if fewer people turned up. Moreover, they hadn’t even bothered to notify her directly, but instead chose to inform her assistant.
“What are they playing at?” Abigail wondered, then said calmly, “It’s okay. Let’s head inside.”
James grinned “Come on. With me and Seb here, you’re worried about client turnout?"
Abigail remained silent but motioned for them to enter first, so Sebastian and James led the way into the private dining room.
As soon as the three clients seated at the table saw Sebastian and James walk in, they immediately rose to their feet, their relaxed demeanor vanishing instantly.
As Abigail entered with Lila, the three clients immediately brightened up. One of them joked, “Oh dear, Ms. Gibson, we almost thought we’d walked into the wrong room."
Abigail also smiled and said, “Mr. Robinson and Jim are my friends, so there’s no need to be so formal with them. Please, make yourselves at home.”
Abigail had never liked this part—smiling at strangers she didn’t know. But today, something felt different, like a switch had flipped. As she faced them, that polite, professional smile appeared almost instinctively.
Sebastian caught the look on her face. His eyes lingered on that practiced smile for a second, then he reached up and tugged slightly at his tie. James could tell—Sebastian hated seeing Abigail being forced into this against her will. She’d spent enough of her life doing just that.
Just as Abigail was about to invite the clients to take their seats, Sebastian stepped up beside her and gently placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. He said warmly but firmly, “Please make yourselves feel at home.”
With that, the three elderly clients obediently found their seats under Sebastian’s commanding presence. Abigail looked up at Sebastian, who was standing beside her, and whispered, “I can handle this.”
“Just be yourself when you’re with me,” Sebastian said softly, releasing her shoulder with a smile before heading to the dining table. James watched from the side, suppressing an amused smile.
With an envious glance at Abigail, Lila hurried toward the dining table with her bag in hand as well.