Chapter 91 - The Object of her Affection (1/2)
Anthony is unable to speak for a few moments. He's no idiot; he knows he's speaking to Gabriel Tan's confidante. Bella Xavier, for the rest of Gabriel Tan's employees, is a beautiful enigma. They see her as the only one, aside from Mrs. Gomez, who speaks to Gabriel as if an equal, and they are fascinated—who's this person who is somehow shielded, by divine intervention, from Gabriel's Draconian ways?
So when Claire, as Bella, makes a blunt question about the Legal Department's competence, and honesty, Anthony's jaw drops. Was Bella unleashed upon them by Gabriel to determine the truth? But then again, Bella's so obvious, the question so innocent, if not ballsy, that makes Bella's hidden motives unlikely.
”Knowing about these things is above my pay grade, Bella,” Anthony says after a while. ”But believe, we did the usual due diligence. There was absolutely no inkling of Michelle's involvement. Why do you ask? Is Mr. Tan still doubtful despite what our CFO told him?”
”Oh, no,” Claire says. ”I ask it out of my own curiosity. The matter is settled as far as Gabriel is concerned. We're even getting for whatever change is going to take place once Michelle sets up office here.”
”Would there be more drama?”
”That's what we're trying to avoid,” Claire says, ”or at least manage.”
Anthony twirls pasta into his fork. ”That must be the reason why Gabriel hired you, Bella. You're perceptive.” He looks straight at her. ”Beauty and brains.”
”Stop flattering my friend here,” Mary intervenes, pointing a fork at him.
”I'm just stating the obvious,” Anthony says, laughing.
”Alright, we're done here, Bella,” Mary suddenly says, as she stands up carrying her tray of still unfinished food.
Claire hesitates, but she's compelled to stand up and go with Mary. ”Wait!”
”What happened?” Claire asks.
”Remember what I mentioned earlier? One of those guys at the table was into me.” Mary purses her lips and looks at Claire. ”It turns out I've been so wrong. It was Anthony, Bella. I liked that guy for the longest time. He's so handsome, isn't he? But a few seconds of meeting you and it became obvious I had been fooling myself for so long.”
”Look, you may also be so utterly wrong about this,” Claire says. ”Anthony is just being nice. He's meeting me for the first time, of course he will be polite to me. Especially given the fact that I am Gabriel Tan's secretary. People are compelled to be nice to their boss's secretary, Mary. It's an unspoken disposition.”
Mary says nothing. She's looking at her feet as they walk back toward the elevator lobby. ”I haven't even begun eating that second slice of steak,” she mutters with regret. ”I should not have reacted so quickly.”
Claire smiles. ”That's okay. Consider it a blessing in disguise. At least, we've controlled what we eat. Promise, when we have lunch at the Residence, I'll ask the chef to only serve a calorie-conscious course.”