Chapter 263 - Need A Lifeline (1/2)

”Good afternoon, Ms. Mimi. Sir Tristan's three o'clock guest is on the way up to his office,” the receptionist informed Mimi as soon as the latter answered the call and the piece of information jolted Mimi up from her seat.

She knew how important this guest was, especially after how Tristan had to clear his afternoon schedule to accommodate the person.

Checking herself in the small desk mirror, she puffed out a shaky breath before standing up to inform her boss.

She could give Tristan a heads up through the intercom, yet she felt like she needed to shake off her nervousness by walking a few steps to her boss's office.

Ironing her pencil skirt with her palms, she straightened her back and rapped on the door before opening it.

”Mr. Yang,” Mimi trailed off but immediately clamped her mouth upon noticing Tristan was amidst a phone call.

She stood silent and motionless by the threshold and waited until Tristan would finish his phone call.

She shouldn't eavesdrop, but the way Tristan spoke in soft and hushed tones piqued her interest.

And whenever she caught him in that light, a stark contrast to his loud and playful image, Mimi couldn't help but wonder what Tristan could be speaking with either of those three women.

As if she wasn't in deep thought seconds ago, Mimi pushed the door wide open after hearing the scuffle of shoes against the carpeted floor.

Raised as a gentleman, all thanks to his mom, Tristan held the door and gestured for Mimi to walk ahead first.

The two conversed as they walked down the hall and waited by the elevators for their guest.

”Oh, do we have sencha tea?” Tristan asked. ”I heard he only drinks that kind of tea.” To Tristan's surprise, he heard a mocking sound escape his secretary's lips.

Mimi snorted, covering her nose with the back of her index finger. ”I prepared a different one. You see, I stalked his secretary's favorite lunch place, and we instantly became besties. She told me, her boss actually prefers genmaicha.” Mimi winked.

Tristan's mouth hung open in shock. But he asked almost everyone he knew, and they all recommended the same thing: sencha tea. He couldn't believe how people were deceived with this tiny detail for years.

Tristan gathered his bearings, straightening his back when the elevator dinged. Flashing his pearly whites, he welcomed his guest with a handshake.

”Look how you've grown, Tristan!”

”Mr. Ma, nice to see you too.”

”Come on. You can call me Uncle Connor.” Connor Ma was all smiles, giving Tristan a pat on the back whilst their hands shook.

”Ha! Okay, Uncle,” Tristan responded with a smile of his own to hide his discomfort.

He tried to speak some more but he didn't want to mumble awkward things that might offend his guest so he just smiled and was silent on their way back to his office.

Less talk, less mistakes. Tristan thought it would be to his benefit to let Connor Ma do the talking for now.

Something about Connor Ma's smile was sinister and he couldn't place a finger on which part made him feel that way.

Was it Connor Ma's smile or his presence all together that was unnerving Tristan?

Tristan met countless people with so much power in their hands—royals, dictators, capo crimini, you name it. Yet none of those exude dark and spine-chilling aura as Connor Ma did.

It puzzled Tristan how a man like Connor Ma could hold so much power and wealth yet go unnoticed by the world—his name rarely seen or heard of in the news.

Reaching his office, the two gentlemen unbuttoned their suit jackets and sat on the couch in the center of the room.

”Thank you for accepting my invitation, Uncle,” Tristan spoke smoothly, perfectly masking his nervousness.