Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 12



Chapter 12

No clue how Hilary got her hands on my digits.

And it was crystal clear that her dinner invite wasn't just about the food she had
got ulterior motives.

What was she fishing for?

Could it be that Hogan hadn't spilled the beans about Cecilia to her yet?
Whatever it was, I was not keen on getting tangled up in the Zade family drama
anymore.

So I said, “Sorry Mrs. Hilary, gotta grind at work tomorrow.”

She probably didn’t see that coming. There was a pause on the line before I
heard Hilary start to gripe, “I heard from Hogan that Rainbow Capital's backing
your project. I'll have to talk to him about not putting too much on your plate.”
Talk about pulling the investor-mom card to pressure me.

I rubbed my temples and relented, “Mrs. Hilary, is tomorrow night okay?”

“Sure thing! I'll send you the address. Just remember to bring your boyfriend
along, okay?”

Boyfriend? Since when?

Oh well, I would cross that bridge when I get to Hilary tomorrow.

Saturday evening rolled around, and I showed up at this fancy restaurant on the
outskirts of

town.

The place was all decked out in fancy decor, and even the waitstaff were dressed
to the nines — clearly, this joint was a money pit.

Hilary's riding high these days.

Inside the private room, the well-kept woman looked at me in surprise, “Why
solo? Where's your boyfriend?”

“He's busy.”

Hilary's eyes narrowed with suspicion before she continued, “No worries,
Hogan's still on his way. Let's order first.”

My grip on the teacup tightened.

Hogan was coming tonight too?

Seeing me silent, Hilary shot me a probing look, “Xaviera, your company’s
working with Hogan, right? Know a girl named Cecilia?”

Bingo. Hogan hadn't introduced Cecilia to the fam officially.

Chapter 12

I kept it professional, “I don't really cross paths with Mr. Zade much, not sure
about that.”

Hilary sighed, “Il was at Rainbow Capital yesterday and overheard the
receptionist gossiping

about Hogan ordering an expensive cocktail dress from a designer, for a Ms.
Irwin.”

Her eyes were fixed on me after she said that.

I just smiled, “Mrs. Hilary, you might want to check with Mr. Zade directly on that.”
Not my circus, not my monkeys, especially when it's Hogan.

Hilary, realizing I wasn't giving anything away, grumbled, “Xaviera, I'm just
worried, you know. I've seen Ms. Irwin's file regular background, her family runs a
snack shop, nothing special academically. I just can't fathom what Hogan sees in
her.”

It was plain and simple — in Hilary's book, Cecilia wasn’t good enough for Hogan.
Even I was surprised.

I'd always figured the girl Hogan doted on would be some heiress from a big—
shot family in Rivertown.

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“Look at me,” Hilary saw my silence

and quickly dri doll iQ

joi meamanyihi g by it, Xaviera.

Let's just order, shall we?" The

content is on Novelxo.org! Read

the latest chapter there!

1 guess she was irked that Hogan would choose a girl who couldn't hold a candle
to me.

But then, love was never made much sense in this world, right?

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Before long, Hogan strolled in, suited

and booted. When ke caw [Pre

apd hf lay Shiifk crossed his face.

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“Boyfriend didn’t make it?"

As if he’d pegged me for a liar from the get-go.

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Maybe I played it too meek with

these two before, png here!
No fabihefico d push me

around. The content is on
Novelxo.org! Read the latest

chapter there!

Right on cue, my phone buzzed with a notification.

Sneaking a peek, it was a message from Darren.

[Free tomorrow night? Heard this thriller’s pretty good, wanna check it out
together?]

I clutched the phone, casually said, “Next time, for sure. I'll bring him along.”


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