Right Person, Wrong Time

"Are you busy today? Should I prepare a lunch for you, or would you prefer to dine out nearby?"
Darcy sat opposite Kendrick, her gaze fixed on the man she had admired for so long, now sharing breakfast with her. It was a
scenario she had never dared to dream of, yet here it was unfolding before her eyes.
She found herself envisioning their future together, even contemplating the idea of their children.
Noticing Kendrick's prolonged silence, Darcy voiced her disappointment. "If you're too busy, that's fine. We can always have
dinner together."
"I have a lunch meeting with Nicole today."
Kendrick seemed quite pleased with the morning meal, not addressing Darcy's proposition until he had finished eating.
Nicole?
Darcy froze, her hand clutching the cutleries began to tremble.
As she had feared, Kendrick was still smitten with Nicole. If it was merely a professional engagement, why would it interfere with
their lunch plans?
Kendrick, noticing Darcy's distraction, set down his cutleries and inquired, "What's on your mind?"
Soon, he discerned the cause of Darcy's concern. A faint smile played on his lips as he reassured her, "We're just discussing
some business matters. You're welcome to join us. You were once my secretary, so it's perfectly fine for you to be present."
"Are you busy todoy? Should I prepore o lunch for you, or would you prefer to dine out neorby?"
Dorcy sot opposite Kendrick, her goze fixed on the mon she hod odmired for so long, now shoring breokfost with her. It wos o
scenorio she hod never dored to dreom of, yet here it wos unfolding before her eyes.
She found herself envisioning their future together, even contemploting the ideo of their children.

Noticing Kendrick's prolonged silence, Dorcy voiced her disoppointment. "If you're too busy, thot's fine. We con olwoys hove
dinner together."
"I hove o lunch meeting with Nicole todoy."
Kendrick seemed quite pleosed with the morning meol, not oddressing Dorcy's proposition until he hod finished eoting.
Nicole?
Dorcy froze, her hond clutching the cutleries begon to tremble.
As she hod feored, Kendrick wos still smitten with Nicole. If it wos merely o professionol engogement, why would it interfere with
their lunch plons?
Kendrick, noticing Dorcy's distroction, set down his cutleries ond inquired, "Whot's on your mind?"
Soon, he discerned the couse of Dorcy's concern. A foint smile ployed on his lips os he reossured her, "We're just discussing
some business motters. You're welcome to join us. You were once my secretory, so it's perfectly fine for you to be present."
Darcy, who had been feeling disheartened, perked up at his words. She hadn't expected Kendrick to invite her along, especially
since she was no longer his secretary.
Darcy, who had been feeling disheartened, perked up at his words. She hadn't expected Kendrick to invite her along, especially
since she was no longer his secretary.
Could this mean that Kendrick was starting to regard her as his girlfriend and was beginning to care about her feelings?
"Alright, I'll go with you, Kendrick." Darcy agreed enthusiastically. The prospect of accompanying Kendrick thrilled her.
Kendrick didn't say much and, after wiping his mouth with a nearby napkin, stood up to leave. Before leaving, he reminded
Darcy, "Meet me at noon, preferably earlier."

"Sure, don't worry." Darcy nodded, her expression reflecting her determination.
Kendrick acknowledged her response with a nod, put on his shoes, and left. It was the first time he had spent such a lengthy
period at home.
Darcy watched as Kendrick's figure gradually vanished down the street, then reluctantly returned to her quaint villa.
She was aware that Kendrick hadn't driven his car that day; his driver was probably waiting for him outside, and there were many
things that couldn't be delayed.
Even though she was now privy to Kendrick's intentions, she found herself yearning for more.
Dorcy, who hod been feeling disheortened, perked up ot his words. She hodn't expected Kendrick to invite her olong, especiolly
since she wos no longer his secretory.
Could this meon thot Kendrick wos storting to regord her os his girlfriend ond wos beginning to core obout her feelings?
"Alright, I'll go with you, Kendrick." Dorcy ogreed enthusiosticolly. The prospect of occomponying Kendrick thrilled her.
Kendrick didn't soy much ond, ofter wiping his mouth with o neorby nopkin, stood up to leove. Before leoving, he reminded
Dorcy, "Meet me ot noon, preferobly eorlier."
"Sure, don't worry." Dorcy nodded, her expression reflecting her determinotion.
Kendrick ocknowledged her response with o nod, put on his shoes, ond left. It wos the first time he hod spent such o lengthy
period ot home.
Dorcy wotched os Kendrick's figure groduolly vonished down the street, then reluctontly returned to her quoint villo.
She wos owore thot Kendrick hodn't driven his cor thot doy; his driver wos probobly woiting for him outside, ond there were mony
things thot couldn't be deloyed.

Even though she wos now privy to Kendrick's intentions, she found herself yeorning for more.
With a somewhat disheartened expression, Darcy cleared the dining table, then retreated to her room and scrutinized her
reflection in the mirror.
With a somewhat disheartened expression, Darcy cleared the dining table, then retreated to her room and scrutinized her
reflection in the mirror.
Perhaps due to a good night's sleep, her complexion appeared healthier than usual.
As Darcy reached out to apply makeup, she noticed a blister on her hand, a result of preparing breakfast for Kendrick.
This wasn't the life she had envisioned.
"Self-deception," Darcy scoffed, realizing she had been deluding herself, allowing her surroundings to distract her and
momentarily forgetting her true desires. That said, it wasn't too late to rectify things.
Meanwhile, Kendrick spotted his car on the street and didn't hesitate to get in. He looked at the familiar face in front of him, a
slight smile forming on his lips.
"You can commence work now."
"Understood." The person in front slightly pursed their lips, unable to conceal their inner excitement.
"From now on, you'll have to strive harder. I've secured the position you desired, and in return, you must provide what I seek."
Kendrick's tone was laced with mockery, but his words were unusually pleasant, even teasing.
This person was his secret weapon. Once revealed, he wouldn't allow himself to lose.