when she left he went crazy (Hope and Christopher)

Chapter 156: Are You Regretting It

I was utterly bewildered. If it wasn't Daniel, then who was the sender? In all our dealings with the RF Group, it had always been Daniel.

As I mulled over the mystery, Daniel's voice cut through the silence on the other end of the line. "Oh, right, I remember now! That was me, definitely. I asked my assistant to place the order, but it seems he goofed up. I instructed him to get 99, wishing your company great success and enduring prosperity."

Daniel sounded somewhat contrite, "999 is indeed overkill. Did it cause you any inconvenience?"

"I see." I glanced at the flower baskets crammed from the elevator to the office, smiling wryly. "It's not a big issue. Perhaps I'll discuss with the florist about returning some? Otherwise, it might border on extravagance."

"No need, no need, Daniel interjected hastily. "He doesn't mind the expense." He cleared his throat. "My assistant is just here to gain some life experience. He's rather affluent. I'll simply deduct the cost from his bonus."

"Alright, I acquiesced, expressing my gratitude and exchanging a few pleasantries before hanging up the phone.

Elissa approached me, curiosity evident in her eyes. "So, what's the deal? Was it really him?"

I chuckled, "Yes. But his assistant made a mistake, ordering 999 instead of 99.

Cecil frowned, looking thoughtful, deep in thought, "How could someone bungle that?"

I waved his concem away. "Don't sweat it isn't it nice to be showered with flowers?"

Elissa, who adored flowers, beansed as more and more blooms filled the space. "I have to take a picture and post it on Facebook. With this kind of vibe, our company is bound to flourish."

I smiled. "Go ahead."

I took the receipt from the florist and signed for the delivery. Elissa then suggested, "By the way, Hope, what do you think about a company dinner tonight? To celebrate the official opening and welcome the new team members."

I nodded. "Sure, I was thinking the same."

Elissa and I were on the same page. Turning to Cecil, I invited him with a smile, "Cecil, are you free tonight? Join us?"

Regaining ownership of Elevatejoy was something I owed, in large part, to Cecil. A gratitude I felt compelled to express with more than just words

nt as he took in the abundant flowers, returned my smile warmly. "Since you asked, of course, I can make time."

Cecil, momentarily lost in thought as

I beamed. "Great. III

Il send you the time and location once everything's arranged"

Cecil checked his watch. "Okay, I need to head back to the office now,"

After seeing Cecil off, Elissa followed me into the office and settled into the chair opposite mine, her curiosity clearly piqued. "Come on, spill the beans. How far have you and Cecil gotten?" Elissa asked, her eyes twinkling with anticipation. "Nowhere," I replied, focusing on the details of Kimberly's engagement dress, trying to keep my tone nonchalant. Elissa didn't believe me, looking skeptical. "No way, you're hiding something from me!"

I paused, then met Elissa's inquisitive gaze. "Cecil and I have a six-month agreement. Does that count as progress?"

"Of course it does!" Elissa exclaimed, satisfied but still eager for details. "What's the agreement about?"

I put down my brush, contemplating. "If after six months, I don't develop feelings for him, he'll walk away."

Reflecting on that agreement now, I felt a

a pang of uncertainty.

Elissa seemed to grasp the gravity of my words. "Do you regret it?"

Chapter 156: Are You Regretting It

I questioned, "Regret what?"

Elissa clarified, "Making that agreement.

clarified, "Making

"Not really." I replied, shaking my head slightly, feeling somewhat lost. "I agreed to it hoping he'd give up sooner. But now I'm wondering if I should have been clearer with him back then to save him some time."

Elissa disagreed with me. "Come on, even when you got married, he didn't give up. And now you're divorced. Do you think just saying a few words would have made him give up? Setting a deadline is more practical."

That was what I had thought back then.

When I first discovered that Cecil had harbored feelings for a girl for twenty years, I thought she was incredibly fortunate. But when I realized I was that

101-0 girl, I felt more guilt than anything else.

Guilt because I couldn't reciprocate his feelings.

As I sat in silence, Elissa leaned on the desk, fiddling with my earrings. "Hope, why not give Cecil a chance? It's rare to find such a devoted man these days."

I explained, "Precisely because he's so good, I need to be more careful."

Otherwise, it would be playing with someone's feelings.

A hundred percent sincerity should be met with a hundred percent sincerity. If I couldn't offer that, I should let Cecil give up sooner and find someone who could truly treat him with the sincerity he deserves. Seeing that she couldn't persuade me, Elissa sighed and changed the topic. "By the way, let's have dinner at the usual place tonight."

The usa

usual place

ace Elissa mentioned was a private club we frequented. I clicked my tongue, "Isn't that a bit extravagant?"

Elissa smiled. "Don't worry, it's on me."

I was shocked. "You've hit the jackpot?"

"In a manner of speaking." Elissa replied, standing up with a playful smile, her bright red lips curving. Ivan Garcia gave me a breakup fee. I didn't want it, but he put it all on my club card. Since I couldn't return it, I might as well use it to treat everyone."

I grinned. "Okay, thanks, Miss Wilson, for giving us a taste of the high life.-

With dinner on my mind, I left the office at live in the evening

Elissa and I each had our own car, making it easy to transport everyone, though we still found ourselves caught in rush hour traffic. By the time we arrived at the club, Cecil was already there.

Seeing me rushing, Cecil gently supported me, reminding me, "Be careful. It just rained, and the ground is slippery. Don't twist your ankle again."

I smiled lightly. "We arranged to have dinner, and I made you wait. I'm so sorry."

Cecil shook his head. "Why are you being so formal with me?"

"Im not." I denied it with a smile.

Elista quickly confirmed our private room with the server and led everyone inside. As we passed by the restroom, I said, "You go ahead, I need to use

the restroom."

Emerging from the restroom, I walked past a private room and caught loud, teasing voices through the slightly ajar door. Someone said, "You're really something. Who sends so many flowers for an opening? 999 bouquets! Are you confessing or proposing?"

I stopped abruptly.

The conversation seemed to be about Daniel's flowers from this morning.

Another voice jumped in, dripping with mockery. "Not to rag on you, buddy, but if you're going to pull such a grand gesture, don't go hiding behind

23

Chapter 156: Are You Regretting it

someone elser

He continued, "Since you're already making these bold moves, why not just come clean with her? Relationships are about facing things together. Come on, our situation isn't that dire. If you're worried about complications, just send her abroad. If she doesn't want to go, maybe it's time for a serious conversation about your future."

"Shut up." A cold, stern voice cut through the chatter, followed by indistinct sounds from inside the room, muffling the rest of the conversation.

But that voice-it sounded oddly familiar!

Instinctively, I reached out and grabbed the door handle, pushing it open from the outside.

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