Free Web NovelChapter 112: Chapter 112 Business Meetings
Sylvia’s POV
The worst of it was finally behind me.
The company stock had started to crawl its way back up—slow and cautious, like a cat coming out from under a bed.
The online smear campaign that once felt inescapable was now fizzling out, the hashtags dying off like a failed trend.
For the first time in weeks, I could breathe without checking headlines.
My phone buzzed on the counter, and when Noah’s name popped up on the screen, I didn’t even have to fake the smile that tugged at my lips.
"Hey, Noah," I answered, trying for casual, though there was still a hint of fatigue threading through my voice.
"Hi, Sylvia." His voice came through warm and steady, like chamomile tea on a bad day.
That familiar, velvety calm that made everything feel just a little less sharp around the edges. "I’ve been meaning to call... I just didn’t want to add to the chaos. You holding up okay?"
I smiled, even though he couldn’t see it. "I’m fine. Really."
I said it with the kind of practiced confidence that came from surviving one too many PR nightmares.
"That’s all behind me now. You don’t have to worry—I’m not exactly the fragile type."
There was a pause, and when he spoke again, his voice was softer, like he was talking to his little sister or maybe a stray dog he didn’t want to scare off.
"That’s good to hear. I’ve been thinking about you. It’s been... a lot."
I let out a short laugh. "Tell me about it. But seriously, you can take all that online crap with a grain of salt. Most of it’s just background noise."
"Oh, I know better than to trust the internet’s opinion of anyone," he said, a small smile in his tone. Then, after a beat, his voice shifted—lighter, a little more hopeful. "So, um... I was wondering—would you want to grab dinner tonight? Melody’s been asking about you."
That caught me off guard.
I blinked, surprised at the tightness in my chest.
We hadn’t spent much time together, but she remembered me—and that meant more than I expected.
"She remembers me?" I asked, more touched than I cared to admit.
"She misses you," he said simply.
"She remembers me?" I asked, more touched than I cared to admit.
"She misses you," he said simply.
I hesitated, my fingers tightening around the edge of the countertop.
"I miss sweet little Melody too," I said regretfully, "but I have some business this afternoon, and I’m not sure when it will wrap up. Let’s plan dinner for another time, okay?"
There was a pause. One of those quiet, polite silences that somehow managed to feel loud.
"Of course," he said finally, the disappointment barely hidden beneath his easy tone. "Work comes first. I get it."
"I promise we’ll set something up soon," I added quickly. "Tell Melody I said hi—and she can name the restaurant next time."
He chuckled. "Dangerous offer. She’s going through a ’pancakes for dinner’ phase." fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
"I can live with that," I smiled. "Talk soon, Noah."
"Yeah. Take care, Sylvia."
The call ended, and I stared at the screen for a moment longer than necessary.
I genuinely liked Noah and his sister, but today wasn’t just any business meeting.
I had to visit Vertex with our project manager to finalize details on the partnership that had been put on hold due to those vicious rumors.
With the gossip finally dying down, it was time to get back to business.
—
Lay was practically vibrating when I stepped into the lobby—like a human espresso shot in business-casual.
He hovered awkwardly, clearly torn between offering a handshake or just passing out from excitement. It was... weirdly adorable.
In a way that made me want to both pat his head and ask if he needed a paper bag to breathe into.
I extended my hand first, saving us both the secondhand embarrassment.
"You’re Lay, right?" I said with a polite smile. "I’ve heard about you. You’re running point on Frostline’s end of the project. Meticulous. Detail-obsessed. My kind of overachiever."
Lay’s eyes went comically wide, and he clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Oh my Moon Goddess, I can’t believe I’m meeting the actual Sylvia Frost in person. I’m— I mean, I’m your biggest fan!"
I blinked. Okay, that was... a lot.
He looked instantly horrified by his own words. "Sorry—God, that sounded weird. I meant... you’re kind of a legend around here. This project? I only got to lead it because you closed the deal. People talk."
Well. That tracked.
I let out a soft laugh. "Relax. You’re not the first person to make me sound like a corporate cryptid."
He flushed so hard I thought his ears might combust.
"I appreciate the enthusiasm," I said, shifting into Alpha Mode. "But enough with the fangirling. I trust you’ve got this under control. We’re all working toward the same goal: a clean, successful delivery. No drama, no surprises."
Lay nodded so fast I worried he might give himself whiplash. "Absolutely! 100 percent. You can count on me."
"Good," I said, already walking toward the elevator. "When we get to Vertex, remember—professionalism first. They don’t care about excitement. They care about execution."
He scrambled to follow. "Yes, ma’am. I mean—Ms.Frost. Yes. Got it."
I could tell he’d probably rehearsed all night for this meeting.
His determination reminded me a bit of myself three years ago, when I’d first started my elaborate plan to win over Zane.
When we arrived at Vertex’s imposing glass headquarters, we were immediately greeted at the entrance.
The familiar front desk staff offered their practiced corporate smiles.
"Ms.Frost ?" A sleek, well-dressed receptionist approached us as soon as we entered the lobby.
Lay looked slightly overwhelmed beside me. The VIP treatment was clearly making him nervous.
I nodded politely. "Yes, that’s me. We have a meeting scheduled with your project manager. Could you let them know we’ve arrived?"
"Of course," the receptionist replied with practiced efficiency.
After a brief wait, we were escorted to the elevators.
When the doors opened on the executive floor, I froze momentarily at the sight of a familiar figure surrounded by a group of people.
My wolf instantly recognized him – that commanding presence, the powerful aura that made everyone around him defer instinctively.
Caesar Conrad, the Wolf King himself, was standing at the end of the hallway. My mate. My Alpha.
And from the way his head snapped toward me the moment I stepped off the elevator, his wolf had sensed mine too.
