Free Web NovelChapter 76: Chapter 76: Perfect for Cooling Off
###Chapter 76: Perfect for Cooling Down
Ethan Hawthorne stretched out a long arm, his hand clasping her slender waist and pulling her against him. His voice was low and magnetic. "You handled that beautifully. So beautifully, in fact, that I feel like I’d be letting Mrs. Hawthorne’s brilliant counterattack go to waste if I didn’t play along right away."
A persistent smile was wrapped in his deep voice as his thumb caressed the delicate skin of her lower back. "So, perhaps I should cling to you right now and make myself guilty as charged of demanding dessert?"
Instead of retreating, Maxine Rhodes pressed closer. Her fingertips hooked his tie, slowly winding it around her finger as her red lips brushed against his ear. "Want dessert? There’s some in the fridge."
"Perfect for... cooling down."
Before he could respond, she deftly slipped from his embrace, the corners of her eyes curving into a seductive arc. "Good night, Mr. Hawthorne."
Ethan Hawthorne stood frozen, his tie loosened by her touch, a dark look swirling in the depths of his eyes.
’Damn! She’ll be the death of me!’
In the end, he could only resign himself to his fate, yanking off his tie and storming into the bathroom with a clenched jaw.
On the other end of the line, Lydia Thorne let out a shriek after receiving the reply that had utterly humiliated her, and she violently smashed her phone onto the floor.
The next morning, a radiant Maxine Rhodes walked into the office and happened upon a haggard-looking Lydia Thorne in the breakroom, her face pale and her eyes bearing heavy, dark circles.
Maxine Rhodes, holding a cup of coffee, sauntered over. A knowing smile played on her lips as she spoke in a concerned tone, "Good morning, Vice President Thorne. Oh my, those dark circles... Did you not sleep well last night? Don’t tell me your collaboration talks with Mr. Hawthorne didn’t go smoothly?"
Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Lydia Thorne snapped her head up. Suppressing her inner humiliation, she forced a stiff, confident smile. "Director Rhodes, you’re overthinking things. My communication with Ethan has always been seamless. We just talked a little late last night, that’s all."
Maxine Rhodes watched her, seeing how she’d rather suffer in silence than lose face. She didn’t call her out on it, just smiled meaningfully. "That’s good to hear. I look forward to Vice President Thorne’s good news."
With that, she turned and gracefully walked away. freewebnσvel.cøm
Back at her desk, Maxine Rhodes immediately threw herself into her work.
She paid no mind to Lydia Thorne, focusing on perfecting her bid proposal for the Celestia brand. She knew that real opportunities are always won through strength and ability.
In the afternoon, with her proposal ready, Maxine Rhodes reported to the administration department that she was leaving to visit a client, then drove straight to the Hawthorne Group.
The magnificent ground-floor lobby was so polished you could see your reflection, and business elites hurried to and fro.
She walked up to the front desk. Just as she stated her name and purpose, a steady male voice came from behind and to her side. "Director Rhodes, this way, please."
Maxine Rhodes turned around. It was Erza Sinclair.
He wore a professional, respectful smile.
"Special Assistant Sinclair," Maxine Rhodes acknowledged with a slight nod.
"Mr. Hawthorne and the other department heads are already waiting in the conference room. Please follow me." Erza Sinclair turned to the side to lead the way, bypassing the standard visitor check-in process and heading directly for the president’s private elevator.
The two of them were alone in the elevator. Erza Sinclair stood by the door, his gaze fixed forward, but it was as if he had eyes in the back of his head. The moment the doors slid shut, he delivered a precise report: "Mr. Hawthorne is in a good mood today. He had an extra half-cup of coffee with breakfast, and before the meeting, he personally checked three times to ensure the conference room’s air conditioning was set to a comfortable temperature."
The tips of Maxine Rhodes’s ears grew warm, but her expression remained impassive.
The elevator went straight to the top floor. Erza Sinclair guided her toward the conference room. Before pushing open the heavy double doors, he paused briefly and leaned in to remind her in a low voice, "Director Rhodes, Mr. Hawthorne mentioned this morning that the connection cable for the backup projector in the conference room seems to be a bit faulty."
He glanced at the port near Ethan Hawthorne’s hand at the head of the table—a port that showed no visible sign of any problem. freewēbnoveℓ.com
Maxine Rhodes understood instantly. He was telling her that if she needed to switch devices during her presentation, she would have to go over to Ethan Hawthorne to do it.
"Thank you for the tip, Special Assistant Sinclair."
She took a deep breath, composed herself, and walked into the conference room with a professional and pleasant smile.
Inside, several people were already seated around the long conference table, including a few key executives from Celestia’s brand department.
At the head of the table, Ethan Hawthorne was looking down at a document. He looked up at the sound of the door opening.
Their eyes met across the room.
Ethan Hawthorne’s gaze was deep, holding the same calm composure of a business tycoon, but Maxine Rhodes keenly caught the flicker of tenderness in his eyes.
She was dressed in a sharp, charcoal-gray suit. The well-tailored blazer cinched her waist, and the silk top underneath its V-neckline shimmered like a pearl. Her glistening eyes were clear and determined.
Ethan Hawthorne’s fingertips tapped lightly on the smooth surface of the table.
’So this is what she looks like in a suit,’ he thought. ’Sharp, confident, with a charm all her own.’
’As expected of my wife. She looks good in anything.’
"Director Rhodes, please have a seat."
He spoke in his usual low, steady voice, betraying no personal emotion.
"Thank you, Mr. Hawthorne." Maxine Rhodes gracefully took the reserved seat for guests at the head of the table, placing her diagonally across from him.
The meeting began. Maxine Rhodes stood up, walked to the front, and began presenting her proposal. Her professional explanations, innovative ideas, and precise data earned frequent nods from everyone present.
Sure enough, just as she was about to present a key set of comparative data, the main projector flickered and the image froze.
"My apologies," Maxine Rhodes said, her expression unchanged. Her gaze swept over the room before landing naturally on Ethan Hawthorne. "Mr. Hawthorne, is the backup port the one next to you?"
"Mm," Ethan Hawthorne grunted in acknowledgment, leaning back slightly to give her some space.
Maxine Rhodes walked over and leaned down to connect her laptop. The distance between them closed in an instant. Her light, fresh scent wafted around him, and he could even see the faint shadow cast by her long lashes as she looked down.
The hand he had under the table tightened, his knuckles clenching slightly.
Maxine Rhodes could feel his gaze on the side of her face, hot and focused.
She forced herself to remain calm as she worked, but her fingertips burned. The connection was successful. Just as she was about to straighten up, Ethan Hawthorne suddenly reached out. Seemingly at random, he steadied the cable that was about to slip, his fingertips brushing against the back of her hand in the process.
A tiny jolt of electricity shot through her.
Maxine Rhodes’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly pulled her hand back and straightened up, her face still wearing a perfect, professional smile. "Thank you, Mr. Hawthorne."
"You’re welcome." Ethan Hawthorne’s reply was equally businesslike.
The rest of the presentation went even more smoothly, and Maxine Rhodes’s proposal ultimately won the sincere admiration of the Celestia team.
When the meeting concluded, the brand director enthusiastically exchanged contact information with Maxine Rhodes, saying he looked forward to their future collaboration.
Everyone gradually left the conference room. Maxine Rhodes began packing up her things as well.
Ethan Hawthorne remained seated at the head of the table. He didn’t move until only the two of them and Erza Sinclair, standing in the corner, were left in the room. Then he spoke, his voice a few degrees softer than before. "The proposal was excellent."
Maxine Rhodes looked up and met his smiling eyes. The composure she had maintained during the presentation melted away slightly, replaced by a hint of private, playful complaint. "With Mr. Hawthorne himself overseeing things, how could I dare give anything less than my best?"
Ethan Hawthorne let out a low chuckle. He stood up, took the heavy laptop bag from her hands, and passed it to Erza Sinclair, who was standing behind him.
"Good work," he said, looking down at her, his voice low and pleasant. "I had Erza book a restaurant. Care to join me for a casual dinner?"
