?Chapter 493:


    Kristian had no trouble seeing right through Gerard, yet when it came to Freya, he seemedpletely clueless.


    Kristian’s frustration boiled over. “You seem pretty confident now; is it because I didn’t cut your bonusst time?”


    “No, you got me wrong,” Gerard replied, knowing it was important to maintain respect with his boss. “I just feel unfortunate about you and Ms. Briggs. You two seemed like such a great pair, and now you’re not together.”


    Kristian let out a coldugh that sent a chill through the air.


    Gerard nearly winced; thatugh was unsettling.


    “Didn’t you tell me I didn’t deserve her?” Kristian said coldly.


    “Sometimes, to lift your spirits, a few white lies are necessary,” Gerard replied, bold as ever.


    He had always been well-treated by his boss.


    Though Kristian often threatened to cut his bonus, he invariably gave it over in the end. This leniency emboldened Gerard to speak freely, often with humor.


    Kristian let out an exasperatedugh.


    He hadn’t imagined Gerard’s knack for annoying him could rival Freya’s. “That must be hard on you.”


    “Not in the slightest,” Gerard countered.


    “I’m being sarcastic.” Kristian nced at him.


    Gerard kept his smile, wisely choosing to remain silent.


    For the next thirty minutes, they stayed quiet until something urred to Kristian, prompting him to ask, “If you were seeking a boyfriend, would you go for someone who has nothing whatsoever to offer you?”


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    Gerard looked confused. A boyfriend? If they hadn’t been on a ne, Gerard would have thought his boss was talking to someone on a call. Pointing at himself in disbelief, Gerard cautiously asked, “Are you talking to me?”


    “Who else could I be talking to?” Kristian retorted.


    “I’m interested in women only,” Gerard stated, trying to maintain hisposure. “I’m not the right person to answer that.”


    Kristian exined, “I wanted you to look at it from a woman’s perspective.”


    “I’m a man, though.”


    What did it mean to look at it from a woman’s perspective? He wasn’t a woman, so how could he truly know what women thought? Was there a misunderstanding his boss had about him?


    Kristian ceased the conversation and shut his eyes to rest.


    Gerard, initially grumbling about Kristian in his thoughts, soon understood the key point Kristian was trying to make.


    Was Kristian hinting at something about his rtionship with Freya? Gerard thought about probing further but noticed Kristian had already settled in to sleep. After some thought, he chose not to bother him. In the days that followed, Kristian and Gerard smoothly wrapped up their negotiation on the partnership.


    Despite his personal distractions, Kristian maintained hisposure throughout the negotiations, handling each aspect in a calm and assured manner, ultimately securing a sessful deal.


    For Freya, however, things weren’t as smooth.


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