?Chapter 953:


    Frustration flickered in Gracie’s eyes. She had spent a lot of effort persuading Ethan, who never had a moment to spare, to join her on this outing. Though a secretary could handle such things, she had used it as an excuse to spend time with him and get closer to him.


    Everything had been going ording to n until Brenna appeared unexpectedly and ruined it all.


    She could only watch as Ethan ced his hand on Brenna’s shoulder, a gentle smile meant only for Brenna. It was the kind of look she had never received from him.


    Despite knowing Ethan for ages, Gracie couldn’t understand why he seemed drawn to Brenna. Masking her frustration, she gripped the earring and walked over, maintaining an elegant smile.


    “Miss Harper! I never expected to run into you here!” Gracie said with exaggerated cheer, showing the earring to Brenna. “Please, do not get the wrong idea. I only asked Ethan to help me shop for gifts today. I’m still learning the ropes as Vand’s new CEO and don’t know my way around yet. Even for something as ordinary as gift shopping, I needed his help. He was kind-hearted enough to take time out from work just for me. I really do feel bad for pulling him away from his responsibilities. I hope you don’t misunderstand anything.”


    Gracie turned to Ethan and added, “Isn’t that right, Ethan?”


    She knew how women usually thought. In her view, a man shopping with someone who wasn’t his girlfriend was nothing short of a betrayal. She believed Brenna would get angry with Ethan. Maybe she would even be furious enough to confront him in front of everyone, causing a scene that would leave him feeling embarrassed.


    Brenna caught a glimpse of Ethan’s icy expression. He clearly wasn’t pleased by anything Gracie had just said. For a long time, Gracie had always hovered near him, her interest in him obvious, and only after Ethan rejected her did she finally start to keep some distance from him.


    Their interaction had increased recently. At first, Ethan had paid no mind to it, but now, he sensed that Gracie might have hidden motives.


    Arriving in Vand as the new CEO for the Wilson Group couldn’t be Gracie’s only reason for being here. There was likely more to it.


    Ethan gave a small nod, confirming Gracie’s words.


    Stay tuned for more g??lnoνe??s.c?m


    It did not matter that he hadn’t agreed immediately when Gracie had asked him to help her; the point was, he was here now, joining Gracie on a jewelry shopping trip, something anyone could misunderstand, and Brenna had caught the whole thing.


    What good would his exnation do anyway?


    Still, wanting to set the record straight, he turned to Brenna and said, “I’m not here to help her buy anything personal. She’s picking out gifts for thepany staff.”


    After a pause, he continued, “This shop has affordable and stylish pieces, ideal forpany presents. What you’ve been eyeing earlier is much more personal, better for loved ones, not employees.”


    The message was simple: he was not close to Gracie.


    But Brenna raised her eyebrows. “Is that so? I thought you didn’t have a spare minute these days. How do you manage to squeeze in time for a shopping trip? Wouldn’t it make more sense for her secretary to handle this?”


    Searching for the right words, Ethan exined, “She insisted on choosing the gifts herself. I tried to talk her out of it, but she said her secretary has no eye for these things. She wanted to make a strong impression on everyone at work by doing this personally.”


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