?Chapter 975:


    The phrase “extra bold” stuck with Ethan, reying in his head. Brenna turned heads everywhere, even on an ordinary day. Since she’d gone to such effort today with her makeup, was she meeting a man?


    Without another word, Ethan turned and stepped into the elevator, his mood sour.


    Left behind, Lorna let out a sigh and settled back at her desk, while Greta left to grab lunch with the others.


    As soon as the office emptied, Lorna typed out a quick message to Brenna.


    “Brenna, Mr. Mitchell is probably on his way to find you. I told him, as you instructed, that you went for lunch nearby, but I didn’t mention which restaurant.”


    Brenna’s reply came right away. “Got it.”


    Brenna nced at her phone as the screen lit up. This was the fifth time Ethan had called her, and she simply let it ring until it disconnected automatically.


    “Excuse me, are you Miss Harper?” A shadow fell across her table as a tall man approached, his demeanor polite.


    Looking up, Brenna took in his refined style—ck wool coat, id scarf, and theposed manner her mother had promised.


    She rose from her seat, offering a friendly greeting. “That’s right, I’m Brenna Harper. You must be Darwin, right?”


    Brenna had a good impression of Darwin Atkinson. A recent graduate with a master’s degree from Northride University in Orwall, he had returned to the country not long ago and was now working at a financial firm, earning an annual sry of around three million. Both of his parents had decent jobs. While his background didn’t quite measure up to the Harper family’s status, Darwin’s appearance, calm confidence, and charming demeanor checked all of Brenna’s boxes.


    A rare smile curved across her lips as she gestured to the seat across from her. “Please, take a seat. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve already ordered some dishes. I hope they suit your taste. If not, feel free to let me know, and we can order something else.”


    Darwin smiled back and eased into the chair. He unwound his scarf and set it aside with practiced grace. Catching a warm look in his eyes, Brenna felt herself rx. Even if Ethan were still in the picture, she would have found Darwin appealing.


    “My apologies if I kept you waiting, Miss Harper. A gentleman should be the first to arrive. The meal’s on me,” he said.


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    He was polite and gentlemanly, and Brenna’s impression of him improved even further.


    “I heard your father works in the police department?” Brenna asked, not particrly skilled at small talk with men and simply picking a topic at random.


    “That’s right,” Darwin replied. “He’s at the Shirie Police Department; he’s good at what he does. If you ever need a favor from him, don’t hesitate to ask me for help. Big or small, I’ll help however I can.” He ced his phone facedown, leaning in to talk to her with attentive focus.


    The gesture wasn’t lost on Brenna. She felt respected.


    “My mom’s with the city government. You might’ve seen her on the news before,” he added, showing Brenna a family photo on his phone.


    Recognition flickered as Brenna spotted the familiar face—Shirie’s deputy mayor, who also served as the honorary president at the university. No wonder Giselle had mentioned that this man was the son of one of her colleagues. Darwin pointed to…


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