“Did you guys see the way Mr. Hanson was looking at Reba just now? That was definitely something different,” someone whispered.
“Same here,” someone else agreed immediately.
Another said, “Honestly, I bet Mr. Hanson showed up just for Reba. I mean, someone like him–whose every minute is worth a fortune–wouldn’t waste his time on the rest of us.”
Lisa, ever the gossip, leaned in eagerly. She asked, “Reba, you really didn’t know Mr. Hanson before <b>all </b>this?
Reba stayed poker–faced as she replied, “Nope.”
Lisa and the others shot each other skeptical looks–they definitely didn’t believe her. But since Reba obviously didn’t want to talk about it, they let the topic drop.
Jane nced at her phone and then said, “Alright, after dinner, everyone’s on their own. If you want to rest, go ahead. If you want to hang out, head to the entertainment area.”
“Got it, Jane,” the group responded in unison, then settled back into their meals.
About five minutester, Derek came back. He couldn’t stop smiling ever since Jeffrey arrived, and now he made no effort to hide his curiosity as he looked right at Reba.
He asked, “Reba, is there something between you and Mr. Hanson that we don’t know about?”
Everyone at the table paused and turned their attention to Reba, their actions slowing down.
Reba sighed inwardly, clearly annoyed, and repeated once more, “No.”
Derek grinned and teased, “Well, maybe you two will have something going on after today. The way Mr. Hanson was eyeing you just nowe on, he was totally into you.”
Lisa nodded like crazy. She said, “Seriously, same here.”
Someone else chimed in, “You know, maybe Mr. Hanson only came to Primey Technologies because of Reba. She just started, and suddenly he shows up.”
With that said, everyone was openly staring at Reba, making their curiosity obvious.
Reba was a total knockout–creamy skin, stunning features, and a natural grace that made her stand out effortlessly. Anyone meeting her for the first time just had to sneak a second look.
Derek said, “Go for it, Reba–see if you cannd Mr. Hanson. Bag a guy like him and you’re set for life. No need to stress or hustle ever again.”
Reba froze<b>, </b>her fork halfway to her mouth, thatst remark really getting under her skin. She looked up, about to retort, but Jane jumped in first.
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Jane said, “Derek, you really haven’t changed–you still love projecting your own ideas onto everyone.”
Derek said, “Hey, I was just thinking about Reba’s future.”
Jane fired back without missing a beat. She said, “Seriously, do you even know Mr. Hanson? Besides being the CEO of the Hanson Group and that good–looking face we all see, like, does anyone know what he’s actually like? What are his hobbies?<b>” </b>
Derek cleared his throat, trying to y it cool. He said, “Okay, it was just a joke.”
Jane didn’t let up. She snapped, “It’s only a joke if the person you’re teasing finds it funny. Otherwise, you’re just causing unnecessary drama and making things weird for everyone.”
“Jane!” Derek huffed, looking kind of flustered. Getting put on the spot like that in front of everyone- especially as a guy–was seriously bruising his pride.
Jane just stared him down, cool andposed as ever.
The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Reba felt her heart glow with warmth–she was just about to jump in and lighten the mood, when Jane gently tapped her arm, giving her a look that said, “Don’t say anything.”
Jane pressed, “Derek, that joke was seriously out of line. Are you saying Reba would justtch onto any guy with a fat wallet?<b>” </b>
From Reba’s other side, E Barton chimed in, “Derek, your mindset is way too small. Why chase after rich guys when we can be the rich ones ourselves? And let’s be real, those younger guys in their twenties are a total
treat.”
The rest of the girls chimed in immediately,ughing and agreeing, “Exactly!”
Derek threw his hands up, clearly cornered. He said, “Alright, I know I put my foot in my mouth. I’ll apologize to Reba right here, okay? No hard feelings.” He finished speaking and knocked back his drink in one swift gulp.
E eximed, “Damn, Derek–impressive. You’ve got some serious drinking skills.”
Everyone rxed, and the tension finally lifted from the room. The little sh between Derek and Jane disappeared without a trace.
Derek grinned and teased, “Come on, just one drink and you call that drinking skills?”
E clinked her ss against his, grinning widely, She said, “I’m not just talking about your drinking; what I respect is your courage to take responsibility and fix a problem when it crops up. That deserves a toast.”
Just like that, the mood warmed up again, and everyone started chatting happily.
Watching everyone speak up on her behalf, Reba felt a wave of warmth and gratitude settle in her heart, mingling with a tangle of emotions she couldn’t quite name.
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It dawned on Reba then–having been cherished and sheltered all her life, first by Amelia andter by Jeffrey, she was worlds apart from girls like E when it came to navigating real–world rtionships and social situations. She realized she had so much to learn.
E leaned in and whispered, “Don’t dwell on Derek’s words. He’s just the type who can’t help running his mouth.”
“Thanks,” Reba replied, genuinely.
Eughed, tapping her ss to Reba’s juice. Her eyes shone with good–natured cheer as she replied, “No need for that. When we’re out in the world, girls looking out for each other–it’s just how things should be, right?”
Reba understood that nothing in this world should ever be taken for granted.
E had stood up for her, not out of obligation, but simply because that was the kind of person she was: gentle, kind, and always ready to stand up for what was right.
Dinner dragged on for more than an hour before it finally ended. Reba and the other girls had ducked out early, leaving Derek and a few guys lingering at the table with their drinks.
At first, they discussed the project’s progress, but before long, they were back to gossiping about Reba again.
Derek said, “I’m telling you, Mr. Hanson totally came here just for Reba. Bet he saw how gorgeous she is and couldn’t help himself–probably hoping to hook up with her.”
One of the guys at the table agreed. “Yeah, Reba’s seriously stunning.”
Derek rambled on, getting looser with each drink. He said, “Reba acts like she hates it when I talk about this stuff, but who knows what’s actually going on in her head?
“Maybe she’s already working out a n tond a guy like Mr. Hanson and secure herself for life.”
“But isn’t Mr. Hanson married?<b>” </b>someone asked.
Derek said, “So what if he is? A guy with his money and status? It’s totally normal to have a couple of side pieces. If you were loaded like him, do you honestly think you’d stick to just one woman forever?”
One dude snorted, “No way, man. If I had his kind of cash, I’d be partying harder than anyone.”
Someone else insisted, dead serious, “I’d stay loyal.”
Derek cracked up at that. He said, “Please, only chickens say that. If you got crazy rich, bro, let’s see if you could actually keep that promise.”
Reba heard every word, not missing a beat as she quietly caught the whole conversation. She knew people were different, sure–but watching these guys y perfect gentlemen in public and run their mouths the second the door shut left her stomach in knots.
Growing up, Reba had seen every brand of trust–fund train–wreck–at least those guys <b>never </b>hid it.
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Everyone knew they were just ying, no fake strings, no hearts on the line. But these office types? Perfect smiles up top, ankle–deep thoughts underneath.
“Forget about them,” Jane said as she came over for water and spotted Reba listening in. She said, “People like that just pass through your life–you don’t need to let a bunch of nobodies mess with your mood.”
Reba nodded and said, “Thanks for sticking up for me today.”
If Jane hadn’t stood up for her, Reba knew she would’ve gone off on those guys and ended up starting some major drama. She knew sometimes she had to bite her tongue, but stuff like that–she just couldn’t let it slide.
Jane just shed her a small smile, choosing to keep quiet about the message she’d gotten from Jeffrey. All she said was, “I’m your team lead–of course I’m gonna look out for you.”
I