Chapter 49: Handsome Devil And His Methods

The meeting lasted an hour, and I jotted down key points of the discussion. I later updated them on the server as a notice so that everyone knew how much time we had to complete the necessary tasks.

The Winter Gala was scheduled for mid-December, and Alpha Kane was scheduled to appear on the runway. It always inspired the crowd and boosted sales when Alpha walked the runway. The suit he wore was usually the season’s bestseller. He had a knack for creating style statements, and I was confident that this season would be no exception.

When the meeting ended and everyone left, Alpha Kane held me back. Leaning on the table, he crossed his muscular arms over his chest and turned to me.

Today, his honey eyes glowed with passion, not their usual somber glimmer. His playfulness was hard to miss.

"We need to call our mysterious assistant and thank her. Do it right now."

’Was he testing us?’ Nova surprised.

’He definitely was. That handsome devil and his methods.’ I rolled my eyes.

"Of course, sir," I replied without hesitation. Alpha might suspect something, and my reluctance would only encourage him to investigate further.

I extended my hand, expecting his phone, but he merely shook his head. Beautiful strands of hair fell across his forehead, adorning it.

"Do it from the phone. Introduce yourself, and I’ll talk. It’ll be more businesslike. Besides, we might need him again. I want you to establish direct contact with him, and perhaps we could collaborate with his company in the future. I don’t want to lose such a valuable asset."

Alpha’s words made sense, and deep down, I was glad, because that was one of my intentions to make his company our trading partner. But after getting to know him better, I realized how smart he was, and this could all be another test of my relationship with this man.

’He, of course, had his doubts. Alpha must be angry, because we didn’t move into his palace.’ Nova was suspicious.

’Maybe, asshole Alpha didn’t want to listen. ’NO.’ I muttered.

"Of course, sir." Taking out my phone, I quickly deleted my father’s number so that his name wouldn’t appear when I dialed. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my palms were clammy and sweaty.

"May I have the number?" I looked up at asshole Alpha. He was watching me closely like a wolf. Calm and collected, not a hair off his balance, but I was already panicking.

He recited my mother’s number with ease. The man with the honey for eyes remembered it. Alpha Kane always surprised me, or maybe I was too lazy to remember.

Opening the phone keypad, I dialed the number and turned down the speaker volume so that when Dad answered, his voice wouldn’t leak out.

I waited for him to pick up, holding the phone to my ear. Wolf’s piercing gaze and raised eyebrows were fixed on me, as if I were robbing a bank, tying him to the table instead of simply calling.

Dad picked up, and before he could say anything, I began:

"Hello, sir, I am Mr. Sterling’s secretary. He is here with me..." I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your assistance.

My father was smart and understood why I was saying this.

"Hello! I hope the package has been received and the goods meet the required standards," he said softly, a hint of detachment in his voice.

I glanced at asshole Alpha, who nodded and extended his hand. I knew he wanted to check whether the number that appeared on the screen was still unknown or already saved in my phone.

I happily handed him my phone, which he calmly took and held to his ear.

"Good evening, how should I address you?" he asked respectfully, his onyx eyes never leaving mine.

***

Kane

I was perfectly aware that I was talking to Zara’s father, Legan. Since she wanted to keep it all a secret, I decided to pretend I didn’t notice. But I wanted to see how she handled it.

Zara could have been a poker pro; she controlled her facial expressions perfectly.

Surprise, nervousness, and anxiety, she hid them all, masterfully conversing with her father, pretending not to know her.

She surprised me, as I was expecting to make her sweat a little. But this Phoenix exceeded all my expectations.

Taking her phone, I noticed that she had even deleted her father’s number from her contacts before calling.

Clever, I liked that, and my lips twitched into a smile, reacting to her wit, but I held back.

"Thank you for the prompt delivery. We did a quick inspection, and the quality of the cotton was more than satisfactory. How much do I owe you?"

I intended to pay more than he asked, knowing the price would be slightly above market value due to how quickly he delivered it. The cotton arrived, and the delivery team refused to give us their names. The packaging was deliberately empty, so as not to reveal the sender.

Zara slowly chewed her lower lip, but her gaze was fixed on me. I guessed she was watching and assessing my conversation with her mother without revealing it.

"You owe me nothing, Alpha Kane. Let’s consider this a favor from someone who deeply cares about your company’s reputation. Perhaps we can work together in the future." He surprised me and hinted at a collaboration.

Straightening up, I walked away from the desk I’d been leaning against, shoving my free hand into my pocket.

"I’d like to shake hands with a reputable company, but I don’t know anything about either of them yet. Regarding payment, I don’t like accepting anything for free; it’s not my style, so if there’s any way I can repay, I’d be grateful."

There was a pause on the other end of the line before he finally spoke.

"If you believe in charity, there’s an organization you can donate to, whatever you can. I’ll pass the details on to your secretary, so consider the payment complete. Have a nice day, Alpha Sterling."

The line ended there. I noticed he’d used my last name, but I preferred to be called by my first name, and everyone at the company knew that.

Turning around, I handed the phone back to Zara. She was smiling.