Filed To Story: Finding the Secret Daddy for My Baby Novel
Shirley looked back and saw Imogen, thereafter nodding her head in greeting.
Imogen immediately smiled and nodded as well, hiding any emotions deep inside her.
Imogen’s smile disappeared as she watched Shirley accompany Zacharias into the lobby while she could only stand next to the bodyguard’s car and wait for orders.
The difference in treatment made her feel unjust. Shirley followed Zacharias to his office door, and he told her, “Come on in.” And so, she entered with him as he turned around to order Freddie, “Two cups of tea.” Then, Freddie asked an assistant to send the tea in while Zacharias sat on his chair, looking serious and confident, radiating a charismatic aura.
The assistant brought the cups in and placed one before Zacharias and the other in front of Shirley before leaving. Zacharias looked up and told Shirley, “Sit. You don’t need to be so tense here.” “I’m here to work, not enjoy my time.” Shirley didn’t accept his preferential treatment.
He looked at her helplessly and didn’t push it anymore. After a moment, Freddie entered and led Zacharias out for a meeting. Then, Shirley followed him and saw him seated in the middle of a grand couch while chatting politely with a few foreign guests.
She watched the poised man exude a sense of dominance, causing the guests to treat him with respect.
He would occasionally look at her with a hint of a smile in his gaze, and she felt as if her mind would wander if she met his eyes. His smile could easily make one lose their mind, so she decided to fix her gaze somewhere else and not in his direction.
During lunchtime, Zacharias had to eat with the guests while Shirley ate with Freddie, who was welcoming toward her.
“Miss Lloyd, I think you don’t need to stand on stage with Mr. Flintstone during the speech later, Freddie commented.
“Why?” “You’ll distract him during the speech,” he stated. She blinked her eyes in confusion. So, he explained with a smile, “You know that Mr. Flintstone likes you, right?” Shirley’s face burned. “What does this have to do with me standing beside him on stage?” “Obviously, he needs to focus on the speech, and you’ll distract him if you stand beside him,” Freddie said matter-of-factly. Even though Shirley felt that wasn’t possible, she still nodded. “Alright. I’ll stand below the stage, then.” “Captain Barlowe has arranged for someone to stand beside Mr. Flintstone, so you needn’t worry. We’ve made sufficient arrangements this time. Nothing will happen.” Shirley nodded. “Okay.” Of course, she would trust in Roy’s capabilities.
After the meal, Zacharias needed some rest, and Shirley stood guard outside his office door. Then, he suddenly opened the door and told her, “Come in.” “Is there a problem?” she asked, to which he answered, “Yes.” And so, Shirley entered his office, only to hear him shut the door and lock it. She was stunned and glared at him. Why did he lock the door?
“Just to avoid people disturbing our rest,” Zacharias explained. She raised a brow at that. “But people will misunderstand.” “Misunderstand what?” he asked knowingly. Seeing the tiredness on his face, she relented as she wanted him to do well in the speech in the afternoon.
“Alright, alright. You can go ahead and rest. I’ll be here.” Zacharias, however, suddenly grabbed her wrist. “Have a nap together.” Shirley was pulled to the couch on the side, and he sat down, bringing her into his embrace. “Zacharias, be serious!” Shirley was furious as she struggled to get up from his lap. He looked up and grinned evilly. “Can’t help it. I can’t act seriously in front of you.” She couldn’t do anything else, so she muttered, “Go to sleep then! I’ll be here.” He nodded and leaned into the couch as he closed his eyes with her sitting beside him.
Lo and behold, Zacharias fell asleep in no time, but his head suddenly slid down. Shirley Instinctively moved closer, and Zacharias’ head rested perfectly on her shoulder.
Shirley let him rest against her, but what she didn’t know was that the man was pretending to be asleep, and even this series of actions was all an act. The man’s lips curled up slightly, enjoying her shoulder, and then he peacefully rested.
Shirley’s thoughts were also on her shoulder. She turned slightly and saw the man’s tall nose and his lightly pursed, ***y lips. A surge of electricity ran through her body for no apparent reason, and she immediately sat up straight.
Shirley also couldn’t help but close her eyes because she had trouble sleeping last night. Due to drowsiness, her head lightly leaned toward the man’s side. Sensing her situation, Zacharias, who was still pretending to be asleep, immediately opened his eyes, extended his hand, and caught the girl’s face leaning toward him, after which he gently placed her on his shoulder. Finally, he closed his eyes to rest.
The pair spent half an hour asleep in that posture until Freddie knocked on the door and entered, only to be stumped by the view on the couch.
Just as he attempted to retreat, Shirley woke up. As she opened her eyes and saw Freddie, she felt warm on one side of her face. At that, she turned, only to find she had fallen asleep leaning against Zacharias’ shoulder.
Wasn’t it he who leaned against me? Shirley blushed while a chuckle escaped Freddie before he said, “Sir, it’s about time we leave.”
“Alright, one moment,” Zacharias said to him. Freddie tactfully left the room. Shirley stood up, and Zacharias casually took hold of her wrist, using her support to stand up.
Shirley immediately applied some force on her wrist to help him up, and once Zacharias released her, she said somewhat bashfully, “I shouldn’t have fallen asleep just now.”
After seeing her hair a bit disheveled, Zacharias reached out and smoothed her long hair. “You should tie your hair again. It’s gotten messy.”
Mortified, she pulled the hair tie down, and her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Zacharias, deeply infatuated, gazed at her long locks and reached out, using his fingers to comb through it gently.
Hurriedly, Shirley tied up her long hair neatly to avoid allowing the man to play with her hair.
“Mind the occasion,” Shirley reminded Zacharias, who smiled and replied, “Thank you for the reminder, Miss Lloyd.”
Downstairs, Zacharias’ convoy was already prepared. When Imogen saw him coming out, her chest tightened, and she stood up even straighter. Then, she noticed Shirley standing behind Zacharias as a matter of course.
A radiance enveloped this man, and Shirley appeared even more dazzling. Lost in her thoughts all along, Shirley didn’t greet Imogen behind her, and when Freddie opened the car door for her, she smoothly sat beside Zacharias.
Imogen watched with jealousy welling up in her eyes. She was keenly aware of her and Shirley’s identity, yet she still couldn’t let it go.
When Shirley entered the car, Freddie was handing Zacharias a document from the passenger seat. “Sir, this is the revised speech I’ve prepared. Please take a look during the journey.”
Zacharias took the three pages of the speech and started reading in the car. Shirley glanced at him with concern.
Even on the smoothest road, reading in a moving vehicle was still quite straining on the eyes.
The convoy headed straight for a nearby building where the speech was scheduled to take place. Even though the people coming to listen to the speech had their identities checked, it was still highly dangerous for Zacharias to be in a public setting.
The convoy stopped at a side entrance, and Roy’s men immediately approached. Roy himself stood by Zacharias’ side. Suddenly, Shirley was pulled out by a bodyguard. He said to her, “Sir has given orders; you are to rest in the car.”
Shirley was startled. Zacharias intended to leave her in the car?! Just then, she saw Imogen standing next to Zacharias, dressed in a suit and wearing glasses, pretending to be an assistant.
After breaking free from the bodyguard’s grip, Shirley insisted, “I want to go inside.”
Seeing that he couldn’t hold her back, the bodyguard decided not to insist further since Shirley was also a member of the security team.
Entering the lecture hall, she was met with a central hall filled with nearly five hundred people. The audience was already seated, and the security team was in action, with Roy and Imogen standing on either side of Zacharias.
Shirley walked into the hall and positioned herself on the left side of the stage, right next to Imogen. Imogen’s gaze landed on her, and at that moment, Imogen felt a rush of satisfaction.
She was indeed enveloped in Zacharias’ radiant aura as she stood beside him as if the entire world was focused on her. The sense of being in the spotlight was strong.
Shirley’s gaze also swept across the people in the audience. She hoped Zacharias would deliver a successful speech and return home.
After the chairman’s impassioned opening speech, Zacharias walked up to the stage amidst enthusiastic applause. His tall figure and commanding presence gave him a kingly aura as he stood there.
The photographers in the audience went crazy capturing him, and various reporters aimed their microphones at him. He spoke in a deep, powerful voice.
“Thank you very much for your patience,” he began, and the previously lively hall suddenly fell silent. Shirley raised her head to watch the composed and powerful man deliver his speech, exuding a convincing charisma.
Shirley’s heart suddenly raced uncontrollably, no longer calm. She lowered her head to feel her rapidly beating heart and her slightly quickened breath. What was happening to her? Still, she knew it was all related to the man on the stage, the one making her heart race.
She immediately shook off these thoughts and focused her gaze on the audience, ready to detect any potential dangers that might arise.
As Zacharias’ speech drew to a close, suddenly, an elderly woman pulled out a bouquet of flowers. She stood up and walked out from the audience, catching the attention of Shirley and everyone else. She was holding a walking stick in one hand and flowers in the other. Shirley approached her, saying, “Ma’am, let me help you up.”
“No need. I want to give a bouquet to Mr. Vice President as a token of my appreciation,” the elderly lady said with a smile.
Zacharias had been about to leave the stage, but upon seeing someone presenting him with flowers, especially an elderly woman, he smiled and remained where he was. Imogen noticed Shirley’s reaction, and they exchanged glances, with Shirley nodding in acknowledgment.