Betrayed and Dumped: She Rose Stronger Than Ever novel Chapter 58

Stephen lifted an eyebrow. “I’ve heard about Mr. Lamont’s company. People say your products are top-notch.”

Bruce’s eyes lit up at the compliment.

“It’s really thanks to Dr. Campbell,” Bruce said smoothly, taking the chance to introduce Sonja. He made sure to mention her impressive degrees and skills, as if it was just casual conversation.

Sonja’s heart thudded in her chest and she gripped her wine glass tighter. There was no way Stephen knew the real reason her engagement had been called off. Both families had promised to keep it a secret.

Stephen listened, then smiled. “Mr. Lamont, you’re great at spotting talent. No wonder your company is growing so fast.”

A hint of guilt flickered in Bruce’s eyes. The truth was, a lot of the company’s success belonged to Rebecca. But Rebecca didn’t have the impressive background Sonja did, and she definitely didn’t have Sonja’s polish.

Suddenly, Stephen turned to Sonja with a friendly smile. “Were all of NovaStack Cloud’s products developed by Dr. Campbell? I have a couple of questions for you.”

Sonja smiled back. “Go ahead.”

Stephen dove right in, asking two tricky, highly technical questions.

Sonja’s face froze. She felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her.

Stephen raised an eyebrow. “What’s the matter? Is it a bad time to answer?”

Sonja’s cheeks went pale, then red. One hand clenched tight at her side. She couldn’t believe it—she hadn’t even understood what Stephen asked.

Stephen repeated the questions. Sonja forced herself to act calm. “Those are great questions, Mr. Duncan. To be sure I answer you properly, I’d like to think them over first. If it’s alright, could I get your contact info?”

Stephen smiled. “Of course. My assistant will reach out to you.”

Once that awkward moment passed, Bruce tried to steer the conversation back toward a possible business partnership. This time, Stephen didn’t respond at all. More and more people came over to talk to him, and soon Stephen was deep in discussion with others. He completely ignored Bruce.

Bruce felt a flush of embarrassment. He caught Paul’s eye and the two of them quietly slipped away.

Bruce listened, then undid the top two buttons of his shirt. “Well, I didn’t really get what he was asking at first. Your explanation made it click for me.”

He gave her a warm smile. “I’m really glad you’re part of the team.”

Sonja smiled too. “It’s nothing, really.”

She reached for a tissue from the center console and accidentally brushed Bruce’s hand. The touch sent a jolt through both of them. Bruce pressed his lips together, then handed her a tissue.

Sonja’s cheeks turned pink as she took it, biting her lip. “Thanks.”

When they pulled up in front of Sonja’s apartment, Bruce got out and walked around to open her door. Sonja waved with a smile. “See you tomorrow.”

Bruce didn’t drive away until Sonja’s silhouette had completely disappeared.

As he waited at a red light, Bruce couldn’t help but wonder. If Rebecca had been here tonight, would she have known how to answer Stephen’s questions right away? He’d seen her handle clients before. She always went straight for what mattered most.