The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 90

"Ms. Lowell, please leave. Mr. Vance and I have important matters to discuss."

Claire ignored Ethan and walked straight up to Julian.

"My birthday is in a few days. My brother promised to throw a party for me. Will you come?"

Julian looked at her as if she were a fool.

"Ms. Lowell, we are not close."

"Why do you keep calling me Ms. Lowell?" Claire pouted. "Just call me Claire. Besides, we've already met twice. That's not exactly strangers, is it?"

Julian seemed disinclined to speak.

Ethan stepped in. "Ms. Lowell, Mr. Vance is a very busy man. He doesn't have time to attend your birthday party."

Claire shot him a glare. "I'm talking to your boss. Why do you keep interrupting? You're just an assistant. Have you no manners?"

Julian frowned.

"He may be my assistant, but he is also like a brother to me. Ms. Lowell, please watch your words."

A wave of warmth flowed through Ethan.

All these years, he knew he hadn't followed the wrong person.

Seeing that Julian was annoyed, Claire quickly apologized.

"I'm sorry. I misspoke."

Her apology was so meek and sincere that it stunned Jocelyn, who was hiding in the closet.

Was this the Claire Lowell she knew?

The old Claire would never admit she was wrong, even if caught red-handed.

It was as if hell had finally frozen over.

Distracted, Jocelyn's elbow bumped against the closet wall, making a sound.

The three people in the room froze.

"Huh? It sounds like that came from the closet," Claire said.

She started walking towards it.

Ethan, terrified, rushed to block her path.

"Ms. Lowell, you must have misheard. There was no sound."

"My ears aren't broken," Claire insisted. "It definitely came from the closet. Let me see."

Were they hiding someone in there? Someone they didn't want her to know about?

The more they tried to hide it, the more she wanted to find out.

Claire sidestepped Ethan and continued towards the closet.

"My assistant and I have important matters to discuss. Could you please leave now?"

Claire nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes! I'll leave right now!"

She turned and started to walk away.

Halfway to the door, she remembered something and hurried back.

"Give me your contact information so I can reach you whenever I want."

"Ethan."

Ethan handed her one of Julian's business cards.

Claire tucked it into her purse like a treasure.

As she left, the room fell silent.

Ethan let out a sigh of relief and quickly closed the door.

"Sir, are you really going to her birthday party?"

Julian didn't answer, walking straight to the closet.

He opened the door and extended a hand to the person inside.

"You can come out now. It must be stuffy in there."