Standing Before Love (Myra and Sean) novel Chapter 417

When the car rolled to a stop outside Skylark Tower, Matthias stepped out of the vehicle and chivalrously opened the door for Heather. It was as though he had become an entirely different person since leaving the house.

“I suppose you have some twisted plan in the works, Director Locke, seeing as you’re putting in this much effort,” she pointed out darkly. The alarm bells went off in her head and she had a feeling that something was wrong, but she knew it was too late for her to turn around and make a run for it.

“Afraid of wicked schemes?” He smirked in amusement and there was an intimate edge to his gestures.

“Better to be safe than sorry, right? I’d rather have my guard up around you,” Heather answered curtly, though she berated herself for being so impulsive earlier; it made it harder for her to get off her high horse.

Matthias offered her his arm, silently indicating for her to take it. She shot him a quizzical look and muttered, “Surely there’s no need for us to put up such an act?”

It was as if she could smell a scheme lurking around the corner. Biting down on her lip, she gave him a wary look and her skin prickled at his odd lack of respect for personal boundaries.

“I’ve told the board that I will be bringing an important guest with me today, so we have to look the part.” He arched a brow at her. This was the only chance for him to lure her into a perfect set-up and if he didn’t deal her a harsh blow this time, it would only be harder for him to do so in the future.

Much to his surprise, the odds were in his favor this round, but he would not always be so lucky as to have the upper hand every time. Knowing Heather, she would not be tricked so easily the next time.

Nonetheless, Matthias was sure that after today, she would not be able to clear things up between the both of them. He beamed at the thought of this. Now that he had successfully blurred the lines between himself and Heather, his next run-in with Myra would not be as awkward as the last; he found himself still pining for the latter despite all the time that had passed.

For as long as Tony had not officially been declared as the one for her, Matthias would not give up on his feelings for Myra. He would always try to come up with ways to get closer to her.

Presently, Heather took his proffered arm with heavy reluctance. She looked formal in her cocktail dress, and those who didn’t know better would assume she was going to attend a dinner party.

She was still holding onto his arm upon their arrival at the 28th floor of the building and their presence turned heads. Everyone regarded them with curiosity and where the women were jealous of Heather, the men were envious of Matthias. There were also those who were trying to assess their dynamics.

Heather was indifferent as she allowed their appraisal of her, having been used to such attention since young. Her pretty eyes seemed to fall upon everyone and yet, it was as if she was not really looking at anyone in particular at all. She was an enigma, indeed.

“Sorry to keep you all waiting. We were held up in traffic,” Matthias explained politely. He might be the one who was holding the reins in the Locke Group but his position as head of the company was a precarious one. He needed to fortify his authority with the support of the elders in the board, hence his courteous front when addressing them in the company.

A brief moment later, his assistant, Nikolai, stepped forward and informed him dutifully, “Everything is ready, Director Locke. The meeting may begin now.” Heather appraised the assistant with interest. He was a young man with delicate features and he had a rather feminine air about him.

Who knew Matthias would have such an eccentric taste? She subtly raised her brows as her gaze darted over to the man next to her. I used to mock him for his lack of masculinity back in the day.

She found it amusing how he had managed to acquire an assistant who looked every bit the archetypal pretty boy, if not prettier. A small laugh echoed in the back of her mind. Looks like those days of relentless teasing have left him quite traumatized.

Meanwhile, Nikolai was eyeing her thoughtfully. He had never seen a woman as charming and attractive as her. He felt his face grow hot and wondered if this was love at first sight.

He stiffened at this thought. He didn’t think he would fall for someone who could very well be Director Locke’s girlfriend. A pang of sorrow seized him, dousing out the initial spark he had felt for her. What was I thinking? A woman who shines as brightly as her would never spare me a second glance.

While Nikolai shrunk back into his shell, he failed to notice that Heather’s gaze was still lingering upon him. The more she looked at him, the more he reminded her of a younger Matthias.

She had only just taken her seat at the table when she leaned close to Matthias and asked, “What’s your assistant’s name?” She had spent a better part of her adulthood abroad, where she had encountered more than her fair share of men. Now, she began to find that pretty boys made for good eye-candy as well, and they boasted a rather refreshing appeal too.

“Nikolai Archibald,” Matthias answered as he threw her a puzzled look. He was surprised that she would even take notice of his assistant in the first place.

While this was happening, the board members were casting curious looks at them, zooming in on the slightest of their interactions. Matthias had always been distant and perfunctory—it was rare to see him being so intimate with a woman in public, much less deliberately arrange for her to be seated next to him.

The blurred lines between them piqued everybody’s interest. Heather was an elusive character after all, and the board members were all trying to guess who she might be. Her unexplained presence was like a pebble thrown into a pond, creating a ripple effect.

Once in a while, Nikolai would sneak glances at Heather from where he stood next to Matthias. However, he did not expect her to look up at that moment and when their eyes met, she flashed him a smile and nodded at him in acknowledgement.

He tore his gaze away as blood rushed to his face, and Heather clapped her hand over her mouth as she sputtered at the sight of this, thoroughly entertained by his shy demeanor. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen a boy so pure and so easily flustered. She felt like she was transported back to the simple, puppy-love days in high school. He’s really good looking, she admitted to herself.

Matthias used to be like that—soft-spoken and hesitant. Indeed, he had been pure and innocent back in those days and she regretted how horribly she had treated him. She wondered if things would turn out differently if she had shown him just a bit of kindness then.