Kent dropped the hotel name, it's a stone's throw from the office.
"Room 1503."
At the end, Kent thoughtfully included the room number.
Brandon shot him a glance.
Kent, all humble and docile, said, "I'm off to work then."
Brandon watched the office door close, glanced at his watch but didn't get up. Instead, he grabbed some paperwork off his desk.
He got so wrapped up in work that before he knew it, it was nearly quitting time.
Brandon looked up at the clock in the top right corner of his computer screen and his busyness came to a halt.
After a moment of silence, he shut down his computer, stood up, grabbed his suit jacket from the coat rack, and snatched his car keys on his way out.
Kent, busy at work but quick to speak, blurted out, "Mr. Crawley, where are you headed?"
"Clocking out," Brandon replied.
Brandon had already left, standing by the elevator, his face calm but with a fleeting moment of hesitation before he turned and asked Kent, "Did Sophia find a place?"
"Not yet."
Kent had a say in this—after all, he had chatted with Sophia about this very topic while driving her home.
Brandon nodded, said nothing more, and reached out to press the elevator button.
The elevator doors opened, and Brandon stepped inside.
The elevator quickly reached the ground floor.
As soon as Brandon stepped out of the elevator, he caught sight of Sophia hurrying towards him, and his own steps gradually slowed.
Sophia, on her way, spotted Brandon and her pace also naturally slowed.
"What brings you here?" Brandon asked.
"Just getting a feel for the work environment," Sophia replied, still a bit uneasy facing Brandon—maybe it was the aftereffect of that intense kiss at noon.
Brandon nodded but didn't say much more.
The two were back to that awkward silence.
"Are you heading out?" Sophia tried to make conversation, striving for a casual and relaxed tone.
"Not really," Brandon responded indifferently, glancing at his watch, "I'm actually about to run an errand to your firm, let's go together."
Sophia gave him a puzzled look, then nodded, "Fine."
Brandon turned and pressed the elevator button.
Sophia followed him into the elevator.
The doors closed.
In the confined space, the memory of that intense, uncontrollable midday kiss suddenly became crystal clear, and it felt like the temperature in the elevator was subtly rising.
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