Chapter 7
“Um…” Myra found herself struggling for words as she blinked at him, caught off guard by his sudden question.
Tony, ever composed, gracefully stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. Myra’s gaze lingered on his long fingers as they flicked the cigarette away, noting how slender and delicately tapered they were. A thought she couldn’t quite shake crossed her mind—those were the same hands that had held her waist earlier in the elevator.
Swallowing nervously, she nodded. “Yes, I’ve been married for two years.”
The mention of her marriage stung, and bitterness flashed across her features before she could mask it. Yet, Tony seemed oblivious to the shift in her expression as he continued, his voice calm and measured, “You come from a prominent family, Miss Stark. I’m sure your husband measures up to your impressive stature, and I’m certain he adores you as well.”
His words caught her off guard. She didn’t know why he was saying them, but she felt a wave of discomfort. A dark look passed over her face, but she quickly forced a smile. “Director Hart, aren’t we here to discuss the details of the Sunny Bay Project?”
Tony paused, his cigarette halfway to his lips. He flicked the lighter absentmindedly, the metallic clack of the lighter top filling the silence between them. The room seemed to hold its breath, as though the atmosphere had thickened with unspoken tension.
“Do you think we’re here so I can ask about your personal life?” Tony’s voice was tinged with impatience as he pursed his lips. He raised an eyebrow, clearly dissatisfied with her interruption. “Since you’re so eager to talk about the project, why don’t you tell me what you think of it?”
With that, he tossed the lighter onto the dining table, the clink of metal breaking the silence.
Myra’s skin prickled in embarrassment as the lighter landed with a loud thunk on the table. Clearly, she had displeased him, and now she realized he might have only brought up her marriage as an icebreaker.
She cleared her throat, attempting to regain composure. “Director Hart, as you can see here, I’ve incorporated several design preferences of my own into this blueprint.”
The conversation, which had started off stiff and uncomfortable, began to flow more easily. Tony didn’t make things difficult for her, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that his sharp eyes were scrutinizing her every word. His fingers drummed lightly on the table as he listened, and Myra dared not let her guard down.
“The details and features in your design are well-thought out, Miss Stark,” Tony remarked with an air of finality. His gaze was unreadable, and after a long pause, he added, “Hart Group will choose one of three companies to present the final design for the Sunny Bay Project. That said, you’ve earned a spot in the top three on behalf of Chase Group.”
With those words, Tony stood from the table.
He towered over her, and Myra found herself craning her neck just to meet his gaze. The sudden shift from the intense discussion to his abrupt exit took her by surprise.
“Thank you, Director Hart. I—” she began, hurrying to express her gratitude, but Tony, clearly uninterested, had already grabbed his discarded suit jacket. He turned on his heel, walking toward the door before she could finish her sentence.
Myra flushed. She knew her words had irked him earlier, but now, she couldn’t help but feel grateful that he was capable of making an objective decision despite his personal displeasure.
As the sound of the door closing echoed behind her, she turned her gaze to the spread of dishes that had been prepared for the meeting. Not a single dish had been touched.
She sighed and grabbed her purse, heading for the exit. As she stepped outside, her mind raced with thoughts about the conversation. She hadn’t realized she was being watched.
Oblivious to the figure standing by the bamboo, Tony stood, cigarette between his long fingers, watching her departure in silence. Logan stood beside him, observing Myra as she drove off.
Logan couldn’t quite place his feelings about the whole encounter. Earlier, Leo had told him to use the Sunny Bay Project as an excuse to arrange a meeting with Myra, and from what he had seen of Director Hart’s behavior, Logan reached one conclusion: Whoever this woman is, I must treat her well.
“Mr. Logan,” Tony’s voice cut through the air, cold and distant.
Logan immediately snapped to attention. “Yes, Director Hart?”
“Have you seen enough?” Tony’s question was casual, but it sent a chill down Logan’s spine.
Logan gave a nervous smile, quickly putting his phone to his ear to pretend he was answering a call. “Jamie, did you call me earlier? Give me a minute, there’s no signal here…” He trailed off, walking briskly away from Tony.
Tony watched him leave, eyes darkening with thought as he stubbed out his cigarette. He turned his attention back to the white BMW disappearing into the distance, his mind clearly occupied with something else.