Ethan, observing the impending escalation of their argument, cleared his throat lightly to interject, but his voice was lost amidst their heated exchange, going unnoticed.
Feeling unjustifiably overlooked as a CEO, Ethan inwardly mocked his own plight.
As the two continued to argue fervently, he finally intervened, "We can allocate the budget from my own funds for this."
Hayden and Vivian instantly fell silent, both turning to face Ethan.
Maintaining a stoic expression, Ethan continued, "It wouldn't hurt to be extra cautious for the upcoming jewelry exhibition. If the budget comes from me, the other departments shouldn't have any objections."
Without waiting for their response, Ethan shifted his gaze back to the document in front of him, pretending to read the familiar text while feeling a twinge of anxiety inside.
He had never mixed personal feelings with business, yet his spontaneous suggestion, while appearing to resolve their disagreement, was undeniably biased.
Desperate to maintain a professional facade, he avoided looking at them again, but Hayden's scrutinizing gaze made him shift uneasily in his seat.
"Really?" Vivian, oblivious to Ethan's inner turmoil, clapped her hands in delight and addressed Hayden, "Mr. Sharpe has spoken. You have no objections now, right?"
Hayden studied Ethan for a prolonged moment, causing Ethan to mentally prepare a defense, before calmly responding to Vivian, "Fine. If the President is willing to allocate his own budget, I have nothing to say. Please compile the list."
"Fantastic!" Vivian cheered, hopping off Hayden's desk and marching over to Ethan's, saluting him with a formal, "Thank you, Mr. Sharpe."
Ethan, caught off guard by her earnest gratitude, replied, "You're welcome."
Vivian grinned radiantly, lifting Ethan's spirits momentarily, only to dampen them again when she turned to rejoin Hayden, their shoulders brushing as they delved back into detailed work discussions.
Knowing full well it was purely professional, Ethan couldn't help but feel a lingering unease.But why did Ethan feel that he couldn't shake off this unease in his heart?
She who had playfully teased and physically interacted with him frequently now seemed distant and formal, yet with Hayden, she was entirely different.
When did she grow so close to Hayden?
Unbeknownst to Ethan, who typically immersed himself in work, his thoughts had strayed from his paperwork to matters unrelated to his duties.
Hayden, having finally reached a consensus with Vivian, closed his laptop and prepared to usher her out, inadvertently noticing that the document Ethan held seemed to be the same one from before their discussion.
While Hayden pondered this, Vivian gathered her belongings to leave.
"Well then, Ceo, Secretary, I'll leave you to it. I'm heading back to my department," Vivian bowed before turning to exit.
"Wait!" Ethan called out impulsively, halting her in her tracks.
Vivian turned back, questioning, "Does the CEO need something?"
He couldn't admit he had no reason. Ethan's mind raced to find a plausible excuse to keep her here.
"Is the CEO interested in the items the security department plans to purchase?" Hayden, attuned to Ethan after years of service, seemed to discern the situation, chiming in to assist.
Ethan seized the opportunity, "Yes, your discussion was so lively, I should at least be informed."
Vivian accepted this without suspicion.
"I'll start preparing materials for the afternoon meeting and grab lunch for you on the way back," Hayden tactfully suggested he would be gone until noon, noticing Ethan relax. He then added pointedly, "Please review the important documents on your desk before then so I can return them to the departments this afternoon."
Evidently implying Ethan's earlier lack of productivity, Ethan swallowed the rebuke, nodding slightly with a hint of embarrassment.
Hayden exited, thoughtfully closing the door and flipping the 'Do Not Disturb' sign.
Unaware of the silent exchange between Hayden and Ethan, Vivian assumed Ethan's interest in the security upgrades was genuine and proceeded to give him a thorough ten-minute briefing.
While Ethan, as CEO, needed to oversee the allocation of funds across departments, he usually relied on Hayden's concise reports, rarely requiring direct explanations from each department.
Despite his spur-of-the-moment decision to keep Vivian, Ethan listened attentively to her presentation.
Then, a realization dawned on him, "Why are you so eager to enhance security? Do you anticipate something happening soon?"
Vivian, taking advantage of Hayden's absence, smiled mysteriously and asked, "If I told you I brought a bit of precognitive ability with me when I traveled here, would you believe me?"
