“Old Mr. Quinn would be very proud if he were here,” he added, sounding like a proud dad.
My mouth curls into a smile at the mention of the old man. I became an orphan when I was just a toddler after my parents died in a plane crash. My grandfather raised me until I was twelve, when he passed due to cancer. Benedict Quinn, my grandfather’s closest friend, treated me like I was his own, and trained me to become a competent businessman until I moved to San Francisco at nineteen to take over Lewis Corporation. It’s been a long road, but I am grateful for everything. If it weren’t for his dedicated guidance, I could never have been as competent at handling a business as big as Lewis Corporation.
My thoughts are broken when Natalie appears in my peripheral view. She is in a white casual blouse and faded jeans paired with sneakers. She’s wearing a hard hat over her low ponytail. She’s talking to one of the staff while pointing around,
then back to the blueprints she is holding. She looks radiant with her sun-kissed cheeks and her bright eyes, engaged and enlivened in her work.
A mixture of pride and guilt floods through me, my smile fading.
“Benedict would be happy to see her working hard to continue his legacy.”
“She’s quite a natural,” William comments, following my gaze.
“She is,” I agree.
Before too long, Natalie and a few people on her team, along with the construction manager, take notice of my presence and come to greet me. I nod in acknowledgment, signaling them to continue whatever they were doing. William leads me back to the car as my eyes linger on the beautiful woman who seems to be fully immersed in her work.
As if feeling my gaze, she tilts her head in my direction. She smiles brightly, her face flushed as if all her blood has come rushing to her cheeks. There’s something in her shy and innocent disposition that makes me want to grab her and kiss her right there, with no regard for anyone or anything else.
I bob my head lightly in acknowledgment before she hurriedly averts her eyes, making my heart swell a little.
It’s that strange feeling again.
I shake my head lightly as if it will erase the nonsensical thoughts, but before I can step inside the vehicle, a familiar figure of a man catches my attention.
It’s the same man who was at the banquet.
“Fancy seeing you here, Mr. Lewis,” he greets hurriedly. He’s panting as if he’s run ten laps.
I cock an eyebrow then eye his extended arm.
“Mason Moore, sir,” he introduces with a gallant smile, wiping a bead of sweat off his forehead with his free hand. Tucked under his arm is a rolled piece of paper which I presume to be a copy of the project blueprint.
“It’s nice to meet you, Engineer Moore. I hear you’ve been a great mentor to Natalie.”
I shake his hand perfunctorily.
The man chuckles as if he’s tickled by the mention of her name.
“Nat is a natural. She’s a fast learner, very attentive and efficient. You’d never guess she’s a rookie.”
My lips curl into a grin, amused by the mention of the woman’s apparent lack of work experience. If one weren’t astute enough, it would almost sound like a compliment.
“You seem to be very comfortable with Ms. Quinn, calling her nicknames.”
The man chuckles confidently. It’s almost a sneer, concealed by the bright smile on his youthful face. But it does not escape my scrutiny.
“Don’t be so stiff, Mr. Lewis. Nat and I are friends. We get along quite well.
Formalities would be such a hassle when working together on projects that require burning the midnight oil.”
“Ms. Quinn is the heir of Quinn Industries,” I state authoritatively.
It isn’t a revelation, it’s a warning.
Everyone working for Lewis Corporation knows that Quinn Industries is only temporarily under my control until its heir is fully capable of managing it. On that note, it is known that Natalie Quinn is under my wing, and whoever dares to mess with her will be going against me. Until the time she holds the highest position in Quinn Industries, she will be prey to the people who are eyeing her company.
Threats have been looming from all corners, not only to her position but to her life as well.
The man stiffens for a moment but the smile on his face does not disappear. I give him another condescending look for good measure before finally getting inside the vehicle.
“Get a thorough investigation done on Mason Moore.”
William shoots me a confused look through the rearview mirror but does not probe further.
“Copy.”
Chapter 11
NATALIE
“Y ou should watch your speed,” I remind Mason as the car halts to an
abrupt stop at a red light. We’re riding in his Corvette on the way to the construction site. As the project manager, I need to visit the place three to four times a week for assessment to avoid any mistakes or setbacks. This morning, the man insisted on driving and my stupid self agreed, only to realize too late that it may be a shortcut to the afterlife.
He chuckles. “Oh, come on, Natalie. Don’t be such a killjoy.”
I clench my hand around the seatbelt, gritting my teeth, before tossing him a glare.
