Next One Is a Babe

Perhaps sensing that Cindy was holding up just fine, Gary called her soon after receiving her reply.

Cindy, on the other hand, knew how disgruntled Ian could get whenever she and Gary talked, but seeing as Gary was obviously calling her now to comfort her, she couldn’t very well reject it.

As such, she crossed over to the bedroom door and closed it, thereafter stood by the window as she answered the call.

However, as soon as the call was put through, she heard Gary let out a breath of something like relief, followed by a hasty, “Is there a lot going on for you at the moment? Are you busy?”

When she responded, her voice was devoid of its usual good humor and came off as somber instead. “I’m fine, but Ian’s pretty tied up with the wake service and the crowd that showed up. He’s been on his feet all day, and he hardly ate.”

On the other line, Gary could imagine how hectic it must be for Ian to manage everything at Bryce’s funeral.

After all, Bryce had been a long-standing figure in the business industry, and while he had made his fair share of enemies, he had had plenty of friends and acquaintances as well.

Although it was hard to tell if these friends had been genuinely on good terms with the late business mogul, it went without saying that everyone wanted to put on a courteous and decent front by paying their last respects.

Just thinking about the number of people who might have shown up at the wake service today wore Gary out, and he couldn’t imagine how exhausted Ian must be.

Meanwhile, Ian had already hung up his call with Sean, and the light on his cigarette had long since burned out. He pressed one end of the cigarette butt against the window ledge and paused in thought for a moment, then turned to saunter back into the room.

He had only just pushed open the bedroom door when he heard Cindy say on the other side. “I’ll leave the whole investment thing in your capable hands. I trust you.”

Upon hearing this, Ian didn’t need to ask to know immediately the person whom she was speaking to.

Suddenly, he stiffened outside the door, and his brows furrowed as he kept his hand on the doorknob, caught between going in and leaving. He wasn’t sure if he was angry or upset, given that Cindy had told him countless times in the past that there was nothing going on between her and Gary. More importantly, judging by the snippet of their phone conversation earlier, Ian could tell that she and Gary were only talking about investment; it was a mere business call, nothing more.

If he were to get angry now, then he would look like an unreasonable ogre.

With that in mind, he walked through the door and closed it behind him, then leaned against the door jamb as he gazed at Cindy.

From the looks of it, she and Gary appeared to be discussing serious matters. She didn’t even notice that Ian had come in at all.

There was no humor in her voice, and she spoke in solemn tones. Just then, Gary must have said something over the phone, for she replied, “He’s doing alright for now. It’s a good thing that we’re keeping him company; I’d hate to think how he would process all this on his own.”

She didn’t mention names, but Ian knew she was referring to him. Pondering for a second, he thought he was being rather silly—and somewhat rude—to eavesdrop on their conversation like this.

At last, he decidedly crossed over the room and quietly came up behind Cindy, then snaked his arms around her waist.

Startled, Cindy nearly jumped out of her skin and yelled out loud. She turned to look at him and accused darkly, “What are you sneaking around for? You nearly scared me half to death!”

Ian countered mildly, “I wasn’t sneaking around. I’m pretty sure you would have heard the door opening and closing if you weren’t so engrossed in your phone call. Who’s on the line?”

Presently, Gary could hear their voices on the other line clearly.