What? Ms. Payne was going to make their rtionship official?
After more than a year as her secret, couldn''t-be-seen-in-public boyfriend, the boss was finally getting his promotion.
This was cause for a global celebration.
No wonder. He didn''t even care when people used him of being cheated on.
Turns out, this was the moment he''d been waiting for from Ms. Payne.
"Postpone all subsequent work."
Shanley, phone in hand, strode out of the office with his long legs.
"Yes, sir."
Felton and Flint exchanged a look and hurriedly followed.
"Boss, where are we heading now?" Felton asked, sitting in the driver''s seat with his hands on the wheel, unsure where to go.
"Juniper''s ss ends at five-thirty," Shanley said in a deep voice after a few seconds of thought. "So, we''ll be at the school gate at five-ten to wait. For now, let''s go to the mall."
At the mall.
Shanley sat on a sofa, his tall frame leaning back, his expression intense as he stared at the dazzling array of clothes. To the informed, he was choosing an outfit; to the uninformed, he looked like he was negotiating a multi-billion dor international deal.
Felton and Flint had rarely seen him this focused.
"Is this all you have?"
After two hours, Shanley still hadn''t found anything he liked. The clothes were either too juvenile or too dated. If not that, the style was off or the colors were too drab.
"Y-yes, that''s everything," the sales associate stammered, wiping sweat from her brow. She was exhausted. She had brought out every piece in the mall that might suit Mr. Schwartz, but none had caught his eye.
"Let''s try another store."
Shanley uncrossed his legs and stood up, heading for the exit.
After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and pointed to a rack of clothes on the left. "Bag up everything in a size 41," hemanded. "Have it all delivered to the Schwartz family estate and give it to a man named Kurt Schwartz."
"Huh?" The sales associate was stunned, not quite processing his words. "All of it?" she stuttered.
"Is there a problem?"
"No!" she replied hastily, shaking her head and raising her voice. "Of course not, Mr. Schwartz. I''ll make sure it''s all packed carefully."
"Good."
With that settled, Shanley walked out.
The moment he left, the store staff erupted in excitement.
"Oh my god, Mr. Schwartz is so handsome!"
"I know, right? And he''s so nice! He bought all that just so I wouldn''t have wasted my time and to boost my sales!"
"But don''t you guys think... from the back, he kinda looks like one of the ''boats'' from that three-timing scandal?"
"Now that you mention it... he really does."
"Don''t be ridiculous. How could Mr. Schwartz be someone''s side piece? Don''t forget, he has a fiancée!"
Shanley visited three different malls.
and dozens of stores. Finally, at
I.ne
e in the afternoon, be settled on
three
an outfit. After that he had a
hairstylist work on his look,
At exactly four-thirty, Shanley sent Felton and Flint back and drove to Era University by himself.
"Oh, and one more thing—" Shanley added before they left. "Tell thepany''s PR department to be ready. Tomorrow''s headlines must be about me and Juniper. Understood?"
"Understood, absolutely!" Felton and Flint could hardly contain themselves: The way they looked at Shanley was almost reverent. Ever since their boss found out he was being made official, he was like a new man.
At five-ten in the afternoon, Juniper was still in ss when she heard amotion outside. Rumor had it that a big shot hade to the university.
"What big shot?" Hattie asked, craning her neck to see. "Let me do some digging." Five minutester, a previously calm Hattie suddenly grabbed Juniper''s arm and shrieked with excitement. "Not only is he a big shot, he''s drop-dead gorgeous!" "Juniper, look! Here''s a picture from the scene!"
Juniper nced down, and when she recognized the person in the photo, her brow furrowed slightly.
There he was-Shanley, dressed like
a vibrant college student, leaning
casually against his car door with his arms crossed a half-smile on his face as he watched the main gate.