Katelyn appeared puzzled as questions began bubbling up in her mind.
Jealous? Why would Vincent be jealous? Could it be that he was jealous of Neil?
Katelyn dismissed the idea as unlikely, since her relationship with Vincent was strictly professional. After their project ended, it was probable they wouldn’t even communicate.
While Vincent was certainly impressive, she had never considered getting romantically involved with him. Aimee watched her intently, clearly thinking that they were ideally suited for each other.
“I don’t think I’m wrong. You know I’m always sensitive when it comes to matters of the heart,” Aimee said.
Feeling cornered, Katelyn clarified, “Aimee, you’re reading too much into it. Vincent and I aren’t even close friends; we’re just business partners. Plus, you’re aware of my situation. Don’t you know better than to think I’d find relationships burdensome at this point?”
Katelyn was now free and could do whatever she wanted. She no longer had to consider herself someone’s wife or give her time to any man who wasn’t family.
She was simply herself—Katelyn Bailey.
Aimee nodded approvingly. “Exactly. You’re completely transformed from the Katelyn before your divorce. It’s like you’re a new person.”
Her changed demeanor was evident, even visible in her posture.
Katelyn flashed a smile and took another sip of her wine.
“Exactly. To me, men have brought nothing but trouble.”
At that, Aimee stopped herself from saying more. She wholeheartedly agreed with Katelyn. For them, relationships and men were nothing but hindrances.
сρ ﹒
Katelyn and Aimee spent the evening at the bar, staying well past midnight.
The next morning, Katelyn’s alarm clock buzzed at 9 A.M. She got out of bed, showered quickly, and after finalizing the drafts she had been working on, sent them off to Vincent.
“Mr. Adams, these are the final drafts. Please review them and let me know if there are any changes you’d like to make.”
Vincent responded quickly, “Come to my office. We need to discuss these in person.”
Katelyn agreed, “All right.”
After sending the message, she changed into casual attire and drove to the Adams Group.
Since their last discussion, Katelyn had become a familiar face at the company. As she walked through the building, several employees greeted her warmly, to which she responded with a nod and a smile.
Vincent’s office was located on the top floor. Upon arriving at his door, Katelyn knocked.
“Mr. Adams, it’s me.”
A reserved voice responded from within, “Come in.”
Katelyn opened the door and entered. Vincent was seated at his desk, dressed in a black suit. The sunlight streaming through the window bathed him in a gentle glow.
He looked up at Katelyn with a neutral expression. “We need to tweak a few details in the drafts.” His tone was professional.
Katelyn nodded, not overly concerned. She retrieved her laptop from her briefcase and pulled up the document.
“Sure, let’s discuss the changes.”
The project theme was spring. With the completion of this batch of drawings, only two more themes remained under their contract. Katelyn had reached the halfway mark of the collaboration.
Vincent pointed to a section of the draft and suggested, “We should make the end of the design more distinct and pronounced. It could better represent the concept. Right now, it’s just some trees, and it feels a bit too plain.”
Katelyn considered his suggestion and began adjusting the design on her laptop. Her fingers danced on the keyboard as she focused deeply on her task. She didn’t notice Vincent’s thoughtful gaze.
“Anything else, Mr. Adams?”
She had sent him a total of twenty drafts, from which five were selected to be sent to the factory for sample production.
If the samples came back without issues, the designs would be approved for mass production and customization.
Vincent glanced over the modified drafts and leaned back in his chair, satisfied. “The rest is fine. No more changes needed.”
That’s when Katelyn sensed something was amiss. She looked at Vincent, confused, and hesitated for a moment before deciding to hold back her questions.
.
.
.