Chapter 716

After all the dishes were served, Tyler said to Anne, “Let’s eat. We’ll talk as we eat.”

“Sure.”

Anne spooned some food into Tyler’s bowl. “I remember you like this and meatballs, right? You mentioned that you were looking for a chef who could create the taste you were looking for. Did you manage to do that? If you haven’t, I have a chef to recommend.”

Tyler shook his head. “No need, I’ve found the chef.”

Anne was rather surprised. “Really? I was thinking of bringing the chef over and letting you try his cooking to see if it’s to your liking.”

Tyler thought back on how he met Rachel and the memory of her making meatballs for him, and chuckled.

“I didn’t expect to find it, either. The taste was exactly as I remembered.”

Tyler probably didn’t notice the tenderness in his eyes that stood in such stark contrast with his usual aura, which Anne spotted immediately.

She held her teacup in her hands as she looked hard at Tyler. With feigned carelessness, she said, “The chef is female, I suppose?”

Tyler arched a brow. “How did you know?”

Anne put her teacup down and leaned forward slightly. She looked deep into his eyes, as though he were the only one she saw at that moment.

“Tyler, did you forget that we’ve known each other for many years? I dare say I know you pretty well.”

At that point, Rachel seemed to realize something. She had already guessed that they were close, or even old friends, through their interactions when Tyler gave Anne the perfume and roses.

What she didn’t expect was that their relationship seemed to be way deeper than she had initially thought.

Tyler changed the subject and urged Anne to eat more.

They exchanged a couple more pleasantries before Tyler took the initiative to raise the project, seeing that Anne made no mention of it.

“Ms. Charlton, I know your schedule is packed during this business trip, so I want to confirm the project as quickly as possible. Rachel, hand the proposal to Ms. Charlton.”

“Sure.”

Rachel was well in the mood for work. She would never allow herself to be sloppy, especially in front of external business partners.

“Ms. Charlton, this is the proposal our team prepared. Please take a look,” Rachel said as she held the file out toward Anne.

Anne didn’t reach out to receive it and instead smiled back politely.

“Don’t be so anxious.”

Rachel looked stunned and then instinctively turned to Tyler, seated next to her. He looked unperturbed, as though he had nothing to do with this project, as if it were fully Rachel’s responsibility instead.

He took a sip of his tea unhurriedly as he leaned against the back of the chair. His eyes were dark, his thoughts unfathomable–they did nothing to quell his imposing aura.

“Ms. Charlton, if you’re not satisfied with our proposal, feel free to share your thoughts. But you’ve got to at least read it first,” he said.

“That’s not what I mean. You know that our company used to pressure its employees. We put work first no matter what. I just feel a little uncomfortable looking at proposals during mealtimes.”

No one could verify whether what Anne said was true, but they didn’t have a choice in this. No matter what, whatever the business partner said goes.

Rachel put the proposal away. “No problem, Ms. Charlton. If you don’t want to read the proposal, I can dictate the terms for you, and you can take it as storytelling.”

Anne’s spoon hung in mid-air as she looked at Rachel.

“Ms. Lloyd, are you that familiar with the proposal? Few can effectively dictate a proposal because there are simply too many details, and most can only provide a summary. There’s only so much information a brain can hold.”

Rachel gave her a sheepish smile. “Our company holds its employees to strict demands. You and Mr. Hunt are old friends, and you know how capable he is.”

Anne turned her attention to Tyler, an inexplicable emotion roiling in the depths of her eyes.