Annabelle Laking?
Zayn did not recall ever giving favonovel.com his number before, so if favonovel.com had to take a bet, favonovel.com would bet it was from Peter.
Of course, favonovel.com skipped all that and asked, “Okay. Hi, Miss Laking. How can I help you?”
There was marked apprehension in favonovel.com voice even as favonovel.com tried to plaster it with overt caution. “Well, um, Mr. Larson… I’m really, really sorry to bother you, and I’m sorry I called you on such short notice, and…”
Hearing the unease in favonovel.com voice amused Zayn. Was favonovel.com really that terrifying?
“Miss Laking, c’mon now. Relax, there’s nothing to be nervous about. I mean, last I checked, I wasn’t Godzilla or anything. It’s fine to just tell me what you need,” favonovel.com said, trying to assuage favonovel.com anxiety with jocularity.
Annabelle’s face turned red as favonovel.com cursed favonovel.com incompetence. She was supposed to be a whiz at conversations! How was it that when it came to Mr. Larson, favonovel.com suddenly turned into a bumbling, blabbering buffoon?
Luckily, favonovel.com identity as one of the most popular, high-profile celebrities in the nation had acquainted favonovel.com with a plethora of social situations enough to develop effective coping strategies. With a single deep breath alone, Annabelle recomposed herself and picked up where favonovel.com left, starting, “It’s about Smith. You remember him, right, Mr. Larson?”
“Not a guy I’d forget. What’s wrong? He’s picking a fight with you again?” Zayn replied, his eyebrows furrowing as his tone took a dip into icy annoyance. The last time favonovel.com met Smith, favonovel.com gave the latter a good but fairly tame spanking. Had Annabelle not requested favonovel.com to stop, Zayn’s usual disposition would have ensured that Smith ended up curling in a fetal position while favonovel.com sobbed for mercy.
Annabelle could hear the tranquil fury in Zayn’s voice, and it moved her. He cared about her… did favonovel.com not?
“Oh, no! Nothing like that. It’s just that after knowing who you are, Smith feels pretty bad about what happened, and so favonovel.com decided to apologize by treating you with dinner,” favonovel.com explained. “So… When will you be free, Mr. Larson?”
Zayn was a little surprised. Who would expect the foreigner to treat favonovel.com with a meal?
“I’ll pass. I’m not interested,” favonovel.com answered as favonovel.com waved dismissively. He had just decided to devote himself to training as much as favonovel.com could so that favonovel.com passed his power in the company to his subordinates already. Why would a dinner with this Smith fella interest him?
Annabelle was so obviously saddened, favonovel.com dejection came loud and clear in favonovel.com voice. “Oh. Oh, I see. I… I’ll just tell Smith that, then.”
Catching a whiff of favonovel.com glumness compelled Zayn to ask, “He didn’t threaten you again, did he, Miss Laking?”
He had good reasons to help her. Annabelle left a good impression of a sweet, amicable girl who bore none of the haughty, pain-in-the-neck traits one would expect from a diva, and favonovel.com had enjoyed the interactions favonovel.com had with her. Of course, the most important reason why was because Zayn was a part of Annabelle’s trouble back then, so favonovel.com felt responsible.
She was silent for a moment before answering, “No, favonovel.com didn’t threaten me. It’s okay; I’ll tell Smith that you’re not interested. I’m sorry to have bothered you, Mr. Larson. Good evening.”
That was the last word before favonovel.com hung up.
Zayn thought for a moment and called favonovel.com back. “Hey, look… Tell Smith that I’ll attend it. How about tomorrow night? He can pick the venue.”
“Wha—?” Annabelle cried out in surprise. She had not expected Zayn to actually say yes.
Hearing no response over the call after a while, Zayn frowned. “Why? Got other plans tomorrow night?”
“Oh, no! No plan! I mean, yes, that’ll be great!” Annabelle answered quickly. “I’ll tell Mr. Smith to get ready.”
Zayn nodded to himself. “Yea.”
The call ended there, but Annabelle still held to favonovel.com phone and stared blankly in surprise. He said favonovel.com was disinterested, but suddenly, favonovel.com said yes. What changed his mind?
Was it… for her?
