Celestial Ties

CHAPTER 20

Evelyn POV

I watched him as he walked away, completely in shock for the second time by the same human being. How could someone be so infuriating? My mind raced, trying to process what had just happened. It wasn't until James spoke that I remembered he was even there.

"Miss Gale, are you okay?" James asked, concern in his voice.

"Can you believe him?" I muttered, more to myself than to James, the words spilling out as my frustration simmered beneath the surface. "Can you imagine?" I repeated, still reeling as we continued toward the exit.

"I wonder why a well-renowned company like GW would employ people without ethics," I said, my disbelief clear in every syllable. But then I noticed James giving me a strange look, his expression caught somewhere between shock and amusement.

"Miss Gale, you don't know who that was?" he asked as we slid into the car.

"And who is that, the president of the world?" I shot back sarcastically, rolling my eyes. James laughed, but there was still that hint of surprise in his gaze. Before he could explain, I cut him off.

"Enough about Mr. World," I said, waving the topic away, "I'm just so grateful that the presentation went well and everyone liked it." My tone brightened with excitement as I shifted focus.

"Yeah, well done. You did so well," James said, smiling in agreement.

"But I was informed that the CEO would be there, but he wasn't," I remarked, curiosity creeping into my voice. James nodded.

"I heard he likes to keep a low profile and separate himself from company affairs," James explained.

"Oh, okay. It would have been nice to hear his views directly on the presentation, but anyway, I'm glad phase one of the project is done," I said, finally allowing myself to relax into the car seat. Exhaustion began to set in; I had poured so much time and effort into this presentation, and I was relieved that it went well. Despite all the drama, today was a success.

But as I tried to settle my thoughts, the encounter with Mr. World replayed in my head over and over again. How could someone be such a jerk?

The day was finally over, and as soon as I got to my street , there was Carter, like clockwork.

"Hey, love," he greeted me, his tone warm and familiar.

"Hello, Carter," I replied, my voice softer than usual. I was completely drained. After the long day I'd had, capped off with a department dinner I couldn't escape, all I wanted was to collapse into bed.

"You look tired. Do you want me to help you with anything?" he offered, his concern genuine.

"No, thank you," I said, managing a small smile. Surprisingly, for the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn't annoyed or irritated by his persistence. Maybe it was because of my earlier encounter with Mr. World. Compared to that insufferable jerk, Carter seemed like the kindest person on the planet. Sure, he could be persistent, and sometimes even a bit annoying, but he was never rude. He had never treated me poorly, and I couldn't recall him ever being a jerk to anyone.

"Okay, but can I walk you to your door?" he asked, hopeful.

To my own surprise, I nodded and smiled. I noticed the look of surprise on his face as well—it mirrored my own feelings. We walked together, and I found myself enjoying his company more than I expected. Carter cracked a few dad jokes—corny as always, but they actually made me smile. His lightheartedness was a welcome distraction from the day's events, especially from my thoughts of Mr. World.

"Thank you for the walk," I said when we reached my door. I genuinely meant it.

"Anytime, love," he replied with a smile, just as I was about to unlock my door.

"Hm," he hesitated, and I turned to see him fidgeting slightly, clearly wanting to say something.

"What is it, Carter?" I asked, curious.

"Well, if you're free tomorrow... maybe we could do lunch or dinner? Or both?" he suggested, his voice filled with cautious hope.

I couldn't help but laugh. Shaking my head, I replied, "Don't push your luck, Carter," as I opened my door and stepped inside, shutting it behind me with a smile still lingering on my lips.

As I shut the door behind me, I was greeted by the sight of my mother beaming from ear to ear. I froze, knowing exactly what was going on in that mind of hers. Before she could utter a word, I jumped in, "Mum, kill that thought," I said, trying to suppress my own laughter.

"But you don't know what I was going to say! You're not in my mind," she replied, feigning innocence in that dramatic way she always does.

"Mum, it's so obvious. You heard me and your candidate Carter talking, and now you've got that big, weird smile on your face," I teased, knowing full well she couldn't deny it.

She laughed, "You're wrong! You think you know my mind so well. I was smiling because I'm excited to see my super beautiful, intelligent new head of promotional videos and planning!" she said in a playful, childlike voice as she pulled me into a hug.

I knew my mum too well. That wasn't the real reason behind her smile—she just changed the subject to prove a point. But we both laughed, caught in our little game.

"Temporary or permanent, you're the head, and I'm super, super proud of you," she said, squeezing me even tighter.

"Mum, you're squeezing me too hard," I laughed, but she just held on tighter, refusing to let go.

"I love to squeeze you," she said, and then her tone softened, "You're all I have to squeeze."

And with that, she started chasing me around the house like we were kids again. Our laughter echoed through the house, probably loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear.

"Okay, Mum, just one more hug," I finally said, out of breath.

"Okay, just one," she agreed, pulling me into another hug. This one felt different—warmer, more emotional. This was home. She was my home.

After what felt like the perfect moment, she pulled away, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Okay, okay," she said, trying to smile through the emotion.

"Mum, don't cry," I said softly.

"I won't, I won't," she promised, quickly wiping her face with her palm. "Now, go clean up and join me in making dinner," she added, noticing my cracked phone.

"What happened to your phone?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

"It fell by accident," I lied, not wanting to get into the whole Mr. World Jerk situation. Yes, that was the perfect name for him—Mr. World Jerk.