Derek rose. "Nice to meet you."
Zeke only nodded.
He could tell. The way Derek looked at her lingered too long. Zeke didn't like it.
"I will go ahead," Derek said quickly, sensing the tension. As he reached the door, Sydney called after him.
"Wait. Derek, your item."
She handed him the resin.
"Thanks," he smiled before leaving.
Zeke's jaw tightened.
"I will wait in the car," he said abruptly and walked out.
Sydney looked after him, confused by the sudden coldness in his tone.
She hurriedly locked up the store and joined Zeke in the car.
The ride home was silent. Sydney couldn't understand his sudden mood shift; he wasn't like this earlier. He kept his eyes on the road, hands rigid on the wheel, jaw tight.
A few minutes later, they arrived at Whitefield. Sydney carried Michaela out of the car and walked toward the elevator. She waited for Zeke to catch up before stepping inside. The silence lingered.
Once they reached the apartment, Zeke walked straight to his room. He paused at the door and turned slightly.
"I won't be having dinner tonight. I already ate something at the office before leaving."
Then he disappeared behind the door.
Zeke could not explain what was wrong with him. He had never felt this before. He had never dated anyone, never even let a woman get close enough to make him feel anything.
But this… this heat in his chest, this tightness, was unmistakable.
Could he be jealous?
He didn't like the feeling. But seeing Sydney smile at another man, laughing, relaxed, engaged in a conversation with someone he doesn't know, stirred something he couldn't place a name on.
Sydney made dinner for herself and Michaela. They ate quietly, and afterward, she tucked Michaela in and went to bed with questions she couldn't answer.
The next morning came with a noticeable shift in energy.
Zeke stepped into the living room just as Sydney was setting the table. Michaela had already left for school, and now it was just the two of them.
The air still felt a little tense but lighter than the night before.
They ate quietly until Zeke, nearly finished, finally spoke.
"Who was the guy from yesterday?"
Sydney looked up, surprised. "The guy from yesterday? You mean Derek?"
"Is that his name?" Zeke asked, expression unreadable.
"Yeah. He's a friend. From way back, when I was younger."
Zeke's jaw tensed. He has known her for years, he thought grimly.
"Did you ever date him?" he asked, tone deceptively calm.
Sydney blinked. "No. Derek's always just been a very good friend. Nothing romantic."
Zeke didn't respond, but inwardly his thoughts were racing. He might be her friend, but that guy definitely wants more.
Sydney gave him a curious look. "Why are you asking?"
Zeke shrugged. "No reason."
She studied him for a second, then smiled slyly. "You are full of surprises."
Just then, her phone rang persistently. She glanced at the screen and quickly silenced it.
Zeke noticed. "Not going to get that?"
"It's nothing," she replied, her tone dismissive.
But her fingers lingered on the phone a second too long.
Zeke's brow furrowed. Is she hiding something? Is it Derek again?
Sydney stood and began collecting the dishes. "You don't have to wait for me if you're in a hurry."
Zeke's eyes narrowed. Is she trying to push me away?
"I'm not in a rush," he said. "I'm an executive at Forbes Corporation. Coming to work late just for today wouldn't hurt a fly. So take your time."
I'm not leaving until I understand what's going on, he added silently.
They rode the elevator down together. Just as the doors opened, her phone rang again. She looked at the screen but didn't answer.
Inside the car, Zeke asked, "You are still not going to pick that up? What if it's an emergency?"
"It is an emergency," Sydney muttered. "For me, not for the person calling."
Zeke shot her a confused look. "I don't follow."
"It's my uncle Chris. One of my dad's younger brothers," she explained. "Calls from him… from any of them… can only mean trouble."
Sydney had not spoken to any member of the Gilbert family, at least not since they refused Helena and her from coming to their dad's burial after he passed.
She doesn't care to know why they have suddenly remembered to call her today.
Zeke gave a slight nod, processing the information. "Let me know if you need help with anything."
Sydney turned to look at him. The worry in his voice, the sincerity – it caught her off guard.
He's so cute when he's concerned, she thought, smiling without meaning to.
"What?" Zeke asked, noticing her staring.
"Nothing," she replied, turning her gaze forward.
That moment lingered between them, unspoken, but real.
Zeke tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He knew one thing for sure now; he had a rival. And if he wanted to keep Sydney close, he needed to step up.
When they reached the store, he didn't just drop her off. He waited until she was safely inside before pulling away.
He drove to the usual spot where his guards waited, switched cars, and headed for Forbes Corporation.
Ten minutes later, he entered the building, took his private elevator, and pulled out his phone. He was about to call Dan when he ran into him at the elevator doors.
"I was just about to call you," Zeke said.
Dan grinned. "Missed me that much?"
Zeke gave him a look and walked past.
Inside the office, they sat across from each other. Zeke didn't waste time.
"I need you to look into someone," he said. "Find out everything you can."
Dan raised an eyebrow. "Did someone piss you off?"
At Forbes Corporation, the largest company in Brightcanon, people bent over backward to stay on good terms with the executive team. Just getting hired was like winning a lottery. Most of the junior staff didn't even know what the CEO looked like.
Zeke never needed to raise his voice, let alone a hand. If someone crossed him, there were more than enough ways to make them regret it.
And now… he had someone new to watch.