He sighed deeply, the weight of the world seemingly on his shoulders.
Neville watched him, a mix of confusion and concern in his eyes. “I find it harder and harder to understand you. Even if amnesia has blurred your memories, the shift in you is dramatic. Everything about you seems transformed. Can you honestly say there’s no place in your heart for Stella anymore?”
Matthew listened to Neville’s words in silence, all while Stella’s face kept appearing in his mind. He was suddenly worried that she might see the trending news articles and get upset because of the narrative they spun.
In truth, Stella didn’t have the time to check her phone, let alone the latest news.
As soon as the launch event ended, orders began pouring in nonstop.
They were overwhelmed by the unexpected deluge.
Doreen came over with a stack of documents to confirm some follow-up arrangements with Stella. “The factory’s warehouse is already filled with the fabric from Sanford’s company. Should we move some of them to the new warehouse we rented?”
Stella didn’t take her eyes off the papers she was reviewing. “Do as you see fit, but make sure to keep a close eye on the progress. We can’t afford any mistakes.”
Doreen nodded. “Got it.”
Just then, Sanford walked in with a bunch of his assistants, each carrying bags of food in both hands.
“You’ve all been working so hard,” Sanford said with a huge smile on his face. “I brought some food for everyone to enjoy.”
The employees cheered in unison.
Doreen quietly leaned close to Stella and whispered, “Look how thoughtful and generous he is. It’s so late, yet he still took the time to bring us food. Although, I’m pretty sure that’s not the main reason he came.”
Stella gave her a wry look. “You think so highly of him, just because he brought us some free food? Come on, Doreen, you need to elevate your standards a bit. Otherwise, you’d be easily swayed by small, insignificant gestures from good-looking men.”
But Doreen was not to be deterred. “Oh, don’t say that. Sanford has been helping you since the start of the launch. He even solved the issue with the fabric for you. That’s not exactly something just any friend would do.”
As they spoke, Sanford approached them.
Stella quickly chased Doreen away. “You’d better grab yourself something to eat before nothing is left.”
Doreen just laughed. “I’ll take my share to the factory and eat there while checking the fabric.”
As she passed Sanford, she didn’t forget to thank him. “Thank you for the food, Mr. Quimby!”
Sanford nodded with his usual gentle smile. “Doreen is quite energetic, isn’t she?” he remarked to Stella. “Your life must be so much more interesting with such a zealous assistant.”
“Funny you should say that. Doreen was actually singing your praises to me just a while ago. You two seem to think highly of each other. How about I play matchmaker?”
Sanford turned serious in the blink of an eye. “You know how I feel, Stella,” he said in earnest. “Please don’t joke about something Like this again.”
Stella didn’t expect her casual remark to spark such a reaction. She awkwardly cleared her throat and tried to change the subject. “What brings you here all of a sudden, anyway?”
Thankfully, Sanford followed her lead. “The Internet is buzzing about your launch event, so I thought I’d drop by and see if there’s anything I can help with.”