"Your meals are so good," Maria said, taking another bite from her spoon.
"Thank you," Crystal giggled from across the dining table.
The rich scent of soup lingered in the air, softened by the single white light hanging above the timber surface between them.
The restaurant she ordered from was doing wonders for her growing closeness with Maria.
If she had known, she would have started the tactic from the first day she stepped into this house.
"It must be really nice working in such a prestigious company like GOATASTE," Crystal began. "There'd be so much to learn and grow from."
"It's a great place to be," Maria replied lightly, still half-absorbed in savoring her meal.
But Crystal wasn't going to settle for small talk as always.
Time wasn't exactly on her side for long.
"What's your favorite part about the place? I mean…what's made it worth staying?" she pressed, trying to sound as casual as possible as she idly nudged her food.
Maria chuckled, lifting her gaze. "You sound like you're interviewing me,"
Crystal laughed quickly. "Oh my God. I'm sorry it came out that way…"
"It's fine," Maria said, dismissing it with ease. "I'm just kidding."
"I mean…working anywhere is easier when there's room to actually grow, right?" Crystal continued.
"Well," Maria exhaled softly. "It's a great place to start."
Start?
Crystal was taken aback for a second. She had assumed Maria had been with the company for years.
It had to be an explanation for why she lived in such an expensive neighborhood.
"I mean you've accumulated so much in your time there," Crystal continued with a smile. "I imagine you must have gained a lot of experience."
Maria's gaze dipped back to her plate. "Yeah. It's really mostly projects and deadlines."
Maria's statement triggered Crystal's memory of the advertisement for a launch happening in Minchstone High School, owned by GOATASTE, that Christian had shown her on TV.
"Oh, I saw the ads for that new product launch happening in Minchstone," Crystal said. "It's been a while your company rolled something out through branches. I figured it might be because the CEO is around..?"
Maria's head lifted a little too sharply before she smoothed it over with a smile. "Y-yeah. You've been really updated on this. I didn't imagine the CEO's visit was that public."
Crystal resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
Unbelievable.
Did Maria not realize the prestige of the company she worked for? Or was she simply pretending?
"Well, it's really not that deep," Crystal said. "But you certainly know about the launch. Side note, Miles Genova is super attractive. I heard it's his little brother leading your branch too."
Maria smiled, taking another spoonful. "Yes. That's right. They run the company really well."
"I mean," Crystal leaned forward slightly, "I can only imagine the kind of stir a man like Miles would cause among the women at your firm. He's almost unreal."
Maria didn't look up. "Everyone's mostly a workaholic. It's easy to miss things when there's so much to do."
"I don't think I agree," Crystal leaned back, gently tracing the edge of her spoon. "It's almost unlikely that any woman wouldn't notice such a man. I know a few who'd go as far as making a move if they had the chance."
"Well…" Maria sighed, her disinterest barely masked. "I guess I can't speak for everyone."
"And you'll be lying just a little yourself if you deny that he is attractive," Crystal added with a playful tone.
Maria took a sip of water before setting the glass down. "He is my boss."
A pause.
"The meal was delicious, Crystal. I'll be going to bed first."
She stood, gathering her plate and glass before disappearing into the kitchen, leaving Crystal alone at the dining table.
Crystal let out a slow breath.
Maria didn't sound like she would be giving any clues about a possible entanglement between Miles Genova and any female staff member.
She couldn't keep relying on one source of information.
At this point, Crystal decided to do a little sniffing around the company herself, and the upcoming launch was a perfect place to start.
**
Mrs. Genova shifted slightly where she lay half-reclined on the light gray sectional that dominated the living room, her satin dress catching the soft glow of the wall lights.
The air carried a steady trace of lavender from the diffuser nearby.
Her gaze followed her husband as he descended the staircase in deep grey cotton loungewear, fresh from sleep.
The off-white walls glowed faintly under the warm lighting. Beneath the glass-railed staircase, a metal shelf displayed carefully arranged sculptures, adding to the quiet opulence of the space.
"Darling," he greeted, settling beside her. His eyes drifted briefly to the large flat-screen television mounted across from them, where a gymnastics program played in silence.
"Missed you the minute I opened my eyes," he added, turning to her.
She scoffed, folding her hands as she looked away. "I saw the advertisement for the launch."
"Oh, good," he replied, almost absent-mindedly.
Her head snapped toward him. "Gerald. Maria is leading the project."
"Well, it was her idea. The board approved it—Miles included," he said, his attention slipping back to the screen.
"I don't like this," she snapped. "That girl is nothing but a tramp. It's bad enough she's dating Daniel—now she's heading a project, and you just let it happen."
He exhaled slowly. "Darling, she also works in our company. And it's a strong concept. If it succeeds, it pushes the brand forward."
"You're missing the point."
The tension in her voice pulled his focus back to her.
He leaned in, lifting one hand to caress the side of her foot. "Perhaps you could point it out to me, baby."
She looked away, half-enjoying his touch but still frustrated at his cluelessness. "You know for a fact that I don't like her and now all of a sudden she's getting such an important position in the company."
"To be fair I thought you didn't like her because she's dating Daniel."
"That too," she snapped, turning back to him. "I didn't imagine she would be sticking around long term. This could have been avoided if Daniel had broken up with her and fired her before now. She is not worthy of this opportunity."
"Maybe we should wait and see how it unfolds," he said calmly. "Miles has been running things well. I trust his judgment."
Mrs. Genova fell silent, her jaw tightening as she swallowed what she truly wanted to say.
Maria had been nothing but a shadow in the company—which she could endure—until now, and especially during Miles' visit.
"It'll all soon be clear how that girl gets around," she said coldly. "I smell a rat, Gerald."
He held her gaze for a moment, then turned back to the television. "I'm sure it's nothing."
She let out a sharp scoff. "It better be. Because I'm not in the mood for social climbers. And I will not hesitate to deal severely with anyone who thinks she can be smart around my sons."