26

Mavin,

I walked into my office and settled into my executive office chair, thinking back to what Thelma and I had done the day before. I tried to push those thoughts aside, but I couldn't shake the desire to see her again. Now, I regretted my actions.

As I sat down and booted up my computer, I reached for the phone to check with Henry if he had cleared all the news reports about me. When Henry confirmed it, I hung up and turned my attention to the top clients I needed to meet that day.

I was aware that the news might have reached Thelma's father, Mr. Conrad Sabastain, especially since we received the business magazine early in the morning. It seemed likely that the news had spread, and other companies were eager to climb the rankings to become top partners in City B.

I didn't feel the need to show off to climb the ladder; I believed in working diligently but not excessively. The attention from our fans, along with the international recognition, had driven both Steven and me to succ