Luana mustered her courage and stopped Gehrmann in his tracks.
Gehrmann hadn't expected her to dare block his way, and his expression immediately darkened.
"What do you want?"
He wasn't surprised to see Luana here, but he was taken aback that she had stopped him. He had no idea what she was up to.
"Mr. Moriarty, do you know where I can find coffee here?"
Luana had initially wanted to ask Gehrmann to help her with access, but seeing his sour expression, she quickly changed her request. If he could just tell her where the coffee was, she could figure out how to get back in.
Gehrmann tilted his head slightly and glanced behind her. "Isn't it right there?"
Luana turned around and stared at the white wall, completely baffled.
Was Gehrmann seeing something she wasn't? Did they exist in different dimensions?
Gehrmann looked at her as if she were an idiot, stepped forward, and tapped the wall. The door automatically slid open.
He then pointed to the words on the wall and scolded her like a schoolteacher.
"Isn't it clear enough? Or do you not know how to read English?"
Luana swallowed her pride and replied, "I can read."
She had been too flustered earlier to notice the text on the wall. Besides, who would have thought the break room was hidden behind a white wall?
Gehrmann, seeing her flushed face, felt a strange sense of satisfaction and couldn't resist adding another jab. "Miss Hammond, beauty alone isn't enough. Knowledge is important too. Otherwise, the Coburn family's doors won't be so easy to enter."
His tone, laced with both mockery and sarcasm, was eerily similar to Cline's. They were indeed brothers.
Luana ignored Gehrmann and stepped into the break room. She selected a dark roast coffee bean and began grinding it in the machine.
Gehrmann, no longer in a hurry to leave, leaned against the doorway and eyed her figure.
Miss Hammond, you are quite attractive. No wonder Calvert took a liking to you. But compared to my sister Melissa, you still lack a certain... elegance."
Luana had seen Melissa's photos online. She had indeed inherited the Moriarty family's excellent genes, and Luana knew she couldn't compare.
But that wasn't something she needed to say out loud. After all, beauty was fleeting—what mattered in the end was the legacy one left behind.
Her silence made Gehrmann feel somewhat bored. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Luana glanced up at him. "Mr. Moriarty, thank you for telling me where the break room is."
Gehrmann was momentarily speechless. "That's it?"
He had thought his mocking would leave her utterly humiliated, but she didn't seem fazed at all.
"What else would you like me to say, Mr. Moriarty?"
Luana set down the freshly brewed coffee and stared directly at Gehrmann.
Her eyes were clear, free of any impurities, like the water of a pristine lake—so pure it made one reluctant to harm her.
Gehrmann's expression stiffened. He averted his gaze and muttered, "Remember to close the door," before walking away.
Once he was gone, Luana picked up the coffee and headed back to the venue.
The bidding meeting had already started, and the lights in the room were off, leaving only the large screen illuminated.
The venue resembled a small theater, with hundreds of steps leading from the back door to the front.
In the darkness, it was impossible to see the path clearly, so she had to feel her way down.
Luana, holding the coffee in one hand and steadying herself with the other, slowly descended the steps.
As a seasoned executive assistant, she was more than capable of handling such a task.
She soon reached Calvert's side and crouched down to hand him the coffee, whispering, "Mr. Coburn, be careful. It's hot."
[$]
Calvert nodded, took the coffee, and smiled. "Thank you."
Luana shook her head and was about to sit down when Cline, seated in front of her, suddenly tilted his head back.
Her hand, resting on his chair, accidentally brushed against his thick, dark hair.
Startled, she quickly pulled her hand back, but Cline turned and gave her a cold glare.
In the dim light, his piercing, hawk-like eyes locked onto hers, sending a shiver of fear down her spine.
Trembling, she stammered, "I-I'm sorry."
Cline said nothing, only giving her one last icy look before turning back to the screen.
Luana let out a deep breath and slumped into her seat, her heart still racing.
Just then, Calvert leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Luana, don't be afraid."
Luana's eyes widened in disbelief. "What... did you say?"
After saying it, Calvert himself seemed surprised.
He had seen how terrified Luana was after Cline's glare and had instinctively blurted out those words.
Why had he said that at all?
Calvert was stunned by his own actions. It took him a while to compose himself before he casually took a sip of his coffee.
After drinking, he looked at Luana with a puzzled expression. "How did you know I like this type of coffee?"