The silence in Grayson’s office stretched thick and uncomfortable. Neville stood on the side, waiting for them to finish reading. The file he had just sent over was like a loaded weapon—which, in a way, it was.
Although there was no visible change in Grayson’s expression, Keaton and Bryan’s were a dead giveaway.
Bryan had his mouth agape, his usual smiling poker face completely shattered. He couldn’t believe that their usual ’poor, strong-headed Cinderella’ image of Neville had deceived them. He made them think that he was really a pitiful fellow, trying to survive in this world.
Reading this file again even solidified this feeling. The kid they had been ntoring and secretly protecting like so fragile flower had apparently been playing corporate espionage while doing nial tasks.
Keaton, on the other hand, had gone very still. His knuckles had gone white around the edges of the file, and a muscle twitched in his jaw.
Neville, for his part, tried very hard not to fidget excitedly. He had rehearsed this mont in his head at least fifty tis, dreaming of when he would finally do this.
In his mind, he had been cool and collected, maybe with a hint of mysteriousness that would raise his favorability. In reality, his palms were sweating. He was grateful he had already hidden his hands behind him before his grip turned his knuckles white.
[Host, your heart rate is elevated,] Shelly chid in helpfully. [Would you like to play calming ocean sounds?]
’Absolutely not,’ Neville thought back furiously. ’Don’t waste my savings anymore.’
Grayson turned off his light brain after skimming through the file he had sent. When Neville peered through, he had an unreadable expression.
The silence continued for another three excruciating seconds before he said, "Well done."
Neville grinned widely, unable to contain the surge of pride that flooded through him. But Keaton and Bryan only felt a little scared when they saw it.
Bryan took an unconscious step back.
Keaton’s eyes narrowed in curiosity.
Neville, oblivious to their reactions, was too busy basking in Grayson’s rare praise to notice.
Grayson lifted his teacup and drained the remaining liquid in one smooth motion. He set it down with a soft click.
"Get back to your seat." He said calmly, completely ruining Neville’s good mood.
Neville furrowed his brows, confusion flickering across his features.
Why? They were still talking about important stuff, weren’t they? Why did Grayson sound like he was dismissing him?
Neville knew that Grayson wouldn’t finish with just one cup of tea in a eting like this.
Sothing was off.
He didn’t move, rooted to his spot, trying to find what he had done wrong.
Had his grin been too smug? Had he overstepped? Was Grayson actually angry despite the praise?
[Host, I think he just wants you to sit down,] Shelly offered.
’I know that,’ Neville snapped internally. ’But why did he have to sound so... cold?’
Grayson saw that Neville was still there, standing in place. He turned back with a serious expression, his eyes t Neville’s.
Neville managed to get his wits back.
Grayson didn’t need to say more.
Neville straightened his spine, acting like nothing stupid had happened. So he strutted back to the sofa. Because he was petty, he showed a little attitude along the way.
He sat down across from Keaton with perhaps a bit more force than necessary. The cushions made a soft whumpf sound that sohow conveyed his displeasure.
Keaton, who had been watching this entire exchange with fascination, narrowed his eyes. There was sothing weird about how Maxwell and this ’employee’ interacted. It wasn’t quite professional, but it wasn’t quite unprofessional either—it did bother him a little.
"Hope... was it?" Keaton said, turning his attention to Neville.
His tone was pleasant, a little flirty even, curious and very much interested—but also wary now.
Neville t his gaze without much change in his expression and nodded. The grin was gone, replaced by polite attentiveness.
Inside, he was deeply confused.
’What does this guy want? Didn’t have a business with Grayson? Why talk to ?’
[Host, I think you’re overthinking. He just called your na.] Shelly pointed out.
’Just shut up.’
"How long have you been here?" Keaton asked casually.
"Not that long," Neville said vaguely, showing a smile that gave nothing away.
He conveyed with this single gesture that he wasn’t willing to entertain personal questions, especially not from soone who was a mber of another company.
Keaton’s eye twitched slightly at the non-answer.
He tried again. "How long have you been keeping... this information?"
He gestured to the file, his aning clear.
"Not that long," Neville repeated.
You won’t get anything out of , Neville thought smugly.
Bryan, who got a bit of a shock, finally moved. He went to get water bottles with awkward movents. His brain was clearly still processing the information of what had just happened.
Grayson stood up and moved to one of the empty sofas. Now they ford a rough triangle with Bryan playing butler, standing on the side and silently watching them.
Grayson leaned back, one arm stretched along the back of the sofa. His eyes fixed directly at Neville with a look that was part exasperation, part sothing else.
"Why did you not report it?"
The question was deceptively simple, but Neville clearly understood what he ant.
Neville gave a slight smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "I already reported the initial findings before. It was just as I expected, but there was more when I started to dig deeper."
He paused, choosing his words carefully.
"It might’ve been just one person’s selfishness at first, but it did move a bunch of people over the years. I couldn’t believe how big it was myself."
That much was true.
What had started as a simple investigation into so minor discrepancies and petty problems had snowballed into a web of corruption, blackmail, and corporate espionage that touched nearly every departnt.
It was like pulling on a loose thread and watching an entire sweater unravel.
Bryan served water to everyone; his hands only shook slightly as he set down Neville’s glass.
Grayson instantly understood what Neville wasn’t saying, and his expression darkened. A frown carved deep lines between his brows.
"So you did all of that for this?"
He didn’t specify what "that" was, but Neville knew. The way he had inserted himself into situations he didn’t actually need to. All the tis Grayson had found him in places that he shouldn’t be.
Neville gave a sheepish grin, knowing he had been caught.
"I couldn’t get what I need if I stayed still."
It was the truth, if not the whole truth. He needed to absolve himself of these cris by himself. Grayson already had the authority, but he was still shackled by the sa authority that he held.
If he wanted to stay by Grayson’s side, he needed all kinds of people to trust him. But the people who were involved in these things all inherently disliked him. There was no way to disarm them and be careless around him.
It wasn’t all that bad; he got points for it and ate their gratitude with glee.
Grayson’s eyes beca cold, his pheromones leaked, creating tension in the room.
"You shouldn’t have done that." He said gravely.
"But I already did and I succeeded," Neville said, perhaps a little defensively.
Neville averted his eyes and took a sip from the cup of water Bryan had provided, using it as an excuse not to et Grayson’s gaze. The cool liquid did nothing to calm the tight feeling in his chest.
"You’re impossible."
The words should have stung him with guilt, but they didn’t. There was sothing almost fond in the exasperation, buried deep underneath the frustration.
[Favorability 1% ]
Neville was a little surprised by this increase in favorability, but it made him smile.
Keaton had been silently watching their exchange. There was sothing here, sothing he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
But.
That was interesting.
Bryan, anwhile, looked visibly confused. His mouth opened and closed a few tis as he tried to process the subtext of the conversation.
Then sothing dawned on him.
His eyes went wide, and he turned to stare at Neville with a mixture of horror and reluctant admiration.
"You’re really deceiving us?" Bryan asked out loud before he could stop himself—his usual tact with the sheer disbelief in his tone.
Neville blinked a couple of tis, tilting his head innocently and confused.
"I didn’t." He said, sounding like he was wronged.
"He did," Grayson called him out imdiately, destroying Neville’s attempt to deny it.
Neville’s smile faltered, and he shot Grayson a look that clearly said traitor.
Grayson’s expression remained unmoved, though there might have been the slightest quirk at the corner of his mouth.
Feeling like he was losing control of the situation, Neville looked at Keaton, who also noticed his gaze. Keaton tilted his head in askance, curious about what this Mr. Hope wanted to say now.
Neville’s smile returned, but this ti it was sharper.
"I had a great ti sorting out your collection," he said sweetly, his eyes glinting with mischief behind his glasses. "I didn’t know that you liked those types."
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