'This guy, he can't open his mouth without insulting someone.'
'He really is the same sharp-tongued jackal from her memories. Just look at that icy gaze, and those cheeks so cold they could frost over.'
'Endure.'
'He's a big shot, her sponsor, an influential figure she can't afford to offend. Her entire acting career is on the line. No matter how mad she gets, she has to endure it.'
Stella Lockwood forced a laugh. "I was trending on the hot search this morning. I was just worried I might cause you trouble..."
Sean Quinn stared at her.
'She's very different today.'
'First, her outfit is so vibrant. When she wasn't acting, she usually dressed so frumpily. Today, she's in a white hoodie and light blue jeans, looking youthful and radiant.'
'Second, she's talkative, thick-skinned, and bold. In the past, a single jab from him would have sent her running in a panic. But today, not only did she call him on her own initiative, she's even forcing a smile and playing along. It's just too strange.'
'Something was definitely up.'
He said nothing more and walked into Orchid Vale Academy.
'What did his reaction mean?' Stella didn't get it. As the weaker party, she could only grit her teeth and follow him inside.
Entry to Orchid Vale Academy required a key card. No VIP card, no entry.
Sean Quinn walked in swiftly, scanning his phone to enter. His assistant followed close behind, but Stella Lockwood was stopped. "I'm sorry, miss. Non-members are not allowed inside."
"Mr. Quinn! Mr. Quinn..." Stella Lockwood called out in desperation.
Sean Quinn paused and said in a low voice, "Morton, bring her in."
"Of course, sir..." Morton turned to the staff member. "My apologies, she's a friend of Mr. Quinn..."
Only then did the staff member let her in.
Inside Orchid Room 1, Sean Quinn was sitting and taking a call. On the table sat a pot of tea and two books. On a flower stand by the window, several pots of Cymbidium orchids were in full, glorious bloom. The air was filled with a delicate mix of orchid, old paper, and the gentle aroma of tea.
'Hmph. To think a man who wallows in the financial world, scheming for money day in and day out, could have such an elegant side. It's truly a rare sight. He has the same habits as her grandfather: a love for orchids, tea, and physical books.'
'What a strange man.'
"Go and verify the auction price for that piece of land again. Make sure it's foolproof... This acquisition proposal is unacceptable. Have your team redo it. We have no chance of winning with a plan like this. My policy is to either not make a move at all, or, if we do, it has to be a near-guaranteed success. All calculations must be precise to two decimal places... For the next thirty minutes, I'll be busy and won't be taking any calls. Handle any problems yourselves..."
He gave his instructions steadily, his tone calm, his expression conveying an air of condescending authority.
Stella Lockwood could only stand before him, clutching her tablet and waiting.
Finally, he ended the call, set his phone aside, and shot her a cool glance before lowering his head to take a sip of tea.
"Mr. Quinn, I have a project I was hoping you could take a look at?"
She put on her sweetest smile, showing off her most charming side as she diligently unlocked her tablet, opened the PowerPoint, and presented it to him respectfully.
'This is what you call sucking up to a big shot.'
'And if you're sucking up, you have to do it with a smile. After all, she was just an insignificant nobody right now... In the eyes of a mogul like him, even the biggest celebrities were just performers. How many of them would ever take a famous star seriously?'
Sean Quinn leaned back elegantly in the wicker chair and, as expected, didn't take the tablet. He had never been an easy person to deal with.
"Before we rush into talking about projects, there's something we should probably get straight..." He crossed his arms, drawing out his words. "Miss Lockwood, I don't believe we're that well acquainted, are we?"