Chapter 247: Challenges

"Your boss works quite efficiently."

Cloe smiled as she answered the person over the phone, "She has always been this efficient. It took you so long to notice it, Soren?"

Soren was looking at the details of the mess that the Xu family was in. Even though the Xu family was his maternal family, he had no sympathy for them at all. He felt rather amused and pleased to see them in this condition.

When one falls, everyone would throw stones at them. That was the condition of the Xu family right now as well. No one was willing to help them at all. And Soren was the first one to cut himself cleanly away from them.

"If only your boss wasn't so infuriating," said Soren.

Cloe chuckled at his remark. "Oh, says the man who had a crush on her at first sight."

"Shut up! Don't ever say that again!" warned Soren. "If my wife even heard that, I'm so dead!"

Cloe laughed even louder, "Aiyo, Mr. Family man, just how scared are you of your wife?"

"I'm not scared of her," answered Soren. "I just don't want to hurt her in any way."

"How thoughtful of you! How come I never saw this thoughtfulness of yours back in college?"

"Oh, I know," said Soren. "You didn't see a good man like me because you're busy wasting your time on a scum bag!"

Cloe's lips twitched when she heard him bring that up. 

"And if it hadn't been for me, you'd have still been that naive and blind girlfriend whom he continued to cheat on."

"So what do you want now for saving my life from him? Should I prostrate before you?"

"I don't mind," he replied smugly.

"I'd rather snap your neck! And don't think I can't do that. My Chief taught me a lot of tricks."

"Why is she even teaching you dangerous stuff?" asked Soren. "Don't be such a tough girl. Men like sweet girls."

"Can you stick with one statement? Back then when you made me face my scum bag boyfriend's betrayal, you told me girls should be tough enough to fight for themselves. And now, you're changing statements?"

Soren coughed, "I said that? It seems I forgot."

"You're getting old," retorted Cloe.

"You're not getting any younger either," said Soren. "Even that scum bag ex of yours has settled down. What are your plans?"

"No plans," answered Cloe. "Do you also want me to settle down like everyone else?"

"No," said Soren. "That's not what I meant. I just feel like you're trying to run from something. Just because of one failed relationship, you've closed off yourself. That's not fair to yourself. I'm not asking you to settle down. That's your choice entirely. No one can force you for that. But what's wrong with dating? Even if you don't want to take it seriously, just have some casual relationship. As I said, you aren't getting any younger. Don't waste your twenties like this. It's your time to make some mistakes. Why are you so uptight?"

Cloe was quiet for a minute before she said, "You've gotten better at talking now."

"My wife is a lawyer," reminded Soren as if that was enough to explain why he was getting so good at talking. But then again, it was actually enough of an explanation for Cloe. "That just reminded me, my wife's brother is single. And he is quite a nice guy as well. Do you want me to arrange a date?"

Cloe snorted at him, "Soren, you're acting like the neighborhood aunties who are eager to set blind dates."

"You're one of the only friends from college that I'm still in contact with. So, I just want the best for you. There is no hurry. Just let me know if you're interested." He took a pause as he looked at the time and said, "I have a meeting. I'll contact you again. Say thank you to your Chief for taking care of the Xu family. It saves me the trouble of doing it. So, I'm truly very thankful to her for this."

"I'll let her know," answered Cloe and hung up the phone. 

She picked up a file and walked over to Raelle's office. After knocking, she entered and told Raelle what Soren said to her while she set the file on Raelle's table. 

"Isn't the Xu family his maternal family?" inquired Raelle. "Why does he hate them so much?"

"Let's just call it family drama," answered Cloe. 

"Well, who doesn't have some family drama," said Raelle as she continued to read the content of the file before her. "Oh, help me check who is acquiring the MJ Entertainment Company."

"Yes," said Cloe as she noted it down on her iPad attentively. "Chief..."

"Hmm?"

"Can I go to check up on Hyson tonight after work?"

"You can just come with me," said Raelle without lifting her eyes. "Anything else?"

Cloe was happy to hear that and carefully told her the details of the ongoing projects that she had to deliver to Raelle. Then she added, "Soren told me that he has a project at hand that he wants us to collaborate on. More specifically, he is seeking your expertise. And he thinks you might be very interested in this project."

"What's it about?"

"It's a military Air Defence project," she gave the basic details she was aware of. "He said he will discuss this in detail with you and he is certain you wouldn't be able to resist being a part of it."

"Such confidence?" 

Cloe could only say, "Perhaps, he is well aware of your interest by now. You like challenges and he seems to have figured it out."

"There is also a possibility that you told him that."

"I'd never betray my Chief," said Cloe firmly. 

"Tell him to send me the details first. Only then we'll see whether I'm interested in this challenge or not."

"I'll let him know about this." Cloe took the files that Raelle signed before leaving her office.