"Guess what? My designed pendant got a profit of twenty million to Harley and the designer is getting 1400000 as a reward."
When all three at the other end were chuckling and congratulating her, Arlo stood at the half-open door, looking at Sky jumping on her toes. His lips curled upwards because she was sitting in the meeting as if it was nothing and now she was dancing.
He knocked on the door.
She stopped in her tracks and turned around to see Arlo waving the white paper bag at her. Sky pointed her desk. Her voice turned neutral and spoke on her phone, "Okay, Dad I will show it to you at home. Brother Jai! Loran, I will send pictures to you. Bye."
Arlo pursed his lips and looked at her. Just a few seconds back, she sounded cheery but now it was hard to know what was going on in her head looking at her poker face.
"Ms.Sky, Any instruction?" Arlo asked. "You can leave." Sky went back to her files.
She finished other meetings before starting to study.
--
Since she was backlogged in studies, she started to study during lunch. Hence conversation between Sky and Arlo became only about studies and work.
It went on for many more days.
Due to Joe and David, Sky had to go out for dinner with Kris with stupid reasons to which she agreed after talking with Jai.
Kris had selected the western restaurant near Harley corporation. Sam and others didn't want to attend dinner with her and Kris hence after studies, Peter dropped her near the restaurant and waited in the car.
Sky reached on time and saw Kris was already sitting inside the private room.
Seeing her enter, he greeted her formally, "President Harley!"
"President Lan." Unwillingly she greeted as she had to greet him.
After she settled on the chair, Kris sat back. "Why is it so difficult to meet you?"
"Maybe I'm not free as you, President Lan." Sky gave her remark and ordered chicken pasta and a mocktail for herself.
"How about wine?" Kris asked.
Without Sam or others by her side, she would never touch alcohol. "I'm sorry. I don't have a mood for wine today. Please order for yourself."
Kris nodded and ordered a premium red wine with chicken steak.
"Joe said, you have been to S nation. How was your trip?"
"It was a memorable trip." Sky replied the truth to him. ' An unforgettable trip'
"What you liked so much to say it as memorable?" He had been to S nation numerous times.
Sky gave a faint smile but she just said about the country, "It's a linguistically diverse country. There are numerous ethnic groups in that country, each with their languages and customs. There are different colonies of different countries representing their tradition, architecture, and style."
Later their conversation continued about different countries, their traditions and old monuments' architecture.
--
Arlo who had left Harley had just reached small distance when he received the call,
After seeing the string of numbers, he picked it right away, "Yes?"
"Sir, President Harley is having dinner with President Lan." A male raspy voice sounded from the car speaker.
Arlo tightened his grip on the steering wheel, "With?"
He thought David must have taken her with him. But he slammed on the brake in the middle of the road after hearing the response.
"Only those two are having dinner in the private room."
Arlo heard the honking sound around him. His guards quickly surrounded the car making others go silent. Hearing no response for a long time, that man spoke again, "Sir, Any instruction?"
Arlo's expression was grim dropping the temperature in the car. "Make sure she is safe." Arlo said and drove off after hanging up the call.
After returning from S nation, they hardly spoke about anything other than studies or work. She was holding the book during lunchtime, free time, study time, on weekends in the Harley mansion.
Thinking she wants to get back on the track and cover the studies as per their plan, he didn't think much. Now knowing she was having dinner with Kris without anybody, he didn't know whether he should feel bad or angry.
After talking with Joe, he decided to stop troubling Kris Lan with his business and he wanted to have more confidence in him about her.
David already told him to let her choose whoever she wants. So it wasn't surprising to know Sky going to dinner with him but he didn't expect her to go alone without Sam or others by her side.
He had half heart to ruin dinner and he had half heart let her decide. Finally, he decided to leave them and went to his office.
..
After work and study, talking about such heavy topics, Sky felt even more mentally tired. She always preferred simple, fun talks during dinner which would relax her mind.
Even though she met Kris quite a few times, he still felt like a stranger to her. Even if she tried to joke around, it was very difficult for her. Hence she felt it was better to talk about countries so she didn't change the topic.
After leaving the restaurant and hopping in her car, she dozed off feeling tired. So Peter drove silently to the Harley mansion and woke her up before leaving.
--
Soon Loran's birthday came but due to Jai's match in Country Y on the same day, Sky canceled the Hallstatt trip and joined Jai with Loran in Country Y. Sam and Peter tagged along.
Arlo had work in Harley and Sigma hence he had to stay back and finish them.
Loran's birthday was simple. At midnight they cut the cake and went back to bed soon as Jai had a match and they didn't want to disturb his rest. Since their goal was to stay together on his birthday, Loran didn't mind much about it.
Jai had the final match in the evening hence leaving him to practice and rest, Sky took Loran around the city and shopped.
Loran kept irritating Sky to know about his gift. Latter kept mum or would say she didn't get him anything. "Sister Sky, I'm not dumb to believe that you didn't get a gift to me. Say it." Loran tried a minimum of fifty number of times in different ways to make her speak about it.
Sky settled on the chair in a restaurant with Sam and Peter and revealed that there was a gift to him, "Can't you wait and check your surprise gift when we go back?"