Chapter 83: Chapter 83

“ Oh, we see you want a brownie with almonds and ice cream! Oh, and a petit gateau too, please. “ Charlie asked the waiter, staring at the menu excitedly, while the poor guy did his best to take all the orders as quickly as she was taking them, which was impossible.

“When you said you were going to order my favorite food for dinner…” Morgan chuckled, as the waiter finally finished writing the order and walked away “I didn't think you were talking about all of them, including the desserts. “ he cast a glance at the several empty plates, which had previously been carrying the main course, and which the waiter was carrying back to the kitchen.

" What? Today is a special day! You can eat as much as you like! “ she snorted, adjusting the discreet neckline of the tube dress she was wearing, not looking very comfortable in the elegant, satin dress, which hugged all her curves perfectly “ And you better be quiet or I swear I'm going to order a burger delivery and crisp and add to your celebratory bun.

“Oh, please, anything but that. “ he pretended to be desperate, although the urge to laugh at the name she had given to that dinner for the two of them was great “ Today is the day to celebrate with your husband, not to torture him with fake food. Besides, it would be a great offense to the best restaurant in town. “ he waved around the imposing, yet still understated and refined, room where the two were, with other customers dining at tables that were meters apart.

“Well then, you'd better get ready…” she warned him mockingly “Because when we need to celebrate an accomplishment of mine, we're sure to be doing it in the sleaziest diner I can find.

“ You don't really have any respect for this future gastronome, do you? “ he laughed, moving his leg under the table to nudge it with his foot “ Well, you know...

“Mr. Sullivan? “ a husky male voice, audibly impaired by smoke, called, bringing their attention to the four smartly dressed people who had stopped beside their table.

“Oh, Mr. Davis and Mr. Winston. “Morgan recognized the two men, although he wasn't thrilled to see them there“ And Stra. Ahmed, too. How are you?

“But what a coincidence to find you here! “Mr. Davis, a short, bald man, smiled sympathetically “We were just on our way to a business dinner to celebrate the good results of the investments you convinced us to make.

“ Also here on business? “Mr. Winston, a smoker-voiced old man, tall, pale and gaunt, almost cadaverous as a vampire in a horror movie, cast a dubious look in Charlie's direction. assistant said you were not available. Perhaps we should take advantage of this meeting to discuss the next steps for our business with that Chinese company...

“Gentlemen, please…” Ms. Ahmed, a woman of imposing height, broad features and jet-black skin rolled her eyes “It is quite obvious that Mr. Sullivan is currently busy. And, indeed, it is a great pleasure to meet you, Miss...? she smiled at Charlie, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

" Charlotte. Charlotte Sullivan. “ Charlie completed, surprising the men especially with his response “ It's also a pleasure to meet my husband's work colleagues.

“Oh, so you are Mr. Sullivan? “Mr. Davis smiled, extending a hand to her immediately, “It's an honor to meet you. My name is Peter Davis.

“Mr. Davis is one of the best economists I know. Just like Stra. Ahmed is the best data analyst my company has ever had. “ Morgan praised them, in all sincerity. After all, Peter and Ayana were, in fact, co-workers that he admired, although the three of them couldn't be considered friends.

“ As your husband said, I am Ayana Ahmed. “ the woman was the next to greet Charlie, with a very friendly handshake “ We heard the news of your marriage very briefly, but we don't always have a lot of time to talk about our personal lives, when the main subject is business. “Ms. Ahmed explained, also looking genuinely pleased to meet Charlie, “But rest assured, what little Mr. Sullivan already shared with us about his personal life, everything was just praise for you.

“Yes, it's a pleasure…” Mr. Winston, huffed, sounding everything, especially judgmental but not friendly, “Now, Mr. Sullivan, why don't we take this opportunity and...

“Mr. Winston. “ Morgan cut him off politely, though she made sure to leave a hint of warning in her voice, so he knew right away that he shouldn't even dare try to spoil his special night with Charlie with that boring conversation about business “ As you can see, my wife and I are in the middle of a celebratory dinner. So if you have something to discuss with me, we can set up a time and do it in my office like we always do.

“ Maybe you don't remember because you were so young at the time, but your late father always said that the best way to celebrate a good deal is to make sure the next one happens. “Mr. Winston, who clearly didn't know how to fake a smile, commented dryly.

“ Well, we're not just celebrating the good performance of this specific investment. “ Morgan forced a smile, trying not to show that that mention of Robert had made him tense “Actually, today I found out that I was approved in the gastronomy course, too.

“Oh, are you going to do another graduation? “ the Stra. Ahmed questioned, as surprised as the other two men “I confess that I did not imagine that I was interested in the area of...

“ Gastronomy? “Mr. Winston completed, narrowing his eyes “What a decision most... Unexpected, Mr. Sullivan. Of course, it's necessary to resort to certain hobbies to ease the stresses of everyday life from time to time, but... I remember hearing your father often say that being as focused as possible on business was the recipe for success. ... " the man commented, seeming to have planned that comment to the millimeter and Morgan wondered how he could rebut those words without growling, as he felt like doing at that moment " I wonder if he would approve of this type of decision that can end up stealing time precious of you...

“ And how would that affect the company? " Charlie's voice interrupted Winston's comment, making everyone look at her " If my husband decided to use his free time and, who knows, even give up a few hours of work, to dedicate himself to the subjects that interest him, why would that be so worrying?

“Why, Mrs. Sullivan... " Winston gave a forced smile, which hid a contempt that infuriated Morgan " I don't expect you to understand this, since you don't understand what the investment environment we deal with is, but irrelevant distractions like this could be harmful to attention of Mr. Sullivan. So, as someone who knew Robert Sullivan and knows what a genius investor he was, I feel compelled to say that this decision to pursue this type of degree, which would not enhance the skills Mr. Sullivan uses at work, doesn't seem very wise to me...

“Funny…” Charlie interrupted him again, moving her eyes upwards as if she was thoughtful “I thought Mr. Davis had said they came to this one to celebrate the investments my husband led them to make.

"Yes, indeed..." Winston spoke again, but Charlie didn't allow him to go very far.

“ So you mean you think one of the same man's decisions that made him millions doesn't seem very wise...? “ Charlie pondered “Wow, I imagine being my husband's partner must be like Russian roulette for you, then. she joked, making Davis and Ahmed chuckle nervously.

“A correct decision does not preclude the possibility of making bad decisions, Mrs. Sullivan. “ Winston replied, staring at Charlie as if he were talking to a spoiled child “ And, having been a personal friend of Robert, Mr. Sullivan and former CEO of the investment firm he is now running, I can say without a doubt that this is not the kind of attitude he would support.

“Well, I admit I didn't have the honor of meeting my father-in-law, but anyone who knows Morgan never hesitates to comment on how he has upheld his father's legal standing and made his company prosper, even after so many years of Robert's death. “ Charlie smiled at him, looking proud “ I also admit that I don't understand the type of business you guys deal with, but I'm sure all great leaders understand the importance of keeping up with the current times and making the necessary changes to stay on top , even when other people might want to remain stuck in the past. See? Mr. Winston? “ she smiled haughtily at the man “ This is my husband: intelligent, modern and an excellent businessman, as you can see for yourself, who now, by chance, has taken the decision to also become a great gastronome. He has a lifetime ahead of him to do whatever he wants, plus countless talents that can be put to use. And I'm proud to see how he's able to explore each one of them to the fullest. But I understand that you are concerned that a man as competent as Morgan can let go of business, Mr. Winston...” she cracked a mocking smile “But don't worry, I'm sure you'll still be able to earn your own money, even when my husband is no longer there to help. Charlie said that last sentence with a laugh, clearly to make the attack less direct.

And Morgan was surprised to find that he managed to fall even more in love with her, even at this point in their relationship.

“But what a wife... Perceptive you have found, Mr. Sullivan…" Winston commented, his expression creased, as if he had just tasted something disgusting, "It's really amazing what college age does to a young girl's mind, isn't it? I'm sure it must be very refreshing for you to have such conversations at this point in your life. he commented, looking pleased with himself at having returned Charlie's discreet jabs.

“ Indeed it is. " Morgan smiled, wanting to fight alongside Charlie in that little war of splinters " Especially since, after a few hours in that office, I manage to forget that I'm 34 and not 84. But my dear Charlie has been like a ray of sunshine in my life. my life. “ he put his hand on hers on the table, making them smile at each other “ You know, it's easy to get lost in the memories of how my father conducted his business and fall into the temptation of trying to imitate him. But being with my wife encourages me to be authentic and follow my own path, regardless of the risks it poses. Actually, I should thank Charlie, Mr. Winston, if today you can celebrate the success of our business. “ Morgan smiled at the grumpy old man “ After all, you have to admit that my father would certainly not have agreed with this type of investment in which nothing was totally guaranteed. But luckily, I was able to use the learnings and intuition I gained building my own career to lead us to this outcome.

“ This is my brilliant husband. Charlie praised him, squeezing his hand and suddenly moving one foot towards his cock under the table, making him clear his throat.

“Well, I think we've messed up your night enough. Don't worry, Mr. Sullivan. I guarantee that any discussion our company wants to have with yours will be done exclusively during business hours and arranged directly with your assistant. “ the Stra. Ahmed solemnly assured, not looking the least bit concerned to disguise her satisfaction with her partner's displeasure “Now, if you'll excuse us...

“It was indeed a great pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Sullivan. And, Mr. Sullivan, on behalf of all of us, I wish you much success in your new professional endeavors. Have a good night. “Mr. Davis greeted them, equally apologetic and nervous, as he placed a hand on Winston's shoulder and began to guide him away, apparently in a silent request that his partner stop throwing sidelong glances at the couple.

“ If that's what you deal with every day at work…” Charlie commented, as soon as the trio were far enough away that I couldn't hear them anymore “So, more than ever, I support the idea of you retiring.

“ Now you understand why I've always preferred dealing with numbers and paperwork over people. “ Morgan chuckled, though he wasn't exactly joking. that the waiter had come over to serve “ If he hadn't been a shareholder for literally decades, I would have gotten rid of him and these comments a long time ago.

“Looks like your father wasn't the only one who wanted you to be his clone, is it? Charlie commented hesitantly, his eyes filled with compassion.

“Certainly not…” he smiled sadly “But the important thing is that he didn't make it. Well, at least not completely, even though I wasted a lot of time believing that living in his shadow would make me worthy of something. " Morgan shook his head, trying to send the faded memories of his youth, spent entirely between the four walls of an office, away " What really matters is that now I'm about to become the first Sullivan, maybe in all history from the family, to have a degree that is not in business or economics.

“Here's to that! " Charlie smiled, raising her own glass of wine to toast with it " Which reminds me... " after taking a sip from the glass, she reached for the bag she had left on the chair beside her, hunting for something that was inside " I have a special surprise for you...

" A surprise? “ he repeated, confused, watching her remove a red velvet box from her bag, much like the packaging of a jewel, although it was a little bigger and wider than usual, and held it out to him “ You bought me one bracelet or something? How romantic…” he teased, though her smirk only seemed to widen.

“Oh, I can guarantee it will be the most romantic thing you will ever be privileged to see.

Increasingly curious to know what she was talking about, he opened the small box, not knowing what to expect, getting even more confused when catching a glimpse of the red glow of what looked like a jewel... And closing the lid right after, gasping as he looked around, to make sure that no one else had seen the that was inside the box.

“Charlie...! he gasped, torn between utter shock and, even though he didn't want to show it to her, also a bit of amusement.

" What? she laughed, obviously finding his reaction very funny.

“ But what do you...? Like you...? “ he pushed those choked words out, before finally managing to steady his thoughts enough to comment “I thought the poor virgin maiden didn't know what it was…” He looked around again, while making his tone almost inaudible “ A butt plug. Least of all brazen enough to give me one in the middle of a crowded room.

“Well, FYI, even Virgin Maidens know how to look up things they don't know about on the internet. And, how amazing is it, even finding places that sell them, too. “ she celebrated, as if she were talking about buying a shoe “ Don't make that face! You were the one who told me we needed this in the first place, don't you remember?

“But I didn't think you were going to get one so fast...” He raised an eyebrow as he felt her running her feet back down the front of his pants, without any qualms.

“I think you'll be amazed at the things I'll be able to do today. Charlie winked slyly, making him chuckle.

“Always so hurried…” he murmured, stroking the soft velvet box in her hands. “Tell me, what are you craving the most for you? Eat the five hundred desserts you ordered right here, or pack them for the trip and get home a little faster?

“We can go out now and have them delivered to the house. Tomorrow. “ she smiled, determined “ After all, I have a much better dessert for you at home!"