Chapter 17

LARA VIA

I paused mid-meal upon hearing his voice! Damn it, I've been avoiding him for weeks only to find out we'll end up seeing each other again, and to add to my headache, he's the head engineer. I never imagined he'd become an engineer with all the companies he's involved in. What now! How can I avoid him when we'll be working together! Why didn't I know he's Allan's cousin!

The clatter of cutlery seemed to echo in my ears as I struggled to process the sudden revelation. Allan, my colleague and friend, hadn't mentioned a word about his cousin working at the same company, let alone being the head engineer. How could I have been so oblivious? It felt like a twist of fate, thrusting me into a situation I had desperately tried to avoid.

As I stole a glance in his direction, I couldn't help but notice the confidence exuding from his demeanor. He seemed entirely at ease, as if unaware of the turmoil his presence was causing within me. His casual conversation with colleagues only added t