The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 149

In the private room, Garcia sat waiting anxiously for news from Dylan. Her eyes were fixed on him, brimming with anticipation, while her fingers twisted the hem of her blouse. She wore a smile that was clearly forced, as if she was afraid it might slip away at any moment.

Dylan, on the other hand, was in no rush. He picked up his glass, took a slow sip of water, and then, with deliberate poise, unfolded his napkin and dabbed at the corners of his mouth.

Each unhurried gesture made Garcia’s heart pound faster. She watched him nervously, half-expecting him to reach for his phone.

Finally, Dylan set down his napkin and lifted his gaze. His eyes, cool and detached, settled on Garcia. “So, tell me,” he said, his voice as cold as steel, “what makes you think you have something special that could possibly interest me?”

Garcia faltered, caught off guard by the bluntness of his question. She turned quickly to Mrs. Austin, her eyes silently pleading for help.

But Mrs. Austin merely gave her a subtle look, urging her to answer for herself.

Garcia drew a shaky breath and bit her lip. Summoning her courage, she managed to say, “If you’d just give me a chance, Mr. Austin, I promise I could pique your interest. I… I just want a chance. Is that possible?”

Dylan’s expression didn’t soften. He watched her with the same unreadable look, then shook his head. “No. My time is valuable. The minute I’ve spent chatting here could just as easily have landed me a major deal. Frankly, neither your company nor this conversation is worth the price in money or time.”

His words hit Garcia like a blast of icy wind. Her face paled, and she sat rigid, humiliation burning in her cheeks.

Was he saying she wasn’t even as valuable as a business deal to him?

Mrs. Austin couldn’t stand it any longer. She scolded Dylan, “Honestly, Dylan! How can you say something so heartless with that mouth of yours? Garcia is a wonderful young woman—if you let her slip by, it’s your loss!”

He understood perfectly well what his mother was up to, but these forced arrangements only filled him with resentment. He had no interest in being manipulated, not even by his own mother. As far as Dylan was concerned, his relationships were his own business—no one else’s.

Since she insisted on pushing, he saw no reason to go along with it, even if it meant upsetting her.

Back inside, Ethan hurried to his seat, urgency written all over his face. He exchanged a quick glance with Noah, who immediately caught on—Ethan clearly had something important to say.

Noah glanced at his mother, who was still eating. “Mom, I’m going to grab something else from the buffet,” he said casually.

Rebecca, still savoring her food, nodded with a gentle smile. “Go ahead, sweetheart. Be careful.”