"How about I test the meter first and then provide you with feedback?" Sienna couldn't bear the needless competition between these grown men. It felt so juvenile!
"No!" Brandon and Joe exclaimed simultaneously.
"Right..." Sienna relented, but the leading man persisted. He flashed Sienna a charming smile before turning to Brandon and Joe, suggesting, "Gentlemen, as the saying goes, ladies first. Why not allow this esteemed lady to benefit first? If the meter meets her standards, you can both have your turn."
Having hosted many high-society individuals, the leading man easily discerned that Sienna didn't hail from as prestigious a background as the two gentlemen. The way they dismissed her presence hinted at their disdain. Their firm "no" felt like a command to back off.
"Sienny, please, stay out of it. You don't understand," Joe pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation.
"Then enlighten me. What's the fuss about? I get you don't want to lose to Brandon, but all this fuss over a meter? It's absurd! If you let us both off the hook now, I'll make sure you get the best meters installed," Sienna pressured her friend, her words inadvertently overheard by Brandon's keen ears. Once again, he frowned in displeasure - Why hadn't she offered the best meters to him? He'd trade the coffee for meters any day.
Joe leaned in, his feet shuffling anxiously, and whispered a detailed explanation into Sienna's ear, hands cupping his mouth to muffle the sound. His voice was barely audible, meant only for her to catch. However, Brandon, with his heightened senses after transformation, effortlessly caught wind of the clandestine conversation between Sienna and Joe.
"So, the Sullivan are also onto the Collins' dubious activities?" Brandon mused internally. "And this heir of the Sullivan family aims to ascertain this through the meters, ensuring our community remains untainted by any peculiar forces..."
Having grasped Joe's true intentions, Brandon nodded inwardly. However, he wasn't swayed into revealing the initial clue to Joe Sullivan. The Myles and the Sullivans had never collaborated before, and Brandon harbored no complete trust in the Sullivans. He preferred to conduct the investigation himself.
While Joe was engrossed in sharing his thoughts with Sienna, capturing everyone's attention, Brandon seized the moment. With lightning speed, he grabbed Liam Collins and swiftly ushered him into the villa without causing any disturbance to the others.
"Alright then," Sienna replied, reassured by Joe's words. "Sorry, but I can help with testing the meter."
"Deal!" Joe gave a thumbs up and turned to the team from the Property Management office. He was about to suggest that they start with testing the meters when he realized Liam Collins was nowhere to be found.
"Where's the technician?" Joe exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention. The spot where the technician had been standing was now vacant.
Joe frowned at the leading man, a mix of irritation and suspicion bubbling up within him. "Is this some kind of trick? Did you orchestrate this whole thing?"
"No, no, absolutely not, Mr. Sullivan. How could we even dare to do such a thing?" the leading man protested, waving his hands frantically, his face draining of color. Anxiety coursed through his entire body as he frantically scanned the area, searching for the missing technician.
In truth, when he heard Brandon's feedback about the overcharged meters earlier today and the request for replacements, fear overwhelmed him completely.
As the Chief of the Property Management Office for this community, he had profited significantly from the excessive electricity fees by colluding with the supplier. The thought of being exposed terrified him to the core. Losing his job and facing potential embezzlement charges were real risks. In order to prevent Brandon from spreading the news, he needed to fulfill his demands quickly by finding a new supplier.
In that moment of desperation, he recalled the Collins family, particularly the head of their purchasing department, who happened to be his former classmate from school.
In theory, if the replacement process went smoothly, his immediate crisis would be averted. However, any unexpected complications, such as the technician's sudden disappearance, heightened the risk of exposure. If he couldn't deliver on his promises to these affluent individuals and it became apparent that he had once again used his connections for personal gain rather than serving their interests, the consequences could definitely be dire.
Joe was contemplating how to reprimand the leading man when suddenly, Brandon's home gate swung open once more, revealing Brandon and the technician, Liam Collins.
"Thank you for your efforts," Brandon expressed to Liam with a satisfied smile, then addressed the assembled crowd, "I'll send the feedback once I have it."
Joe, feeling a mix of surprise and betrayal, wondered how and when this had happened.
"Let's go, Joe," Sienna urged, seizing his arm and pulling him away before he fully grasped the situation and felt further frustration at being second to Brandon yet again.
At that moment, a beep from Sienna's phone interrupted their departure. The message read, "Dear Sienna, I have the list ready. How would you like to proceed?"
"Wait, Sienna," Joe halted his steps, feeling the need to confront Brandon. "I can't let Myles beat me again!"
"Ugh," Sienna inwardly groaned, seizing Joe's arms. "You have to listen to me."
Joe paused, willing to hear her out.
"While you were arguing with Brandon Myles—"
"I wasn't arguing, I was competing!"
"Fine, whatever," Sienna pressed on. "While you two were busy vying for priority, I managed to sneak a peek at Collins' meters. And I know a place where we can take a closer look at them without any interruptions. Your goal is to investigate, right? Then, follow me."
Joe's eyes lit up with excitement as he eagerly followed Sienna.
Meanwhile, on the top terrace of the exquisite villa, Brandon watched the two figures vanish around the corner. He overheard their conversation once more but couldn't shake off a twinge of disappointment at being left alone and ignored by Sienna.
As he contemplated whether to text Sienna and invite her back to the lab to work on the robot together, a message from her popped up on his phone - "What coffee do you want for tomorrow?"
Seeing her message, Brandon's earlier distress about Joe and Sienna vanished instantly. So she was thinking about him, even while she was hanging out with Joe?
Almost immediately, he replied, "Same as today."
The response came swiftly: "No problem."
Brandon couldn't help but smile as his lips curled upwards. He pocketed his phone and left the terrace. Descending the stairs, he passed by the newly-installed meter and paused. Retrieving a small socket-like device from his pocket, he placed it on the meter. This action synchronized all the units consumed through the meter to his device, creating a record that could serve as evidence against any fees presented to him in the future, as well as any other suspicious deeds this meter might perpetrate against the residents of the community, such as monitoring or surveillance.
-
As Sienna led Joe back to campus, they suddenly spotted Allan heading their way.
"Quick, this way!" Sienna exclaimed, pulling Joe off the path.
"What's going on?" Joe began to protest, but then he saw Allan passing by on the narrow trail, wearing an unusually cheerful expression, as if he had just received the best news of the day. After slipping his phone back into his pocket, Allan glanced up at the sky with a contented smile, as if savoring something sweet. This sight sent a shiver down Joe's spine.
"What's up with him?" Joe started to say again.
"Shh!" Sienna hushed him, covering his mouth and gesturing for him to let Allan pass without noticing them.
Joe couldn't help but chuckle beneath Sienna's fingers.
"What's so funny?" Sienna asked, her tone fierce.
"Are you really that afraid of someone confessing affection to you?" Joe teased, his eyes sparkling.
"Get out of here. I'm not as romantically inclined as you are, handsome Joe!"
"I hate that nickname!" Joe protested. "Who even started that?"
"No idea. But Are you really that afraid of receiving titles?" Sienna smirked.
"Fine, you win," Joe conceded. "Where are we headed, anyway?"
Sienna checked her phone and then looked up, noticing Mr. Brown approaching. Meanwhile, Allan Batman unexpectedly halted in his tracks and refused to move.
Sienna's phone vibrated, and the message read, "I only have one minute for a conversation, so make sure you're on time!"
"Damn," Sienna muttered. "Hey, can you distract Allan? Now!"
Without hesitation, Joe sprung from their hiding place and approached Allan from behind, wrapping his arms around Allan's waist. Allan jerked in surprise, spinning around to face Joe with wide-eyed astonishment.
Meanwhile, sensing that Sienna had already left their hiding spot and was heading in another direction, easily within Allan's line of sight if he looked closely, Joe kept his grip on Allan's waist and spun him around in a circle, positioning Allan with his back to where Sienna had gone.
Despite the situation, Joe maintained a smile.
Allan found himself staring at Joe from such a close distance that he couldn't help but feel that Joe's warming beam and the way he held him were strangely complex...
Then, like a bolt of lightning, a thought struck him - Joe, the most popular heartthrob on campus... liked him!