Chapter 222

Michael Reed seriously considered bailing on the business trip—he’d dodged the emotional minefield only to land in the middle of a silent cold war. Julian Archer just stared silently at Claire Richards. The vibe was just… off. Like they were trapped in a freezer but still somehow overheating from the tension. Brandon Harris hadn’t caught on yet. Isn’t Claire usually all smiley and doting on the boss? Claire got up from the couch and picked BunBun right out of Julian's arms. “Go on, time’s ticking.” “…” Julian gave a dry smile. Yeah, no way he was fixing this anytime soon. He nodded, playing along. “Alright, Secretary Claire's orders. I’m off.” He turned and walked inside. As soon as he was gone, Claire switched gears and started playing with BunBun again. Michael took the chance to pet a nearby kitten, then said cautiously, “Hey Claire… last night, the boss didn’t mean to upset you. Don’t hold it against him.” “It was Brandon, actually. The guy panicked and didn’t want to get scolded,