Chapter 799 Don’t Even Think About It
While Tom was resigned to this humiliation, he couldn’t help but pray fervently that the delivery guy from Paradigm Co. would show up soon. If he did, then Tom and Toby would be spared from this embarrassment.
Perhaps the heavens decided to take pity on Tom and moved to spare him and Toby from the awkward situation, because not long after that, a man in a suit came through the entrance with a thermal container in hand.
As soon as Tom spotted the man, he stood up and announced enthusiastically, “President Fuller, the guy from Paradigm Co. is here! I remember that thermal container he’s holding because Miss Reed used it while she was taking care of you!”
Toby had been glancing at his watch when he heard Tom’s words and looked up immediately. Sure enough, the familiar thermal container came into view, and as for the man carrying it, Toby decided to pay no mind to him at all.
A smile tugged on his lips as he rose from his seat and walked up to the man from Paradigm Co.
On the other hand, the man was a little startled to see Toby approach him personally. “President Fuller,” he greeted.
“Give it to me,” Toby said in clipped tones as he reached for the container.
Without delay, the man quickly handed it over and smiled respectfully as he said, “President Fuller, this is the soup Chairman Reed made for you and had me send over here. She also wants to remind you to drink it while it’s hot.”
Toby grabbed the thermal container and replied warmly, “Thank you. You may go back now.”
“Very well,” the man said courteously with a nod.
Then, Toby turned and headed for the elevators with Tom hurrying after him.
It was only after the two of them had disappeared into the elevator that the receptionist let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, the two heads of Ceberus are gone! It was as if she had been brought back to life after turning into stone. She didn’t have to gird her loins or bear with the suffocating pressure anymore!
She wiped off the beads of cold sweat that had broken out over her forehead and smiled in tired relief. After that, she picked up her phone and immediately texted into the group chat to tell her colleagues what had happened.
Everyone in the group clamored to guess what Toby could have been doing at the lobby, and when it was revealed by the front desk receptionist that he had been there to personally collect the soup Sonia made for him, everyone burst into an uproar.
None of them would have thought that he was there for such a simple reason, for it seemed too surreal.
However, the female employees in the group chat seemed to have descended into a frenzy. Each of them thought it was incredibly romantic of Toby to wait in the lobby just so he could personally collect the soup Sonia had made for him. More importantly, it only went to show just how much he cared for and loved her. This is a fine example of a good man!
Following that, the male employees in the group chat were mercilessly criticized for not being as romantic or considerate or devoted as Toby. Alas, they could make no retort even if they thought the criticism and comparison were unfair. After all, they were being compared to the president of Fuller Group, and any protest on their part could easily be construed as an insult to Toby.
If they were caught muttering even a word of dissatisfaction about Toby, then it would only take 10 minutes before their supervisors came up to them and demanded an explanation. As things were, they could do nothing but swallow their pride and reluctantly admit their own shortcomings.
Meanwhile, Toby and Tom had returned to the office. The latter was just about to ask if there were any documents to be sent to relevant departments in the company when Toby spoke first. “Bring me a bowl.”
Oh, yes, by all means, set aside important work just so you can enjoy your precious soup, Tom thought sarcastically while suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. He maintained a smile as he very obligingly went into the utilities room to retrieve a bowl and a spoon.
When he returned, he saw that Toby had already twisted open the lid of the thermal container. Sure enough, the soup was still piping hot, and white smoke unfurled from the opening of the container. This was coupled with the savory, appetizing scent of the bone broth.
Tom took a sniff and swallowed as he stared longingly at the thermal container. “President Fuller, Miss Reed sure has a way with making bone broth! That smells delicious!”
“Of course,” Toby agreed proudly as he lifted his chin at a haughty angle. My Little Leaf is the best at cooking, and the bone broth she makes is the finest there is!
At the sight of Toby’s smug look, Tom rolled his eyes. I’m not complimenting you, so wipe that grin off your face, sir! But even as he thought this, he uttered not a single word and hurriedly passed the bowl and spoon over.
Toby took the utensils and promptly served himself a bowl of soup.
It was obvious to see that Sonia had stewed the bone broth for hours on end; the broth was milky-white in color, which only went to show that all the flavor and goodness of the beef bones had been released and stewed over a slow fire.
The soup was precious indeed.
Tom swallowed once more as he stared at the milky-white soup with the spring onions sprinkled on top. He was completely enamored with it. Look at that gorgeous coloring, he thought wistfully. This is driving me crazy. I can already imagine how good the soup will taste.
With glittering eyes, he asked hesitantly, “Uh, President Fuller…”
Toby pulled up his seat and plopped down at the table. Then, he eyed Tom curiously. “What?”
Tom’s gaze was fixed on the remaining soup in the container. He rubbed his palms together eagerly as he chuckled. “President Fuller…”
It was obvious what he was hinting at.
A dark look passed over Toby’s face as he asked, “Do you want some too?”
Tom’s eyes lit up at this and he quickly nodded. “Yes. I mean, Miss Reed is a brilliant cook, and that soup smells really delicious, so I was—”
“No!” Toby cut him off ruthlessly and dashed his hopes.
Tom gaped at him with wide eyes. “But why, President Fuller?”
Toby snorted and pointed out, “My lover made me this soup, so no, you can’t try it no matter what! If you want some soup, go find your own girlfriend and have her make it for you!”
This rendered Tom so speechless and disappointed that he lowered his head. Find a girlfriend? Like it’s that easy! If it weren’t so difficult, why would I still be single at 30 years old?
Upon seeing how dejected Tom looked, Toby put down his spoon and frowned in annoyance. “What are you still standing there for? Get out. Don’t think that I’d take pity on you just because you’re sulking over there. Go on.”
He waved his hand to dismiss Tom impatiently. He even made it a point to pull the thermal container closer to him, making it seem as though he was terrified that Tom might snatch it and run away with it.
The corner of Tom’s lips twitched in disbelief. And now he thinks I’m a soup robber? Come on! It’s just a bowl of soup, and I couldn’t care less about drinking it! He was lying to himself while cursing at Toby, but he forced a smile and said pleasantly, “Okay, I’ll get going then.”
Toby did not spare him a second glance as he lowered his head and drank the soup in earnest.
Tom pouted, and after giving the thermal container another wistful look, he sighed and walked out the door.
After he left, Toby scoffed as a triumphant smirk tugged at his lips. You want to drink my soup? Over my dead body! Sonia is the one who made me this soup and no one gets to have it but me!
He took another mouthful of soup as he fished out his phone to give Sonia a call.
Sonia had only just come out of the washroom when she heard her phone ring. She flicked off the water droplets on her hands and walked up to her desk. When she grabbed her phone and saw Toby’s name flashing on the screen, she lit up considerably and swiped to answer the call without any delay. “Hello?”
Toby’s heart melted into a pool when he heard Sonia’s voice. “Hey, are you busy at the moment?” he asked softly.
She shook her head on the other line. “Not at all, but what about you? I didn’t hear from you for the entire morning; you must have been so tied up with work that you didn’t even have time to check your phone.”
He hummed in response. “I was checking up on things at the factory this morning and I didn’t have time to check my messages, but I’m free for now. I still have to visit the site two hours later, so I might be home late tonight. Have dinner without me and don’t wait up, okay?” he said after drinking some soup.
“Okay, I got it,” she replied with a nod, but a frown quickly etched itself on her delicate face.
He hadn’t slept much last night, and it was bad enough that he had to work for the whole day. Yet, he was going to have to work through the night as well.
It’s going to take a toll on his body.
However, she sighed and did not try to persuade him to get off work early today. She was also the chairman of a company, and she knew it was impossible to just set work aside on a whim. After all, they had their employees’ livelihoods to consider.
That said, she was still worried about how the workload might affect his body. As things stood, all she could do was to make sure he had all the right food. At the thought of this, she asked, “By the way, did you get the soup?”
