The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

Sandy turned around and saw Anastasia approaching, her hands shaking so much that she quickly hung up the phone in a panic.

Anastasia found the situation amusing, her lips curving into a sly smile. "Are you scared of me?"

"Hey, sis," Sandy said, quickly pulling herself together and clutching her phone with a soft, sweet smile as if nothing had happened. "I really admire you. I heard you took over Elysian Technologies and managed to stabilize everything so quickly, even without a background in this field. That's impressive."

Anastasia smiled back, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You're being modest. You've been in the hospital for so long and still managed to steer Morton Group's development so well. That's truly commendable."

What both impressed and unnerved Anastasia was Sandy's daring move against Tavon. That kind of ruthless decisiveness wasn't something just anyone could pull off.

They traded compliments, each with a hint of something more beneath the surface. Everything seemed calm, but there was an undercurrent of tension.

Anastasia laughed softly, "How about we grab some lunch together? We haven't had a chance to catch up, just the two of us. Today seems like a good day."

Sandy was a bit surprised by the sudden invitation, knowing it likely wasn't just a casual meal.

"Sure thing," Sandy replied, accepting the offer without hesitation.

Anastasia smirked, "You're familiar with Willowbrook. Why don't you pick the place? I'll handle the bill."

Sandy smiled sweetly, "Alright, sis, I won't hold back then."

Anastasia didn't particularly like being called "sis" by Sandy. It always rubbed her the wrong way. But Sandy was clever, always projecting warmth and humility, never appearing to compete or grab for more than her share.

Half an hour later, they arrived at a charming bistro. The restaurant had a lovely ambiance with wooden bridges and quaint gazebos that gave it an upscale feel.

Both women were strikingly beautiful, and as they entered, they turned heads, drawing glances from those they passed by.

In the courtyard, Sandy bumped into someone she knew-a brewery owner named Tatum. They had collaborated on a live-streaming event before.

"Miss Sandy," Tatum greeted with a smile, his gaze shifting to Anastasia. "And who might this be?"

Not everyone in Willowbrook knew Anastasia, especially someone like Tatum, who had just reached the million mark and had no dealings with Elysian Technologies.

Sandy grinned and introduced her, "This is my sister, Anastasia, the CEO of Elysian Technologies."

In that moment, Sandy cleverly used Anastasia's status to add some prestige to herself, subtly linking Morton Group with Elysian Technologies.noveldrama

Anastasia, of course, saw right through Sandy's intentions.

Tatum's eyes lit up with enthusiasm as he eagerly offered his card. "Ms.

Anastasia, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Tatum, you can just call me Tatum."

Anastasia accepted the business card out of courtesy, her tone neutral, "Pleasure to meet you."

Representing Elysian Technologies, Anastasia knew she didn't need to, nor should she, lower herself to accommodate everyone.

Herman had once told her, "When you don't understand someone's intentions, and you're unsure of how to respond, just stay calm and let others try to figure you out."

Now in her high position, Anastasia realized her role wasn't to appease or figure others out; it was for them to decipher her.

Back when Herman shared that advice, she had teased him, joking if the domineering CEOs in novels and dramas were just acting cool, pretending to be aloof.

When Anastasia first met Herman in a coffee shop, he didn't fit the image of a wealthy, powerful CEO-dressed casually, speaking softly and kindly, and hoeven agreed to a marriage license without any fuss, challenging her perception of the typical CEO stereotype.

Herman had laughed at her then, telling her to lay off the melodramatic soap operas and romance novels.

By the time Anastasia snapped back to reality, she found herself seated in a private booth with Sandy.

Sandy handed her the menu, "Sis, you've come a long way. I'm not sure what you'd like, so why don't you order?"

Anastasia didn't hesitate and ordered a few of the restaurant's specialties.

Sandy, ever the picture of sweetness, poured her some tea, creating the illusion of familial warmth and harmony. Sandy excelled at these superficial gestures.

Anastasia played along, adopting

the role of the older sister, takimet

advantage of Sandy's eagerness to please. She signaled for more tea with a simple glance at her empty cup.

Though Sandy's inner frustration simmered-she loathed the idea of catering to Anastasia-she knew she had to maintain appearances. She refilled the cup, "Here's your tea, sis."