“Is there a problem, Ms. Lee?”
Luke asked the question casually when he noticed Pauline staring at him with a faint smile on her lips. There was clear admiration in her eyes, something she had not even tried to hide.
Pauline’s eyes widened. Realizing what she had been doing, she quickly turned away, mortified. She had been staring far longer than she intended, completely lost in thought. Heat rushed to her cheeks, turning them bright red. For a moment, she wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole.
“N-no, Mr. Cruise. Nothing’s wrong,” she replied at once, still facing away. “Actually, I was thinking it might be better to give you a tour of the company first before we start your management training.”
It was an obvious excuse, but it was the quickest way she could steer the conversation elsewhere.
Luke could not help smiling to himself.
Based on her reaction and the way she had been looking at him, it was obvious she liked him.
There was nothing wrong with that. Still, he knew better than to misunderstand it. Pauline admired him because she knew he was wealthy. They had just met. He did not believe in love at first sight, and no woman had ever looked at him that way back when he was poor. To most people, especially women like Veronica’s circle, he had been nothing more than trash.
If they had met somewhere else, at another time, with him dressed the way he was now, Pauline would not have spared him a second glance.
Luke sighed softly.
“That’s a good idea, Ms. Lee. But are you sure we’re touring the entire company?”
“Oh…”
Pauline immediately understood what he meant. Even if this was only a branch office, the building was still massive. Touring every floor would take ages.
“I understand, Mr. Cruise,” she said as she turned back to face him, her embarrassment still visible.
This was not the main branch anyway. Luke did not need to inspect every department. What mattered was learning how the company operated and how he would manage it in the future.
They spent more than three hours visiting the key areas of the building. Luke observed the workflow, the coordination between departments, and the overall efficiency. Everything ran smoothly. The employees worked with focus and discipline, clearly taking pride in their jobs.
Luke praised Pauline for her management. She accepted it with visible relief and gratitude.
Eventually, they arrived on the fourth floor.
This level housed one of ENDX Corporation’s showrooms, where luxury cars worth millions of dollars were displayed. Another showroom was located on the third floor, featuring more affordable models priced between three hundred thousand and nine hundred thousand dollars.
The moment Luke saw the cars, excitement surged through him.
In the past, owning an ENDX vehicle had been nothing more than a dream. Now, everything here belonged to him.
There were a few people on the floor. Some were sales staff. Others were potential customers. A handful were simply there to look around, snapping discreet photos to post online and show off.
At the center of the showroom stood a red sports car that demanded attention. It was easily the most stunning vehicle in the room. Several people stood around it, praising its sleek design.
As Luke approached, he suddenly stopped.
The design felt familiar.
“No way…” he murmured.
That car was based on his design.
Luke had loved sketching cars as a kid. Among all his drawings, that sports car had been his masterpiece. He had once shown it to his grandfather, proudly declaring that one day he would build it himself.
He never imagined his grandfather would actually make it real.
Luke shook his head with a smile.
“How much does this car cost?” he asked Pauline.
“Oh, I was just about to explain that, Mr. Cruise,” Pauline said. “Mr. Bautista never told us the exact price. But this is considered the most expensive car in the world. It’s the only model of its kind. ENDX has never made another one like it.”
She paused before adding, “This car isn’t for sale. It already has an owner. It’s only being displayed here temporarily while waiting for the owner to claim it.”
Luke felt a brief rush of pride knowing it was a one-of-a-kind vehicle. That feeling faded the moment he heard it already had an owner.
He had planned to buy it outright, even if that meant paying his own company. He wanted to be the first to drive the car he designed.
“How long does it take to build a model like this?” he asked instead.
If needed, he would simply have another one made.
“Mr. Bautista said this is the first and last time the company will ever produce this model,” Pauline replied. “It was made specifically for its current owner.”
Luke was stunned.
Who was this person? Someone powerful enough to own the only model ever made? And why had his grandfather used Luke’s design for it?
“Isn’t it strange that this car is displayed here?” Luke asked. “If it’s one of a kind, shouldn’t it be at the main branch?”
Pauline blinked.
He was right. Why was the most valuable car ENDX ever produced displayed at the Quezon branch?
An idea formed in Luke’s mind.
Could it be…
“Ms. Lee,” Luke said, trying to keep his voice steady, “how does this car operate?”
Pauline looked confused but answered honestly.
“It has a fingerprint scanner. Only the registered owner can use it. Mr. Bautista told us the owner already registered their fingerprints. Anyone else who tries to start it will be rejected.”
Luke’s shoulders slumped slightly. The excitement drained from his face.
He had thought this might be another surprise from his grandfather. Everything fit too perfectly. The design, the location, the timing.
The last time Luke registered his fingerprints was four years ago, before his third training phase. Had his grandfather used that data?
He wanted to test it, but there were too many people around. If the car truly belonged to him, the scene would turn chaotic fast.
While Luke was deep in thought, a couple approached the car.
They were chatting happily until they noticed Luke standing nearby.
“Luke? What are you doing here?” the woman shouted.
Disgust and mockery were clear in her eyes.
“Hah! Don’t tell me you skipped class just to loiter here,” the man sneered. “Have you no shame in front of our daughter? You have nothing to your name, yet you still dare to slack off. I’m disappointed in you.”
The sudden outburst drew attention.
They were Veronica’s parents. Roger and Katarina.
Pauline frowned, confused by the hostility.
“Excuse me. Are you talking to Mr. Cruise?” she asked.
“Mr. Cruise?” Katarina repeated with a scoff. “Yes, his name is Luke Cruise, but he doesn’t deserve that title. He’s just a poor nobody living in this city. I don’t know why Veronica ever picked him up from the gutter.”
Pauline’s blood boiled. But before she could speak, Luke stopped her with a glance and a subtle shake of his head.
He turned calmly to the couple.
“I’m here because I applied for a job,” he said with a polite smile.
Katarina froze.
“You’re serious? This is ENDX Corporation. There’s no way they’d hire someone like you.”
Roger laughed.
“Maybe he’s applying to clean toilets. At least then he could give our daughter some pocket money.”
People who simply listening nearby snickered.
Luke remained composed.
“I didn’t apply as a janitor,” he said evenly. “I applied as a security guard.” He then gestured toward Pauline.
“This is Ms. Pauline Lee, the Executive Manager. She can confirm it.”
The couple looked at Pauline, both surprised. They didn't expect her to be the executive manager. If they had known, they wouldn't have bother to go near her or talked to Luke.
But before one of them could even talk, Pauline beat them to it.
“Yes. Mr. Cruise has indeed applied for a security guard. As a matter of fact, he's already been accepted.” she said firmly as she crossed her arms, understanding what was going on.
The color drained from Katarina’s face.
Roger swallowed hard. The arrogance he carried moments ago vanished without a trace. He straightened up awkwardly. “M-Ms. Lee, we didn’t know. We thought he was just…”
“Just what?” Pauline cut in, her tone sharp.
Roger fell silent.
Katarina forced an uneasy laugh. “We apologize if we caused any trouble. It was all a misunderstanding.”
Pauline took a step closer. She looked domineering. “ENDX does not tolerate harassment of its employees, regardless of position. Consider this your warning.”
Both of them nodded quickly.
“Of course,” Katarina said, already grabbing Roger’s arm. “We were just leaving anyway.”
They did not wait for another word. The two turned and headed straight for the elevator, their steps hurried, heads lowered. Obviously escaping.
Luke shook his head quietly as he watched them leave. If they had known what happened between him and Veronica earlier that morning, they might have been thanking him instead.
Roger glanced back once, his gaze lingering on Luke, disbelief clear on his face. Yet something about the way Pauline spoke felt off. It was as if she had been deliberately shielding Luke.
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