From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent (Anthea )

Anthea was unflappable, even in this chaotic situation. Sarah couldn't help but admire her cool composure.

Daniel chimed in, "Hey, it's your first time in Capital City, right? C'mon, let me show you around. My treat! It'll be a blast, and you'll get the lay of the land."

"Thanks, but we've already booked a hotel. We appreciate the offer though," Anthea declined graciously.

Sherman spoke up with a casual air, "Our driver's here to pick us up. Ms. Yeager, if you don't mind, we could give you a lift."

As he finished speaking, a sleek stretch limousine pulled up in front of them.

"Well, we'd be fools to turn down that offer."

Capital City traffic was a nightmare, taxis were rare as hen's teeth, and you had to book rideshares in advance. With a ride already at their feet, Anthea saw no reason to refuse.

"After you," Sherman said, opening the car door with the grace of a gentleman, his other hand thoughtfully shielding them from the car's roofline.

"Thank you," Anthea and Sarah said as they slid into the plush interior.

Daniel was gobsmacked. Sherman had never been this considerate with a woman before. Anthea was probably the first girl to ever ride in Sherman's limo.

Could it be... did Sherman have a thing for Anthea? They did seem a good match, but what about Rebecca? Rebecca was kind, a vegetarian, a chess player.

Anthea was impressive, sure, but she was a tech whiz, not a chess player, not a businesswoman, nor a designer, and she definitely wasn't a vegetarian... Copyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.

Compared to Rebecca, Anthea was just a techie. And Rebecca was the whole package.

So, in Daniel's eyes, Rebecca was the one for Sherman!

Inside the limo, Sarah felt like she was dreaming.

She never imagined that today she'd get a chance to ride in such a luxury car. Her hand clutched Anthea's, slick with nervous sweat.

"Ms. Yeager, which hotel are you staying at?" Sherman's deep voice filled the car.

Anthea glanced up to meet his chiseled profile, the perfect angle to admire his sharp jawline under the white collar and the alluring Adam's apple.

Perhaps it was his regular meditation, but there was a subtle hint of sandalwood about him, which seemed especially pronounced in the confined space of the car.

"We're staying at Signature Silhouette Hotels, on 1788 Bayside Road."

"Alright," Sherman nodded slightly, then instructed the driver to head for the hotel.

The driver, too, was a little taken aback, his eyes darting to the rear-view mirror more than necessary. He had worked for the Christensen family for twelve years and never had he seen Sherman voluntarily strike up a conversation with a woman. And it almost seemed like Sherman was going out of his way to please this young lady.

Soon, they arrived at their destination. Sherman stepped out and opened the door for them.

"Thanks for the ride, Mr. Christensen," Anthea said, taking the initiative to express her gratitude.

"My pleasure, Ms. Yeager."

Anthea added, "We should have dinner sometime."

"Sure."

Anthea was caught off guard. It was just a polite offer, but Sherman had taken her up on it. Did someone like Mr. Christensen really need people inviting him to dinner?

Sherman raised an eyebrow slightly. Many people would kill for a chance to share a meal with him, to gain some advantage from his influence. And here was this girl, seemingly brushing him off...

Did he look that intimidating?

Daniel chimed in, "How long will you be in Capital City, Anthea? Maybe we can all grab a meal together?"

Sherman interjected smoothly, "Ms. Yeager still owes me a dinner. Would you still be around next Saturday?"

"How about Saturday evening?" Anthea replied with a light tone, though internally she felt like she had just shot herself in the foot.

"So, it's settled then," Sherman said, twirling his cross pendant. "We'll hash out the details on Facebook."

"Okay," Anthea nodded slightly.

She hadn't intended to get entangled with Sherman, but now it seemed she had no choice.

After Sherman and Daniel had left, Sarah asked with genuine curiosity, "Ann, that Mr. Christensen is like, super impressive, right?"

"Yeah."

"How do you know him?" Sarah pressed. "It seems like Mr. Christensen is really into you!" Plus, she thought Anthea and Sherman looked good together – a handsome man and a beautiful woman, quite the sight for sore eyes.

"That Mr. Christensen is a devout vegetarian and a confirmed bachelor," Anthea said with a nonchalant shrug.