The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 376

A while back, when Stefan was in the capital, he had constantly asked Nolan for updates on Winona's well-being. It was far beyond the scope of a boss's typical concern for a subordinate.

Nolan suddenly realized his presence here was third-wheeling a private moment.

Having survived the corporate ladder this long, Nolan knew exactly how to manage upward: the boss's priorities were the *only* priorities.

He quickly pivoted, keeping it brief. "I just came to get your approval on the funding requirements for next quarter. Once you sign off, I can take it straight to finance."

He handed over the document.

Stefan flipped it open, skimmed the page, scrawled his signature at the bottom, and handed it right back.

"Anything else?"

Nolan was stunned. Securing funding was never this easy—he fully expected Stefan to slash the budget by at least a fraction.

Grinning, he said, "Nope, that's it! I'll get out of your hair and get back to work."

He practically sprinted out of the office, making sure to firmly shut the door behind him.

Alone at last, Stefan looked at Winona. Seeing the slight tension in her shoulders, he smiled softly. He pulled out a file and directed the conversation toward some highly technical project variables.

Winona's brain immediately switched to work mode, and she entirely forgot about the heart-stopping moment in the elevator.

To better illustrate a point, she picked up a pen and jotted down a few notes in the margins of his file.

Stefan's gaze slowly drifted from the paper, settling warmly on her face. Immersed in explaining her logic, Winona was entirely oblivious to the way he was looking at her.

By the time she finished, he had smoothly redirected his eyes back to the document.

"Are there any other questions, Mr. Goddard?" she asked, putting the pen down with a professional earnestness.

Stefan nodded slowly. "Just one. Let's get lunch together."

Winona blinked, caught off guard, before a flush crept up her neck. "I actually have a mountain of tasks to finish today. I was just going to grab a quick bite at the cafeteria. I don't think I can take you up on that."

Stefan easily read between the lines. Even though they had crossed the line into something more, she still wasn't ready to broadcast their relationship to the office.

He respected her pace.

"Understood. You can get back to work, then."

Stefan's expression remained as unreadable as ever, though his eyes lingered on her for a fraction of a second longer than necessary. Winona subconsciously bit her lip, that familiar flutter of nerves returning.

Mr. Gage, standing right next to Stefan, enthusiastically flagged Winona down. "We were just talking to Mr. Goddard about the upcoming pharmaceutical engineering design competition! Since you're one of our guest judges, you should sit with us! We can brainstorm over lunch."

Winona had fully intended to just say hello and find a quiet table with Corin. Now, thanks to Mr. Gage, she was roped into an executive lunch.

Naturally introverted and terrified of making small talk with the C-suite, Corin grabbed his tray and bolted at the first opportunity.

Winona was left alone with the brass.

Whether by coincidence or cruel fate, the only open seat was directly across from Stefan.

Knowing she lost her composure whenever she made eye contact with him, Winona deliberately looked away, focusing entirely on talking shop with Mr. Gage.

Stefan finished his meal, put down his silverware, and noticed Winona had barely touched her food. He immediately cut off the ongoing conversation, turning his sharp gaze on Mr. Gage.

"I reviewed marketing's performance metrics for the last quarter. Repeat purchase rates dropped by two percent, and customer satisfaction dropped by three. Walk me through your contingency plan."

Mr. Gage, blindsided by the sudden interrogation, froze like a deer in headlights.