Chapter 531 Carter Group’s Complexities
Claudia and Josie departed Sousturham together.
As they reached a crossroad, a black car awaited them. The driver stepped out, giving Josie an extra glance, and said, “Good morning, Mrs. Hadey,”
Claudia looked at Josie, silently asking if she wanted a ride in her car.
Josie smiled and shook her head. “I have a friend coming to pick me up. See you next time, Auntie.”
Claudia nodded understanding, got into the car with the driver, and soon drove off.
The driver couldn’t help but be curious, “Mrs. Hadey, that woman…”
Claudia’s smile faded, and she pursed her lips as she settled into the car. She exuded an imposing aura and replied, “Just a visitor to the church who happened to be on the way.”
The driver understood and refrained from asking further questions.
Meanwhile, Josie stood in place, contemplating the recent events. Something was intriguing about Claudia’s family-they seemed well-off.
Lost in her thoughts, a black SUV swiftly approached her, stopping by her side.
The window rolled, revealing a woman wearing sunglasses who playfully whistled at her. “Hey, beautiful! Need a ride?”
Josie chuckled and settled into the passenger seat. “Do you pick up men like this all the time?”
Laura removed her sunglasses and raised an eyebrow. “Back in my prime, I could easily have ten male escorts eating out of the palm of my hand in a single night. And none of them could escape my charm. and fell head over heels with me.”
Josie couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Only Laura would make such daring and unapologetic claims.
After the laughter subsided, Laura drove toward the city center, her demeanor becoming solemn. She glanced at Josie with reservation, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you were in Sousturham? I thought you had left the city.”
Confused, Josie furrowed her brow. “Why would I leave the city?”
Laura’s tone grew more cautious. “Well… when they couldn’t find you with Dexter, the information they received was that you had gone to Rivodia.”
There seemed to be a misunderstanding in the information. Josie fell into reflective silence.
Laura continued, her voice tinged with a hint of sheepishness, “He was actually about to board a plane to Rivodia to find you, but I managed to stop him. I got so worked up on your behalf and spilled everything to him. But he did look genuinely remorseful, though.”
Josie finally showed a flicker of reaction, though her composure remained intact.
She didn’t let Laura’s accidental blunder bother her. Josie knew that Laura had spilled the beans about the actual events- her being in a car accident and her encounter with Mark.
“Aren’t you mad, Josie!” Laura noticed her seemingly indifferent demeanor, which appeared even more
detached than before.
“No, he was bound to find out anyway. It’s better to know sooner than later, Josie smiled. “Why the rush for me to come back? Is something urgent happening at the studio?”
“We’ve made some initial progress on the project Dexter handed over to us. We need to plan our next steps. I heard that Carter Group has taken on a project from the city and is looking to assemble a design team. I think we should give it a shot,” Laura said as she drove.
Josie furrowed her brow. She wasn’t keen on getting involved with Arnold’s project.
“Let’s forget about it and explore other options. Carter Group is known for their complex dealings, and we don’t want to get in over our heads.”
Laura glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “Josie, is it Dexter that you’re concerned about?”
Josie couldn’t deny that she had considered that aspect. Still, her reservations were more about her lack of trust in Carter Group. She pondered momentarily, unsure how to explain the complexities involved.
“Alright. How about I make contact first? If I detect any risks or red flags on those projects, we’ll back out, okay?”
Laura was determined not to give up without even trying. She was known for her ambition and fearlessness.
Josie considered Laura’s suggestion, appreciating her support and willingness to take the lead. Ultimately. she didn’t refuse and decided to go along with it.
Laura inquired, “Where are you headed?”
Josie understood the underlying meaning behind the question. She paused momentarily before responding. Tm visiting my father. I bet he must be worried sick about me.”
Dexter is also very worried about you.
Laura had the inclination to say it to Josie but ultimately refrained. She chose to keep quiet about the incidents in which Dexter had been relentlessly trying to locate where Josie had been.
