Chapter 779
The cafeteria erupted into commotion. Everyone stood up, waving enthusiastically toward the door.
Here shouted, “Mr. Harrison, come to our table.”
Another called out, “Over here, Mr. Harrison. We saved you a seat.”
Ned was dressed in a casual suit and wore gold–rimmed glasses. Even though he was in his forties, he still had the vibe of someone much younger. He was the most popular instructor at the State Security Bureau–no contest.
Ned smiled warmly and nodded to everyone, every move showing his refined and graceful demeanor.
Tessa looked at Ned, who was surrounded by the crowd, and couldn’t help but remark, “Ned is still as popular as ever.”
Fillip grinned with pride and said, “I went to great lengths to bring him in. He is Alpha, the legendary hacker–of course, he’s popular.”
Hearing this, Owen thought, ‘Alpha is Ned? How did I not know that?‘ He glanced over at Aria.
Aria was the only one in the entire cafeteria still sitting quietly, completely unfazed by the commotion around her.
Caroline whispered to Aria, “If you want to fit in quickly, you should probably stand up and greet Mr. Harrison. He is really nice.”
Aria didn’t even look up. She said, “It’s not a funeral. No need to go overboard.” Her voice was calm, but there was a chill beneath the surface.
Caroline thought, ‘Is she cursing Ned?‘
Sensing something was off, Cathy quickly sat back down and asked, “Aria, do you know him?”
Aria nodded and replied, “Sure.”
Realizing there was some bad blood between Aria and Ned, Cathy decided not to get up to greet Ned. She usually went to Gerald for help with any issues and had never bothered Ned.
Seeing this, the other team members also sat back down, too.
So, aside from the veterans‘ table, Cathy’s table was the only one still sitting down, making them stand out like a sore thumb.
Ned chatted with a few of the veterans before heading toward the inner part of the cafeteria. His gaze lingered on Cathy and her group, and he suddenly said, “Seven beautiful ladies, may I sit here?”
The tables in the cafeteria only fit four people each. To make it easier for everyone to talk, Cathy had put two tables together. There was one empty seat left, right next to Aria and across from Cathy.
A person from Fabian’s team quickly called out, “Mr. Harrison, there’s plenty of space over here. Come sit with us.”
Ned smiled gently and replied, “I heard Tessa specially recruited a really impressive new member.”
He glanced at Aria and continued, “You look unfamiliar, so you must be the one. Since it’s our first meeting, let me give you a little welcome gift.” With that, he placed a delicate box on the table, and it landed with a crisp sound.
It was Ned’s tradition to prepare a gift for every new member who joined. That was one of the reasons he was so popular.
Aria put down her fork and slowly looked up.
Seeing Aria’s face, Ned’s smile froze on his face, his pupils shrinking in an instant.
Aria curled her lips into a sly smile. She picked up the box and toyed with it. Then she asked, “You sure this is really for me?”
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12:20 Sat, 9 Aug
Chapter 779
Ned’s face twitched. Then he barely managed a strained smile and said, “Yeah, it’s for you. You all enjoy your meal. I’ve got something to take care of, so I’ll head out first.”
With that, he turned and walked away. On the surface, his steps looked steady, but if one paid attention, one could catch the panic in his stride.
People started gossiping all over the cafeteria.
One whispered, “Why did Mr. Harrison leave?”
Another said, “Aria is so rude. Mr. Harrison even came over to give her a gift himself, and she didn’t even bother to stand up.”
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