The Mysterious Billionaire and His Substitute Bride (Ethan and Janet)
Chapter 1033 New Challenges

"What's the mean of this?" Brandon asked with a blank look.

Garrett cleared his throat and sheepishly scratched his head. "So here's the thing. The Harding Group finished recruitment just a few days ago. The candidates weren't exactly suitable for the Harding Group, but I think they will fit in the Larson Group nicely. I suggested for them to apply for an interview with your company, and those youngsters were also keen on the idea. I wanted to recommend them directly to you. Of course, I'll gladly vouch for their eligibility."

Brandon glanced at the list of names, his eyes narrowing. These people were quite famous, being the most popular newcomers in the industry.

A faint smile touched his lips. "I'll take this list for review," he said somewhat cautiously. "I'll consider your recommendation."

Garrett always had a good eye for people. As such, he rarely recognized someone to be truly gifted, no matter how famous they were. Once he did, it only meant that person was truly remarkable.

"Ah, you're willing to give it a shot?" Garrett looked relieved. In truth, he had been afraid that Brandon would take his gesture in a bad light and reject the offer.

Brandon only nodded casually.

Garrett grabbed a chair and gingerly sat in front of Brandon. He rubbed his palms against his trousers, hesitating for a moment before speaking again. "I didn't really expect you would accept it. You didn't trust me before, after all."

He hadn't forgotten how Charis had driven a wedge between him and Brandon.

"Nonsense. It's been so long; why are you still hung up about that? You're going to be a father soon. You should stop being so narrow-minded." Brandon folded the list and tucked it inside his pocket. "I do remember how you've contributed to the development of the Larson Group these last two years."

"Do you really remember?" Garrett asked, his voice thick with emotion.

Janet had mentioned that Brandon was slowly recovering his memories, but he didn't let himself believe it.

Now that Brandon had said so himself, a wave of relief washed over him.

The Brandon he knew and admired, the friend who had worked hard alongside him, was finally coming back.

The two men stared at each other, and the tension gradually eased as they both broke into a smile.

Even so, they couldn't put their feelings into words. They could only look at each other in embarrassed silence.

Garrett stood and walked around the ward, his eyes darting toward the door. "I wonder why our wives aren't back yet."

Brandon glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. "They've only been out for a few minutes. They shouldn't be back for quite some time."

Meanwhile, at the cafe, the dessert and beverages that Janet had ordered were just being served.

"Here, try this," she said to Laney. "This is their new specialty."

It was a small red velvet cake decorated with a chocolate bow. For their drinks, they had each ordered an oat milk latte.

Laney cut a corner of the cake and put it in her mouth. "Oh, it's divine."

She took a couple more bites in less than a minute. Laney had grown fond of sweet things lately.

"I'm happy you like it. I'll have the waiter pack a few boxes to go, so you can take some home." Janet immediately waved the waiter over and asked him to pack up a slice of every cake they had in the store. "But will Vera be okay with you eating so many desserts?" Janet asked belatedly.

Laney paused and said, "Since Garrett and I already moved out, his mother can no longer comment on how I spend my days. Although, she has been coming to our house more often lately. She's probably planning to persuade us to move back. She kept crying and whining to Garrett, and even had someone follow us."

"What? This is too much!" Janet was worried about her friend. She had initially thought that once Laney left the Harding residence, she and Garrett would have an easier life. Instead, however, it seemed that Laney was facing a new set of challenges altogether. Laney sighed mournfully. She pressed her lips together and glanced pointedly behind her. "See those people two tables away? Vera hired them to trail me. She thought that I wouldn't notice if she changed the spies every two days."

Janet could tell that Laney felt helpless about the situation.

"Maybe if I hadn't worked as a bodyguard before, I would never have noticed at all. I may not be able to move as quickly as I used to, but my senses are just as sharp as before. What kind of professional bodyguard would I be if I lost my skills just because I'm pregnant? Alas, I'm afraid I have no choice but to put up with it."

"You can't put up with it forever," Janet said, frowning. "Are you going to tolerate Vera's antics for the rest of your life?"