Chapter 27

Joshua couldn't help but smile as he overheard the conversation about Queenie and Joanne. "Sure, she's got a pretty face, but she's a bit too flat, don't you think? Such a waste," one of the guys remarked casually. "Men, always judging based on looks or assets," a woman shot back with a hint of disdain. "Yeah, it's ridiculous," another colleague agreed. Joshua sat quietly, listening to the chatter from both tables. It dawned on him that as long as Queenie was out there, front and center in business, she'd inevitably be subject to such scrutiny and gossip. It was uncouth, but once words were out there, they were hard to take back. Reflecting on this, Joshua began to think that perhaps keeping Queenie behind the scenes might be the best move for their relationship to thrive long-term. As they made their way back to the shop, Queenie's phone lit up with notifications from over a dozen new WhatsApp contacts. "Jojo, this deal is huge for us. Things are really starting to take off!