Chapter 13


    To everyone’s surprise, without a word, Serene got up from her seat and went out of the room. She did


    not care about the incredulous look of her colleagues, not to mention the dark face of her Director, Mr.


    Kim.


    She just wanted to get out of that ce as quickly as she could. Her chest tightened, her eyes burned.


    She further hurried her steps and went straight to the nearest washroom. She locked herself up in the


    first vacant cubicle that she saw.


    Alone, her tears fell down from her eyes. She suppressed her sobs lest other people would hear her.


    “They both have to be here,” she muttered. Her emotions were a mess. She felt confused, surprised,


    angry, depressed all at the same time. Like her feelings, her thoughts were also a mess. She cannot


    understand why of all the ces in the world she ended up working here. While she was happy with


    her work and the people she worked with, with those two here, how can her life be peaceful again?


    She thought she had buried Bryan in the deepest recess of her heart and memory. She thought that


    she no longer felt anything for him — no pain, no anger, no resentment. But how wrong she was! All


    this while, all those feelings that were just pushed down and had resurfaced.


    After a few minutes, she went out of the cubicle and washed her face. She stared at her reflection. Like


    a zombie, she returned to her workstation. Soon as she got in her small office, Director Kim came to


    see her with a stern expression on his face.


    “What was that about?” he asked directly.


    “I’m sorry, Director Kim. I am not myself today. Can I file for a half day leave?” she asked solemnly.


    Looking at her now, Director Kim cannot believe that the person whom he just promoted and this mess


    of a girl in front of him were the same.


    “OK. Deal with whatever you need to ande back ready for work tomorrow. I will no longer tolerate


    “Yes, Mr. Kim.” He had called her Ellis. He must be pretty upset.


    Serene collected her things and walked out of their department. She pressed the down button of the


    elevator and looked at her shoes while waiting for it to arrive. When the elevator opened, she


    mindlessly went in and pressed B1.


    She was not alone in the elevator, but she did not pay attention. She just stared at her shoes


    absentmindedly. A familiar scent reached her nose that made her look up. Sure enough, Bryan was


    standing in front of her, intently watching her.


    “Shen…” he softly called her, using the nickname he used to call her.


    Seeing him, being this close to him, gave herplex emotions. She felt pain, anger, and longing. She


    said nothing and simply looked at him.


    He let out a tiny smile. He struggled inwardly, looking for words. It had been two years. He had not


    seen her since the incident at his house. He looked for her to talk to her but did not find her. And now


    here she’s here standing in front of him, but he’s groping for words.


    She had changed so much in the past couple of years. She looked more mature now, but it suited her.


    She still looked tall and stoic. Her long hair, which was simply tied in a neat ponytail, made her looked


    approachable.


    “I’m sorry, for everything,” he finally said. He looked at her for a response, but he did not get any.


    The elevator finally arrived at her designated floor. She stepped out, not saying anything to Bryan. She


    did not expect him to follow her and grab her hand to stop her.


    “Shen, I said…”


    “I heard you,” her stern voice surprised both of them. Like daggers, her eyes met his, “But what were


    you expecting from me? Did you think that your sorry will simply erase the fact that you lied to me and


    you cheated on me?” She looked at him from head to toe and with some force snatched the hand he


    held back. “You think so highly of yourself if you think that I would have forgiven you so easily. And


    please, it''s Serene, not Shen."


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    She took a couple of steps before he suddenly hugged her from behind. His head buried in her nape as


    he chanted, "I''m sorry."


    She stood like a statue, her arms on her side. Expressionless and numb, she just allowed him to hold


    her. She did not know how long they’ve been in such a position when they both heard somebody clear


    his throat exaggeratedly behind them.


    Bryan let her go. Both of them looked back to the direction of the sound. Justin’s narrow eyes met their


    surprised faces. They darted back and forth from them then, finally settling down on her.


    “What’s going on here?” His voice was very imposing.