Chapter 17


    Justin saw Serene get in Bryan’s office. With a scowl on his face, he followed her. His curiosity got the


    better of him and he eavesdropped. At first he hardly heard anything, but his brows slowly lifted when


    he heard both parties raising their voice to one another.


    He then furrowed brows as he listened to their exchange. Unable to stand it anymore, he turned around


    and walked away. He had just taken a few steps when the door opened and Serene immediately bolted


    out of it.


    With bloodshot eyes and tears streaming down her face, she marched out of the room. Oblivious to her


    surroundings, she almost bumped on him. She did not even bother stopping. She just walked quickly,


    as if escaping an attacker.


    Soon after, a disheveled looking Bryan came out of the room intending to run after her. He stopped his


    actions when he saw Justin. Both their eyes met. As if quietly assessing the strength of the other. “Stay


    out of this,” Bryan’s voice was resolute. Justin simply raised a brow and gave him a sarcastic smirk,


    then walked away.


    Serene absentmindedly sat on her chair. Her eyes were red and slightly puffy. She pursed her lips as


    she looked nkly on her wall. An iing call broke her trance-like state. It was CEO Justin’s


    secretary. He asked her toe up to his office again.


    She cannot help but shake her head. Since she got hired, she has never seen her department’s VP,


    much more the former CEO President. But now, she’s got called several times by these two. And each


    time she''s called, she ends up wrecked.


    Reaching the CEO’s office, his receptionist just gave her a polite nod to show that she can go to the


    office. She gently knocked twice, and an authoritative voice signaled her toe in.


    He was sitting behind his desk and was twirling a pen with his fingers. Soon as she walked in, he stood


    up to walk in front of his desk. He did not ask her to sit.


    Before he could even open his mouth to speak, she had already beaten him to it. “CEO Rain, first, I


    would like to apologize. I know that I have assured you that the past rtionship I’ve had with Mr.


    Cooper will not interfere with my work. But very recent events proved I cannot keep this promise


    anymore.”


    His face darkened with what she said, but once again, she spoke before he did. After taking a deep


    breath, Serene looked him straight in the eyes and said, “I will resign from my post effective


    immediately. I can submit --”


    “why are you resigning?” he rudely cut off whatever she’s supposed to say. He took a step closer to


    her, further emphasizing his height advantage.


    “I have asked Director Kim for transfer to another department, but Bryan has vetoed my request --”


    “Bryan?” he cannot help but raise his voice after hearing the familiar way she addressed him.


    “VP Cooper,” she corrected. “Honestly CEO Rain, I am no longerfortable working in my current


    department because of Mr. Cooper thus, I asked for a transfer, but since it got disapproved, I am left


    with no choice but to leave thepany,” her voice was shaking as she tried to control her emotion.


    “What makes you ufortable? Your role and VP Cooper’s hardly have any interaction,” he did not


    even attempt to mask the ridicule in his voice. This person is clearly mocking her.


    “You’re right. Our roles hardly have any interactions. However, the mere thought alone that I might


    interact with him no longer sits well with me. You might think that I am overthinking and exaggerating


    things, however, it is what it is.”


    “No,” he tly said.


    “No?” her eyebrows shot up. “Why not?”


    “Your reason is simply uneptable. It’s merely based on assumptions” he said tly. Although his


    tone was very formal and detached, his eyes seared through her.


    She suddenly felt exhausted and defeated. Uncontrobly tears rolled down her cheeks. She roughly


    brushed it off and cursed herself inwardly for having such shallow tears.


    “Well, I’ve already decided. I’m leaving whether or not you approve it.”


    His mouth twitched while he was looking at her. “I didn’t know you have a stubborn streak in you, Ms.


    Ellis,” he mockingly told her. “Help me understand, in what way does Mr. Cooper’s presence make you


    ufortable, enough to make you decide to give up your lucrative career here,” he stared at her


    while he rubbed his chin.


    She just looked at him. She pondered if she should honestly exin herself or hide her honest


    emotions to herself. She has already poured out herself to Bryan earlier. Did she have to do the same


    to his husband?


    “Ms. Ellis…” he cut off her thoughts.


    She took a deep breath and looked at him in the eyes. “I am not sure if CEO Rain does not remember


    me or if you were just pretending not to remember me,” she smirked. “Because for the life of me, I will


    trade everything just to wipe that day off my memory.” She lifted her face to survey his for any change


    in expression, but she got nothing.


    “In the past year, I thought I could finally forget everything.” She let out a deep sigh. “I was wrong.


    Seeing Bryan again just opened up past wounds. It just brought me back to the day I saw you two.”


    Once again, she looked at his reaction, but like before, she saw nothing.


    “I’ve loved Bryan deeply.” Finally, a reaction broke from his face. She saw him frown and the


    surrounding atmosphere got colder. “And I thought that I’ve already moved on from him. But seeing him


    again, brought back a lot of feelings to me, not just my pain, and my anger. I know he''s married to you.


    I know I told you I will not entangle myself with him. But if I''d be honest with myself, I no longer know if I


    can still do that.” She looked at him apologetically.


    “You still love him.” It was not a question, rather a conclusion he arrived at after listening to her words.


    He felt her pain and her struggle, and he hated the feelings it stirred in him.


    “I’m sorry” she said in a low voice and head bowed down. Her shoulders shook from her crying. He was


    towering over her, and she was pitifully bowing her head before him. They were in such a position


    when the door to his office suddenly opened.


    Their heads snapped in the direction of the door and looked at the neer. Serene’s eyeballs almost


    popped from their sockets as her gaze shifted between the neer and the person who proudly


    stood in front of her.


    The neer also got surprised to see another person in the room. He stalled for a moment and


    looked intently to Serene with his brows raised. After a while, his surprised expression got reced by


    a serious look.


    He surveyed the two of them with curiosity. Justin looked like he was bullying her and she was docilely


    bowing her head. Her bloodshot eyes and the tears streaming from them were hard to ignore.


    Serene''s confused eyes drifted from one man to the other. One d in ck and grey with a very


    imposing aura, while the other wore a jewel colored coat whose aura seemed more subdued. They


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    looked like they were from the same mold. Confusion overtook her surprised expression. Her jaw


    dropped as she stupidly shifted her gaze from one man to the other.


    Finally, the man in jewel tone walked towards her. He extended his hand to her, “Chester”. She


    absentmindedly shook his hand, but confusion still written all over her face. Who is this person, she


    asked internally.


    “I owe you an apology, Serene, right?” She foolishly nodded her head to confirm her name. “I’m sorry


    for hurting you.”