Chapter 5


    "D-Don''t you think it''s such a coincidence, Bruce?" Kate stammered. "Nancy''s back in Joddesdon


    and Saza and even has a boyfriend now."


    Elders always knew how to make strange emphasis.


    However, this didn''t interest Bruce in the slightest. He nced at his watch and reminded, "The


    auction is about to begin."


    "Oh dear, I almost lost track of the time." Kate grabbed my hand affectionately and said, "I''ll treat


    you to dinner next time. Bring your boyfriend along so I can meet him."


    I didn''t take her words to heart, knowing she was just being polite. I only nodded in silence.


    Kate, on the other hand, didn''t seem satisfied. She shot Bruce a look and said, "Well? Say


    something."


    Bruce sneered, "Are you two that close?"


    The atmosphere immediately fell to freezing point.


    Bruce had a point. Kate and I wouldn''t have known one another if it weren''t for him.


    I took the opportunity to leave gracefully. "I still have matters to attend to, Aunt Kate and Mr. Harold,


    so I''ll be leaving first."


    I had been waiting for the right time to say just that.


    After giving Bruce whatever respect was due, I calmly left the scene.


    As I walked away, I heard Kate''s faint question: "Why is Nancy calling you Mr. Harold?"


    She was trying to glean more information from Bruce.


    I massaged my temples and silently walked toward the furniture store.


    Half an hourter, I''d purchased an air purifier. The seller''s service was pretty good. They offered to


    deliver the machine to the office for free. Only after that did I go downstairs.


    When the elevator reached the third floor, the food and restaurant area, a crowd entered with


    Dous as their lead.


    He was wearing a ck jacket over a white tee and cks. With the addition of the silver-framed


    sses perched on his nose, he looked quite like a reliable husband.


    Dous hadn''t gone straight to work after graduating. Instead, he stayed behind to work as a


    lecturer.


    If I guessed right, the people flocking to him were probably his students. Dous had always been


    able to easily make connections, after all.


    Just as I was hesitating whether I should say hello to him, he spotted me. He walked over with a


    smile and said, "What a coincidence, Nancy."


    The young students tagging along saw me. One of them teased, "Whoo! You''re pretty lucky when it


    comes to meeting women, Mr. Irvin."


    "Stop that," Dous said gently. He then exined, "She and I were in the same graduating year at


    university. You guys should be calling her Ms. Fisher."


    The students immediatelyposed themselves and greeted, "Hello, Ms. Fisher."


    I was amused by how silly they were acting.


    When the elevator reached the first floor, the students ran off together as if they''d premeditated it.


    Some of them even asked me to look after their lecturer.


    Dous had drunk some wine.


    We went to the parking lot where I called him a cab.


    When Dous saw how I stayed outside the car, he asked, "Aren''t youing with me?"


    "It''d be an inconvenient trip," I said truthfully. Worried he might feel burdened, I added, "But I''ve


    already called a cab of my own."


    Dous sighed softly and exited the car. This time, there was a beige checkered handbag in his


    hands.


    "The website''s front-end development fromst time couldn''t have been sessful without you," he


    said earnestly. "This is for you, as thanks."


    Coincidentally, the handbag was just big enough for myptop. It was finely crafted with high-quality


    leather, though, which meant it must be expensive.


    I refused the gift. "I don''t think epting this would be appropriate. I didn''t help all that much."


    "You don''t like it?" Dous said, disappointed. "Looks like I have bad taste when ites to


    choosing presents."


    "I didn''t mean it like that."


    "Then take it," Dous insisted, which was a rare sight. "I acted too impulsively this time, but there


    won''t be a next time, promise."


    He even looked remorseful.


    I knew rejecting his show of thanks was difficult on him, so I didn''t trouble him any further—nodding


    begrudgingly.


    Dous then got into the car. Before he left, he told me to text him once I reached home.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    As the ck BMW disappeared from sight, I walked toward the subway station. A couple of steps


    forward, and there came the click of a lighter to my left.


    I nced over curiously and saw Bruce standing not far away. His expression was unreadable


    behind the veil of cigarette smoke.


    As I continued walking in silence, he suddenly said, "So this is the new model you changed to?"


    Bruce was looking at my handbag as he spoke, his gaze piercing. I had no idea when he''d showed


    up nor why he was interested in my handbag.


    All of a sudden, I recalled what Cindy had asked me earlier today at the office.


    Perhaps Bruce mistook me for having bought a newptop. What was the big deal? It was just a


    change ofptops.


    I met his gaze and said calmly, "I don''t think that''s within the investor''s power to control, no?"


    Bruce paused for a moment and took arge drag from his cigarette before tossing it away and


    leaving.


    I''d sessfully pissed him off.


    This was not good. I should restrain myself better. I didn''t want Caroline to return to thepany


    only to find that things had taken a turn for the worse.


    I went to work as usual the next morning. I was d to see that Bruce wasn''t in sight downstairs,


    but this feeling was slowly eroded by a local courier service.


    "Ms. Lane,ptop delivery."


    "Ms. Lane, here''s aptop bag for you."


    "Ms. Lane… "


    When the eighth delivery was made and the box opened, antihistamines were found to be inside.


    Vanessa Wright, our receptionist, was particrly nosy. She pointed at the package sender''s name


    and said, "They''re all from Mr. Harold? Damn, hot and rich. What an extraordinary boyfriend Cindy


    has!"


    Cindy couldn''t hide the joy in her eyes as she gazed at the pile of packages. She closed her office


    door, blushing all the while. She then started unwrapping the packages while making a phone call.


    My seat was quite close to the office space, so I could easily hear Cindy''s words.


    "Oh, Bruce. You must''ve spent a lot of money buying all these, huh?


    "This won''t do. How about I buy you lunch in return?"


    Cindy giggled as Bruce said something to her over the call. "There you go making fun of me again."


    My lips curled into a mocking smile as I looked down at myptop. The symbols on the keyboard


    keys had long faded away.


    An unwanted prize-turned-present only gotten after six years of pining was iparable to


    specially chosen gifts.


    After lunch break, David handed me his finished code for me to review. Having given it some


    thought, I knocked on Cindy''s office door.


    When I went inside, she was in the middle of setting up her newptop. It was from a famous brand


    and was rose gold colored. It was worth at least 10,000 dors.


    How generous of Bruce.


    Cindy looked embarrassed when she saw me. She quickly said, "Sorry, Nance. I don''t know why


    Bruce sent me so many presents either. I hope I didn''t interrupt anyone''s work."


    "How''s your progress on the work I gave you yesterday."


    Cindy''s eyes widened and she put on an innocent expression. "I''m so sorry, Nance. Theptop has


    just finished setting up. I''ve yet to finish coding."


    As expected.


    "Can you finish a line of code before you clock off then?"


    Cindy looked troubled. "I''ll do my best."


    I didn''t pressure her further, but I still took on her work after returning to my seat.


    Though Cindy was from our investor''s side, she was still part of our department now. She couldn''t


    be all bark and no bite. She''d still need to produce some simple code, otherwise the other staff


    might be displeased as time went on.


    Since Cindy hadn''t finished her work, I had to do it for her.


    The next time I looked at the clock, it was already 7:00 pm. I nced at Cindy''s office only to find


    that she had yet to leave.


    She was in the middle of texting someone.


    As if sensing my gaze, Cindy stood up and walked out of her office with herptop in hand.


    "I wrote some code, Nance. Could you help me look through it?" Cindy asked nicely, making me feel


    somewhat embarrassed.


    I quickly looked through the code, only to be left speechless.


    Maybe I expected too much from Cindy.


    I was about to speak when tears filled her eyes. "Am I too dumb, Nancy?"


    The moment she spoke, the office door was pushed open without warning. I looked over to find


    Bruce standing there in the doorway. His gaze fell on Cindy right away.


    Cindy was surprised to see him. Her eyes grew downcast as she bit her lip, looking quite aggrieved.