Chapter 8


    I quickly turned the phone away after returning to my senses.


    Disbelief was clear in Kate''s tone as she muttered, "Oh dear, I shouldn''t have gone on and on like


    that. Sorry, Nance. We''ll talk again soon."


    Before I could reply, Kate had hung up the call.


    I looked awkwardly at Dous. "I''m sorry, Bruce''s mother might''ve misund—"


    "It''s pretty tough, huh?" Dous asked out of the blue, his toneced with concern.


    I looked up at him, unsure of what he meant: work or having to deal with my ex''s mother.


    He gave me another blueberry when I stayed silent. "Have some more. It''ll help with your


    exhaustion."


    I didn''t feel very happy, so I changed the topic. "It''s almost time for dinner. Let''s go."


    Dous was smart enough not to push the topic further.


    After some time in the seafood restaurant where we were having dinner, I stared at the pile of oyster


    shells in front of me.


    I said in an embarrassed tone, "Please have more to eat, Dous. I''m buying dinner tonight, after


    all."


    I then pushed a salmon tter toward him.


    Dous looked at me and said, "You''re too skinny, Nance. Your health determines whether you can


    make it big, so you must ensure your body is strong if you want to continue doing good in your


    career."


    He then pushed the tter back to me.


    I couldn''t out-argue him, so I said instead, "Then let''s both eat more."


    It was a nice dinner. But when I was about to pay the bill, the server politely informed me that


    Dous had already paid.


    "Why don''t you treat me next time, hm?" Dous said gently.


    I disagreed and suggested we go Dutch instead. However, Dous quickly retorted, "We''d still be


    going Dutch if you and I both treated the other to a meal each."


    I had nothing to say to that.


    …


    It was 9:00 pm when our night out reached an end. Dous insisted on driving me home.


    The streetlights outside the car cast long shadows on his body, but he still didn''t seem ready to


    leave yet.


    A momentter, he nudged his sses and said, "See? There are other fun things to do besides


    coding, right?"


    Dous was talking about how we''d gone to y some arcade games earlier after dinner.


    I didn''t want to spoil his fun, so I tagged along. I could tell he really enjoyed himself.


    I wasn''t used to this kind of gesture, so I said politely, "Thank you for tonight. Drive home safely."


    Dous always had impable manners, so he drove off right after bidding me goodnight, not


    saying another word.


    I quietly went back to my apartment. It was a rare opportunity for me to turn in early; but for some


    reason, I couldn''t sleep no matter how tightly I closed my eyes.


    I kept on recalling Kate''s words. If my guess was right, tonight was the night Bruce would have


    brought Cindy over to meet his family.


    Meanwhile, I didn''t even know where the Harold family household was located. There was a clear


    contrast between Cindy and I.


    Still, Bruce and I had walked our separate ways two years ago.


    There was something else more important right now, anyway.


    A knocking sound interrupted my thoughts.


    "Who is it?" I called, confused.


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    "It''s me," a low voice rang from behind the front door, leaving me standing in shock.


    It was Bruce.


    Wasn''t he with Cindy at his family dinner tonight? Why was he here outside my apartment right


    now?


    "Open the door," Bruce called again amidst my wondering. His tone was persistent.


    Why should I open the door?


    Even an investor had no right toe knocking on my door thiste at night, right?


    I stood where I was for a moment, only to hear Bruce''s frantic knocking the next second, growing


    louder and louder still.


    I didn''t want to disturb my neighbors, so I carefully opened the door, peeking through the narrow


    opening. "Can I help you, Mr. Harold?"


    I saw the dazed look in Bruce''s eyes right away. The sharp scent of alcohol flooded my nose.


    Before I could shut the door, he''d pushed it open and leaned against my shoulder.


    "You''re so mean to me, baby. Why didn''t you leave the door unlocked for me?" Bruce groaned


    against my shoulder in an aggrieved tone.


    He was clearly drunk.


    Leave the door unlocked? Did he still think he deserved that from me?


    Anger rose in my chest when I realized this might just be a misunderstanding. Yes, he''d called me


    "baby" and wanted the door to be left unlocked for him—but I wasn''t the one Bruce wanted in all


    this.


    As I thought about the family dinner Kate mentioned, I guessed that Bruce probably had some


    conflict with Cindy earlier tonight.


    After all, no one else could possibly make Brucee begging for forgiveness thiste at night—


    including me.


    I calmed myself and reminded Bruce, "Your ''baby'' lives upstairs, Mr. Harold."


    I then tried to shove him away.


    But not only did Bruce refuse to let me go, his grip tightened around me. "You''re still angry at me,


    aren''t you, baby?"


    The way he tried to appease me and how eagerly his hold on me was made my anger grow fiercer.


    I ground my teeth and said sternly, "You''ve got the wrong person, Bruce Harold."


    Bruce was persistent. "You called me babyst night, yet here we are again. Are you going back to


    using my full name already? You''re so mean."


    It seemed like he was extremely drunk.


    I took a deep breath and said, "Look at who I am, Bruce."


    Bruce slowly raised his head. I was surprised to see a hint of passion in his gaze.


    My heart skipped a beat as the words I was about to say remained stuck in my throat. This was the


    first time I''d seen Bruce so unraveled.


    In the next instant, Bruce cornered me in the doorway and pressed his lips against mine. I was


    shocked to see the burning lust in his eyes.


    My breathing quickened. Things had gone out of control now.


    My heart felt cold. The more Bruce deepened the kiss, the icier I became. When I was unable to


    stand it anymore, I bit harshly on his lip.


    Bruce hissed in pain, looking at me in shock.


    I stared back at him calmly, though my breaths still came rapidly. "Are you awake now?"


    Bruce still didn''t seem to have recovered from what happened. He tensed for a few seconds and


    licked the blood on his lips before running out the door.


    As the door mmed shut, I sagged weakly to the ground.


    …


    I went to work as usual on Monday morning and met Cindy by the elevator. She had pigtails today


    and was in the middle of replying to some text messages. She looked to be in a good mood.


    Cindy greeted me happily when she saw me. "Morning, Nance!"


    Her joy was clear for all to see. It didn''t seem like she''d been troubled during the Harold family


    dinner.


    I felt confused when I thought about how dejected Bruce lookedst night.


    Just then, a man''s voice suddenly rang out from Cindy''s phone. "You did wellst night. Don''t worry,


    I''ll deal with my family."


    Bruce''s voice was raspy in the voice message, as if he''d just awakened from slumber.


    Cindy probably hadn''t realized she was on speaker. She sneakily nced at me before walking to


    the side to respond to more messages.


    Just before the elevator doors closed, I heard Cindy say, "I feel so happy hearing you say that,


    Bruce."


    Now it all made sense.


    Bruce bore all the pain alone after falling in love with Cindy and was now silently protecting her any


    way he could. Unlike me, Cindy had no reason to be sad.


    I spent the entire morning coding.


    During lunch break, the office doors suddenly opened and in walked a besuited man with a coffee in


    hand.


    "Hi there. I''m John Zeigler, Mr. Harold''s assistant. I''m here to drop off some coffee for Mrs. Harold."


    The voice was a familiar one. I looked at John and suddenly pieced everything together.


    John was Bruce''s junior, majoring in economics. He''d admired Bruce deeply when we were in


    university. Who knew he''d end up bing his assistant after graduating?


    Drop off coffee? It seemed like Cindy really had awakened Bruce''s romantic side.


    I smiled in self-mockery, then looked away. Just then, John began walking toward me.


    When I looked at him next, he said with a smile, "Your coffee, Mrs. Harold."


    Cindy had just exited her office upon hearing this. She lowered her head instantly, face flushing all


    sorts of red shades.