287 Not Just Us


    If only we could spend all our days working together like this, life wouldn’t feel so bad. I had to admit that work had be so much more fun and challenging at the same time since I started working in Ace’s team and also as his personal secretary. Although our rtionship came with a lot of ups and downs, I couldn’t deny that everything made me grow so much more as a person. The joy that blossomed in my chest suddenly felt very bittersweet when I thought that there was no way that days like these couldst between us. It was an unfortunately yet seemingly unescapable fact that these days wereing to an end.


    Our next stop was only a couple of minutes’ walk from where we were previously. Ace held my hand all the way until we arrived there. I didn’t miss how he paid extra attention to me when we were crossing the road together even if all the cars were at a stop at the red light and there were so many other people crossing the road with us. All the small things that he did for me without saying anything made my heart beat faster and faster. It was getting slightly colder now that the sun was about to descend down beyond the horizon.


    “It’s like peak time now or something. Suddenly, there’s so many more people…” I said as I looked around.


    “We’re almost there. You can see ourmercial already. Can you see? Over there…” Ace replied as he pointed with his index finger at arge screen in front of us.


    “You’re right. Wow! I didn’t know there was a screen here…” I murmured in amazement.


    “It’s new…” Ace replied before tugging on my hand for me to speed up a little.


    It got dark really fast after the sun had set. The streetlights and the decorative lighting from the malls turned on and that gave the entire ce a different vibe than before. The lighting gave the ce a more festive mood and the best part was that ourmercial that was ying on therge screen seemed more captivating than before. Almost everyone that walked by couldn’t stop to stare at themercial ying on therge screen and that made me smile to myself non-stop.


    “I don’t think we should cover the other ces. Why don’t we just stay here for a bit and then leave for dinner?” Ace suggested.


    I looked at the time and gasped in shock. So much time had passed before I realized it and now it was almost time for the officialunch of themercial that was scheduled in the evening. My heart leapt in my chest as I turned to Ace with widened eyes.


    .....


    “Should we head back to the office? It’s almost time for the officialunch. If we head out now, we can probably still make it back in time,” I suggested in a hurry.


    I had no idea how Ace was feeling but now that the time was fast approaching, I suddenly started to worry and panic. Ace didn’t seem concern and he even brought up dinner. However, I knew that Julianna and many members of the team must still be at the office in case something headed south. All of a sudden, I felt bad that I wasn’t there with them. It was sad for me to admit that there probably wasn’t much that I could do even if I was there; however, I just wanted to be there anyways.


    “Julianna can handle it,” Ace replied without any worry.


    “Even if that’s the case…I don’t know. I guess I’m just worried. Can we do dinner together another day please? Let’s head back to the office…” I suggested pleadingly.


    Ace seemed to consider my words a little before he took out his phone which seemed to be vibrating. He answered the call without hesitation and then started looking around. The way he acted me feel like he was looking for someone and that made me look around as well. It didn’t take me long to figure out who it was that he was waiting and looking for in the crowd of people.


    “Ace!”


    I turned around at the sound of someone calling Ace’s name. It felt like the time suddenly came to a stop and the word lost all of its color when I saw the blonde woman standing in her business suit in the middle of the crowd with one hand raised and waving our way.


    “I thought you wouldn’t really turn up. You always hated crowded ces like this…” Ace said when she finally came to stand right in front of us.


    I couldn’t stop staring at her face as my body seemed to have turned into solid lead. Although I knew that she was real and she was standing right in front of me in the flesh, my mind still found it extremely challenging to ept the fact that Elizabeth Chase is here.


    “You justunched this long-awaitedmercial. How can I not turn up? How is it? So far so good?” she asked Ace energetically.


    I didn’t care much for the words that came out of her mouth. All my mind could focus on was how Ace spoke so familiarly with her and how he always hinted at knowing her so well. It made me feel sick inside.


    “I think so…” Ace replied with a smile.


    Elizabeth looked around at the crowd before her attention returned to themercial ying on the screen again. She smiled and nodded as if she liked what she was seeing before her attention turned to me.


    “Oh, you’re here too,” she said as if she had just realized that I was standing there.


    Either she was blind, or she was doing this intentionally to rub me the wrong way. I had to say that if it was thetter, she was extremely sessful in her efforts. My lips curved into a smile which I hoped was polite on autopilot.


    –To be continued…