Chapter 29: Are You Showing Care Towards Me?


    “Do we love each other? She never truly loved me.” Cooper pouted, giving out a sense of destion


    and sarcasm. “Our encounter here back then was nned by her. She had been approaching me on


    purpose from the start till the end. Until we engaged three months ago, it was then I know the reason


    about her being together with me is just for money.” Florence was extremely surprised. “Could there be


    any misunderstanding in this? She doesn’t look like that kind of person.”


    “I was deceived back then too. I waspletely deceived like a fool.” Cooper was filled with an air of


    lethargy and he continued, “Sorry for what happened today, that you’ve encountered such an awkward


    situation. I’ll not keep youpany any further, sorry. Also, you don’t have to worry much about that,


    do get back and have a good rest.”


    Florence looked at him with worry and she did not know what to say to console him. Outsiders are


    incapable to intervene in such a matter anyway.


    As Florence reached the workce the next day, she went to the design department first to categorize


    and arrange her work documents throughout the year and her work during student times. Although


    experience was the one she wasck of, she was stillpetent. There were three ces to represent


    thepany to participate in the Ovi Fashion Design Contest, and she had to make Ernest agree to let


    her have one.


    She held the documents in her arms and was figuring how to start upon meeting Ernest along the way.


    Yet the moment she arrived at the office, she was surprised to see that there were already quite many


    people gathering in the president’s office. Everybody was standing straight like vertically-ced


    javelins and they all seemed nervous and uneasy, whereas the man behind the office desk did not


    have any discernable change in expression on his handsome face, instead he was filled with a vague


    sense of ferocity. He tossed a folder casually and spoke with a frigid voice, “Get your wage in the


    financial department.”


    A middle-aged man’s face went cadaverous at once and his voice trembled when he spoke, “Mr.


    Hawkins, please give me one more chance, I’ll definitely make the best of the nning proposal.”


    “Get out,” Ernest spoke impatiently without even looking up, giving out an oppressive aura that made


    one’s heart fluttered. The middle-aged man words to plead further were all stuck in his throat. He


    picked up the folder in despondence and walked out of the office like a drowned mouse.


    Firing employee when it was still morning? Florence was slightly surprised, and she could sense the


    pressure and the nervous atmosphere inside the office too. She tightened her grasp towards the folder


    in her arms and not daring to speak, tiptoed to her seat and sat down quietly. Ernest caught a glimpse


    of her from the corner of his eyes and his mood worsened inexplicably when he saw her sitting there


    with a cautious manner. She always chatted andughed with other men, but kept a distance away


    from him with respect.


    “Redo.” He tossed another few more folders. Several people quickly came forward and hurriedly picked


    the folders up from the ground. They all lowered their heads and did not dare to let out a single breath.


    The office was filled with a nerve-wrecking and horrifying atmosphere the whole morning. No one who


    came here got a single praise, and their proposals were all rejected. Some had even gotten fired at the


    scene. Everyone was frightened and anxious as if they were wandering along the edge of a cliff and


    would fall from the edge at any time.


    Florence felt restricted too in such an atmosphere. Seeing that there were still a couple of employees


    needed to be criticized in the office at noon, she crept out of the office like how she came back then.


    Watching the petite figure left, Ernest’s look became gloomier and the atmosphere in the office became


    worse that everyone standing there could not feel their legs.


    Florence went to the canteen to have her meal. After ordering her meal, she sat down and someone


    immediately sat opposite her. Cooper looked at her and there was a smile on his handsome face. “Do


    you mind having lunch together?”


    “Of course not.” Seeing his mood seemed to have recovered, she felt slightly relieved.


    Even if it was just canteen food, Cooper still ate gracefully like a noble, which was pleasant to look at.


    As he ate, he said, “So? Did you get the ce for the design contest?” He was informed of that when


    he helped her to arrange the documents. Florence bit her chopsticks with an apprehensive look. “Not


    yet. The president seems to have a bad mood today and many people in thepany have suffered.”


    She was afraid she would get killed by Ernest if she talked to him about that now.


    “I’ve heard that too, the office’s atmosphere is disastrous. But I also heard that the participant list for


    the contest would be out this afternoon.”


    “This afternoon? I guess I’m out of hope.” Florence felt her appetite vanished at once. Her biggest


    dream was to take part in the Ovi Fashion Design Contest and showcase her work on the stage,


    bing a famous designer and made her childhood dreame true. Yet the contest was only


    organized once every three years. If she missed that, she would have to wait for another three years


    and continued her ordeal of her name without being heard of. “What if, you can try lightening Mr.


    Hawkins’ mood?” Cooper suggested.


    Wouldn’t that mean to tter Ernest? Florence was startled for a moment, and her eyes gleamed.


    Ernest still treated her nice. There was still hope if she ttered him. “Thanks Cooper. Enjoy your meal,


    excuse me for leaving now.” She stood up as she spoke. She went to the canteen to buy some most


    expensive dishes and took them to the president office. She still saw a lot of people in the office when


    she left back then, and she was sure Ernest had not had his lunch now. She should give him some


    good impressions when she was considerate enough to bring food to him.


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    Meanwhile, at the president office, Timothy walked in while pushing a food cart. Several delicate and


    delicious dishes were ced on top which were all specially made by highly professional chefs. He


    pushed the cart towards the side of the dining table of the office and walked towards Ernest. “Sir, do


    have some lunch first.” The crowd which was standing there seemed to have seen hope for survival


    when they heard that and they were all longing for Ernest to have his meal immediately so they could


    have a moment of relief.


    “No.” Ernest did not budge from his seat and seemed to not be moved by the food. He continued


    flipping and browsing through the documents with an icy look. He was only beginning to check the work


    progress as usual, but he found out that the work done was too rubbish. There was an imperative need


    to teach them a lesson.


    Everyone became dispirited once again and they continued staying there with a gloomy look. Timothy


    nced at them with sympathy. It could be that it was not because of them doing an extremely poor


    job, it most probably could be the president had a bad mood and he was dissatisfied of anything he


    saw. He secretly prayed for them and was ready to leave with the food cart.


    Just then, the door was gently pushed open. Florence walked in while carrying the lunchbox. She


    immediately saw the crowd who was still standing there with deference and caution in the office and


    Ernest who had not changed his posture behind the office desk. He must have not eaten yet. Delight


    sparked in Florence and she walked around the crowd to the back of Ernest’s office desk, standing not


    far away from him. Ernest’s hand which was flipping the documents slightly froze.


    Florence was a little embarrassed in front of so many people, but for the sake of the ce, she still


    braced herself and spoke with a smile, “I’ve bought lunch for you, sir. Why don’t you have your meal


    first? It’s not good to starve yourself, you can still deal with your workter.” There was a slight change


    in Ernest’s expression and he was surprised by her action. He then looked up and stared at her,


    asking, “Are you showing care towards me?”


    Florence felt a rush of uneasiness from the straightforward and thought-provoking question. How


    should she answer when there were so many people watching?