《A Love Rekindled》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    Everyone was drinking and having fun when I arrived.


    Bruce sat amongst the crowd, the solemn expression on his handsome face lit up by the chandelier


    on the ceiling. Beside him was a pretty young woman.


    Bruce''s hand rested behind her, disying how caring he was of her.


    It was the woman''s turn to choose between truth or dare.


    Before she could even make her choice, the host of the game said gently, "Kiss someone of the


    opposite sex for two minutes."


    The woman lowered her head shyly and shot Bruce a pleading look, looking pitiful.


    Bruce eyed the crowd and said quietly, "Stop messing with her. She''s shy."


    Naturally, no one dared push the dare further, but Bruce still downed his drink out of respect for the


    rules of the game. It was clear he was protective of the woman.


    As the table erupted in hoots and cries, no one noticed I was there in the corner.


    I clutched my wrist, feeling the scars there, before turning around.


    "Have you just arrived too, Nance?" Dous Irvin, our ss representative, asked me. All eyes


    swiftlynded on me.


    Nance. I used to be proud of that nickname¡ªthe one everyone referred to me by when I was


    Bruce''s girlfriend. But now it just seemed stupid.


    As everyone looked at me, I said calmly, "It''s been a long time."


    No one responded as the room fell to pin-drop silence.


    Who would care about someone who''d spent six years pining for Bruce, especially now that he had


    already found the love of his life? My appearance was truly quite inappropriate.


    Just then, the woman beside Bruce broke the silence. "I know you, Nancy Fisher. You were the


    most hardworking student in our previous graduating year!"


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    The woman''s voice was sweet, and her features tender. It was really hard not to like her.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Nance. My name''s Cindy Lane, from the ounting department." The


    woman introduced herself before turning to Bruce and asking softly, "Why didn''t you tell me Nance


    wasing here tonight, Bruce?"


    Bruce nced at me and said in a t tone, "Why would I mention someone irrelevant?"


    Irrelevant. So that was what Bruce thought of me.


    But he wasn''t wrong, really. Why else wouldn''t I have had the chance to be by his side after our six


    years together?


    Bruce never made our rtionship official nor came to my aid as he did with Cindy.


    Most amusing was that I always thought he''d never drink.


    Everyone left the ce after the gathering ended. Bruce and Cindy were at the centre of the crowd,


    nked by everyone else.


    I could hear Cindy''s sweet voice saying, "I told you not to drink so much. You feel terrible now, don''t


    you?"


    Bruce''s response was impressive. "And who did I drink so much for?"


    Cindy said with tears in her eyes, "You don''t need to see me off, Bruce. I feel bad."


    I watched as Bruce said something to her, to which she giggled immediately.


    The two lovebirds chattered about with one another as if it were just the two of them and no one


    else. Several people shot me sympathetic looks again and again.


    I felt horrible.


    I''d wanted to use this school reunion to gain investor connections. Not only did my n fail, but I


    also ended up as aughing stock tonight.


    Dous couldn''t stand it anymore and offered to apany me to the subway station.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t know Bruce would be here," Dous said regretfully. "He never joins gatherings


    like this."


    Dous was telling the truth. Bruce hadn''t even signed his name on the reunion attendance list


    earlier.


    I said gently, "It''s alright. It''s in the past now. I hope you''ll be able to help me from now on, Dous."


    Dous nodded. "I''ll review the proposal and let you know if there are any updates."


    See? Business was a far easier topic than rtionships.


    I returned to my apartment an hourter with some hangover pills. When the elevator door opened,


    a familiar figure stood before me. Who else could it be but Bruce himself?


    Bruce was lighting a cigarette, his blue-striped tie ck around his neck, making him look quite


    rxed.


    His eyes went into a daze when he saw me. I pretended not to notice and stepped into the elevator.


    Looking away, I pressed the button for my floor. Neither of us spoke a word.


    All of a sudden, a strong figure enveloped me, followed by the sharp smell of alcohol. Bruce pulled


    me into his chest.


    He rasped, "You still care about me, don''t you, Cece?"


    Bruce nuzzled my neck. Something in his tone made him sound like he was trying to appease me.


    He had never done this even once in the six years we were together.


    I felt incredulous when I recalled how Bruce had spoken so gently to Cindy earlier at the gathering.


    Cece, huh?


    My name and Cindy''s had a simr ''c'' syble. That fact did not escape me.


    The acrid scent of alcoholing off of Bruce told me he''d had too much to drink. I looked up


    tiredly and said, "Apologies, but I''m not Ms. Lane."


    Bruce''s arms tensed around me. When his eyes met mine, I stepped aside. His expression was still


    incredibly stiff in my periphery.


    The atmosphere grew awkward.


    When the elevator door opened on my floor, I walked out with a neutral expression, sensing Bruce''s


    eyes on me.


    I quickly entered my apartment. Right when I was about to shut the door, Bruce rushed in and


    caged me in the entrance hallway. I was quickly trapped right between his legs.


    "You live here, Nancy Fisher?" Bruce asked coldly.


    I was still living in the apartment he and I shared two years ago.


    I replied truthfully, "Thendlord said he''d give his regr tenants a 300 dor discount."


    300 dors was still money. People like me had to save where we could.


    Bruce was clearly displeased with my response. He snorted and asked, "Are you doing this on


    purpose?"


    I switched on the lights and showed him the inside of the house, which had long been rearranged to


    my liking. I retorted with, "Does it look like it?"


    Bruce''s favorite cool-tone interior decor had already been changed to a Memphis-style one.


    Bruce appeared thoughtful for a moment before dering, "You need to move out. I''ll pay you what


    you''re owed."


    I looked at him in disbelief.


    I had no idea why Bruce minded me staying here so much. The spaces we slept and fucked in were


    no longer in sight. It wasn''t like Bruce would visit again, right?


    Bruce answered my unspoken question a momentter. "Cindy lives upstairs."


    So that was why. What a coincidence.


    No wonder Bruce and I bumped into each other. If I guessed correctly, he must''ve just dropped


    Cindy back home.


    Bruce really was trying his best to prevent Cindy from misunderstanding.


    "That can be solved easily." I nced at the old facilities inside my room and suggested, "You could


    provide a better residence for Ms. Lane."


    There were several luxurious skyscraper suites on Luigi Ave. Bruce surely had the money to afford


    one for Cindy. He was nevercking money.


    Bruce seemingly didn''t agree with my suggestion. He said firmly, "I don''t want people to


    misunderstand Cindy''s intentions."


    If I hadn''t witnessed it myself, I would never have guessed Bruce, who was usually so high and


    mighty, would be so considerate of someone else.


    My heart stung with pain. I paused for a moment before replying calmly, "Apologies, but I''m not


    moving."


    This location was close to a university, so the shops around it had decent prices. It was convenient


    too, given the subway line nearby had a route straight to my office.


    But to prevent an unnecessary argument, I reasoned, "Don''t worry. I won''t have any interactions


    with Ms. Lane whatsoever."


    Nor will I with you. Thosest words remained unsaid.


    "You best keep your word." Bruce shot me a warning look before mming the door shut and


    leaving.


    I stood where I was, feeling upset.


    My phone''s ringtone broke me out of my thoughts. It was from my boss and good friend, Caroline


    Whittaker.


    "Get ready for tomorrow. We''ll be meeting our newest investors," a firm voice rang from my phone,


    pulling me out of my overwhelming emotions.


    I swiftly grounded myself by recalling my monthly bills. With that, I was determined to make


    tomorrow''s meeting a sess.


    But when Caroline''s Bentley G500 came to a stop beneath Roeval Investments'' office building the


    next day, I grew anxious.


    Roeval Investments was thetest yer in the world of investing. Its boss was none other than


    Bruce Harold.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Before we exited the car, Caroline told me she''d paid for this opportunity to meet the investor with a


    bottle of winest night. She was always gracious when it came to business expenses.


    I''ve seen Bruce appear on the financial news every now and then in the past two years.


    He has always been described as having a keen eye and never suffering any losses, especially


    when he invested in a certain dopany half a year ago. That had instantly garnered Bruce


    fame.


    Bruce was always expected to be famous in the investment circle, given his background in


    economics. This was also why he''d been celebratedst night during the reunion.


    An ex like me should stay away from him whenever possible; but when I saw just how prepared


    Caroline was for this meeting, I followed her into the building.


    I figured that Bruce wouldn''t have the time to personally hold a discussion with a small game


    developmentpany like us¡ªand I was right.


    Three well-dressed representatives sat in a neat row across from Caroline and I in the conference


    room, listening to our presentation. Two hours went by as questions were raised and answers were


    given.


    Afterwards, one of the representatives sent us off. Caroline quickly invited him out for lunch while I


    gave him an apologetic smile.


    A sweet voice suddenly reached my ears. "Is that you, Nancy?"


    I turned around, instantly spotting Cindy and Bruce standing a short distance away.


    Bruce was dressed in a dark blue suit which entuated his handsome features and figure. The


    aquamarine cufflinks on his wrists matched Cindy''s blue stud earrings, making them seem


    extremelypatible.


    That is if you ignored the brief glint of displeasure in Bruce''s gaze, of course.


    As they walked nearer, Cindy gazed curiously at me and asked, "Are you guys here for a business


    discussion, Nance?"


    How smart of her.


    Caroline quickly picked up on the peculiar atmosphere and extended a hand to Bruce. "I''ve heard


    great things about you from Nancy, Mr. Harold. It''s a pleasure to finally meet you in person."


    This was Caroline''s usual line reserved for such asions. But unlike other times, she was in for a


    surprise today.


    Bruce nced coldly at her before looking at me.


    "Is that so?" He sneered in disdain.


    I felt embarrassed when I recalled how confident I''d seemedst night.


    "You haven''t eaten yet, have you, Nance?" Cindy asked enthusiastically. "Ourpany''s food hall


    is famous for its good cooking. Why don''t you have lunch before you go?"


    Only then did I realize Bruce had already given Cindy a position in hispany. This was a great


    opportunity for someone like her, who hadn''t even graduated from university yet.


    Bruce was already taking care of her so well.


    I thought about how he''d always make me sit across from him when I used to look for him in the


    university library, as if afraid I might tarnish his high and mighty reputation. I was even proud of such


    treatment at the time.


    "No, thank you." I tried to recover my voice. "We still have matters to attend to. Goodbye."


    I then shot Caroline a look, only to be met with one of upset.


    When we got into the car, she asked coldly, "Aren''t you going to give me an exnation?"


    "He won''t invest in ourpany." I sighed before continuing, "I didn''t want you to waste your time


    and energy."


    Caroline''s brows knitted in confusion momentarily before she eximed, "No way! Could that


    douchebag ex of yours be¡­ Bruce Harold?"


    The cat was out of the bag now.


    "Shit." Caroline now understood something. "If Bruce Harold looks at our proposal¡­ "


    We shared a knowing look, realizing the gravity of the issue.


    The issuey primarily in the fact that the romance game we were developing centered around a


    male student majoring in economics who longed to be with another female student but couldn''t win


    her affection no matter what.


    Things weren''t looking good for our project right now.


    I could only hope that Bruce would toss the proposal into the trash without so much as a nce. At


    least we wouldn''t be mistaken as intentionally taking a jab at him.


    Based on Bruce''s standing in the investment circle, he could make things very difficult for us should


    he choose to. This would only fuel the fire that would consume apany like ours, which was still


    in debt.


    As the day passed, Caroline and I slowly reimed our reason and decided to seek out other


    investors.


    I returned home at around 9:00 pm that night, tired. The moment I stepped out of the elevator, I saw


    a figure in the distant hallway.


    The man was leaning against the wall, his face shrouded in darkness while a cigarette burned


    between his fingers.


    It was Bruce.


    As the motion sensor lights lit up, our eyes met.


    The air was thick with the smell of tobo.


    I looked at him and said simply, "It was a coincidence."


    Bruce stayed silent.


    I felt even more pressure, so I continued, "We''re already seeking out other investors, so don''t worry,


    Mr Harold."


    I wasn''t afraid of pissing off Bruce, but I did have to consider mypany''s well-being.


    Sure enough, Bruce''s hostility seemed to lessen when I said this.


    I went to open the door without another word. Bruce suddenly said, "We can invest in your game."


    I paused, feeling surprised.


    So Bruce had read through our proposal. But why?


    Bruce had his fair share of big projects to invest in. If he wanted to invest in our project, he could''ve


    just told Caroline about it instead of waiting out here for me.


    I looked down, unsure of how to even voice out my many questions.


    I didn''t think things were that straightforward.


    Sure enough, what followed from Bruce was, "But I have a request."


    I guessed as much.


    I looked into his eyes and said courteously, "Do tell, Mr. Harold."


    "Cindy needs to submit a project before she graduates. I hope she can participate in the


    development of your game."


    So Bruce intended to use our hard work to benefit Cindy.


    My fingers clenched together before loosening again. "I''ll let Ms. Whittaker know tomorrow."


    I was only contributing my programming skills to the project to earn share profits in return. I couldn''t


    just deny Bruce''s offer on behalf of the entirepany, all because of my personal reasons against


    him.


    Plus, thepany was in need of a lot of money.


    Bruce didn''t seem to have expected mypliance. He nced at me and hummed in assent.


    Usually, this meant an end to the conversation. Thus, I entered my apartment without another word.


    As the door shut behind me, I waited until Bruce''s footsteps faded into nothingness before I


    crouched down and buried my face into my knees.


    ¡­


    The next morning, I told Caroline of Roeval Investments'' intention to invest in our project.


    Caroline was stunned. A momentter, she said, "Douchebag or not, Bruce is still a valuable


    connection."


    I felt incredulous but brought up Bruce''s request anyway. Caroline patted my shoulder and consoled


    me, saying, "Think about the 2,400 square feet houses and those hot men in clubs. We need this


    money."


    I nodded. "Don''t look a gift horse in the mouth."


    So Caroline and I went to Roeval Group''s office building again.


    This time, the receptionist led us to the CEO''s office on the top floor.


    We could hear a woman''s faintughtering from within the office when we entered.


    Cindy was sitting close by Bruce,ughing her heart out. When she saw us, she quickly leaned


    away from him and said shyly, "I''ll head out first."


    "No need," Bruce responded. He turned to Caroline and I, then said, "Say hello to your new


    colleagues."


    "New¡­. New colleagues?" Shock appeared in Cindy''s eyes but was quickly reced with


    grievance. "Do you think I''m dumb, Bruce?"


    "What are you talking about?" Bruce replied warmly. "Weren''t you worried about what to submit for


    your graduation project? Now you have a readily avable project."


    Cindy looked up, stunned.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Caroline extended her hands in a weing manner and said, "Yes, Ms. Lane. Wee to Love


    Story''s team."


    Cindy gazed happily at Bruce and eximed, "You''re so good to me, Bruce!"


    It seemed like Cindy really was touched by this surprise.


    I was pretty shocked, too.


    I had given Bruce his fair share of surprises during our birthdays, anniversaries, and whatnot. Now,


    it was his turn.


    Though I was somewhat confused by his contradictory actions, they didn''t mean anything in the


    face of money.


    Bruce ended up investing five million dors into the game.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Everyone on our team sighed in relief now that our financial crisis had been subdued.


    Caroline arranged for a weing party on Cindy''s first day of work to show her how much she was


    valued.


    The venue was upgraded from our usual karaoke club to the pricey Shangari-La Hotel.


    The eight of us reached on time and proceeded to await Cindy''s arrival.


    Caroline ate a pastry while waiting for Cindy, feeling bored. "Cindy really does live a pampered life,


    having to go back and change into different clothes all for this."


    "She''s our sugar mommy," I said truthfully.


    "Looks like we''ll need to take care of her needs even though she''s working for us."


    An ufortable feeling rose in my chest.


    Just then, there was amotion outside the room. We looked over only to find Bruce and Cindy,


    thetter dressed in a pink satin dress and looking like a princess.


    Caroline said mockingly, "Looks like our actual sugar daddy is here."


    I didn''t expect Bruce toe. I''d always thought he didn''t like crowded events. He used to avoid all


    sorts of activities in university, even if the dean himself was present.


    Thus, he often gave off a distant and unsociable air. I''d even try to appease the dean whenever


    Bruce refused to show up. But now, it all seemed unnecessary of me.


    I downed my drink and walked over to Bruce and Cindy.


    "I''m so sorry. Bruce insisted on sending me over when he heard you guys were hosting a


    weing party," Cindy said sweetly. No one could possibly get upset at her with that tone.


    I said courteously, "Wee, Mr. Harold. What an honor for us to have you join us."


    After all, most of the people who usually stood by Bruce were either from elite society or just in


    rich.


    Caroline added, "What a coincidence! Nance initially wanted to extend an invitation to you, Mr.


    Harold, but she didn''t because she was concerned that you might be busy."


    Caroline truly was silver-tongued.


    I smiled slightly but when Bruce shot me a questioning gaze, I felt guilty.


    I quickly signalled the host with my eyes, officiallyunching the wee party.


    Caroline was indeed talented when it came to hyping the crowd up; the room was buzzing with


    excitement in an instant.


    She suggested we y charades, a game we always yed during team bonding sessions.


    In the past, the seven of us¡ªexcluding Caroline as the judge¡ªwould divide ourselves into three


    groups of two each.


    Now, there was a need for another team with the addition of two people¡ªBruce and Cindy.


    You guessed it. Cindy made Bruce join the game too. She seemed eager to begin.


    When we were drawing lots to decide who would be grouped together, Bruce and I ended up being


    on the same team.


    Cindy was standing by my side when she saw this. Disappointment practically dripped off her face.


    To avoid conflict, I swapped our lots while no one was paying attention. Cindy looked at me in


    surprise before grinning. "You''re amazing, Nance."


    You''re wee, I thought silently. Ensuring ourpany''s sugar daddy enjoyed himself was our


    rightful duty, after all.


    The party went on into the night. When I saw that everyone had too much to drink, I had the waiter


    hand them sses of hot water.


    When the waiter handed the water to Bruce, I stood a distance away, watching Cindy carefully wipe


    away the beads of sweat on his forehead.


    Bruce''s eyes were half-shut as he leaned on the sofa. The top two buttons on his shirt had been


    undone, revealing his chiseled corbone. He looked tired under the dim light.


    He was probably drunk.


    I turned around, not wanting to disturb them.


    "Cece," Bruce''s raspy voice rang out from behind me.


    I stopped where I was, unable to move even an inch forward. Bruce then called out, "Don''t go,


    baby."


    The word "baby" struck me like a lightning bolt, making my heart stutter.


    When I turned around to look at Bruce, I saw the look of shock on Cindy''s voice. Curiously enough,


    our eyes met just then.


    I reminded her, "Mr. Harold is calling for you."


    That lovey-dovey tone of his was definitely not meant for me.


    Cindy was surprised for a moment before she pouted and tickled Bruce''s nose. "The party isn''t over


    yet, Bruce."


    Bruce opened his eyes and smiled in response, affirming my thoughts.


    Half an hourter, Bruce and Cindy finally left.


    Caroline elbowed me as we watched the Maybach disappear into the distance. She consoled me,


    "You did well today."


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    I said half-jokingly, "Then maybe you should give me a bonus, Ms. Whittaker."


    Caroline rolled her eyes at me. "Bold of you to ask."


    Still, Caroline kindly dropped me off at my apartment and privately gave me the next day off. It was


    an adequate mentalpensation in my eyes.


    But I didn''t sleep very well that night.


    All I could think about was being held close in Bruce''s arms like we did countless nights before.


    When we were deep in the throes of passion, he would grab my waist tighter and say teasingly,


    "Louder for me, baby."


    That was a side of Bruce no one else knew about. A possessive, lustful side, never to be shown to


    anyone else.


    I didn''t end up sleeping that night.


    The next morning, I left the subway amidst the crowd of tightly packed people, only to notice that


    one of my wireless earbuds had gone missing.


    When I was feeling upset about it, I happened to notice a ck Maybach parked a short distance


    away.


    Bruce was opening the front passenger seat door, d in a suit and tie. Momentster, Cindy


    stepped out of the car dressed in a coral pink dress, looking youthful and sprightly.


    Bruce was personally dropping her off at work.


    Roeval Group was a great distance from our office, which meant Bruce, who wasn''t a morning


    person, had to spend an extra hour getting ready.


    I felt bitter when I recalled how I used to wake him up and make him breakfast every morning.


    People really did treat one another so differently, huh.


    I was going to avoid Bruce and Cindy when Cindy''s sweet voice rang out, "Good morning, Nancy!"


    I couldn''t ignore them, so I walked over calmly instead. As I nced at Bruce, I greeted politely,


    "Good morning Mr. Harold, Ms. Lane."


    Cindy said affectionately, "You can just call me Cindy, Nancy!"


    I hummed in assent, unsure of whether I should stay or just leave.


    Bruce didn''t look like he was nning to leave, so I asked purposefully, "Are you here to perform an


    inspection, Mr. Harold?"


    Cindy giggled. "No, Nancy. Bruce was worried I might get lost and wouldn''t be able to find your


    company, so he drove me here himself."


    It wasn''t too far off from what I originally guessed.


    I continued courteously, "You''re always wee at our office, Mr. Harold."


    Bruce nced at his watch before turning back to me and saying calmly, "Please lead the way, Ms.


    Fisher."


    Wait. Did he want me to bring them upstairs?


    Cindy grew excited upon hearing this. "Are youing with us, Bruce?"


    Bruce smiled faintly. "Mhm. I want to check out your working environment."


    So not only did Bruce want Cindy to reap our hard work, he was also concerned about her office


    environment.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    Bruce''s sudden appearance came as a shock to everyone.


    David Henderson, one of my colleagues, had juste out of the pantry with his hair in a mess and


    a toothbrush in his mouth.


    Though such a sight was normal for programmers like us, it clearly wasn''t for Bruce based on how


    his brows knitted together.


    I could understand his reaction. A small office like ours couldn''tpare with argepany like


    Roeval.


    I figured Bruce might''ve started regretting letting Cindy work here.


    Cindy herself didn''t seem to mind. She pointed at a spot beside the window and said, "I''ll be


    working there, Bruce."


    Bruce didn''t answer. I followed the direction of his gaze and found that he was looking at the cubicle


    across from Cindy''s, which was where I usually did my coding work.


    Besides the desktop on the desk, there was also an old ckptop. Bruce had won it in a


    competition in his second year of university. It was one of the very few gifts he''d ever given me.


    Theptop''s specs were pretty good, so I''d been using it all this time.


    "Yourptop is the exact same model as Bruce''s, Nancy." Cindy seemed to have noticed this as


    well. She gazed wide-eyed at me, asking, "Does it code well?"


    I didn''t know Bruce had the exact same model, but to prevent unnecessary conflict, I replied calmly,


    "It''s a pretty old model. Thetest ones are better."


    Cindy then turned to Bruce. "What do you think, Bruce?"


    Was she doing some kind of interview?


    Instead of answering, Bruce asked, "Do you want to get a newptop?"


    Cindy rubbed her nose and said, "I didn''t pay attention when I bought myst one and ended up


    being cheated by the seller."


    "Oh, you¡­ " Bruce said, his toneced with tenderness even as his words were meant to be


    chastising. It was pretty different from his usually cold demeanor.


    "Are you calling me dumb again?" Cindy pouted. She was about to say something else when she


    sneezed.


    Bruce hurried over and asked worriedly, "Did you catch a cold?"


    Cindy sniffled, looking worried. "Oh dear. I think it''s because of my pollen allergies¡­ "


    She sneezed twice more before she could finish talking.


    Before I could even say anything, Bruce had cut in, "Get rid of these unnecessary nts right


    away."


    He was pointing at the sulents ced by the window. Those were Caroline''s beloved nt


    babies.


    I said, "Mr. Harold, those sulents have already stopped flowering. Look¡ª"


    "I''m not going to repeat myself," Bruce cut me off firmly. "Get an air purifier too."


    I was at a loss for words.


    Cindy tried to exin, "Bruce, Nancy didn''t know I was allergic to pollen. She wouldn''t have


    arranged this spot for me otherwise."


    Cindy was pointing to the cubicle beside the window. I''d given her that spot because it had the best


    lighting and privacy, making it undoubtedly the best spot to work in the office.


    I looked at how innocent Cindy appeared, then said after some thought, "This is an oversight on our


    part. How about you work in the office space to the right, Ms. Lane?"


    David immediately piped up, "I don''t think that''s a good idea, Nancy. Ms. Whittaker reserved that


    office specifically for you."


    David was implying Cindy wasn''t qualified to have her own office space yet.


    Cindy understood this as well and refused, "It''s okay, Nancy. I''ll just take some antihistamines for


    the allergy. I''m new here, after all; there''s no way I could have an office of my own."


    But rules were made by people, and they could very well be changed by people. I was sure Bruce


    would say something, him being our investor and all.


    Sure enough, Bruce decided, "Cindy will work there then."


    Cindy gazed worriedly at him. "This is too inappropriate, Bruce."


    Bruce suddenly looked at me and asked calmly, "What do you think, Ms. Fisher?"


    Myposed emotions briefly cracked at the seams when he asked me this. I smiled and


    responded with, "We''ll do as you say, Mr. Harold."


    As such, Cindy moved into the office space just like Bruce wanted.


    Caroline, who''d just hurried back, asked me to have a coffee with her in the cafe downstairs. She


    scowled, "It feels like we''re being paid to deal with bullshit as opposed to being invested in."


    I said begrudgingly, "It''s fine. It''s just an office."


    Caroline sipped her coffee and said in concern, "Aren''t you afraid this is just the beginning, Nancy?


    How could I possibly rest easy while going out for business meetings now?"


    I tried to calm her down. "Don''t forget that Bruce is our investor. Do you really think he''d let his


    money go to waste?"


    I know Cindy wouldn''t. After all, she still needed to use our finished project for her graduation. Plus,


    it was reasonable for Bruce to cause some issues for us, given the fact he was funding us.


    I called David and Cindy over for a meeting after returning to the office, delegating their tasks


    ordingly.


    David immediately got to work afterwards, but Cindy gnawed hesitantly on her lip.


    I asked her, "Is there a problem here?"


    "I don''t have experience in front-end development, Nance."


    I was surprised to hear this. Supposedly, software students would be exposed to these practical


    studies on campus.


    I gave her some relevant reading material and said, "Read through these first and ask me if you


    have any questions."


    Cindy hummed in assent and swiftly returned to her office.


    I soon returned to my work.


    When dusk fell, and the streetlights lit up, I hurriedly cleared my desk and left the office. I needed to


    buy an air purifier before the mall closed.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    The mall was packed with people. I had just stepped out of the elevator when someone called out to


    me.


    "Nancy."


    I turned around, confused, only to see a middle-aged woman in a wine-red gown not far away. It


    was Kate Hudson, Bruce''s mother.


    It had been two years since west met. Kate was dressed like one of those rich wives.


    She walked over to me with a stiff smile on her face. "When did youe back to Joddesdon and


    Saza?"


    I replied tly, "A while ago."


    "Will you be leaving soon?" Kate then added, feeling awkward, "If you''re not, I know a couple of fine


    young men I can introduce you to. You know I''ve always been fond of you."


    I understood Kate''s intention. She was worried I might continue pestering her son.


    It was true that I tried all I could to get on Kate''s good side those years ago when I longed for Bruce.


    The only reason we had a good rtionship was because of my efforts. It was reasonable for her to


    be wary of me.


    I still felt somewhat sad to see how cautious Kate was of me when all I saw in the past was how


    gentle and sweet she was. She probably didn''t know about mypany''s coboration with Bruce


    or the fact that he was with Cindy.


    Cindy was Bruce''s sweetheart right now.


    "Nance?" Kate questioned when I didn''t respond. "Are you and Bruce¡­"


    "Don''t worry, Aunt Kate," I cut her off, meeting her gaze. "I''m already seeing someone else."


    See? My lying skills had improved after hanging around Caroline for two years.


    Kate was clearly relieved to hear this. But panic then flitted across her expression.


    "Bruce? You''re here early."


    I followed her gaze only to find Bruce standing a couple of feet away. He was dressed in a tuxedo


    and exuding a cold, distant air.


    His eyes were fixed on me. However, his lips curled into a sneer.

 Chapter 5

    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¡ªnodding


    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.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    I could see the displeasure in Bruce''s eyes when he neared us.


    "Care to exin, Ms. Fisher?" He asked, all business-like.


    Cindy hurriedly exined, "It''s nothing to do with Nance, Bruce. I''m just too dumb."


    She looked like she was ming herself.


    "Wait for me in the car," Bruce said gently, as if consoling her.


    Cindy turned to me as if waiting for my instruction, amusing me greatly.


    She had no need to listen to my instructions when her sugar daddy was right there.


    Bruce said again when Cindy didn''t move, "Be good."


    Only then did Cindy obediently clear her things and leave the office.


    Bruce then made me go to Cindy''s office. He stood with his back to me as he examined the office


    before finally looking at me. "Haven''t you bought an air purifier yet?"


    How considerate of him.


    I said quietly, "The store will have it delivered tomorrow."


    Bruce said nothing momentarily as he tapped his fingers on the desk.


    He then said, "Cindy isn''t like you. She was only able to be enrolled in Nicox University because of


    their quota requirement. Don''t expect too much from her."


    Expect too much? All it took was a simple front-end code for Bruce to deem as high expectations?Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Fine. He was the sugar daddy here, after all.


    I paused for a moment before responding, "Then how should I delegate tasks to Ms. Lane from now


    on, Mr. Harold?"


    Bruce met my gaze and said sternly, "Make sure what happened today never happens again."


    His firm tone and gaze made me realize this was the extent he would go to when he was protective


    of someone.


    As painnced through my chest, I heard my voice say, "As you wish, Mr. Harold."


    It was 8:00 pm by the time Bruce left. David was still in the office, and when he saw me sitting in my


    cubicle unmoving, he asked gently, "Are you unwell, Nance?"


    "No."


    "But you look terrible. Why don''t I drive you to the hospital?"


    I waved my hand. "I think I''m just hungry. You can go home first."


    David looked at me, hesitating to speak. He''d witnessed my conversation with Bruce earlier.


    After giving it some thought, I said, "I''m fine, really. Why don''t you go back and get some rest?"


    Only then did David leave.


    I sat silently for a moment before switching on myptop. As I tried to code, my thoughts got more


    and moreplicated.


    Past memories resurfaced within me, suffocating my heart and making it hard to breathe.


    Perhaps to Bruce, our six years¡ªmore than two thousand days¡ªspent together meant less than


    the little bit of grievance Cindy suffered.


    I coded the entire night before taking the time to edit everything. If our progress was fast, we''d be


    able to finish the game code in three months. I just needed to work a little harder.


    Cindy panicked when she saw me brushing my teeth in the pantry. "Were you here the whole night,


    Nancy?"


    I replied calmly, "I had to spend some extra time fixing some faulty code."


    Cindy looked sympathetic. "You work too hard. Wait here, I''ll give you some of the gran bars


    Bruce sent me."


    She then ran off like a sly little rabbit.


    How heartless of Cindy to pretend what happened yesterday didn''t transpire.


    Maybe this was what it was like to be doted on. Unlike me, who only had all this code to show for.


    I was swamped with work the following two days¡ªup until I received a call from Kate, that is.


    "It''s the weekend tomorrow, Nance. I know a restaurant with really good food. Why don''t you and


    your boyfriende have dinner with me there?"


    I had no idea how Kate managed to obtain my phone number. Of course, I also knew the dinner


    tomorrow wasn''t solely for eating purposes.


    What did Kate want to uncover?


    Could it be that Bruce hadn''t told his mother about Cindy yet?


    Regardless, I had no interest in the Harold family''s affairs. So I responded with, "Sorry, Aunt Kate. I


    have to work overtime tomorrow."


    Kate paused for a moment as if not having expected my refusal. She then grumbled, "I heard about


    Bruce''s investment in yourpany''s project. I''ll tell him not to pressure you too much because of


    it."


    So Kate was using her identity as our investor''s mother to pressure me. I furrowed my brow and


    relented, "Alright. Dinner tomorrow, then?"


    "Yes! I''ll send you the location. Remember to bring your boyfriend along with you."


    What boyfriend?


    Oh well, I''ll wait till tomorrow to exin things to Kate.


    The next evening, I arrived on time at the restaurant Kate rmended in the countryside.


    It was elegantly decorated, and the servers dressed eloquently. One look and you could


    immediately tell this was an expensive restaurant.


    Kate had pretty much upgraded her lifestyle as well.


    She looked at me curiously in the private dining room and asked, "Are you here alone? Isn''t your


    boyfriend joining you tonight?"


    "He''s busy."


    A glimmer of suspicion appeared in her eyes, but Kate quickly said, "Okay then. Bruce is still on his


    way here. We can order our food first."


    My grip around my ss of water tensed.


    Bruce wasing over, too?


    Kate gazed at me questioningly when I said nothing in response. "Now that yourpany is


    working with Bruce''s, do you happen to know a young woman by the name of Cindy Lane?"


    It seemed like I''d guessed right. Bruce hadn''t formally introduced Cindy to his family yet.


    I replied, "I''m not too sure. I don''t often cross paths with Mr. Harold."


    Kate sighed and said, "I overheard some gossip at Roeval yesterday about how Bruce had ced


    an order for an expensive cocktail dress. The recipient was someone called Ms. Lane."


    Kate then shot me a look, to which I replied with a smile. "You can ask Mr. Harold about this instead,


    Aunt Kate."


    I couldn''t care less about other people''s affairs, especially not Bruce''s.


    Kate scowled, "I''m just worried, Nance. To tell you the truth, I''ve already looked into this Ms. Lane.


    Shees from an ordinary family who owns a snack shop. She isn''t exactly an exceptional


    student, either. I don''t understand why Bruce likes her."


    Kate''s meaning was simple¡ªsomeone like Cindy didn''t deserve Bruce at all.


    In truth, I was surprised too. I always thought the woman who Bruce doted on would at least be


    some rich heiress.


    "Oh, dear me." Kate quickly covered her mouth when she saw how unresponsive I was being. "I


    don''t mean anything bad, Nancy. C''mon then, let''s order."


    Kate was probably concerned about why Bruce would set his eyes on an ordinary woman who


    wasn''t even on the same standing as me. But then again, when was love ever reasonable?


    Bruce soon arrived dressed in a suit. When he saw that it was just Kate and I in the room, he asked


    mockingly, "Didn''t you bring your boyfriend along?"


    As if he''d guessed I was lying.


    I figured I''d previously reduced myself too much in front of Kate and Bruce, which gave them the


    impression that I was a pushover.


    A notification popped up on my phone just then. I nced at the screen to find that it was a


    message from Dous.


    The text read, "Are you free tomorrow night? I heard the new crime thriller movie is pretty good.


    Want to watch it together?"


    I held my phone and responded to Bruce in an airy tone, "I''ll bring him over next time."

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    Dinner was nd and unappetizing as I patiently entertained Kate''s small talk.


    Bruce didn''t say a word throughout dinner, nor did he even try to contribute to our conversation.


    His phone never stopped vibrating, though.


    Instead of getting irritated, Bruce patiently replied to the messages, asionally smiling. He barely


    ate his dinner.


    It didn''t take much to guess who was texting him on the other end.


    Kate grew more anxious as she watched Bruce respond to his texts. When Bruce stepped outside,


    she grumbled to me, "Say, Nancy, why do you think Bruce seems so obsessed all of a sudden?"


    I understood where Kate wasing from. In the past, Bruce would never spend so much time


    replying to text messages¡ªbut things were different now.


    The Harold family driver awaited Kate outside the restaurant after dinner. She nced at Bruce,


    who was still replying to text messages, and said, "Drive Nancy home, Bruce. It''s sote at night


    now."


    Bruce ignored Kate entirely.


    I came to my own rescue. "I''ve already called for a cab, Aunt Kate."


    Guilt red in Kate''s eyes, but she still left both Bruce and I behind outside the restaurant.


    Just when I was about to leave for the taxi stand, Bruce said, "Let''s go."


    I looked at him in surprise, only then realizing he meant to drive me home.


    "Thank you, Mr. Harold, but I''ve already booked a cab."


    Bruce stopped walking and asked sarcastically, "What? Are you worried your boyfriend will have a


    misunderstanding?"


    I didn''t insist on taking the cab. After all, I needed to save all the money I could¡ªincluding the cost


    of hailing a taxi.


    When I got into Bruce''s car, I couldn''t help but feel that thefort of luxury cars really was


    unmatched.


    Minutes after I sat in the car, I began feeling drowsy with the added influence of alcohol from earlier.


    It had been several days since I''d gotten proper sleep.


    Bruce noticed this very quickly. He said gently, "Rest. I''ll wake you when we reach."


    His tone was rather friendly.


    I hesitated for a moment before exhaustion swept my rationale away.


    After an unknown amount of time, there came the sound of a phone vibrating. Only then did I slowly


    open my eyes.


    I could see how close Bruce was in my blurry vision. He was gazing at me.


    But instead of coldness in those eyes I knew so well, there was only tenderness.


    It all felt like a dream.


    I could smell the familiar fragrance of his bath soap. His presence was slowly enveloping all my


    senses.


    My eyes traveled down to find that Bruce''s cor had been unbuttoned, revealing his smooth white


    skin and corbone.


    He sat there unmoving¡ªlike how he often did in so many dreams of mine¡ªcreating an incredibly


    alluring sight. But if this was a dream, why did heat suddenly re in his cold eyes?


    As if he was some disciplined monk who suddenly harbored uncouth thoughts.


    Bruce and I silently gazed at one another as the night went on.


    But dangerous desires grew within me, unable to be restrained. My breathing grew heavier as my


    heart trembled.


    As my reason left the room, I reached out to tug on Bruce''s cor, closing the distance between us.


    After all, this was just a dream, right?


    As we grew closer, I heard myself murmur, "Baby¡­"


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Bruce''s warm breath sprayed across my skin, feeling so incredibly real.


    The sensation on my face forced me out of my daze. I was about to pull away when he grabbed my


    shoulder, stopping me.


    How domineering of him.


    Wait, this wasn''t a dream.


    I opened my eyes wide and turned my face away without hesitation before Bruce leaned in.


    The amorous atmosphere quickly died down. My heart pounded wildly, as if returning me to my


    senses all at once.


    "Your phone is ringing."


    I flinched, then noticed something had slid down to the floor of the car with my slight movement. It


    was Bruce''s suit jacket.


    I pretended not to notice and looked at the name shing on my phone screen instead. It was a call


    from Dous.


    "Aren''t you going to pick up?" Bruce asked tly. "It''s been ringing for some time."


    I sped my phone and looked out the window, realizing we''d already arrived at my apartment.


    "Thank you for the ride, Mr. Harold. Have a good evening," I thanked Bruce.


    "You''re wee. It wasn''t too inconvenient a trip," Bruce said lightly. I couldn''t read much emotion


    from his tone.


    If it weren''t for my racing heart, I would''ve suspected that what happened just now was all a


    hallucination.


    I nced at Bruce, noticing him tap the profile of a user with a pink cat profile picture. He gently


    asked, "Have you gone to sleep yet?"


    I''d seen that profile picture before. It was Cindy.


    Only then did I realize Bruce''s "not too inconvenient" trip really wasn''t inconvenient at all. His


    beloved lived right above my floor, after all.


    My nails sank into my palm before I quietly exited the car.


    In the end, it was all just a dream.


    When my phone rang again, I calmed myself down before answering.


    Dous'' gentle yet somewhat anxious voice rang out, "Are you alright, Nancy?"


    I was stupefied. "Yeah, I am. Why?"


    I heard from David that you''ve been working overtime for the past two days. When you didn''t reply


    to my messages, I¡­"


    Dous was the one who rmended David to our team. Based on how anxious Dous


    sounded, he was probably worried I''d passed out from overexertion.


    I felt overwhelmed thinking about all the messages he''d sent and the handbag he''d given me. I was


    lucky to have a friend who cared about me like this in a city as big as Joddesdon and Saza.


    So I suggested, "Are you free tomorrow night? I''d like to treat you to dinner."


    "Huh?"


    I felt like my suggestion was too sudden, so I added, "Or we could have dinner another day."


    "Tomorrow night then," Dous said hurriedly. "Text me once you''re done with work. I''ll go pick you


    up."


    ¡­


    As promised, Dous arrived at the office the next evening. He was dressed in a white shirt and


    brown cks, looking quite ssy. He had brought along a grocery bag too.


    When he saw that I was still busy coding, he brought a packet of blueberries into the pantry.


    I cleared my desk, preparing to leave.


    Just then, a video call request came on my phone. I tapped it open to find that it was Kate calling.


    Why was she looking for me at this hour?


    I hesitated several seconds before answering the call.


    Kate immediately said worriedly, "Nance, Bruce is about to do something foolish. He ns to bring


    Ms. Lane to our family dinner tonight and won''t change his mind no matter what I say."


    Kate already couldn''t tolerate Bruce bringing Cindy to a mere family dinner; imagine how she''d


    react when she learns Bruce had invested five million dors to help herplete her graduation


    project.


    Yet I still had to keep this a secret for Bruce. Neither revealing it nor continuing to keep it felt right.


    Kate continued over the call, "Can you help me talk to him, Nance? Bruce has listened to you in the


    past before."


    I was at a loss for words.


    Right when I was thinking about how to refuse Kate, Dous suddenly walked over with some


    washed blueberries.


    "Try this, Nancy." Dous brought a blueberry to my mouth, shocking me.


    I then heard Kate''s gasp. "Is that your new boyfriend, Nance?"


    Dous'' face had been perfectly captured by my phone camera in the video call.

 Chapter 8

    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¡ª"


    "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.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "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¡ªbut 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¡ª


    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.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    I didn''t expect such a misunderstanding to ur either.


    When I noticed how aggrieved Cindy looked, I quickly said, "You''re looking for Ms. Lane, Mr.


    Ziegler."


    John was smart enough to hand the coffee to Cindy immediately.


    Cindy nced at the cup before saying softly, "I don''t drink ck coffee."


    ck coffee was Bruce''s favorite. I had it often in the past to develop a habit of drinking it.


    John pped his forehead and said, "Oh dear, I hope you don''t mind my terrible memory, Ms.


    Lane."


    Cindy didn''t mind at all. She returned to her office and didn''te out for the rest of the afternoon.


    The work day soon came to an end. As everyone else left, only Cindy and I remained in the office.


    I continued doing my job as usual, until I heard the doorbell ring.


    I looked up, only to see Bruce standing outside. He seemed to have just finished work.


    I spotted the dried scab on his lip the instant our eyes met and felt irritated.


    "Where''s Cindy?" He asked, as if the kiss between usst night had never happened. What a clean


    cut.


    I calmly looked at him. "She''s still here."


    Bruce then headed straight for her office without another word.


    Cindy''s candy-sweet voice rang out soon after,ced with grievance. "What are you doing here all


    of a sudden, Bruce?"


    "John said you didn''t look very well. Are you feeling ill?"


    Cindy''s voice grew more quiet. "No¡­ Did you hurry over here because you were worried about


    me?"


    I didn''t hear Bruce''s response, but whatever it was made her tone brighten up immediately. What a


    harmonious atmosphere.


    But Cindy then noticed something odd about Bruce''s lip. "What happened to your mouth, Bruce?"


    My grip around the mouse tensed briefly as I listened to Bruce''s calm answer, "I identally bit my


    lip, is all."


    Cindy didn''t question it, obedient as she was.


    Both she and Bruce left the office together. Cindy went to the washroom while Bruce patiently


    waited for her.


    When he saw I was still working on myputer, he came over and asked, to my surprise, "How''s


    progress?"


    "Decent."


    "You don''t need to rush it. We''re not robots." Bruce eyed the desk on my calendar when he said


    this, where my work schedule was clearly written.


    I continued my coding in silence, though for some reason, I felt like Bruce still had more to say.


    When the washroom door opened, Bruce quickly whispered, "Don''t tell Cindy what happenedst


    night."


    My heart dropped. So this was the point Bruce wanted to make.


    It seems like he hadn''t forgotten. He just wanted me to know it was a mistake.


    Though I had expected this, it still hurt to hear it from him.


    Iposed myself and met his cold gaze with a smile. "What exactly do you mean, Mr. Harold?"


    Shock flitted across his eyes for a moment. He probably didn''t expect that response from me.


    Cindy walked over just then. When she saw that we were conversing, she looked down and stood


    silently to the side.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Harold," I continued, not wanting to start any fires. "The work progress will remain


    unaffected."


    Only then did Cindy''s expression lighten up.


    After Bruce and Cindy left, I continued working for some time before leaving. I received a call from


    Caroline just when I arrived at the apartment.


    "Samuel Hopkins really is a tough nut to crack. He still refuses to put his ego aside even when I


    offered such a high sry," Carolineined. She was talking about the marketing manager she


    intended to hire to help manage our game''s advertisements.


    I said half-jokingly, "If money fails, you could always try seducing him."


    Caroline scoffed. "Though honestly, he really is my type."


    Was she working or looking for someone to date? The investors could not know about this.


    Caroline giggled over the phone before asking, "What about you? You must''ve suffered a lot these


    past few days without me around, huh?"


    I said calmly, "It''s whatever. I''ll even start taking extra care of his girlfriend if Bruce invests another


    five million into the project."


    After all, what was more reliable than money?


    I then prepared to hang up. When I looked up, I spotted Bruce and Cindy standing a distance away.


    What a coincidence.


    Cindy blinked in surprise and asked, "Do you live here too, Nance?"


    Bruce and Cindy had not been too far away from me earlier, so I wasn''t sure if they''d overheard my


    conversation with Caroline.


    Guilt seeped through my chest amidst the awkwardness.


    I was afraid Bruce would see through me. After all, what investor wouldn''t be mindful about their


    spending?


    I acted calm and replied with, "I moved in months ago."


    "Me too," Cindy replied delightfully. "But I don''t see you around here often, Nance."


    "My day-to-day schedules aren''t fixed."


    It was normal for software programmers like me to work overtime. Plus, I had an erratic sleep


    pattern, so I asionally went out or returned home at odd hours. It truly was a coincidence to


    bump into one another like this.


    The three of us then took a ride in the elevator together.


    Cindy and I were only a floor apart. Her expression stiffened when she saw which floor button I


    pressed.


    If I hadn''t moved in earlier than she did, she might''ve thought I was up to something. That''s what


    her expression was telling me.


    Who else could she me but Bruce for not being considerate enough? I''d already warned him.


    Cindy scrutinized me from head to toe before her gaze finally stopped at my arm.


    "Oh, wow! That''s Leviadan''stest handbag, Nance." Cindy looked at me in admiration. "How did


    you manage to buy it? It''s not even sold in local stores yet."


    Cindy was asking about the handbag Dous had gifted me.


    I''d only thought the bag was of decent quality and feel when I received it. I didn''t know it was from


    whatever brand Cindy was talking about.


    But based on Cindy''s tone, it sure sounded like a pretty famous brand.


    "It was a gift from a friend," I told her the truth.


    Cindy blinked innocently before teasing, "Your friend is pretty capable, Nance. This bag is a limited


    edition design, with only 100 of them avable in the world. It has a high collectible value."


    Now, I was at a loss for words. I didn''t know this bag was a limited edition design.


    Bruce snorted just then.


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    "It''s just a bag. Do you like it?" I heard Bruce ask Cindy.


    "No." Cindy looked away and exined, "I just think Nance has good taste."


    When the elevator doors slid open, I nodded goodbye and stepped out.


    I vaguely heard Bruce respond to Cindy with, "I don''t think you understand what good taste is like


    then."


    He was right. Not only was my taste in handbags poor, but my taste in men was just as terrible.


    I pulled out my phone to search for the brand Cindy had mentioned earlier. Looking up the price of


    this handbag, I was met with a shocking number.


    This small, demure brand had listed prices of up to five figures. I suddenly felt like I was degrading


    the bag by bringing it with me while riding the subway.


    I felt upset and searched for Dous'' contact, wanting to say something. But in the end, I still


    wasn''t sure what was appropriate to say.


    Just when I was about to put my phone away, I received a friend request.


    My heart lurched when I clicked on the notification. The user''s profile photo was of a sunset.


    Bruce had taken this photo at Nicox University''s man-madeke.


    It was the day of our fourth anniversary. We''d been sitting on a patch of grass away from the main


    crowd, enjoying the sunlight andfortable breeze.


    He''d been reading a book, and I gazed at him in turn.


    The distance between us was neither close nor far, and it stayed that way up until the sun began to


    set.


    I had been dejectedly putting my books away when my right hand identally brushed Bruce''s. I


    was about to pull away when he suddenly held onto it.


    That was the first time Bruce held my hand on his own volition. Heter took this exact photo before


    the sun fully set.


    Who knew this deleted photo would reappear in my friend requests tab two yearster?

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    I stared at Bruce''s profile picture and found myself lost in thought. Initially, I had intended to ignore


    this friend request.


    However, Bruce still held a significant role as our investor. It would be petty of me to ignore his


    friend request if he merely wanted to discuss business matters.


    After careful consideration, I epted his friend request. Within seconds, an unexpected transfer


    notification appeared in the chat box. It was a total of 20 thousand dors.


    What was he thinking, sending money in the middle of the night?


    I replied with a single question mark. A voice message then popped up, saying pensation.¡°


    Instantly, his kiss fromst night shed in my mind.


    As an investment mogul, Bruce was indeed generous. I didn¡¯t hesitate much and epted the


    payment. Who would decline such an offering?


    Bruce might even feel uneasy if I hadn¡¯t epted his money.


    After receiving the payment, I contemted whether to say thanks. However, given our current


    situation, any conversation felt inappropriate.


    In the end, I said nothing.


    ¡­


    The next morning, I went to thepany as usual.


    I couldn''t shake the feeling that Cindy was casting asional nces in my direction, as if she


    were probing something. It made me quite uneasy.


    After lunch break, Cindy approached me and asked, "Nance, could I take half a day off?"


    I sighed in relief. She just wanted time off, after all.


    Before I could speak, she continued, "Bruce''s mom invited me for afternoon tea, and I couldn¡¯t


    refuse."


    She then lowered her head with a helpless expression. She didn''t have to exin in such detail.


    I replied without hesitation, "Don''t worry, just go ahead. You can just leave work directly if


    necessary. "


    She looked up with trembling eyshes and said, " Nance, you¡¯re so considerate."


    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell her that it was just for the sake of money. Besides, I had already


    completed her tasks, so there would be no dy in our work progress.


    I thought my arrangements were reasonable, but shortly after, I received a call from Kate.


    "Nancy, I trusted you so much, yet you''ve kept things from me!" Kate''s questioning tone, coupled


    with her loud voice, conveyed her anger through the phone.


    Puzzled, I asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "Why didn''t you tell me about Cindy working in your studio?" She then angrily questioned, "Are you


    and Bruce trying to deceive me?"


    Though I had anticipated this, Kate''s interrogation still stung. In a daze, I recalled Cindy''s timid


    apology.


    I rubbed my temples and said, "Hold on, Aunt Kate, I''lle over now." Such matters couldn''t be


    exined easily over the phone with just a few words.


    15 minutester, I arrived at the caf¨¦ where Kate and Cindy were. From a distance, I saw Cindy


    face Kate with her head lowered, and her eyes were filled with tears.


    Kate, on the other hand, had a stern and angry expression. The scene was far from harmonious.


    "Aunt Kate," I sat down and pushed aside Kate''s coffee. I ordered her a juice with less sugar


    instead. Considering her heart condition, it was best to avoid coffee.


    Seeing my actions, Kate''s anger subsided.


    She continued, "Bruce is muddle-headed, and you''re joining the chaos too. How could you agree to


    have such a person under your nose?" After speaking, she shifted her gaze to Cindy.


    Cindy''s face turned pale, and she bit her lip tightly.


    I sighed and replied, "Aunt Kate, it was wrong of us to hide it from you. But Ms. Lane was just


    following Mr. Harold''s arrangements; she didn''t do anything wrong."


    Kate looked at me incredulously and asked, "Don''t you feel disgusted?"


    I forced a smile and said, "Mr. Harold is generous, and I couldn''t thank him more."


    Before I could finish my words, Cindy suddenly stood up. She looked behind me and stammered,


    "B-Bruce..." Tears welled up in her eyes.


    Bruce then swiftly walked over to stand protectively beside Cindy. "What did you both say to her?"


    He demanded sharply.


    He used the word "both", which included me as well.


    When Bruce spoke, the veins on his forehead became visible.


    Obviously, he was enraged. It was rare for Bruce to lose his temper as he was usuallyposed,


    especially in front of his mother.


    If my memory served me right, they had never quarreled before. Yet now, Bruce''s tone carried a


    sharp edge¡ªall for Cindy''s sake.


    Kate seemed taken aback by the turn of events. She pointed at Bruce and eximed, "Who am I


    doing this for?" before storming out of the caf¨¦.


    While I was about to follow Kate, I heard Bruce say, " Are you hurrying to ingratiate yourself?"


    I immediately halted my steps as I was dumbfounded.


    Cindy then spoke up, "Bruce, you''ve misunderstood. It has nothing to do with Nance. It was my fault


    for letting it slip." Bruce then nced at me, seemingly doubtful.


    It was my mistake. I should have stayed out of this. After a while, I heard my voice say, "I''ll return to


    thepany first."


    "Nance, let Bruce send you back." I smiled and declined, "It''s fine; it''s not on the way."


    Back at the office, I grew increasingly uneasy. After today''s incident, I doubted I could keep my


    identity as Bruce''s ex a secret.


    His favoritism toward Cindy gave me a bad feeling.


    My thoughts were interrupted by another transfer notification from Bruce.


    This time, he transferred me another ten thousand dors. I stared at the tempting digits and smiled


    unnaturally.


    Should I scold him for being reckless ormend him for being generous?


    Before I could decide, a message appeared: "You''ve worked hard; this is yourpensation." The


    message was devoid of emotion.


    I epted the payment readily and pondered whether this may be a new avenue to earn money.


    But I quickly dismissed the idea.


    After all, Bruce¡ªa financial genius¡ªwas naturally adept at handling money. Could I take advantage


    of him so easily?


    After some contemtion, I deleted Bruce from my friend list. Looking at the bnce on my phone,


    my frustration eased.


    Before leaving work, David approached me and asked, "Nance, what time are you leaving the day


    after tomorrow?" I was puzzled, "Leaving for where?"


    "For Dous'' birthday party," David finished his words and realized something was amiss. He


    eximed, "He hasn''t told you yet?"


    Dous hadn''t mentioned it to me, but it was understandable as we weren''t particrly close.


    However, David''s words gave me the idea to repay Dous. I browsed an online shopping


    application but couldn''t find a suitable gift.


    Suddenly, I remembered that Dous was into photography during his college days. Thus, I


    decided to visit a shopping mall during lunchtime the next day.


    ¡­


    The next day arrived quickly.


    I browsed through a camera store''s disy but could not decide on a gift easily.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    A sales assistant then approached me. "Hello. Is there anything you''re looking for?"


    I answered earnestly, "It''s a gift for a guy."


    The sales assistant responded with an understanding expression. She pointed to a vintage-style


    SLR camera. "This vintage camera offers great value for money. You may take a look."


    The price was 2,800 dors. I thought it was a suitable gift and asked her to wrap it up for me.


    "Your boyfriend is so lucky to have such a thoughtful girlfriend. He''ll be very happy when he


    receives the gift."


    I didn''t respond and silently thought that I should be more mindful of price tags when receiving gifts


    in the future.


    Fortunately, Bruce''s transfers came in handy. Otherwise, I might not have fared well.


    As I sighed, a familiar sweet voice sounded beside me, "Nance, what a coincidence!"


    Following the sound, I couldn''t help but frown.


    Bruce and Cindy were standing just a couple of steps away. Indeed, it was quite a coincidence.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    The shopping mall I was in was four subway stops away from the studio.


    If I hadn''t overheard Cindy mentioning a dinner date earlier, I would have suspected that she and


    Bruce had surveilled me.


    But since we crossed paths, I had to go ahead and greet them.


    Cindy nced at the camera bag in my hands and asked, "Nance, are you into photography too?" I


    replied gently, "I was just browsing."


    "Well, that''s a coincidence." Cindy gave Bruce a knowing look, then turned to me and said, "I was


    just worrying about making the wrong choice. Nance, could you help me decide?"


    She pointed to a camera on the premium disy. The price of this particr camera boasted five


    digits, which was almost equivalent to two months of Cindy''s sry.


    She could speak so casually, presumably because Bruce would foot the bill.


    "Sorry, I haven''t had lunch yet." I declined her request and said, "You can consult the sales assistant


    as they are more knowledgeable than I am."


    Cindy''s smile froze momentarily, but she quickly said, "Sorry, I didn''t think it through."


    Then, I smiled and stepped into the crowd.


    I had bought the gift, but giving it to Dous was still a problem.


    I couldn''t just appear at the birthday party without a word. That said, it''s not like I haven''t done such


    foolish things before.


    It was Bruce''s first birthday after he took the initiative to hold my hand. He subtly asked me to leave


    first in front of everyone, which wasn''t a pleasant memory.


    My thoughts were then interrupted by a message notification. As if on cue, I received an invitation


    from Dous. The message read, "Will you be free tomorrow night?"


    I wasn''t particrly keen on attending the birthday party, but giving him the gift without being there


    would be impolite. So, I asked, "Who else ising?"


    "Just a few friends, you know them all." He didn''t mention the birthday celebration, as he probably


    wanted to save me from expenses.


    After a moment of hesitation, I replied, "Send me the address."


    Coincidentally, he sent me the address to Rico Restaurant, where Kate invited mest time.


    Frankly speaking, the chef there was skilled, so I was looking forward to it.


    ¡­


    The next day came quickly. After finishing my work, I began to tidy up my desk.


    Seeing this, David teased, "Nancy, don''t be in a hurry. Dous won''t blow out the candles if you''re


    not there."


    While I was about to respond that I needed to catch the train, Cindy''s office door opened suddenly.


    She looked at me curiously and asked, "Nance, do you have ns tonight?"


    I responded briefly and heard David say, "Let''s go, Nancy. Dous informed me to ensure you


    arrive at the restaurant safely and urately."


    As a tech geek, David had a surprisingly sharp tongue.


    The car sped all the way and finally arrived at the location at 7:30 pm.


    There weren''t many people inside. Aside from Dous, there were two former ssmates, Lilian


    and another guy who seemed familiar. All of us were peers.


    Seeing David and I, Dous immediately came over and said, "You must be hungry. I''ll have the


    kitchen prepare the dishes."


    David jokingly said, "Don''t be in such a hurry. Our Nance here even brought you a gift."


    Dous'' eyes flickered with surprise, and his gaze was filled with joy. "Really? You shouldn¡¯t have!"


    David continued with a teasing smile, "Dous, can you control your expression while you speak?"


    Dous nced at David, then turned to me saying, "Let''s take our seats first."


    I gave him the gift and wished, "Dous, happy birthday."


    While Dous was pulling out a chair, he turned around upon hearing my words.


    His gaze fell on the camera bag in my hands. Suddenly, a crack appeared in his joyful expression.


    It seemed he wasn''t very pleased.


    The guy beside him eximed, "A Leica camera! That''s hitting Dous right in the heart."


    As soon as he finished his words, the door of the private room inexplicably opened.


    All of our attention was directed to the entrance at that moment.


    Bruce''s tall figure immediately caught my eye. His gaze paused on the camera bag in Dous''


    hands, his pupils trembling slightly.


    Then, Cindy''s face emerged from behind him. "I knew I heard Nance''s voice," Cindy said proudly


    while holding Bruce''s arm. "It''s her indeed."


    It turns out that Bruce and Cindy had reserved the private room next door. It was such a


    coincidence, almost like it was nned in advance.


    "This is fate then," Dous, who was always good-natured, said warmly. "Bruce, join us for a drink


    if you don''t mind?"


    Bruce responded in a calm tone, "Will that be appropriate?" His emotions were hard to discern.


    Dous said half-jokingly, "Is Mr. Harold deliberately trying to embarrass me?" After speaking, he


    gestured for both of them to take their seats.


    As Cindy sat down on the main seat at the head of the table, her eyes suddenly fell on the camera


    bag on Dous'' seat.


    She eximed, "Oh, so the camera Nance chose with great care was actually meant for Mr. Irvin!"


    Dous'' expression paused, "With great care?"


    As a naturally outgoing person, Cindy responded in a sweet and soft tone, "Yes, Nance purposely


    went to the mall at noon. ording to the sales assistant, she took a long time to decide."


    After hearing her words, Bruce nced at me with sparking eyes.


    It made me feel a little embarrassed.


    After all, choosing a gift was a delicate matter. But Cindy''s description made it seem like I had gone


    to extreme lengths.


    I felt ufortable and thought of finishing dinner quickly to leave early.


    Just then, David reminded me, "Nancy, your seat is over there." He pointed to the seat on Dous''


    left.


    He was Dous'' junior high school ssmate and didn''t know the history between Bruce and I.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    With his reminder, everyone''s attention seemed to be focused on me.


    Although there were still two empty seats in the eight-person private room, refusing to join would


    make Dous look bad. As such, I quietly moved over without making a fuss.


    Subtly, I sensed a pair of eyes ncing at me.


    When I turned to face them, I only saw Bruce carefully cing a napkin over Cindy''sp.


    Those long fingers, originally only meant for holding a pen, seemed to be influenced by a young


    woman.


    As the food and drinks were served, everyone toasted Dous, then began to chat and drink.


    As I ate and began to feel full, I heard Cindy''s soft voice, "Nance and Mr. Irvin, I''ve had a wonderful


    evening thanks to you both."


    She then stood up, holding a ss of juice with utmost courtesy. She looked exceptionally obedient.


    However, she emphasized the words "you both".


    The displeasure that lingered in my heart all night suddenly surged, clouding my mind. I was on the


    verge of an outburst.


    Dous seemed to sense this and calmly said, "Ms. Lane, you¡¯ve misunderstood. Nance and I are


    just friends, but I appreciate your gratitude." After speaking, he raised his ss and downed it in


    one gulp.


    Cindy blinked rapidly with her eyes full of astonishment. She seemed to be at a loss for words.


    "I''m sorry, I thought you and Nance were..." She didn''t finish her sentence, but her meaning was


    clear.


    Given that she was Bruce''s partner, no one would have said anything, even if something she said


    had caught me off guard.


    Moreover, she was just a young woman. Who would bother arguing with an innocent person like


    her?


    Bruce, on the other hand, seemed a bit restless.


    He raised his ss slightly and dered, "Let me apologize on Cindy''s behalf." Although he said


    this, his tone was quite rude. Even the gesture of holding the ss was casual.


    I feltpelled to respond at this point. Thus, I also raised my ss and politely said, "Mr. Harold,


    you''re overthinking it. It''s not a big deal, and besides..."


    I paused, nced at Dous beside me, and continued, "It''s an honor to bepared to such an


    outstanding young man as Dous."

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    The sound of Bruce''s ssnding on the table made a crisp noise. I wasn''t sure whether it was intentional


    Bruce nced at me indifferently while he picked the ss up again. He tapped the tabletop and then downed the drink in one go. I continued to sip


    my juice.


    The atmosphere appeared pleasant on the surface, yet an inexplicable tension lingered in the air.


    Feeling like I had acted recklessly at someone''s birthday party, I couldn''t help but regret my impulsive behavior.


    David, who was engrossed in his meal, seemed oblivious to the tension and remarked, "Dous, since Nancy has praised you so, shouldn''t you say


    something in return?"


    Great, now the atmosphere became even more awkward. I wished for the floor to swallow me whole.


    Luckily, Dous was emotionally intelligent. He raised his ss and said, "Since Nancy appreciates me so much, let me toast you in return.¡± His tone


    was teasing, and he subtly signaled me with a nce.


    Following his lead, I lifted my ss, and the atmosphere gradually warmed up again.


    The mealsted over an hour. When we left the restaurant, Bruce''s Maybach was already waiting outside.


    John came out of the car to assist Bruce¡ªwho was drunk¡ªinto the back seat. Cindy followed suit. After a moment, she leaned out of the car window


    and asked, "Nance, do you want to join us?¡±


    I politely declined with a smile. Who would willingly be a third wheel? Isn''t the five-dar subway ride much better?


    "Nance, let Dous walk you back. It¡¯s not safe to take the subway at this hour,¡± David reminded me.


    I looked at Dous, whose cheeks were slightly flushed, and said, ¡°It''s fine, I¡ª"


    "Let''s go,¡± Dous interrupted me. "The university has arranged a two-bedroom apartment for me, which is on the way."


    I couldn''t tell whether his words were true. It was too sudden


    Sensing my hesitation. Dous opened his briefcase and showed me an ess card. "Do you believe me now?"


    Thus, I ended up catching the subway with Dous, who was slightly tipsy. He even escorted me to the lobby of my apartment.


    Reflecting on my actions during the dinner, I sincerely apologized to Dous.


    Dous smiled and said, "Nancy, I actually enjoyed today. You... did well."


    I was puzzled.


    "That''s our pride in the Computer Science Major, Nancy Fisher."


    Dous used the word "pride". It felt unfamiliar yet familiar as the word resonated slightly in my heart.


    Back at my ce. I sat silently by the window. As I contemted my battered life, I forced a bitter smile.


    The present me couldn''t bear the word "pride".


    My phone unexpectedly lit up. It was yet another friend request from Bruce, along with a question mark.


    After hesitating for two seconds, I ignored the notification and went into the bedroom. Unintentionally, I had overslept.


    I was in a hurry to the subway station when Caroline called.


    "What''s Bruce¡¯s intention? Why did he suddenly set up a nning Department when everything was going smoothly?¡±


    I immediately stopped and took some time to understand the situation


    It seems that Bruce wanted to establish a game nning department in our studio with Cindy as the head nner.


    You see, the development of a game mainly involved three prominent departments. nning. technology, and art, with nning being the most


    crucial¡ªspeaking volumes about its importance.


    But the entire storyline and theme of the game have already been nned out thoroughly. It didn''t seem appropriate for Cindy to intervene now.


    "I think it''s necessary to talk to Bruce. He invested money, but that doesn''t mean he can do whatever he wants,¡± Caroline suggested.


    After some consideration, I asked, "Did Bruce mention that Cindy could intervene in nning out the details of the game? "


    "Well... he didn¡¯t."


    "Let''s wait and see then,¡± I analyzed rationally.


    "Cindy needs a title. As long as she doesn¡¯t go overboard, we don''t need to offend the investor because of her. Bruce probably wouldn''t mix personal


    and professional matters."


    After a brief moment. Caroline responded, "Makes sense. Then let''s wait till I get back."


    I hurried to the studio as soon as the call ended.


    When I entered, I saw Vanessa from the front desk standing on a stool to remove the sign on the office door.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    The sign that read "Technical Department" was slowly being taken down in front of my eyes.


    At this moment, Cindy walked out of the pantry with a cup of coffee in her hand


    She smiled and greeted me, quipping,. "Nance, I have just set up a group for work. I''ll add you in after you ept my request on Facebook. "


    Although her tone was no different from before. her eyes shed with a hint of pride. I could understand why.


    Being pampered by a man like Bruce, what kind of woman wouldn''t be infatuated?


    Joining a new work group was also within my expectations.


    With a firm belief that it was better to be safe than sorry, I cooperated sincerely. Unexpectedly, Bruce was also in the group.


    Both of their profile pictures side by side conveyed the impression of an employer and his lovely wife


    It seemed like his investment firm wasn''t as busy as I had imagined.


    I closed the conversation window as if nothing happened and continued to focus on coding


    Soon, the first message in the group appeared.


    It was from Cindy.


    She requested that I share some _


    code dataand politely informed 2


    everyone that the progress ~


    report-which usedto be =


    bi- weekly¡ª would now be changed to


    weekly, Content belongs ta>


    wal


    <


    Caroline saw it and immediately sent me a private message, "She hasn''t even officially taken over, and she''s already giving us orders?¡±


    I made light of it, "Our investor hasn''t objected; let''s just follow ordingly. Maybe he''ll increase the investment based on our attitude?"


    Caroline immediately responded with a thumbs-up emoji. "You''ve developed a different perspective."


    I politely replied, "It''s all thanks to your guidance.¡±


    Jokes aside, Cindy''s small moves didn¡¯t seem to be a big deal anymore.


    However, I didn''t expect Cindy to identally delete a line of data when she entered our back-end in the afternoon.


    David was furious and roared, ¡®DO


    you knowethat it took us over a


    monthto build these codes? With


    yoursingle click, our entire ngonth¡¯ Ss


    effort has gone down the drain!"


    David wasn''t exaggerating. The seemingly insignificant code was critical. Any problem in one area would copse the entire framework.


    Cindy seemed guilty. "I didn''t mean to. I just wanted to see if there was anything I could help with..."


    "Please, Cindy. I''m begging you, can¡¯t you just sit still and not do anything?" David''s words were a bit over the top.


    After hearing this, Cindy lowered her head, and her eyes zed over. She seemed on the verge of tears.


    As I watched the two argue, I said calmly, "There''s no use arguing about this anymore. Cindy. there won''t be a next time."


    Cindy''s expression cracked, and she ran out with a flushed face. I was slightly taken aback by her response.


    David angrily eximed, "Shouldn''t we be the ones crying? If tears could fix this, I''d probably flood the studio!"


    I rubbed my temples and brought David downstairs to look for Cindy in hopes of maintaining our team harmony.


    Unfortunately, we couldn''t find her.


    I had no choice but to leave a message for her. I then returned to the office to solve the issue.


    Unknowingly. we workedte into the night


    When I finally came to my senses, I noticed that Cindy had sent a message to the new work group two hours ago


    ¡®Nance, it''s my fault. I''m really sorry.


    I know my mistake has troubled =


    everyone, I sincerely apologizeto


    yous all." She added a sad- loaking


    emodji at the end.


    7


    At that time, David and I were unable to find her downstairs and had just returned to the studio.


    Considering her young age, we couldn''t hold onto her mistake forever¡ªno matter how frustrating.


    Thus, I was about to call Cindy when the studio door suddenly opened.


    Bruce walked in with a stern expression and said to me in front of everyone, ¡°Let''s talk."


    Looking at his indifferent expression, I felt somewhat tongue-tied.


    Not long ago, he had appeared in our studio like this too, waiting for Cindy after work¡ªonly to find her in tears.


    This time, he directly came to defend her.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    In the office, Bruce sat across from me and said straightforwardly, ¡°Isn''t this a bit too much?¡±


    His voice was calm, but his overbearing posture felt like an invisible hand tightly gripping my heart.


    I wondered just how urgent he felt the situation was. He came all the way in person from Roeval Group just to defend Cindy.


    I took a deep breath and replied tly, "Please enlighten me, Mr. Harold."


    Bruce nced at me and said seriously, ¡°It''s just a small mistake. A good team should allow its members to make minor mistakes, especially when


    she hasn''t even graduated yet.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    A small mistake, he said. I forced a smile, realizing that the effort we put in over a month was considered a minor mistake in his eyes.


    I suddenly recalled the time I identally shrunk his sweater while washing it for him a long time ago. He ignored me for a whole week because of


    that.


    Seeing that I remained silent, Bruce continued, "I''ll arrange for her to attend a workshop. And you, Nancy, have a bit more patience with her."


    I raised my head upon hearing his words. I wanted to say something but my throat felt like it was glued shut.


    I couldn''t utter a word.


    A person who had been with him for over six years¡ªwas requested for patience.


    "Any objections?¡± Bruce asked.


    I suppressed the difort in my chest and replied calmly, "Mr. Harold is indeed considerate. I have to admit that I can''tpare.¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t seem like it,¡± he said, fixing his eyes on my face. "Is Ms. Fisher dissatisfied with how I handled this?¡±


    He seemed like a judge in court. Although he had already sentenced us, he still asked if the convict was satisfied with the verdict.


    Thinking about the hard-won investment, I met Bruce''s gaze and politely replied with a hint of detachment. "No, there''s nothing wrong.¡±


    Bruce''s eyshes trembled slightly. After a sarcasticugh, he immediately stood up and left. I involuntarily sent him off to the elevator.


    As soon as the elevator doors closed, I urgently leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.


    There was a bitter taste in my mouth, as if I had swallowed something foul.


    Not long after, Cindy sent me a message saying she would try her best and not let me and Bruce down. I closed the conversation and continued


    coding.


    The next day, Cindy did as she said she would. She was studying diligently and even worked overtime, breaking her usual pattern. Yet again, I was


    amazed by the power of love.


    At nine in the evening, my stomach began to growl. I picked up my sandwich on the table and headed to the pantry.


    As I was about to unwrap the sandwich, there was amotion near the entrance. I looked up. thinking my eyes were ying tricks on me.


    Bruce was standing at the doorway, holding an exquisite lunch box from Rico Restaurant. Compared to the sandwich in my hands, the difference was


    stark.


    Our eyes met, and I heard him asking, "Where''s Cindy?"


    Upon hearing his voice, Cindy came out of the office joyfully. "Bruce, I told you not toe! Aren''t you busy at work?"


    Bruce smiled and responded warmly, "You must be hungry. Have some first.¡±


    ¡°Well, I do feel a bit hungry.¡± As she finished her words, she took Bruce into the office.


    After a few steps, however, she turned around to look at me. Her gaze fell on the sandwich in my hands.


    "Nance, this isn¡¯t healthy for you. Want to join us?" she asked.


    She meant well, but my heart couldn''t help but tighten a little. The sandwich in my hands suddenly didn''t look as appetizing.


    Unsure where the defiance came from, I blurted out, "It''s fine. My stomach isn''t that precious."


    Hearing this, Cindy''s smile stiffened. She lowered her gaze, looking like a wounded kitten.


    She whispered, "Nance, I didn''t mean it that way.¡±


    Standing beside Cindy, Bruce frowned and said, "Ms. Fisher, Cindy was being kind to you."


    Indeed. To a prince like himself, giving candy to a beggar before him was considered a noble deed. Who would care about the beggar''s dignity?


    I suddenly realized that I was being petty. After all, maintaining a good rtionship with investors was also part of the job.


    Thus, I picked up the sandwich and said, "I was just craving this recently."


    Cindy looked enlightened. "Right, the dishes from Rico Restaurant are indeed a little nd."


    I begged to differ but chose not to say anything in return.


    The matter was closed, but eating the sandwich left a bad taste in my mouth.


    Soon, I felt difort in my stomach.


    Initially, I didn''t take it seriously. But.


    momentsater, waves of pain ¡ª


    attacked my nerves fromall >


    directions, making me break, out ina


    c sweat.


    -


    I took out some stomach medicine and went into the pantry, clutching my stomach


    It was too painful. The pain was so


    intense that I couldn''t even hold the


    cup steady. With a crisp sound the


    ss 4a my hand slipped and fell


    heavity to the ground, shattefing into


    pieces. .


    -


    I clenched my teeth while fighting the pain. Just as I took a step forward, I felt my legs give way¡ªand I copsed to the ground.


    Thinking about the broken ss on the floor, I panicked and closed my eyes. But, the anticipated pain did note.


    A strong and powerful arm tightly wrapped around my waist, and there was a sharp and chilly scent.


    In an instant, memories of a fiery embrace from long ago resurfaced. This hug felt too real and unbelievable.


    Perplexed, I opened my eyes and slightly raised my gaze to meet Bruce''s eyes.


    Under the bright light of the overheadmp, his eyes seemed covered in a faintyer of mist, exuding threads of concern and tenderness.


    He asked gently, "Can you stand?¡± Only then did I realize that I was lying in Bruce''s arms.


    Just as I was about to speak, Cindy''s soft voice abruptly interrupted, "Bruce, what are you two... doing?¡±


    I struggled out of Bruce''s embrace, politely saying, "Thank you, Mr. Harold.¡±


    Bruce looked at Cindy calmly and exined, "Ms. Fisher isn''t feeling well. She couldn''t stand steady just now.¡±


    Cindy nced at me suspiciously and said, "Then let''s take Nancy to the hospital." Her voice was soft, clearly just a formality.


    I leaned on the counter to press down the pain in my stomach.


    I tactfully found an excuse for myself, "It''s just my period. A little medicine will do the trick. No need to bother.


    Cindy visibly rxed, but Bruce insisted, "If you can''t even stand steady, let''s go to the hospital for a check-up." His tone was quite firm


    It was as if he was afraid something might happen to me. It was very unusual.


    Cindy also noticed this. She bit her lip and timidly looked at Bruce. She said, "How considerate of you, Bruce.¡±


    Bruce''s expression froze for a moment


    He nced at me, then walked over to Cindy. He took her hand and led her out of the pantry. He was probably going tofort her.


    I seized the opportunity to take the medicine and waited for a while before leaving the pantry.


    Just as I teok a few steps, Bruce''s ~


    deep voice entered my ears, "She''s


    responsible for this project, after all.


    Wouldn''t it dy your thesis, next


    year if anything happens ta¡¯ her?"


    It felt like a bucket of cold water had just poured over me.


    I realized Bruce had only helped me because he worried that I, the project leader, would affect Cindy''s thesis.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    Atst, I declined their goodwill. I knew my own body well.


    Although the burning pain went away noticeably after a night''s rest, I didn''t dare to take it lightly. After returning to thepany, I diligently took some


    painkillers


    While our investor doted on his "sweetheart", I doted on this project. Since we''re relying on this game to make money, it''s crucial for me to take good


    care of myself.


    However, the act of taking painkillers didn''t bypass David''s attentiveness. He apologized, ¡°Nance. it''s my fault for letting you work overtime alone.¡±


    I felt gratified and suggested having an extra meal tonight. but David stopped me. "No, dinner will be here soon."


    I thought that David had ordered takeout in advance, but I soon saw Dous enter carrying arge square box. His sses had ayer of mist, and


    he seemed to be in a hurry.


    I looked at him curiously and asked, "Dous, why are you here?"


    ¡°Dous, I didn¡¯t want to say this, but your efficiency is a littlecking. Both Nancy and I were almost starved to death."


    I looked at David, then at Dous, and finally focused on the big box in his hands, asking, ¡°Is this dinner?"


    Dous smiled andplimented me, "You''re quite smart.¡±


    He actually brought four dishes and a soup. The food looked good, and there was ayer of steam emanating from it. Dous exined, "It''s all


    thanks to the instion box."


    "Which restaurant did you order the tomato soup from? It''s really rich and fragrant." David took a sip of the tomato soup and praised, "The boss is


    quite generous."


    Dous lifted his sses and smiled without saying a word. He then picked up a piece of meat and ced it inside my bowl.


    Seeing this, David rolled his eyes and said in a deliberately hoarse voice, "Dous, I want same too."


    Both Dous and I were amused by his act.


    Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I looked over curiously and saw that Cindy had returned. Cindy''s gaze swept past Dous''s face beforending on the


    food on the table. She smiled and said, "I see, Mr. Irvin came to bring dinner for Nance."


    Dous turned and paused for two seconds. Then. he politely continued, "Ms.Lane, have you eaten? You can join us if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    "No, thank you," Cindy declined sweetly, "I will leave soon after picking up my stuff.¡±


    Since she had spoken, there was nothing else for us to say. But when she entered the office, Dous¡¯ expression stiffened visibly before he threw me


    aplicated gaze.


    After dinner, I apanied Dous downstairs. It was only then that I realized he took the subway here earlier.


    "I was worried about traffic jams during the evening rush hour. David has also mentioned that your stomach was ufortable, so I thought that the


    food should be eaten hot.¡±


    So, he took the subway because he was worried that the food would get cold? It must have been quite inconvenient since he was carrying such a


    large insted box.


    A trace of guilt surfaced in my heart when I looked at him. "Don¡¯t go through such trouble next time.¡±


    "It''s not a trouble," Dous said humbly, ¡°It''s boring to just teach everyday, so why not cook and apply the skills I''ve learnt for daily use?" He always


    seemed to be able to put words in a pleasing way.


    "By the way.¡± Dous hesitated, "About Ms. Lane..."


    Before he could finish his sentence, a sweet voice interrupted him, "Bruce, have you been waiting for a long time?¡±


    Both Dous and I turned to look, only to see Bruce a few steps away.


    The night wasyered with heavy mists after the rain, and Bruce stood right under a dim streetmp. He had probably waited for a long time as tiny


    water droplets seemed to hang onto the ends of his hair.


    The person he was waiting for ran toward him happily with small. quick steps. They were truly a perfect match as both of them looked great together.


    I quickly withdrew my gaze and looked at Dous while saying, "I''ll send you to the subway exit."


    Dous didn''t refuse.


    But as soon as I took a step, Bruce''s greeting came through. "Ms.Fisher, you finished work early today."


    The four of us stood together under the streetlight.


    Bruce nced at the insted box in Dous¡¯ hands and asked, ¡°What''s this?"


    Before Dous could speak, Cindy immediately answered, "It''s a thermos, Bruce. Knowing that Nance felt ufortable, Mr. Irvin specially prepared


    a heartfelt dinner for her.¡±


    Bruce gave Dous a nce. He then looked at me and said, "Ms. Fisher is not only good at coding but also maintains friendships quite well.¡±


    His tone was t. but I sensed a hint of sarcasm in his words.


    Dous politely exined, '' Nancy


    has helped me a lot. She hasn''t heen


    feeling well these past two days;so


    came.over to check on her." He


    seemed to be exining on my


    bebalf. Content belongs 0:


    NovelDrama.Org


    As soon as he heard this, Bruce sneered, "Last night, it was her period, and today. it''s an upset stomach. Ms.Fisher''s health is quite adaptable."


    I couldn¡¯t believe what Bruce was saying. What did he mean? Did he think that I was faking it?


    Cindy seemed to understand his underlying message. She scalded, "Bruce. you don''t understand. It truly is much easier for other diforts to


    surface during a woman''s period. "


    It seemed as if she was exining things on my behalf, but it''d be better if she didn''t exin at all.


    "Is that so?" Bruce nced at me with a vague smile. "Then. Ms. Fisher, you''ll have to take good care of yourself.¡±


    With just a few words of his, I was put on the spot..


    Take good care of yourself? It was ironicing from Bruce''s mouth


    Suddenly, Fthought of his


    exnation to Cindyst night. I


    replied €almly, ¡°Of course. Since Mr


    Harold: has gone to great lengths to


    invest so much money in us;it''s only


    right to take good care of myself.¡±


    Bruce''s pupils wavered slightly, and a trace of surprise shed in his eyes.


    I didn''t want to waste time on this kind of verbal sparring, so I continued, "Mr. Harold, you must be busy. Please excuse us."


    Afterward, I gave Dous a look, and he nodded slightly. He followed me as we crossed the street quietly.


    "Just send me till here," Dous looked at me with concerned eyes and hesitated to speak.


    I didn''t beat around the bush and proceeded to remind him, ¡°You''re busy with work too, so don¡¯t do such foolish things again.¡±


    Dous hesitated for a moment and looked at me. He asked, "Nancy, can I ask you a sudden question?¡±


    I curled my fingers and nodded


    ¡°Your rtionship with Bruce...¡±


    ¡°It''s the rtionship an investor and a project manager should have," I replied honestly.


    Dous seemed to rx and smiled. ¡°If that''s the case, then it''s alright."


    Why wasn''t it getting through to him?


    ¡°Alright, time is ticking. Get back to coding." Dous pointed at his wristwatch. "Or you might miss thest subway."


    Dous really knew how to tease me, but still, I went back to continue coding.


    By the time I returned to my housing area, it was alreadyte at night. I entered the building while carrying myptop. Unexpectedly, I bumped into


    Bruce when I lifted my head.


    He was still wearing that deep gray


    windbreakerMts design featured an


    over-the- knee length with dropped _


    shouldersleeves andpels. It waS a


    simpleStyle but wasn''t oO


    outdated¡ª exactly like the one gave


    hiaryears ago. It was probably just a


    cdincidence. Content bngs toN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    At the same time, the windbreaker''s belt hung loosely behind, making it look fashionable and casual. Bruce really looks good in any style.


    However, I only nced at him twice before passing by quietly. I needed to rest now after a long day.


    "Do you have to act like this?" His deep voice came from behind, and I paused for a moment.


    I reluctantly turned around and said, "Oh, it''s Mr. Harold. Sorry, I''m not wearing sses."


    Bruce remained silent, but his eyes were fixed on me. It made me somewhat ufortable.


    "I''m off work." I was truly tired of dealing with Bruce. ¡° Let''s discuss tomorrow if there''s any other issues.¡±


    I turned to walk away afterward.


    "It was just a Facebook request. Did you really have to delete me?¡± His persistent tone was wrapped in sarcasm.


    I heard Bruce say, "Are you afraid that Dous might misunderstand?"

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    When the topic of Facebook came up, I realized that Bruce''s displeasure stemmed from me deleting him as a friend. It''s already been a few days.


    since that happened. Did he only notice it now?


    Oh well, he''s still our investor after all. If I addressed the issue directly, it would make me seem small-minded.


    I had to find a way out. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Harold. I have too many Facebook contacts and may have deleted you identally."


    As soon as I finished speaking, Bruce couldn''t help but sneer, "Nancy, can''t youe up with a better excuse? Why would you care about deleting


    just one contact?¡±


    Bruce had replied with his usual confidence, as if he had already seen through me.


    Out of nowhere, I felt instigated by his confidence. I met his gaze and said, "Exactly, it''s just a contact. Why would Mr. Harold care?¡±


    Seeing that Bruce wasn''t able to respond immediately, he was clearly taken aback. Neither of us spoke as we stood in the corridor and stared at each


    other like lunatics.


    My fingernails dug deep into my palm as my heart trembled with a slight bitterness.


    After a moment, Bruce''s expression turned dark. "Nancy, you think too highly of yourself!¡±


    Right afterward, he disappeared into the cold night.


    I leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. It took me a while to recover, but in the end, I didn''t add Bruce back into my contacts.


    Emails, work groups, and phone calls¡ª! thought that if Bruce had any work-rted instructions, he could use any of these methods to contact me.


    Just because of the few words he had said didn''t mean that I had toply like I did back then again. I really didn¡¯t want to hear his sarcastic


    remarks anymore.


    However, I still had a restless night despite my decision. In my dream, Bruce decided to seriously withdraw the investment, and I woke up covered in


    cold sweat. I was unable to sleep again, so I went to thepany covered in eyebags.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Unlike my gloomy state, Cindy had a bright smile on her face. She was happily distributing coffee and croissants to other colleagues.


    When she saw meing in, she greeted me with a smile, "Nance. here¡¯s your ck coffee."


    I had a stomach ache just a couple of days ago, so I dared not take coffee anymore. But I couldn''t turn down her good intentions, so I replied . ¡°Thank


    you."


    I reached out for the coffee, and in the next second, I heard Vanessa''s exmation, "Wow, a Cartier Love bracelet, and it''s the diamond series! It


    looks great."


    Following her gaze. I saw Cindy''s rose gold bracelet sparkling on her wrist. The color suited her very well, and made her wrist look even fairer and


    more delicate.


    "Mr. Harold is really generous," Vanessa admired with a sigh, "When will I have a boyfriend like him¡ªwho picks me up and drops me off ina


    Maybach? I can die without regrets then.¡±


    Cindy blushed and shyly replied, "You will meet them some day."


    I had no interest in joining their gossip and walked toward my desk. Just then. I heard Vanessa say, "Mr. Harold is so romantic. You''re both using


    couple profile pictures together as well. Say, how should singles like us survive?"


    The phrase "couple profile pictures¡± made me pause for a moment. After taking my seat. I secretly opened the workgroup.


    On the screen, Bruce''s profile picture had changed from the sunset image to a cat wearing a bowtie. It matched the profile image of Cindy''s cat with a


    pink hat. They were quite a fitting pair.


    Cindy treated everyone to coffee for two consecutive days, and I also got to enjoy the benefits.


    Caroline had just confirmed her schedule on her end and said that she would be returning tomorrow afternoon. This meant that I had to head over to


    the Roeval Group alone for the project summary report this afternoon.


    I was contemting whether to postpone it for a day when Cindy came over and asked in high spirits, "Nance, what time are we leaving this


    afternoon?"


    I paused for a moment before realizing that she was talking about heading over to the Roeval Group for the project report.


    It was quite sudden, but thinking about it, it nade sense. After all, she was now the manager of the nning department, and it was legitimate for her


    to report to the Roeval Group.


    So I said, "Around three o''clock."


    Cindy agreed happily, "I''ll get ready first then.¡±


    Just before we left, I realized that Cindy''s idea of preparation was meticulously applying light makeup.


    Not long after, we arrived at the entrance of the Roeval Group. When the receptionist saw Cindy, she politely addressed her and respectfully led us to


    the specialized lift.


    Her attitude was far from the arrogant tone she had used when Caroline and I first came. As expected, there was a vast difference when someone


    backed you up.


    "Nance, please wait here. I''ll be back in a moment." Cindy politely reminded me when we were at the reception.


    She then effortlessly entered Bruce''s office with confidence. Her actions seemed natural, as if she was heading home, and all I could do was wait


    here.


    However, I didn''t expect to have to wait for more than an hour. By then, Cindy still hasn''te out yet.


    "Nance, what are you doing here?" I looked up and saw John holding a pile of documents with a surprised look.


    "Mr. Zeigler,¡± I took a deep breath and asked, "Is Mr. Harold still busy?¡±


    "No. There''s only one meeting this afternoon, and it''s the one with you guys." John nced at Bruce''s office and said, "I''ll go and have a check."


    "It''s fine, Mr. Zeigler. I can wait for a little more. By the way, just call me Nancy from now on."


    He probably didn''t know that his sister-inw was someone else now. He hesitated for a moment and nced at the office


    He then sighed and said, ¡°Nance, don¡¯t be angry. I..."


    Before he finished speaking, the office door opened. Cindy maintained herposure and nced at John. She looked at me and said, "Nance, you


    cane in now."


    Her tone was indifferent, but I didn''t take it to heart and proceeded to report about our work.


    When it was over, I nced at Bruce who was sitting in front of me. But what I saw was him lowering his head to talk to Cindy.


    Cindy had a smile on her face and seemed to be in a good mood. It was then that I suddenly felt that my presence here was quite unnecessary.


    "If Mr. Harold has no objections, I''ll excuse myself.¡± I didn''t n to continue being a third wheel.


    However, Cindy, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke. "Nance, I have a suggestion. But I don''t know if I should say it or not."


    I paused and heard Bruce say, ¡°You''re also one of the project managers, so it''s only right that you''re able to give suggestions.¡±


    But Cindy continued to look at me, as if she was waiting for my response. Thus, I responded professionally, " Please go ahead, Ms.Lane."


    ¡®I carefully observed our game


    interfacestthight. How should I put


    it... I feel likethe color saturation is..


    not strong enough,¡± Cindy said and


    g ancec-at Bruce, ¡®It''s alove Sv


    simtion game, and the overall


    cr tone should be bri ghtand


    ibrant to evoke a sense of


    romance.¡±


    A sense of romance... I silently thought of these words and asked, "Ms. Lane, what kind of feeling are you referring to?¡±


    Cindy''s expression haltered and her eyes lowered. She was hesitant to speak, as if I had somehow wronged her.


    I softened my tone and said. "Ms. Lane, I''m just discussing work with you."


    "It''s okay, you can say whatever you want," Bruce suddenly interrupted. With a gentle tone, he continued "Ms .Fisher isn¡¯t a stubborn person.


    Besides, I¡¯m right here with you.¡±


    Should I thank him for that?


    Seemingly encouraged by him, Cindy smiled and said, "Love should be pictured as bright and dreamy. So, I think that the main color should be pink


    instead.¡±


    Upon finishing her words, she added, "What do you think, Bruce? "


    Our game interface currently


    featured light blue as its main color.


    We aimedto create a bright and =>


    refreshirtg theme to provide yers


    with alean andfortable ¡ª:


    gaming experience. But Cindy felt


    thatitcked a romantic touch.


    "Ms.Fisher, what''s your opinion?" Bruce asked.


    His low voice pulled me back from


    my thoughts. I raised my head ta¡±


    meet Bruce¡¯ s gaze and said, "I think


    the current interface is fine. But if


    Mr. Harold insists on changitig it, we


    camake some adjustments too."


    C¨¦ntent belongs to


    That was my biggestpromise. A project manager had to hold on to their own principles after all


    Bruce frowned slightly and gently tapped his slender fingers on the desk. He then asked, "What''s your reason?"


    I stated seriously, ¡°Love can take on a million different forms. It shouldn''t be limited to a particr color."


    It may be honey to one and poison to another. No one knows that better than I do.


    But as soon as I finished speaking, Cindy''s face turned pale. I was only discussing the matter at hand, but she seemed to think of something else


    "In that case.¡± Bruce''s eyes fell on me. He made the final decision after a moment''s thought."Ms.Fisher, please incorporate the dreamy pink color into


    the current interface.¡±


    This report turned out to be more challenging than I thought. The sky was already dark when the meeting ended. While I was organizing the files, I


    overheard Bruce and Cindy discussing which restaurant to go to.


    Cindy sounded cautious, "Bruce, I haven''t finished work yet." She then nced at me afterward.


    I pretended to ignore her and was about to leave immediately. Yet...


    "It''s simple. Ms.Fisher, let''s go together," Bruce said suddenly.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    I thought I had misheard him


    But seeing Cindy''s hesitant expression, I knew Bruce''s invitation was genuine. Or was he just being polite to me?


    I didn''t want to appear obnoxious, so I politely declined, "Thank you, Mr. Harold, but I still have work to attend to. Next time, the treat''s on me.¡±


    Bruce persisted, "Even if you''re busy, you still need to eat, right?¡± His tone intensified, as if I didn¡¯t know any better.


    Cindy stood with her eyes looking down. She whispered, ¡°Bruce, maybe Nancy really has something important to attend to.¡± Clearly, Cindy had her


    own thoughts on this matter.


    I remained still to wait and see how Bruce would handle the situation.


    After a while, he patiently said, "Cindy has been with yourpany for over a month now, and she must have caused Ms. Fisher some trouble. I


    should properly thank Ms.Fisher."


    I caught Bruce''s underlying meaning immediately. He was repaying a favor for Cindy.


    Cindy seemed to sense this too, and her pale face finally cracked a smile. "Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Bruce. Nancy, why don''t you just


    ept it?"


    Although I felt a bit ufortable, I still had to show respect. So, I agreed to join them at the restaurant.


    The restaurant exuded elegance, with a pianist ying in the corner. The gentle melodies eased some of the tension in my mind.


    Yet, one question lingered. Why had Bruce insisted on including me as a third wheel in what could have been a romantic evening between him and


    Cindy?


    I soon had an answer. When Kate came over aggressively, she noticed me and shed a surprise look through her angry expression. "Nancy, what


    are you doing here?"


    Even Aunt Kate knew that my presence was inappropriate at such a time. Yet, Bruce had still decided to involve me.


    I nonchntly chewed on my steak and said, "Mr. Harold and Ms.Lane kindly invited me to join, so I can''t refuse their hospitality."


    She then calmed down and instructed the waiter to ce another set of dining utensils.


    Whether itWwas intentional or not,


    she satopposite Cindy. "These =


    young: people nowadays," she said


    sarcastically while ncing at Cindy,


    "are really something." Content


    belongs to  ~


    A crisp sound rang out when Cindy''s fork slipped. This untimely and jarring noise rang against the te.


    Her face was flushed red and then pale alternately. It was an embarrassing moment. and she gripped onto her cutlery tightly until her fingertips turned


    white


    At that moment, Bruce calmly brought out a freshly cut steak and naturally swapped it with the one in front of Cindy.


    He was especially attentive.


    Cindy fluttered her long eyshes in surprise. "Bruce. I can do it myself." Then she nced cautiously at Kate, appearing like a startled bunny.


    Suddenly, memories flooded back to the first time I met Kate¡ªyears ago, during a buffet.


    Although she wasn''t as arrogant as she was now, her attitude toward me wasn''t much better back then.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Throughout the meal, she directed me to fetch her various items.


    At that time, itwas the lobster


    season. Thus; at her request, I spent


    the entirenight peeling lobsters. =>


    Even my¡®fingernai s were left


    soakigg I in the smell of shellfish.


    Onlythen did she acknowledge,


    ¡®You! re quite obedient." Content


    belongs to  <>


    Throughoutthat night, Bruce had sat


    quietly across from me and ate his


    food without uttering a word. Yet


    now, in a simr scenario, he was


    cuttitng steak for Cindy in frotit of


    Kate.  . ~


    NovelDrama.Org

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    "Bruce, aren''t you spoiling her too much?" Kate couldn''t help but intervene. "She has hands, doesn''t she? Does she really need you to cut the steak


    and feed her?"


    She said this just as Bruce was handing Cindy a napkin.


    Bruce replied calmly as if it wasn''t a big deal. ¡°You wouldn''t understand."


    Kate was left speechless, and her face darkened in anger.


    I didn''t want to get dragged into their drama, so I changed the subject. "Mrs. Harold, the pan-fried cod here is really good. You should try it.¡±


    Hearing this, Kate looked down at the cod pieces that had been deboned. She smiled and said. "Nancy, you''re still the most sensible one here, unlike


    some other girls who aren''t anything but shortsighted."


    The meal was as thrilling as a roller coaster ride.


    After we finished eating, the four of us stood at an intersection under the neon lights. Kate took my hand and said, "Nancy, you shoulde over this


    weekend. Bruce just bought a new house with awn, and we''ve nted a bunch of bougainvillea in the backyard. You''ll love it for sure.¡±


    I was startled and looked at Bruce involuntarily. He remainedposed, and his eyes didn''t waver nor let out the slightest emotion.


    Well, Bruce was often cool and aloof, so how could he remember my preferences? It must be a coincidence.


    After Kate had taken her leave, it was just the three of us standing there with surrounding awkwardness.


    I checked my phone and said, "Mr. Harold, my ride is almost here. I''ll leave first then.¡±


    Bruce only nodded briefly and didn''t speak anything more.


    With that, I turned around and crossed the street.


    I could barely hear Cindy''s voice, but still made out that she was ming herself. She said, ¡°I''m sorry, Bruce. I''m no good. I couldn¡¯t make your mom


    like me.¡±


    I took a deep breath and forced a smile.


    It sounded as if Kate really liked me a lot when, in fact, she was just using me. But Cindy had Bruce to stand up for her, didn¡¯t she?


    Now, just thinking of Bruce made me feel even worse. Clearly, he was also using me tonight.


    They were so in sync. Indeed, like mother like son.


    But why did they do that? Did they really think that we were just NPCs with no feelings?


    I went back to my ce, fuming with anger.


    When I came out of the bathroom,


    saw my phone shing non-stop.on


    the table. As I got closer, I finally¡±


    sawsthe string of numbers blinking


    On. the screen.


    7


    It''s unny hew I could have such. *


    good memory that I recognized it as


    Bruce''s number in an instant:


    Gontent belongs to


    But why would he call me at this hour?


    After a few moments of hesitation, I still answered the phone.


    "Are you home?" His voice was hoarse and sounded a little tired? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    I feigned ignorance and asked, "Who''s this?"


    There was a pause on the other end, then I heard Bruce ask, "Nancy, did you delete my number?¡±


    I deleted it two years ago and haven''t saved it since.


    Bruce should''ve expected this and be smart enough to figure it out.


    I pinched the bridge of my nose and asked, "Mr. Harold, is there something you need?¡±


    Bruce suddenly went silent


    The wind had made my headache


    worse, soy was less patient than: ¡±


    usual. [Fhe wasn''t going to talk,


    didn''t-want to wait, so I said, "If


    there''s nothing else, I''m going to


    rest."  >


    NovelDrama.Org


    "Add me back on Facebook," Bruce finally spoke up. His tone wasn''t all too pleasant.


    Hearing that, my hand froze.


    Then I heard him say, "I can''t let Ms. Fisher''s efforts today be in vain."

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    Well, that was it. He was calling to thank me on behalf of Cindy.


    I wasn''t sure exactly what for. But whatever it was, I wouldn''t rush to turn down something good.


    I said, "Mr. Harold, you''re too kind, just a moment."


    Before I could finish, Bruce hung up the phone abruptly.


    Soon after, I got a notification for a transfer, and ten thousand was sent to me by Bruce.


    Then, a voice message popped up. But just as I was about to listen to it, the voice message got recalled.


    After thinking for a couple of seconds, I sent Bruce a thank-you sticker with a bow.


    Suddenly, I didn¡¯t feel so annoyed anymore. It''s all thanks to Cindy.


    The next day, I went to work as usual. As soon as I got into the office, Vanessa at the front desk told me, "Nance. Ms. Lane is in the meeting room.


    The meeting starts at 10:00 am."


    I was confused.


    When I saw Cindy in the meeting room, she exined, "Nance, have you forgotten? We agreed on adjusting the interface colors yesterday."


    She said it so naturally. Right then, Anika walked into the meeting room and heard her words.


    Anika was in charge of our art department. She was a young woman who graduated from an arts school and was about the same age as Cindy.


    She looked at me and asked, "Nance, what''s this about?"


    I was nning to discuss it with Anika after Caroline came back, but it looked like we had to have the meeting right away.


    So, Cindy, Anika, David, and I all went into the meeting room.


    After having heard what we had to say, Anika blew up, "I spent two whole months on that interface, and now you want to change it just because she


    said so?"


    Anika was talking to me, but the words she had spoken directedints about Cindy.


    I was about to exin, but Cindy interjected, "This decision was made together by me, Mr. Harold, and Nance. Since you''re getting paid, shouldn''t


    you adjust the changes properly?"


    Her tone was gentle, but there was a hint of arrogance between the lines.


    Anika was incredulous. "What do


    you mean? dust because you have


    money, you (think you can do =


    anything?It s not that I don''t want to


    change it. I just think that pink is


    tacky Do you even understand


    that?¡± _~


    o


    Cindy''s face turned red with anger, "Without money, this project wouldn''t even be able to happen."


    Hearing this, I realized that things were going south and I was about to intervene. But before I could do so, Anika stood up and said, "Someone else


    can do it then. I''m not serving you any longer!"


    I hurried to stop her, but then, I heard Cindy crying behind me. I turned around and saw that she was actually crying


    I sighed and handed her a tissue, saying gently, "Ms. Lane, I know you''re just looking out for the project, but we''re all on the same team. We need to


    watch how we speak to each other.¡±


    Using Bruce as a deterrent might work, but the real glue that held the team together was the genuine passion each member had for their work, not


    the pressure from external sources.


    Like Anika, who happily worked overtime at home just because she loved the project.


    But then, Cindy asked me, "So, Nance, do you think that I did something wrong too?"


    I could onlyfort her, "Don''t worry, I''ll handle it.¡±


    After this incident took ce, there was a weird tension in the studio


    In the afternoon, I called Anika and asked her to meet me at the coffee shop downstairs.


    "Nance, you know how much I love


    this project,¡± Anika said, feeling


    wronged and indignant. "Cindy is.


    just a stydent, so she can act cutein


    front of the investors all she wants.


    But when ites to work, how


    exactly i is she worthy of the game


    nner''s title? She''s evenstrying to


    meddle in my work now.¡± Content


    belongs to


    I tried to reassure her, "Taste is


    subjective: but since the investors¡±


    have given us the go-ahead, let''s¡±


    take the good and leave the bad.


    And-thelieve, with your skills;this i is


    a rainor issue, right?" Content


    b¨¦longs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    Anika let out a long sigh. After that, she looked at me and said, "Nance, I''ll do this for you. But you know that our interface is fine.¡±


    I was relieved, but then I looked up and saw Bruce and Cindy standing a stone¡¯s throw away.


    I had no idea when they arrived nor how much they heard. But Bruce had a dark look on his face whereas Cindy was biting her lips. Her eyes were


    also filled with tears


    Suddenly, I had a bad feeling.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    The next thing I heard was Cindy choking out, "Nance, is this what you all think of me?¡±

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    Cindy used "you all", clearly having overheard my conversation with Anika


    But if she had listened more carefully, she would have understood that my ultimate purpose was to minimize the issue.


    It was normal for colleagues to have differing opinions, but I didn¡¯t expect her to bring Bruce into this.


    Since she heard us, Bruce had obviously heard everything clearly as well. It made Anika and I look like we were bad-mouthing Cindy behind her


    back.


    Anika probably didn¡¯t expect things to escte like this either. So, she whispered, "Nance, if someone has to take the me, I..."


    I gave her a look and reassured her, "I''ll handle this.¡±


    After saying that, I walked toward the both of them


    Our eyes met, and I gently said, "Ms. Lane. I mishandled the situation, and I''m sorry you felt wronged."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Suddenly, Cindy''s eyes reddened, and her tears fell off like the pearls off a string.


    She naturally had a fair and delicate appearance. So, with tears in her eyes, she gave off a wronged and pitiful look.


    Bruce saw this and immediately took out a handkerchief from his pocket. After giving me a look, he said mockingly, "Ms. Fisher, you have no ss.¡±


    His voice was low but carried a cold vibe that sent shivers down the spine.


    He was defending her again.


    "Sorry, Nance. It''s my fault for not controlling my emotions." Cindy choked out with a trembling voice. "Bruce, let''s just forget it..."


    "Ms. Lane, I''m the one who was talking bad about you. So why are you taking it out on Nance?" Anika suddenly stepped out from behind me and


    lashed out at Cindy.


    Cindy widened her eyes and looked at Anika in disbelief. She opened her mouth as if to say something but hesitated


    With this, she looked even more aggrieved.


    I was about to smooth things over when Bruce cut in, "It''s simple then. Apologize to Cindy and resign.¡±


    Resign? Bruce wanted to fire Anika?


    He was always so good at keeping work and personal matters separate. But now. as an investor in the project, he was getting involved in our


    company matters for Cindy.


    That was unexpected.


    Knowing that he was not one to change his mind easily, I tried to reason with him. "Mr. Harold, at the end of the day, this is on me. Let''s go back to...¡±


    "I said..." Bruce cut me off coldly and said decisively, "Fire her.¡±


    The rest of my words stuck at the back of my throat.


    It felt like identally swallowing a small fish bone¡ªnot deadly but enough to plunge you into brief panic and difort.


    Only then did I realize that I had no standing in front of Bruce at all, especially whenpared to Cindy''s grievance.


    I forced a smile and said, ¡°Mr. Harold, please. Let''s calm down. I''ll talk to Ms. Whittakerter..."


    "Then please inform Ms. WhittakerJf


    she''s stilthere tomorrow.¡± Bruce.


    nced at Anika and continue, "Our


    partoership will unfortunatelyhave


    toe to an end.¡± Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org -


    Afterward, he left with Cindy.


    I was struck dumb and stood there like a statue, unable to utter a single word


    So, Bruce meant that he would pull his funding? All because Anika made a couple ofments about Cindy?


    "Bruce, let it go. I won''t take it to heart.¡±


    Cindy''s softtone snapped me back.


    to reality} clenched andthen = =


    rxed: my fists, barely hearing.¡±


    Bruce : say, "You''re too kind, but


    now s not the time for tolerance."


    Yeah, in Bruce''s eyes, Cindy was kind and gentle while we were the viins.


    When I saw Caroline, it was already 9:30 pm


    She was dressed in a long beige coat, a pair of four-inches high heels, and looked beth stunning and stylish.


    When she saw me, she smiled warmly. "It''s not a big deal. If the sky falls, I''ll be there to hold it up with you."


    On the way, we discussed our possible options.


    "We definitely can''t fire her, but since Bruce wants to assert his authority for Cindy, we''ll just have to amodate him."


    I rubbed my temples and asked, "Ms. Whittaker, what are you nning to do?¡±


    "Apologize, of course.¡± Caroline looked determined. "Give Bruce and Cindy enough respect, and we can turn the page on this.¡±


    She still didn''t understand Bruce. He has always been decisive and would not be so easily swayed. But we had to try Caroline''s approach anyway.


    The next morning, Caroline and I went to Roeval with some gifts to show our sincerity and apologize.


    The receptionist recognized me and


    said, "Mr-Harold won''t be avable.


    He flewto Spring Cityst night with


    Ms. Lane to see the snowy ~


    mountains. If you have his namber,


    yotrcan contact him directly."


    C¨¦ntent belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Caroline and I exchanged looks in surprise. We hadn''t received any leave request from Cindy.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    Bruce has led us onto a wild goose chase.


    Caroline thought that Bruce did it on purpose, and that he was putting pressure on us indirectly.


    Thinking about the freshly banked in five million, the both of us fell into silence.


    Caroline then figured that we had to work through Cindy.


    ¡°Even the ancient emperors listened to the pillow talk," Caroline remarked, "One word from Cindy carries more weight than our whole spiel."


    Hearing this, I looked down at the floor, feeling pretty bad inside.


    This whole mess unfolded on my watch, and I was the one who needed to step up.


    Thinking about the future of the project, I dialed a number. But it didn''t go through.


    Caroline looked confused. "She probably missed it. Let''s try againter.¡±


    It turned out that she was right.


    In the evening, Cindy finally called back. "Sorry, Nance. Bruce and I were on the mountain, and I left my phone at the hotel. What''s up?¡±


    Very well. While we were all panicking, they were enjoying the snow up the mountains.


    I collected myself and said, "Ms. Lane, Anika and I really took yesterday to heart. Could you forgive us this time?"


    ¡°Really?¡± Cindy''s voice was soft. "But from what I saw on social media, Anika seemed pretty happy."


    Anika hadn''t shown up for work today. But honestly, I hadn''t kept tabs on her.


    I sincerely said, ¡°I''ll make sure she apologizes to you herself. Ms. Lane. We need your help so that Mr. Harold can forgive us."


    When I brought up Bruce, Cindy responded quickly, "Nance, it''s tough for me too. You know, Bruce was really mad this time..."


    ¡°Sorry.¡± I ended the call feeling deted, and with a bitter taste lingering in my heart.


    A momentter, my phone rang again. I checked it nervously, only to find out that the call was from my aunt.


    I picked up the phone and stepped into the hallway.


    ¡°Aunt Tina, what''s up?"


    "Nothing bad, Nance. Just some good news." Her weary voice carried a hint of joy. "Your uncle managed to get a security job in Joddesdon through a


    connection. It pays over four thousand a month. So if things go well. I''ll bring your cousin over next year. Then, we can all be together."


    I pressed my nails into my palm and felt a prick in my nose, as if tears would well up and fall anytime soon


    "Nance? Do you disagree?"


    "No, I agree," I said with a smile. ¡°Things will definitely get better."


    After hanging up, I hurried into Caroline''s office and asked, ¡°Where''s that bottle of wine we prepared this morning?¡±


    "Why are your eyes red?¡± Caroline looked at me worriedly, and her voice was full of concern, "Nance, you..."


    I nced at her and replied calmly, "Kate''s probably not been sleeping well these past few days. I''ll go check on her.¡±


    Kate liked to drink.


    If Cindy couldn''t help us, then it was time to try a different way.


    An hourter, I showed up at the gate of a hillside vi with an extremely expensive bottle of wine in my hands.


    Behind the-big, fancy gate was a


    modern style vi; all fancy but not


    too showy. I could tell that Bruce


    hada hand in the decor. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org =


    Kate was standing between two big pine trees and smiled, saying, "Nance,e in."


    Sitting at the round table on the first floor, I downed my drink in one go.


    Kate stopped me. "Nance, slow down. You''ll get drunk.¡±


    I didn''t sayanything but poured


    myself. another and grinned. "l'' must


    happy to be able to drink with yOu.


    Here''s to you, do as you likes¡±


    Kate knew that something was up. She asked, "Something''s happened, hasn''t it?"


    I shook my head, not saying a word.


    "It has, right?" Kate was sure now. She put her drink aside and said. "Come on, tell me."


    I figured it was time to spill the beans. "We messed up and made Mr. Harold unhappy.¡±


    Kate sighedin relief. "Is that all? He''s


    a workatiolic, and doesn''t know now


    to ease up on others. Don''t worry, I


    hanille it.¡± Content belongs:to


    Swnovel i


    A workaholic?


    Hearing Kate describe him that way made me smile bitterly.


    This workaholic always found time for Cindy, no matter what.


    But with Kate promising to help, I figured Bruce wouldn''t go too hard on us.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Thinking of this, I raised my ss again. "Aunt Kate, thank you. I''ll..."


    Before I could finish my words, the sound of a sliding door interrupted me.


    Kate and I looked over and saw Bruce standing there. Our eyes met. and I could see that he wasn''t pleased.


    I lowered my head with guilt, as if I was caught doing something wrong.


    This was not going to be good

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    Kate and I walked up to Bruce.


    "Didn''t you say that you''d stay for two days?" She took the suitcase from Bruce and asked, ¡°Have you eaten?"


    Bruce''s sharp gazended on me with a frown. "What''s she doing here?¡±


    The disdain in his voice was clear as day, and it looked as if he was about to show me to the door.


    "Nance is here because I invited her over,¡± Kate said with a straight face. "Be nice."


    Bruce nced at the wine on the table and deepened his frown. "Drinking again?¡±


    Clearly, he wasn''t happy about it.


    I admitted, ¡°Just sharing a drink with Aunt Kate.¡±


    Bruce''s face turned dark, and he looked as if he wanted me to exin.


    Kate couldn''t stand it anymore and tried to smooth things over. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s just a small slip-up at work. Is it really that big of a deal?¡±


    She thought that the tension between Bruce and I was work-rted.


    But Bruce was very smart. He smelled a rat from just that sentence and sneered, "Now you''ve started to tattle, haven''t you?"


    "Nance didn''t say anything. It was all me guessing." Kate jumped in to defend me. She red at Bruce and said, "Now that it''s out in the open, let''s


    just move on from this matter.¡±


    Bruce didn''t want to let her off. "Shouldn''t there be a lesson for inciting subordinates to badmouth others?"


    Just a few fair words from me, and in Bruce''s eyes, I was inciting my subordinates.


    I kept my head down and forcefully suppressed the difort in my heart.


    But Kate caught onto the crucial point. She asked incredulously, "Are you talking about Ms. Lane when you say ¡®others??


    Bruce paused for a moment. This time, it wasn''t on me; he was the one who slipped up.


    Sure enough, Kate went into full-on lecture mode in a blink.


    It felt extremely awkward for me to be there, so I carefully said, "Aunt Kate, Mr. Harold, it¡¯s gettingte. I''ll head out now."


    Kate calmed down and pointed at Bruce. "It''ste, you should walk Nance out."


    "She must have called a ride.¡±


    I took the hint. "Right, it should be here soon."


    With that, I left.


    Stepping out the big gate, I had to grab onto a nt to steady myself. The wine hit in harder than I thought


    I was trying to call for a cab while walking, but this was the outskirts, and getting a ride was tough


    In the end, I just epted my fate and walked on with wobbly legs.


    The tempefature difference between


    day and I night here was huge. The~


    chilly night wind was making its way


    into.mny cor, and I started


    shivering. Content belongs.to


    NovelDrama.Org -


    I suddenly thought of the snowy ~~


    mountains Cindy mentioned over:


    the phone and whimsically told?¡±


    myself that I was enjoying the¡±


    scenery of the snow. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    All by myself.


    Just then, a bright light unexpectedly shone from behind. I was confused and stopped walking. Then, I saw that a car had pulled up next to me.


    The window rolled down slowly and revealed a man''s sharp profile.


    Nice bone structure, smooth facial lines, definitely a looker.


    But that face reminded me of the cold, emotionless statue from my memories.


    "Get in.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    The statue actually spoke to me.


    I smiled and said, "You''re finally here to save me.¡±


    Sitting in the passenger seat, I MN


    leaned my head in to look at the


    hands gripping onto the steering¡±


    whee¡¯, The more I looked, thermore


    familiar they seemed. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    Long and pale, just like Bruce''s hands.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    "Was the snow mountain pretty?"


    "How much did you drink?"


    He dodged my question.


    I turned away gloomily and stared out the car window. Then I heard Bruce say, ¡°Don''t say that I didn''t warn you. Drop your schemes."


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then, I asked, "What schemes?"


    He said coldly, "Trying to be sneaky, but you''re on the wrong path."


    Oh, so he knew. I really couldn''t hide anything from him.


    I yed it cool, "You''re right, Mr. Harold. I''ve always been way off the track."


    Right after I said that, the car screeched to a halt and made me lurch forward. It took a moment for me to settle down.


    I opened my eyes confusedly, only to find the car stopped. Bruce was staring at me in a way he never had before.


    Even his arms holding the steering wheel tightened a bit.


    I felt something dangerous in the air.


    Before I could say anything, he suddenly leaned over. His fingers brushed over my shoulder, sending chills down my spine in the dim light.


    A soapy scent filled my senses, and his warm breath was felt upon my face. In a daze, I heard him say, "Nance."


    I dreamt of those hands again, tightly gripping onta my waist.


    But when I woke up. I was at my ce. My head throbbed, and my muscles ached.


    Looking down, I saw a bruise under my corbone, like a deliberate mark. That jolted me awake.


    Everything in the dream felt real. But. there was no sign of a man having been in my room


    I went to work in a daze. Right as I .


    walked in; Caroline dragged me into


    her office. '' ¡®Nance, your tactic.¡®


    worked wonders. Bruce has forgiven


    us."


    My heart tightened. "When did this happen?"


    ¡®His assistant called me first thing in


    the morning. But Bruce also said,if


    Anika won''t adjust the design tothe


    one > Cindy wants, then we''ll still need


    ta. change the designer.¡¯ Content


    belongs to  ~


    That made me feel uneasy. The timing was too coincidental, especially right after what happenedst night.


    Cindy''s voice interrupted my thoughts.


    Caroline and I exchanged nces before opening the door.


    Cindy handed us a box of macarons, saying softly, "Ms. Whittaker, Nance, I bought these desserts especially for you."


    Caroline smiled and said, "Ms. Lane, you''re too kind.¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Cindy''s eyes sparkled. "Ms.


    Whittaker, Nance, I mishandled


    things before, so please don''t takett


    to heart. {Wve already talked it over


    with Bruce. Moving forward, lets all


    work-together and achieve ¡ª


    greatness."


    4


    After saying this, she even made a fist pump gesture¡ªyful yet sincere. It was hard to stay mad at her.


    But when did she talk to Bruce?


    ¡°Nance.¡± Cindy blinked her big eyes. "I sent you a messagest night. Didn''t you see it?"


    I pulled out my phone and checked my messages. There it was, a message from Cindy. "Nance, Bruce has agreed.¡±


    The message was sent shortly after I left the hillside vi.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    I was too caught up in my own mess to notice then. So, after agreeing to Cindy. Bruce decided not to hold a grudge against us?


    It felt as if my chest was stuffed with cotton, making it hard for me to breathe.


    ¡°Anyway, I''m d that the mess is sorted." Caroline texted me. "Free up your evening. I''m taking you out to unwind."All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    But with the frontend and backend still a mess, I wasn''t in the mood.


    Caroline. persistent as ever, texted, "Nance, after these couple of days, I realized that we shouldn''t put all our eggs in one basket. We can''t rely on


    just one investor. So, you have toe to tonight''s dinner."


    Only then did I know Caroline''s n. I had to say, when it came to making money, she was the role model.


    In the end, I agreed to go.


    The dinner was at Vienna Winery, a fancy spot for Joddescdon¡¯s elite events. Everything from the hotel''s facilities to the dessert trays were top-notch.


    Thanks to Caroline, I had been dining and wining here a lot since moving to Joddesdon six months ago. Now, I had even be quite picky about


    food


    "I heard that the Michelin chef went back to his own country to get married.¡± Caroline handed me a raspberry mousse and said, "The new chef''s skills


    are a bit off."


    I sipped on some juice and asked, "What about that rich guy you mentioned? Is he here yet?"


    Caroline scanned the crowd, then checked her watch. "Rx, big shots always make ate entrance. Let''s fill up first."


    Just as I was about to grab a bagel, Caroline gasped, "He''s here. The rich guy is here!¡±


    I followed her excited gaze and saw the middle-aged man in a suit not far from us.


    We hurried over to greet him.


    "Hello, Mr. Fowler," Caroline greeted with a warm smile. "We are..."


    Before she could finish, the rich man had already turned away. We got totally snubbed by the big shot.


    But then, I heard him calling out a familiar name.


    I looked up and saw Dous shaking hands with him.


    Dous noticed me as well. A hint of surprise shed through his warm gaze. and it was soon followed by a smile.


    "Dous knows Richard Fowler?" Caroline''s senses were sharp. She elbowed me, saying, "What are you waiting for? Go!¡±


    We made our way to Richard and Dous.


    Dous looked me over andplimented, "You look beautiful tonight.¡±


    ~


    I was wearing a in ck dress,


    nothing special. But Dous¡¯.


    compliment made me blush a bit, so


    I returned the favor, "You''re quite


    eye =catching tonight as well¡±


    I was telling the truth. It was actually the first time I had seen Dous dressed in formal attire.


    Seeing us chat away, Richard asked Dous, "Your girlfriend?"


    I exined, "We''re college ssmates, and Dous was our ss rep. And this is Ms. Whittaker, my boss and good friend."


    Caroline then introduced herself confidently.


    After she {mished, Dous added, ~~


    "Mr. Fowler, you might not know.But


    for theWwebsite you asked me to¡¯set


    upst time, both Nancy andMs.


    Whittaker contributed a lot.¡°Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    He was exaggerating. clearly seeing through the little thoughts between Caroline and I.


    After listening to Dous, Richard looked at Caroline and I with a new appreciation in his eyes. "So, we have two IT beauties here.¡±


    Caroline and Iexchanged a look,


    trying to figur¨¦ out how to bring up


    our project\Then, Dous chimed...


    , ¡®Nanay and Ms. Whittaker are x


    currently developing a dating sine


    gamers creativity and gamey


    aresquite unique. Mr. Fowlersif you''re


    isterested, we could discuss this in


    detail sometime." Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    Richard seemed to trust Dous a lot and agreed, "Sure."


    Caroline quickly handed over her business card. We were amazed at how smoothly things were going.


    Just then, a familiar sweet voice cut in, "Nancy and Ms. Whittaker, is that really you?"


    What a coincidence. We happened to run into Cindy, who was wearing a yellow cocktail dress, and Bruce, who was dressed in a tailcoat.


    Oh, how could I forget? This was Bruce''s territory after all.


    It looked like he couldn''t wait to introduce his new girlfriend to everyone here.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    Cindy stood out in her elegant yellow dress and wless makeup, exuding the air of a pampered princess. She held onto Bruce''s arm unabashedly


    throughout the upscale event.


    Suddenly, it clicked for me. I realized that Cindy was the only person who could change Bruce''s mind.


    Coincidentally, Richard also knew Bruce. "Mr. Harold, you''re quite the sess story. Your aplishments are really something to be proud of,"


    Richard praised Bruce.


    Bruce, apparently ustomed to such praise, responded nonchntly, "Helix Group has truly made its mark in the industry. We still have much to.


    learn from Mr. Fowler."


    As the two business moguls chatted, Caroline and I quietly stood aside, not wanting to interrupt. However, Cindy spoke up, "So, you''re the famous


    Mr. Fowler? It''s an honor to meet you."


    Richard nced at Cindy and gave her a faint smile, but his smile didn''t reach his eyes.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Both Caroline and I were familiar with this look: it was the arrogance of someone in a superior position.


    While Richard was only being polite, his response made Cindy look embarrassed. She pursed her lips as if she had been mistreated.


    "Hungry?" Bruce asked Cindy, sensing her unease. "Let''s get you something to eat."


    Bruce smoothly changed the subject and gave Cindy a chance to escape the awkward situation. He was really looking out for her.


    When I saw the relief on Cindy''s face, I instinctively raised my ss, but Dous stopped me. He ordered me a juice instead. "You have a weak


    stomach, so it''s better not to drink too much."


    Actually, Caroline had already diluted my drink with mineral water, but seeing Dous''s sincere concern, I switched to juice anyway.


    Richardughed. "Mr. Irvin really knows how to cherish thedies."


    Dous didn''t respond and changed the topic to the inte. I took the opportunity to look for Caroline, who had excused herself to the restroom.


    As I walked a few steps, I saw Caroline hiding in a corner, looking anxious. I approached her and asked, "What''s wrong?¡±


    Caroline looked annoyed. "It''s a small world. I ran into someone I know."


    "Your ex-husband?"


    "No," Caroline nced outside. "Samuel."


    Oh, the PR manager she was trying to poach? What happened? Why was she hiding from him?


    Caroline avoided my gaze and said, "Well, we got a little... involved."


    It took me a moment to understand what she meant, and then it dawned on me.


    I thought it was just a casual thing


    between twetconsenting adults. We


    both got what we wanted. But just->


    now, he e Suddenly said he wantecto


    talk tame again," Caroline saickwith


    a disdain. ¡°It was clear that he was


    tryfig to take advantage of me."


    Both got what they wanted? Was this how casual rtionships between men and women worked?


    Seeing my silence, Caroline spoke


    gently, "NangeI I know what you''re


    thinking. RS snormal to have >


    romanti&ideals when you''re young,


    But inshis day and age, sleeping¡¯


    togetiier doesn''t mean you''ll grow


    olctogether, and even marriage


    d¨¦esn''t guarantee fidelity¡°¡°Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Caroline had gone through a brief, failed marriage. So, she would often remind me not to harbor illusions about men.


    Her words suddenly cleared up the doubts that had been bothering me all evening.


    So, my rtionship with Bruce was simple and straightforward¡ªwe both got what we wanted. That was fine with me.


    Toward theend of the party,


    Caroline fad already made her =


    escape. Dous, worried about me


    going back alone, stopped me at the


    hotel entrance. Content bngs to


    NovelDrama.Org 7


    "It''s notte, I can go back alone."


    "No one would feel at ease letting a pretty girl go home alone .¡±


    I was about to refuse when I saw Bruce and Cindye out of the hall. At that moment, I changed my mind. ¡°Okay then."


    We sat together in the backseat of the car. I hadn''t drunk much, but soon after getting in, my stomach started churning.


    Dous noticed and asked the driver to pull over. Momentster, I was hunched over a roadside trash can, throwing up unceremoniously.


    I was so embarrassed that I wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    "Sorry," I said sheepishly as Dous unscrewed a bottle of mineral water for me. "I usually handle alcohol better than this.¡±


    Dous chuckled and jokingly said, "Maybe it was the driver''s poor driving skills."


    Great, now I felt even more embarrassed.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    As I sat back in the car, Dous pointed at my bracelet. "It''s dirty," he said.


    I nervously tucked my left hand away, not knowing what to say. He was just trying to remind me, but he didn¡¯t know about the ugly scar beneath the


    bracelet.


    He was right, it was dirty. It had been dirty for a long time now.


    Half an hourter, the car stopped at the entrance of my residentialplex.


    I thanked Dous, and as I turned to leave, I felt a jacket being ced over my shoulders.


    A faint scent of ambergris reached my nose, and Dous''s gentle voice sounded in my ear. "It''s chilly tonight. be careful."


    I was shivering from the cold wind, so I didn''t refuse the jacket.


    As I walked to the building entrance, I heard Cindy''s sweet voice.


    "I''m sorry, Bruce. I was very nervous today. I didn''t do well, right?¡± Cindy''s voice sounded apologetic. She seemed to be ming herself, which made


    her sound vulnerable and in need of reassurance.


    Bruce immediatelyforted her, "Don''t worry, practice makes perfect. You did great today."


    His deep, husky voice,bined with his sincere tone, was calming and reassuring.


    This was the Bruce that Cindy knew.


    I couldn''t bear to listen any longer, so I headed toward the staircase on the other side. Then I heard Cindy ask, ¡°Bruce, do you want toe up for a


    drink?"


    I looked up at the bright moonlight outside the window. My lips stretched into a forced smile.


    This kind of moonlight should be perfect for lovers'' soft whisperste into the night.


    Perhaps due to the alcohol. I slept soundly that night. So soundly that I didn''t even notice when Bruce called


    It was 10:00 pm yesterday, not long after he had dropped Cindy off.


    I massaged my temples and, out of courtesy, sent him a message. "Mr. Harold, what''s up?"


    To my surprise, Bruce replied instantly. "I misdialed."


    As expected


    I clicked my fingers, deleted the message. and went to the bathroom.


    Momentster, the notification sounded again. Bruce had sent a short message. "Ms. Fisher is quite busy.¡±


    I don''t know what possessed me,


    but I quickly typed a reply. "Not as


    busy.as you. Mr. Harold, yout ¡®re-the


    master of time management."


    o>


    Bruce didn''t reply after that, and the chat was over.


    Afterward,t hurriedly packed my


    things far work. As I nced at the


    sofa,I noticed the dark blue suit


    jacket. It was Dous¡¯. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    oN


    There was still a lingering scent that smelled faintly of ambergris mixed with another sour smell. It was my fault.


    I picked up the jacket and took it with me to thepany, nning to find a dry cleaner¡¯s.


    Unfortunately, before I could locate one, I ran into Bruce, who was there to drop Cindy off.


    Cindy wag Wearing a soft, pink


    knitted sweater paired with a ck


    mini skirt, and a pair of Mary Jane


    shoes. It exuded an air of youthful


    vitality. Content belongs tan


    NovelDrama.Org


    Upon seeing me, Cindy smiled and asked, "Nance, what are you doing?¡±


    Her almond-shaped eyes fell on the suit jacket I was holding.


    I replied honestly, "I''m looking for a dry cleaner''s."


    Cindy nodded knowingly and pointed down the road. "There''s one at the second corner.¡±


    I was about to thank her when she asked curiously. "That suit belongs to Mr. Irvin, right?¡±


    I looked at Cindy quietly and saw her blush as she looked at Bruce. "Nance is so nice to Mr. Irvin. I should learn from her."


    I nced at Bruce, who was standing across from me, and replied with a smile, ¡°Yeah, there''s a lot for you to learn."

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    Cindy''s soft face visibly stiffened after hearing my response. She couldn''t seem to find any words to say for a long while.


    Bruce, who was standing next to her, couldn''t bear to watch and gave me a slight nce before saying, "You are who you are. You don''t need to learn


    from anyone else.¡±


    When Bruce said "anyone else¡±, his sharp gazended on my face. His implication was clear.


    Cindy looked at him with surprise and delight, her eyshes fluttering. She seemed to be moved.


    Not wanting to waste time on this romantic drama. I said goodbye to them and turned to leave.


    Eventually. I found the dry cleaner''s that Cindy had mentioned.


    At 3:00 pm. I received a call from the dry cleaner''s owner, informing me that the suit was ready.


    After a moment''s hesitation, I dialed Dous'' number.


    The call was quickly answered, and I heard Dous¡¯ muffled voice asking, "Nancy, is something wrong?"


    He sounded nervous.


    It urred to me that this call might be ill-timed, so I said apologetically, "Are you free tonight? Your jacket is ready. and I''ll bring it over.¡±


    "Yes," Dous replied decisively. "How about after 6:00 pm?"


    "Alright."


    After setting the time, I arrived at Nicox University with the suit jacket in hand.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Even though it had only been two years, being in this ce where Bruce and I had spent our youth gave me a sense of being in a different world.


    Outside the teaching building, Dous, wearing a light brown trench coat, walked toward me. He panted slightly. "Have you been waiting long?"


    "No." I handed over the suit jacket and asked, "I hope I didn''t disturb your work?¡±


    Dous gave me a disapproving look and said, "Have you been coding until you''re confused? It''s quitting time now."


    I thought it would be rude to leave just like that, so I said, "Well then, Dous, let me treat you to dinner.¡±


    Dous smiled happily. ¡°I''d love to."


    To my surprise, Dous led me to the student cafeteria.


    ¡°Mushroom chicken?"


    I was a little surprised. That was my favorite dish during my college days¡ªaffordable, with a generous portion. But how did Dous know?


    As we sat down, Dous even got me an extra cup of hot milk.


    "Dous, are you trying to save money for me?"


    Dous handed me disposable cutlery and said, "Not really. I''ve just been craving this dish for a while.¡±


    Seeing that I was silent, he reminded me, "Make sure you finish your food and your milk, alright?¡±


    Suddenly, a memory shed through


    my mind. Duriig our college years,


    Dous always held a disciplinary ~


    book an€urged everyone to do a


    morniag exercises, earning hinathe


    yful nickname '' ¡®Mammy Doug¡¯


    from our ssmates. I couldn''t help


    bGtugh out loud. Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    Dous looked at me confusedly, and I exined, "I just remembered your glorious history of taking care of our ssmates.


    As soon as I finished speaking, Dous suddenly flicked my forehead lightly. "Nancy Fisher, focus on your meal.¡±


    After the meal, I headed back to the office. When I stepped inside, I unexpectedly ran into Bruce.


    I quickly took a step back, but I could hear the icy tone in his voice as he asked, "Done with your date?"


    Date? I was confused.


    Just then, Cindy walked out with a.~


    shoulderbag. When she saw me, fer


    eyes flickered before she smiled and


    said,"Nance, are you dating x


    Professor Irvin?" Content belongs ike)


    NovelDrama.Org


    She was calling Dous "Professor Irvin." But why the sudden change in address?


    "We..."


    ¡®I get it,¡± Cifdy interrupted before I


    could finish and winked at me. ¡®It''s


    been ahot topic on the forum, ¡é


    sayitig that you and Professor Irvin


    area match made in heaven."


    I didn''t know how my visit to Nicox University turned into such a rumor, but considering Dous, I still exined, "Dous and I are just friends."

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    "Oh," Cindy responded with a chuckle, "I don''t think Professor Irvin sees it that way.¡± Her tone was yful and delicate, seemingly innocent.


    Bruce cut into our conversation, "The concert is about to start.¡±


    Cindy giggled and waved at me. "Well, Nance, we''re off then."


    After they left. I immediately opened the Nicox University forum. The pinned post caught my eye instantly - "Breaking News: Nicox''s Most Handsome


    Professor, Dous Irvin, Is Taken!"


    And there was a photo of Dous and I eating at the cafeteria. I had to admit, the person who took the photo had quite the eye for capturing


    moments. The smiles, the forehead flick¡ªeven I thought it looked like there was something going on between us in the picture.


    There were all kinds ofments below the post.


    "Oh my, are these the wit and beauty? She''s so pretty!"


    "Yes, how can someone be both sweet and aloof? Thest time I saw a beauty like that was Scarlett Johansson!"


    "We wholeheartedly approve of Professor Irvin''s choice!"


    The more I read, the more absurd it seemed. But onement caught my eye. "Isn''t that Nancy Fisher, who was all over that finance genius back in


    the day?¡±


    Thement was new and had only received a handful of likes.


    After thinking it over, I decided to hack into the forum and delete the gossip post.


    It didn¡¯t matter if they misunderstood me, but I couldn''t let Dous¡¯ reputation be ruined because of me.


    It waste when I finished up.


    As I stepped out of the elevator, I saw a slim figure standing by the window, holding a half-lit cigarette.


    The branches outside swayed, and the man''s face was hidden in the backlight. shrouded in darkness. But I recognized the familiar silhouette¡ªit was


    Bruce.


    I was a bit surprised. Wasn''t he supposed to be at the cancert? Why was he here outside the office?


    I pretended not to notice and walked past him. But when I was just two meters away, I heard him ask, "All this for a project?"


    I stopped and looked at him. feeling a bit confused.


    Our eyes met, and he spoke in a mocking tone, "Or is it that you programmers always have a backup n?"


    Backup? I was even more puzzled. I decided to ask directly, "Mr. Harold, if you have something to say, just say it.¡±


    Bruce slowly exhaled a smoke ring,


    his eyes shagp''as he responded,


    "Richard Rowler only spoke to you ?


    two as afavor to Dous Irvin. x


    Surely,you don''t believe that oO


    someone of his status would.~


    genuinely be interested in your


    pfdject, right?"


    My heart sank when I realized what Bruce was implying. It seemed that he had guessed why Caroline and I approached Richard.


    And in Bruce''s eyes, the only reason I was close to Dous was to use him to get more funding.


    "Mr. Harold, I don''t think this vites our agreement with yourpany, does it?¡± I said calmly. "Nheless, thank you for your kind words.¡±


    Using all means to climb up and charm others could be seen as a sort ofpliment in some ways.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    But my gratitude didn''t seem to


    please Bruce. He looked atme <>


    quietly a and raised an eyebrow. "Don''t


    waste- e@-your thoughts on useless


    matters. Roeval Group will treat you


    well¡±


    I almostughed. So Bruce came to ourpany buildingte at night just to lecture me?


    I met his gold gaze and countered,


    "Mr. Harold, you said Mr. Fowler isn''t


    interested in our project. Then tet me


    ask what made you interested i in it


    in. the first ce?" Content belongs


    t6 NovelDrama.Org -


    Bruce was stunned and momentarily speechless.


    I smirked and concluded, "Is it because you have feelings for Ms. Lane and your judgment was clouded?¡±


    At that, his face stiffened, his pupils contracted slightly. He asked, "So, are you trying to imitate her?"


    I was suddenly at a loss for words, but somehow found the nerve to retort, "What does this have to do with you?"


    Bruce didn''t say a word for a long time. His imposing presence made it hard for me to breathe.


    Just as I was feeling cornered, he finally spoke in a mocking tone, "Nancy Fisher, you really are something.¡±

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Bruce and I eventually parted on bad terms. But this time, I wasn''t as anxious.


    Though Bruce was known for his ruthless and decisive nature, Cindy had be his weak spot.


    After a dreamless night, I woke up to several unread messages on my phone. They were from Lilian


    We had be friends at Dous¡¯ birthday party.


    "Nancy, are you really dating Dous?¡± she asked, eager for gossip. It seemed that she had seen the post too.


    I repeated the same exnation I had given Cindy the previous day to Lilian, and asked, "Could you help me clear things up with our ssmates?"


    Lilian was pretty nice about it and agreed right away.


    But I was still worried about how this would affect Dous, so I called him.


    "Is this the reason you called me so early in the morning?" Dous asked nonchntly. "Nancy, do you really think I''m that petty?¡±


    ¡°Dous, I..."


    "Besides, it''s an honor to be rumored to be with you,¡± he interrupted. His voice was warm andforting, like the midday sun in autumn.


    "I have to go, but you take care." I hurriedly hung up.


    Of course, I wasn''t trying to dodge Dous. I realized that it was my uncle''s second day in Joddesdon, so I decided to pay him a visit.


    His address was in a typical residential area in the eastern part of Joddesdon.


    When I arrived at the workers¡¯ dormitory with some fruits, his colleagues told me that he had already left for his morning shift patrolling the


    commercial streets


    I politely distributed some snacks to everyone and then headed to the street to look for him.


    Before I walked far, I heard my uncle''s intermittent voice. I was startled and quickly rushed toward him.


    I saw a middle-aged woman with dark blonde hair and red lipstick. She was dressed in a Chanel-style outfit and pointed at my uncle usingly.


    "When did our neighborhood get so low? Are we hiring security or inviting a thief into our midst?"


    My uncle, who was always honest and pure, nervously sped his hands together. He apologized to the woman while stammering, "I just... thought


    no one wanted it... I''m not a thief.¡±


    He had a darkplexion and sweat trickled down his forehead as his eyes filled with worry and fear.


    ¡°Uncle.¡±


    Upon hearing my voice, my uncle turned to me. A fleeting smile crossed his honest face, but he quickly lowered his head again, looking embarrassed.


    My uncle was born with a speech impediment. Perhaps to avoid embarrassing me, he scratched his head, looking like he had done something wrong.


    I stood in front of him and asked the woman, "Ma''am, is there some misunderstanding?¡±


    The woman raised her chin arrogantly and said, "Who are you to this thief?"


    Her words drew the attention of several passersby.


    "Ma''am, do you have any evidence that my uncle is a thief?¡± I asked seriously, ncing at the cardboard boxes by her feet.


    The woman prebably didn''t expect


    me to standup to her. So, she


    pointed atime and said, "So he''s not


    admitting it, huh? My cardboard <>


    boxeg were sitting nicely by the.


    door.and he just took them without


    saying a word. Isn''t that st¨¦aling?¡¯


    Suddenly, I udderstood what might


    have napoened My uncle had been


    an honestand hardworking man his


    whole Ii life; always enduring = >


    mistreatr ment wherever he went. It


    was\mpossible for him to do


    something as petty as stealing.


    I looked around at the nearby snack


    shop and said "Ma''am, this is a


    commercial''street. The disposal of


    cardboafd boxes is under the <


    management of the property. My


    uncle Works here, so it''s his duty to


    maintain the cleanliness ofthe


    streets. As for your inaof theft...¡±


    I paused for a moment, then continued, "Ma''am, who would steal something in broad daylight in front of everyone?"


    The middle-aged woman was at a loss for words. She stomped her feet and said, "He took the boxes without a word, isn¡¯t that stealing?"


    I turned to my uncle and asked patiently, "Is that what happened?¡±


    My uncle looked at me and shook his head, exining, ¡°I... asked the shop staff..."


    The woman had nothing more to say.


    The crowd that had gathered was also getting tired of the scene. Then, someone spoke up, "They''re just a few cardboard boxes. It''s not a big deal."


    "Yeah, the security guard is just doing his job. Let''s not make a fuss.¡±


    The woman grew angrier with each passing word and waved her hands dismissively. She said, ¡°Alright, alright, it''s not a big deal. Off you go!"


    Her gesture was like shooing away beggars. I felt terrible seeing my humble uncle trying not to cause trouble.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    Did she think she could humiliate my uncle in public just because my uncle stuttered?


    I steadied myself and said firmly. "Ma''am, since the situation has been rified, don''t you owe us an apology?"


    The woman, who was about to leave, turned back in surprise and red at me. ¡°An apology? What for?" Her arrogant tone made it seem like we


    were the ones causing trouble.


    I pulled my uncle protectively to my side and reiterated, "You must apologize to my uncle."


    The woman rolled up her sleeves, about to retort. But before she could say a word, a voice cut in. "Mom, what''s going on here?¡±


    That voice sounded familiar.


    I looked toward the voice and saw a Maybach parked by the roadside. Both Bruce and Cindy stood by the car.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Bruce was holding two bottles of Mateus, looking like a nervous son-inw visiting for the first time.


    Suddenly, I realized why the ce had seemed so familiar when I first saw my uncle at work. Cindy lived here as well.


    Clearly, the middle-aged woman was Cindy''s mother, Maeve Hopkins.


    Cindy, dressed in a light blue knit dress and ankle boots, walked up to me. She looked surprised. "Nance, what are you doing here?"


    Hearing that, Maeve gave me a wary look. She adjusted her slightly ill-fitting Chanel jacket and asked, "Cindy, so she''s the Nancy Fisher you''ve been


    telling me about?"


    Cindy seemed momentarily taken aback but quickly recovered. "Yes, Mom. Nance has been taking great care of me at work."


    Maeve looked at me again, her tone softening considerably. "Ms. Fisher, I apologize for the misunderstanding. Let''s put this behind us, shall we?"


    She had already tried to smooth things over, so it would be ungracious of me to keep pushing the issue.


    I didn''t want to cause any more trouble for my uncle, especially since he had to continue working there. So, I decided to downy the situation. "It


    was just a misunderstanding. Let''s let bygones be bygones."


    Maeve visibly rxed and shifted her gaze from me to Bruce. She smiled at him and said, "Cindy, is this Mr. Harold?"


    Bruce was dressed in a dark suit, looking every bit the sessful professional. No wonder Maeve was smiling from ear to ear. After all, who wouldn''t


    be impressed by his looks and wealth?


    Bruce put on his best son-inw demeanor and greeted her politely. "Hello, Mrs. Lane.¡±


    As soon as he spoke, my uncle, who was standing beside me, tensed up. I grabbed his arm and said, "We have something to attend to. We''ll take


    our leave now.¡±


    But my un¨¦te seemed unwilling to -


    leave. Hekept his gaze fixed on Ss


    Bruce, and his eyes filled with ?


    undisguised hostility. The animosity


    wad impossible to ignore... Content


    belongs to  ~


    Bruce noticed the hostile re and frowned slightly.


    My heart skipped a beat, and I broke out in a cold sweat. In a panic. I said, "Uncle, I''m hungry...¡±


    My words, seemed to snap my uncle


    back to, reality, like a bolt of _


    lightning, He averted his gaze from


    Bruce and looked at me witho¡±


    caficern. His expression softened a


    bit.


    That was the first thing I said after waking up from that incident.


    Then, Cindy suddenly spoke up. "Nance, if you don''t mind, why don¡¯t you have lunch at my ce? My dad''s a great cook."


    I was momentarily speechless.


    It seemed strange that their son-inw was visiting and yet she wanted to invite us over. What was that about?


    A momentter, I realized she was just trying to be polite in front of Bruce.


    But my uncle''s face hardened, and he declined, "No need. I... I''ll cook for Nance.¡±


    His attitude was so firm that it almost felt rigid.


    Back at the workers dormitory, my


    uncle cosked two dishes and a soup


    for mein itv the shared kitchen, just as


    he had-promised. The ingredients


    or . :


    were-all grown by him and nay aunt


    baek at home.


    -


    Looking at the middle-aged man in front of me, a man I respected so much, I felt my eyes well up


    "There are... lots of good men out there." He mechanically served me food. "Nance, you''re outstanding. You''ll... You''ll find someone."


    I swallowed a mouthful of rice. My heart ached with a heaviness that felt almost suffocating.


    On the way back, I called Caroline immediately.


    "Reach out to Richard Fowler?" Caroline was puzzled. ¡°But he''s a big shot. Would he even pay attention to us?"


    I said calmly, "We have to try."


    Only by trying would we know if there was another possibility.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    Caroline quickly found out that Richard had the habit of ying golf every weekend.


    He yed at Orchid Lake, which was a low-profile, luxurious golf club.


    After I discussed things with Caroline, we decided to stage a ¡°coincidental meeting¡±.


    We arrived early at the golf course on a weekend afternoon andid in wait for our prey.


    After some time had passed, we spotted Richard, who was surrounded by a crowd and had arrivedte.


    Caroline and I exchanged nces. Then, we picked up our golf clubs and walked over.


    "Mr. Fowler, we meet again," Caroline said with the imperious air of a CEO as she greeted him politely.


    Richard stopped when he heard her voice, and his gaze remained on her for a few seconds before he looked away.


    There was no expression nor emotion in his eyes. It seemed that he didn''t remember who we were.


    The man beside him teased, "Mr. Fowler has good luck with thedies wherever he goes."


    He leered at Caroline and I rudely. He probably thought that we were gold diggers.


    I didn''t care. I stepped forward and said, "Mr. Fowler is a busy man, so I''m not surprised that you''ve forgotten who Ms. Whittaker is. It seems that she


    will be disappointed today."


    I sighed theatrically.


    Finally, Richard looked up at Caroline curiously.


    Caroline scratched her head in embarrassment and looked at me again


    I chimed in. ¡°It''s okay, Ms. Whittaker. Let''s just y a round of golf with Mr. Fowler next time."


    Caroline''s eyes flickered, and she immediately added. "I guess we waited two hours for nothing.¡±


    Caroline appeared confident and calm. She had striking features that would attract attention in any crowd. Not only that, she had a pair of seductive


    eyes, and right now she was fluttering her eyshes in a way that would make anyone feel sorry for her.


    The onlookers looked gleefully at Richard and said, "Well, gorgeous, Mr. Fowler''s prowess in golf is second to none in Joddesdon and Saza. Are you


    really looking to y with him, or is this a trap to scam some money out of him?"


    Caroline twirled her galf club expertly and said, "I''m not convinced that this is the case.¡±


    "Let''s have a casual game, then." Richard finally spoke up. He said calmly. "I''ll make things clear. I won''t be holding back."


    He was supremely confident. Caroline held her breath and did not answer.


    I shielded her and said in a small voice, "Don''t worry. Winning is not the important thing here.¡±


    The important thing was that we now had a chance to interact with Richard.


    The truth was that Caroline was pretty good at golf.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    She had once practiced golf religiously in order to get the attention of her rich ex-husband.


    Amongst all of those who did it as a hobby, she was one of the best.


    Of course, she could notpare with an expert yer like Richard.


    By the time they had finished one round, the sun was about to set. Caroline was exhausted, but she hadn''t lost too badly.


    Richard tossed his golf club to a caddy and nced at Caroline. He said distantly, "Ms. Whittaker, that was a pretty good birdie.¡±


    He had hit four or five birdies himself.


    Caroline''spetitive streak had been aroused. She said irritatedly," Let''s y another round some time. "


    The onlookers teased. "Mr. Fowler, the beautiful Ms. Whittaker is asking you for another match.¡±


    Now Caroline and I were beginning to have names.


    Richard smiled lightly, and his gaze suddenly alighted on my face. He asked, "Why didn¡¯t you ask Dous toe along?"


    The mocking look in everyone''s eyes changed at the mention of Dous.


    "Professor Irvin is busy, so I didn''t want to trouble him,¡± I answered sincerely.


    ¡°You must be tired after such along match. If you don''t mind, you cane and have a drink with us at our club.¡±


    Caroline and I exchanged nces, and we said simultaneously, "We would love to.¡±


    There were other women present at the club.


    Richard went to get changed, and Caroline and I took the chance to talk to the others.


    Someone mentioned Bruce andined that it was hard to get ahold of him


    heard that he-got together with a


    female college student. He''s been


    unning after her as if he''s been =>


    bewitched. The entire Harold family


    has now been turned upside dewn


    becatise of him. I have no idea what


    he''s after." Content belongsto


    6


    =a


    Another rich brat quickly added." Well, you have no idea. College students are so pure, and they''re seductive in bed too. "


    His words resulted in a roar ofughter.


    I lowered my head and sipped my wine. It didn''t taste good


    "That''s enough.¡± Richard''s voice broke in. "There aredies present.¡±


    Caroline nced at me and said jokingly, "Young blood. Who wouldn''t like that?"


    She managed to dispel my imperceptible awkwardness with her joke.


    I was thinking about business, so I walked toward Richard with my ss of wine.


    "Mr. Fowler." I set the ss down and said, ¡°Thank you for today."


    ¡°Dous¡¯ friends are my friends too. You don''t have to be so polite, Ms. Fisher."


    I wasn''t nning on beating around the bush, so I said honestly, "You must have guessed that we didn''t meet by ident today, Mr. Fowler.¡±


    Richard did not speak and indicated for me to continue.


    "We would like to discuss the project with you.¡± I got straight to the point.


    Richard took a sip of alcohol. After a pause, he said, ¡°You''re coborating with Mr. Harold, so you probably don¡¯tck money, right?"


    So he knew that Bruce had invested with us.


    I gathered ny thoughts and said,


    "Mr. Harold definitely doesn''tck¡±


    money,but in terms of vision and


    business knowhow, Ms. Whittaker


    and-thave always felt that you were


    mare capable."


    -


    Richard seemed to be used to this kind ofpliment. He narrowed his eyes and said, "I want to hear the real reason, Ms. Fisher.¡±


    He maintained a polite attitude, but there was a hint of oppression in his tone.


    It made me feel that if I tried anything else, he would toss Caroline and I out at once.


    I had no choice but to say truthfully, "We did this project for money, but it''s different for Mr. Harold."


    "Hmm?"


    "Mr. Harold is doing it to please ady." I chose my words carefully. "We have different goals.¡±


    I had just finished when Richard


    burst ouughing, He chortled as


    he said,¡± Yt seems that Mr. Harald is


    not qualified as an investor, since


    sucht misunderstanding has


    arisen. ¡®Content belongs ta¡±


    NovelDrama.Org -


    We had been having a casual chat, but Richard¡¯s eyes were fixed on a point behind me


    I turned in confusion and saw Bruce standing there.


    He was looking at me, too.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    Bruce hade with John.


    The truth was that, after those rich young yboys had made fun of Bruce, I began to feel uneasy.


    The Joddesdon and Saza circle wasn''t very big, and they were all in the investment field. So, it wouldn''t be strange for them to meet.


    As luck would have it, we ran into Bruce just as I wasining about him.


    I felt rather awkward, but on second thought, Bruce and I had already discussed bringing new investors in. Therefore, I recovered very quickly.


    However, my facade still cracked slightly when Bruce came to sit next to me, holding a ss of wine.


    He sat at an appropriate distance from me, and there was no trace of emotion on his face. The smell of soap emanated strongly from him and


    seemed to worm its way up my nostrils.


    I gripped my ss uneasily and sneaked a nce at Caroline.


    Bruce spoke slowly. "Please tell me how I am unqualified, Ms. Fisher."


    His voice was low and deep, and his tone was calm. He sounded rtively friendly, but there was a hint of scorn in his eyes.


    He had his status and position. After he spoke, the others did not say anything.


    These rich brats were all very skilled at reading the room


    In just a moment, the convivial atmosphere had turned rather grim.


    Everyone''s eyes were on me, and I could feel the pressure


    I thought about it. Bruce must be wanting to embarrass me.


    I dug my nails into my palms and said honestly, "The trait that I feel makes you unqualified is that you''re too petty, Mr. Harold.¡±


    Bruce''s eyebrows twitched


    Everyone around us were all obviously suppressing theirughter as they waited for Bruce''s reaction.


    He swirled the wine ss in his hand and asked, "You think it¡¯s too little?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say in front of everyone that Bruce had casually invested five million with us just for Cindy.


    Wouldn''t that be tantamount to announcing the fact that Bruce had beenpletely bewitched by a woman?


    I decided to plough ahead and said, "Yes. The moment Mr. Fowler takes action, we could hit two of our mini goals."


    Bruce stopped swirling his wine ss and scoffed lightly.


    Then, Caroline came to save the day. "Nance, I don''t agree with that. Mr. Harold invested five million in us when we had nowhere to turn. He helped


    us at a critical moment, so the amount isn¡¯t important.¡±


    Richard raised his eyebrows. "Aren''t you going to exin yourself, Mr. Harold?"


    Bruce took a sip of wine and said slowly, "Every project has its standards of evaluation."


    I almostughed out of anger.


    Was Cindy the standard of evaluation for Bruce?


    ¡°If lIremember correctly, both Mr. Harold and Ms. Fisher graduated from Nicox University, right?"


    Richard seemed to be in the mood to talk and raised another subject. "Didn''t you ever meet each other at university?"


    I took a sip of wine and said, "We weren''t close.¡±


    Once the words slipped out, I felt the mood of the man beside me grow darker.


    However, wasn''t denying our history as a couple the thing he was best at?


    Why did he now seem unhappy?


    Caroline noticed this and smiled. es


    She themexined, "Oh yes. If we~


    had gotten to know someone a3"


    prorainent as Mr. Harold earlier, we


    woild have held on to hirn!? ¡®Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~~


    That had been a barbed remark from her.


    The fact that I had beenining about an investor behind his back was forgotten, and we moved on


    After that. the group began chatting aimlessly, and when I looked outside, the yellow leaves on the trees were already drenched with water.


    It was raining


    ¡°The road wil be slippery. If you all


    don''t mind, you canstayhere <>


    tonight?By that time, it was already


    late aright, and Richard .


    considerately arranged a room for


    each of us. Content belongs: to


    NovelDrama.Org -


    When the gathering had dispersed, Caroline and I returned to our rooms. After a moment, my phone rang, sounding jarring in the silence.


    It was a call from Bruce, and he was probably calling to get even with me


    After an entire afternoon of fake smiles and heavy socializing, I was exhausted. Thus, I ignored the call.


    After a while, the phone stopped ringing. but a message came through on WhatsApp.


    There were only a few simple words. "Open the door.¡±


    I shot up in shock and tiptoed to the door. From the peephole, I could see Bruce''s attractive features


    I thought about the fact that I was ~


    on Richard''s territory, where there-


    were many people and many


    curidus eyes. I very reluctantly¡±


    cracked open the door. Coritent


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    Bruce looked up when he heard the noise. When our eyes met, he slipped his foot into the open crack


    He seemed to have expected that I would close the door immediately.


    "What''s up?" I said awkwardly.


    I felt strangely uneasy, as if I were having an affair.


    Why was I feeling this way?


    Bruce stared at me with ice-cold eyes. He asked, "Nancy, weren''t we close?¡±


    I didn''t want to argue with him


    After all, tonight, we were both Richard''s guests. We couldn''t make a fuss at our host''s home.


    But then again, he was our investor. It wouldn''t be a good move to offend him before we found a new one.


    I said calmly, "It''s toote. Can we talk about this tomorrow morning?"Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Bruce scoffed coldly, half his body was already through the door.


    But I leaned against the door and blocked his entry.


    At that moment, I heard Caroline''s voice. "Nance? Which room is she in?"

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    I panicked and lost my strength. Bruce immediately took advantage of the situation and wriggled his way in


    I was discouraged and looked up at him, asking, "Mr. Harold, do you think that this is appropriate?¡±


    He did not speak. His brow was knitted in frustration as he pulled at his tie.


    This was an unusual sight.


    Outside the door, Caroline¡¯s voice came closer and closer. "Nance, are you asleep?"


    I pinched my brow and forced myself to be alert. I gestured to Bruce to hide behind the door.


    My fingers had just alighted on the doorknob when he reached out a hand and covered mine with his.


    His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his lean arms. His palms felt burning hot.


    ¡°Nance.¡± His voice was low and deep in my ear. "Aren''t we close?¡±


    He was crazy.


    Was Bruce not afraid of making amotion at all?


    I looked up at him in frustration and did not make a sound


    In the silence, I suddenly felt a tightening arm around my waist. and suddenly I was pulled inte his embrace.


    There was only a thinyer of material between us, and I could clearly feel his muscled arm around my waist.


    He was tense.


    I struggled, but could not stand firm and lost my bnce.


    Bruce bent down and met my eyes. He seemed to be in a trance as he asked, "Aren''t we close?"All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    His hot breath blew on the tip of my nose, and I could smell a strong whiff of alcohol blowing onto my face.


    I looked away, but all I felt was a warm sensation on my face. Bruce had cupped my face in his hands.


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    "We are not close.¡± Anger red up in me and I clenched my teeth as I said, "Bruce, we...¡±


    His kiss descended on me and swallowed the words I was about to say.


    I reached out to stop him, but he held my arms in a vice-like grip and raised them above my head


    His kiss seemed to envelope me like a warm wave, and his face flickered in my vision. He was so aggressive that I did not know how to respond.


    In my dreams, Bruce bit my tattoo gently, just like he had a long time ago. He called my name over and over again.


    Alcohol was really a great thing.


    The noise of my ringtone pulled me out of my dreams. I opened my eyes to unfamiliar surroundings, and I became alert at once.


    But the moment I became alert. I felt helpless.


    The traces were very obvious.


    On the other end of the phone,


    Caroline exined excitedly, ¡®Good


    news, Nance! Bruce has decided to


    give us another five million''*Content


    belongs to  =


    -\


    Another five million.


    I was dazed.


    I thought of the surreal scene in my dreams, and I could not bring myself to smile.


    I dragged my aching legs into the bathroom, and in the steam, I clearly saw the bruise on my chest.


    It was still on the same spot as my tattoo.


    The faded words were still barely visible. "I will always love you. Bruce.¡±


    As time had passed, the word ¡®love¡¯.


    had be almost indecipherabie.


    It was as if time had shed its ,


    ws and was scoffing at my


    foolishness. Content belongs ite)


    -


    Was this Bruce''spensation?


    Caroline and I were bothte.


    Although Richard wasn''t very interested, at least we still had some funds


    We had also solved the problem of publicity expenses, which had been bothering Caroline for a while.


    She started nning excitedly for a team building event, where she would announce the good news to everyone.


    However, Gindy somehow got wind


    of the news, and during lunch break,


    she suddenly appeared in front. of


    me and asked, "Nancy, I hearcthat


    we got another sum of investment


    funds. Is it true?¡±


    NovelDrama.Org -


    She did not mention Bruce.


    Bruce probably hadn''t told her about his additional investment.


    "Ms. Whittaker will make an announcement." I did not want to get between them, so I said, "Just hold on."


    There was a sh of disappointment in her eyes. "Oh, I see.¡±


    I didn''t want her to think teo much, so I added. "It''ll be within a couple of days.¡±


    Cindy did not ask further.


    I thought that the topic had ended, but her round,rge eyes fell on my neck, and her expression froze.


    I asked in confusion, "What is it?"


    "N-nothing,¡± Cindy stuttered. "Nancy... You... Nothing.¡±


    She looked flustered and looked extremely out of character.


    I only understood the reason for it when I went to Caroline''s office an hourter to discuss work matters.


    Caroline told me that on the back of my neck, there was a dark red mark, and it looked like a hickey.


    I jumped in shock and pped a hand to my forehead.


    Cindy must have seen it too.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    When I saw Cindy the next day, she was as pale as a sheet, and there were dark bruises under her eyes.


    She was petite to begin with, and she had very fair skin. At that moment, she looked frail and sick, like a white rose that had been left out in the cold.


    She would stirpassion in anyone who looked at her.


    Caroline saw her status on social media and sent me a screenshot.


    It was a deste picture of her, taken from the back. There was a caption, which said, ¡°You are reasonable and understanding only because no one


    cares about you.¡±


    Caroline looked eager for gossip. ¡°Did they have an argument?¡±


    I wondered about it myself.


    After all, she and Bruce hadn''t been seeing each other for long.


    I wondered if it had anything to do with the hickey on the back of my neck.


    Cindy''s condition persisted until after lunch


    Just as Caroline asked me on WhatsApp about whether to go andfort her, the door to the office opened.


    Bruce had arrived, and he was carrying afternoon tea.


    Everyone greeted him without surprise. Bruce answered them distractedly and walked quickly into Cindy''s office.


    He looked rather agitated


    "What are you doing here all of a sudden, Bruce?¡±


    Bruce handed her some hot chocte and said, ¡°Drink it while it''s hot.¡±


    Cindy said weakly, "I''m only on my period. You''re making too much of a fuss, Bruce."


    Her door wasn''t closed firmly, and I heard the entire conversation.


    So, she was just on her period.


    After a while. the two of them came out from her office. Caroline went up to make small talk with Bruce, while Cindy looked frail and weak as she


    handed out afternoon tea to everyone.


    When it was my turn. she said sweetly, "Nancy, there''s only hot chocte left. I hope you won''t mind.¡±


    I didn''t like drinks that were too sweet.


    "Thank you." I said while I typed. "I don''t have a sweet tooth, so you can keep it."


    The moment I finished speaking, a warm cup of hot chocte fell onto myptop without warning!


    The cup burst open and liquid poured out in a rush all over my keyboard


    It stained my fingertips.


    I jumped up as if I had been jolted with electricity, and immediately went to get some paper napkins. It was already toote.


    Theptop buzzed weakly, and then the screen turned ck


    "I''m sorry, Nancy, I..." Cindy''s weak voice seemed to press against my eardrums. She said. "I just wanted to give you...¡±


    "You wanted to?" I cut her off and raised my voice involuntarily. "Even children know that you should keep liquids away from electronic devices."


    There were a lot of important documents stored on my hard drive.


    To a programmer, theirptops were their lives.


    I couldn''t stop myself.


    "Nancy..." Cindy sniffled and said with reddened eyes, "I really didn''t do it on purpose.¡±


    Themotion attracted the others.


    It also drew the attention of Bruce, who was talking to Caroline.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    He walked over and frowned when he saw Cindy''s tearful expression.


    Caroline could sense that something


    was Wrong, Then, she looked at the


    hot chgcte-drenchedptop.< and


    said in- surprise, "Who was thes


    tactless person who gave Ms.


    Fisher¡¯ Ss preciousptop a shower?"


    Cindy''s almond-shaped eyes lowered, and she bit her lower lip tightly.


    Caroline covered her mouth in shock." I''m sorry, Ms. Lane...¡±


    ¡®It''s all my fault.¡± Cindy lowered her.


    head and:said I in a choked voice..She


    lookecktentatively at me and said,


    ¡®Nanty, just keep scolding me. I


    deserve it.¡± Content belongs¡± to


    I was at loss for words at once.


    What did she mean by that?


    I had just spoken to her in a stern tone, but now she was saying that I had scolded her.


    ¡°It''s alright." Bruce handed her a tissue and saidfortingly, "You just weren''t careful. Don''t cry."


    Cindy''s eyes reddened even more.


    I finally understood thatpared to Cindy''s emotions, the fact that myptop had been drenched was unimportant in Bruce''s eyes.


    If he had been a little more observant. he would have noticed that the drenchedptop was a present that he had given me. Perhaps, he no longer


    remembered.


    When I thoughtof this, my heart


    turned cold IThe i icy chill traveled


    from my F head down my spine. Theft,


    I heard I Cindy say, "Nancy, it''s mys


    fault for I being so clumsy. Whydon''t


    yousend me the madel? I''ll buy you


    an n¨¦w one."


    4


    She spoke earnestly, and her sincere, repentant attitude would make me seem like a criminal if I didn''t forgive her.


    How could I refuse her good intentions?


    I replied," You can ask Mr. Harold what model it was. He was the one who gave it to me."

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    Cindy choked and looked at Bruce helplessly.


    Bruce hadn''t expected me to say that, and there was ayer of frost in his eyes as he said, "It''s just aptop. Do you really need to make such a fuss,


    Ms. Fisher?¡±


    Just aptop.


    He didn''t remember. Or perhaps, he didn''t want to remember.


    I clenched my teeth, rage bubbling up in me. Then I pointed at Cindy''s office table and said, "Then give me one of those in rose gold, Mr. Harold


    You''ve always had a good eye. It''ll save me from having to make a choice."


    Bruce probably hadn''t expected me to be so bold. He was stuck for an answer.


    Cindy, the culprit, turned red, then white.


    The atmosphere was tense.


    Caroline quickly swooped in. "Although Ms. Lane didn''t do it on purpose, theptop is clearly broken. As she is still a student, thepany will pay for


    the price difference.¡±


    Cindy''s eyes widened in confusion. Her lips moved, as if she was on the brink of saying something


    "It''s alright," Bruce refused decisively. "We will do as Ms. Fisher wishes. I''ll arrange for it."


    "Bruce," Cindy said agitatedly. "You can''t. How can I make you pay...¡±


    "Oh, Ms. Lane. Let''s just resolve it this way." Caroline interrupted her. She smiled and said, "You''re very lucky, Ms. Lane."


    Then she looked at Bruce and asked, "Are we going straight to the mall, Mr. Harald?"


    Caroline was more practical than I was.


    Therefore, Bruce, Cindy, and I went to the mall together.


    The shop owner saw that myptop was ruined, so he sighed and said, "The motherboard is burnt and the damage is too great for repair."


    I hadn''t nned on repairing it, but there were too many important documents stored inside. I had to be sure that they would not be leaked.


    Bruce got straight to the point. He pointed at a rose goldptop that cost 9999 dors and said, "Wrap this up for me."


    He was so decisive that it stymied the owner, who paused and then introduced theptop. "Sir, there¡¯s an upgraded version of this that will only cost


    an additional 2000."


    Bruce looked at me at once, as if he were asking for my opinion.


    Before I could speak, the owner said.¡± Your girlfriend must be in the IT industry. Laptop brands are important in the industry, so you should choose a


    better one."


    Beside us, Cindy suddenly spoke up. ¡°Bruce, since the owner says so, let''s get Nancy an upgraded version.¡±


    The owner''s eyes flicked between the three of us, and his expression was unreadable.


    Bruce looked at Cindy and said, "As you wish."All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    When Bruce had swiped his card, the owner asked happily, "What do you want to do with this?¡±


    He was referring to theptop that Cindy had drenched.


    It was mine, so I made a decision at once. ¡°Throw it into the trash for me."


    Then I picked up my newptop and left.


    When I returned to the office, everyone watched enviously as I took out my new rose goldptop.


    Vanessa sighed and said, "I hope that Ms. Lane spills her coffee on myptop tomorrow morning."


    Caroline then teased, "You must be dreaming."


    I didn''t know whether tough or cry.


    After work, Lilian suddenly called.


    "Nance, there''s going to be aic convention at our exhibition center tomorrow afternoon. Do you want toe and have a look?"


    To be honest, I wasn''t very interested.


    But when I thought about how Lilian had put in so much effort into exining about the photos for me, I didn''t have the heart to reject her.


    ¡®Justeand have a look! When:


    your game goes online, you might


    want te have a simr offline event


    for promotion. Think of it asa Study


    opportunity.¡±


    This piqued my interest.


    After I discussed it with Caroline, I epted Lillian''s invitation.


    Time passed in the blink of an eye. The next afternoon, I arrived at the exhibition center.


    I had just entered whenIlsawa


    bunch of cosyers standing at the


    entran¨¦e. They were dressed irvall


    kinds of costumes, and it was very


    eye catching. Content bngs to


    -


    Some of them were dressed as characters from online games.


    It was new and exciting.


    I looked around as I walked, and finally, my gaze alighted on a male cosyer who was wearing a medieval robe.


    He wore a ck mask on his face that had engravings on it. and his eyes were long and narrow.


    There was-adab of red in the


    corners ofthis eyes, and held in his


    hand was an oil-paper umbre''that


    was the same color as his clothes.


    He sat there quietly, but ther¨¦ was a


    rogulish feel to him. Content ¡®belongs


    to¡°NovelDrama.Org <


    He had attracted several onlookers.


    He was very good-looking, and he looked as if he had walked out of a historical poster.


    Strangely, he seemed to resemble one of the male main characters in our game.


    My heart skipped a beat, and my footsteps seemed to veer involuntarily toward him.


    As I got closer, he noticed me too. Our eyes met and his dark eyes flickered. There was a gentle light in them.


    I felt like I had seen them somewhere before.


    "Am I that good-looking?"


    His voice was gentle and warm. I jumped and said in surprise, "Dous?"

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    I had never imagined that the person I was looking at was Dous.


    Normally, he wore iron rimmed sses and dressed like someone''s hipster husband. To be blunt, he usually dressed like an old man.


    It waspletely at odds with how he looked like now. He looked both ravishing and charming, and the difference was astonishing.


    "Are you disappointed now that you know it''s me, Nancy?¡±


    I waved my hand and exined. "That''s not what I meant. I just felt that your current image looks very simr to one of the main characters in our


    game. That''s why I was staring.¡±


    I had been rather rude.


    Dous was a little surprised. He sighed and said, "I thought you liked this kind of style."


    I raised my eyebrows slightly and couldn''t think of what to answer.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    At that moment, Lilian and Kayson appeared from the left. They greeted me enthusiastically. "Nancy, you have no idea how manydies came over to


    hit on Professor Irvin before you arrived!" Lilian looked proud. Then, she lowered her voice. "They even bought him coffee.¡±


    Kayson put on a high-pitched voice as he imitated them. "What vor do you like, Dous?¡±


    I said amusedly, "Dous'' current look is very attractive to women."


    Kayson wanted to say more, but Dous stopped him. "If you keep making fun of me, don''t ask me toe again next time."


    Only then did Lilian and Kayson subside tactfully.


    I had only just realized that Dous. the university professor, was often called by Lilian and Kayson to go to variousic conventions as a


    cosyer.


    No wonder I had bumped into him.


    After that. Dous brought me to different areas so that I could admire the differences in how theics were being promoted. I learned many things


    in the process.


    I couldn''t just let them help me for nothing, so after theic convention, I suggested buying them all a meal


    We all went to Rico Restaurant together.


    When we passed by a private room on the second floor, we bumped into Kate. She was having dinner with a bunch of richdies.


    Kate''s gaze swept over Dous. who was standing beside me. She asked, "He looks familiar. Is this your new boyfriend, Nance?¡±


    I was about to exin when Dous said, "Hello, Mrs. Harold. My name is Dous."


    Kate was startled. Then, she stuck out her hand and said, ¡°You look like an aplished young man. Where do you work?"


    She was being pretty nosy, so I couldn''t help frowning.


    "I teach at Nicox University." Dous was very polite. "I was Nancy''s ssmate.¡±


    Upon hearing this, there was a calcting look in Kate''s eyes.


    I quietly changed the subject and told Dous to go and order the food first. I stayed behind to deal with Kate.


    In the corridor, she sighed and said, "Nance, I''m really happy that you''ve found a good partner, unlike Bruce. He just worries me so much.¡±


    Close to, I could see that Kate''splexion didn''t look too good. There were traces of foundation caked in the corners of her eyes.


    "I won''t hide iffrom you. Bruce is


    getting morevand more


    unreasonable. Recently he actually?


    tried to get me to take Ms. Lane with


    me tagatherings! If the olddy.


    foundout..." She looked away sadly,


    asif she were about to cry Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ?


    I could onlyfort her. "Since it''s Mr. Harold''s choice, just humor him. There''s nothing that can''t be resolved between a mother and her son."


    "I''m worried about the Harold family..."


    When Kate heard the richdies calling for her. she stopped talking and returned to the private room.


    Before she left, she invited me out to afternoon tea with her.


    She was bing more and more ustomed to the life of a richdy.


    Unlike me. I still had to work just to make ends meet.


    However, I still had a good dinner that night. We were all friends from university, and weughed as we reminisced about our times at university.


    I found it pretty surprising


    When I returned home, Iid calmly in bed and suddenly felt that life was pretty interesting after all.


    Then my phone rang. It was Kate


    It was already 9:00 pm, and it was rather unexpected.


    I was worried that something had happened, so I answered the call.


    "Nance, you''re not asleep, are you? I''ve got to tell you, I suddenly remembered where I''ve seen your boyfriend before.¡±


    I pinched my brow, trying to suppress the impulse to hang up.


    a


    here''s a famous old schr in


    Joddensdon and Saza called


    Michae Irvige Have you heard of


    him?" Kat¨¦continued gossiping. "es


    his mentor. His wife is very =


    aplished in the domestic field


    of physics too. Their entire family


    are all experts in their respective


    fields, and Michael is your


    boyfriend''s grandfather." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    I was too shocked to speak.


    I finally understood why someone as influential as Richard only spoke courteously to Dous.


    But Dous kept a very low profile and had a gentle personality. No one would have connected him with the Irvins. who were famous in Joddensdon


    and Saza.


    Right after that,I realized why Kate


    had been in-Such a hurry to tell me


    about Dons family background:>


    She was¡®rying to hint to me that


    someone of his background would


    not b@ able to ept mine. She was


    really worrying too much forme.


    "If there isn''t anything else, Aunt Kate, I


    "Why didn''t you bring Cindy to the gathering today?¡±

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    An icy voice emerged through the receiver, and I recognized Bruce''s voice at once.


    When I thought about the richdies whe had been with Kate that night, I immediately knew what the reason was.


    It seemed that Bruce not only wanted to make Cindy part of the upper circle. He also wanted Kate to be the one to personally bring her in.


    ¡°Our gathering had already begun by the time she got off work. Since she was going to bete, it would be better not toe at all," Kate replied


    directly.


    It wasn''t a secret that Kate did not like Cindy.


    Since it was a conversation between mother and son, it would be inappropriate for me to keep listening. So, I quietly hung up.


    When I went to the office the next day, I shared my experience at theic convention with Caroline. After that, we discussed the team building


    event.


    "Let''s go and stay at a homestay. Nalvale has a pretty good scenery, and we can either have a campfire at night or have a dip in the hot springs. We


    can rx properly.¡±


    We decided to set off tomorrow.


    I had no objection to this. Caroline was the boss when it came to having fun.


    After she got divorced, she spent half a year traveling around the country.


    She would be the best person to know which team building venues there were around Joddesdon and Saza.


    After we had decided, she immediately called everyone to the conference room to announce the good news.


    Everyone seemed happy to hear it, except Cindy, who sat silently in a corner.


    I couldn''t tell what she was feeling.


    I guessed that it had something to do with Kate standing her up, so I didn¡¯t think much of it.


    That afternoon, Caroline suddenly called me into her office and gave me a meaningful look.


    She rarely looked at me that way.


    "What happened?"


    Caroline brandished her address book at me and said, "Mr. Zeigler just called."


    "What did he say?"


    "He said that Mr. Harold heard that we''re going for a team building event, and that he has a better suggestion."


    Bruce wanted bothpanies to take part in this team building event.


    He would bring his secretarial team, and he would personally be in attendance as well.


    He had also decided to change the team building venue from Nalvale to Horton Estate, which was located in the north of Jaddesdon and Saza


    Roeval would pay for all expenses.


    I was confused. "What kind of ce is Horton Estate?"


    Caroline said concisely, "Basically, it''s a resort where people toss money away. This is how much it costs to spend a night there."


    She held up ten fingers, and I fell silent:


    "Mr. Zeiglera so said that it''s


    freezing eold at night in Nalvale, -~


    which is s why it''s not suitable for~


    team building, " Caroline''s lip curled.


    "Bruce I is probably worried that his


    little kitten will freeze to death.¡±


    I finally realized what was going on. Cindy was probably still on her period.


    It had to be''said that Bruce was a I


    pretty thoughtful boyfriend. Nowsit


    seemed that we were the ones-who


    weren ¡®t considerate enough ¡°Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org >


    "What do you think, Nance?¡±


    I twirled my pen between my fingers and said calmly, ¡°Since Mr. Harold is being so generous, let''s just ept it.¡±


    Caroline paused, and her gaze swept over my neck as she said, "I''m d that you think so.¡±


    After a while, Caroline updated the information about the team building event in our work group chat.


    At the mention of Horton Estate, the chat exploded with excitement. Everyone began tagging


    Bruce to express their thanks.


    However, Bruce did not reply.


    He only emerged when Cindy followed the trend. "Remember to bring more clothes."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    We would stay overnight at the estate, and Bruce had thoughtfully considered that as well.


    He was reminding Cindy in front of everyone, and not bothering to disguise his care for her at all.


    Everyone understood at once. It was all thanks to Cindy that we were able to go to the ridiculously expensive Horton Estate.


    When it was time to get off work. I saw Cindy go into Caroline''s office


    "Ms. Whittaker, I won''t be setting off with everyone tomorrow morning.¡±


    The office door was open, and everyone could hear every word clearly.


    Caroline said curiously, "What''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    Cindy shook her head and said, "Bruce said that he''ll take me there as it''s on the way for him. I couldn''t refuse, so I epted..."


    There would be a car to drive her there


    "Got it." Caroline remained calm. "You''d better go home and rest early. See you at the estate tomorrow."


    Cindy nodded.


    ¡°Oh, right." Caroline took a sip of tea as she stared straight at the young woman in front of her.


    She smiled and said, "I should thank you on behalf of thepany.¡±


    Cindy saidin sickly sweet tones,


    "You''re. too kind, Ms. Whittaker. Ss


    Bruce just wants everyone to have a


    gaod time. It''s not just for mie."


    -\


    Caroline''s hand shook slightly as she lifted the lid on her cup.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    Cindy left with an impassive expression on her face. Caroline immediately grabbed me andined, "Why do I feel like I just got challenged by


    my subordinate?"


    Iforted her. "That''s normal.¡±


    Two days ago, Caroline had criticized Cindy in front of Bruce, and Cindy had probably taken it to heartAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    She was getting conceited.


    Caroline sighed and said, "It''s always different when someone is willing to indulge you."


    "Are you envious?"


    Caroline shook her head and said disdainfully, "When there was someone who catered to my every whim, there wasn''t anything that I..."


    She stopped suddenly. She must have thought of an unpleasant memory.


    I was a little worried, so I asked a bold question. "Would you forgive your asshole ex-husband if he came back to look for you?"


    "Ha." Caroline scoffed. "Why would I? There are plenty ofpliant, young, and handsome men begging for my attention.¡±


    She was acting tough, but I did not expose her.


    The next day, we set off to Horton Estate in a rented seven-seater vehicle


    When we arrived, I finally began to understand why everyone was sucking up to Cindy.


    It was an Aorlian-style estate that took up 70 or 80 acres ofnd. I felt like I was walking into a fairytale world.


    Every de of grass, every tree, even every door seemed to exude luxury.


    The soft carpet sank beneath my feet. and there was a giant chandelier above my head. The patterns of the furniture were utterly unique and would


    never be seen anywhere else on the market.


    The staff said politely, "Mr. Harold has arranged amodation for everyone. Please follow me.¡±


    There were even peoplepeting to take our luggage.


    Caroline said curiously, "Has Mr. Harold arrived?¡±


    "Yes, Mr. Harold is currently resting with his partner. He says that the events will start after lunch.¡±


    There were three parts to our trip at the estate. We would cycle around theke, have an evening party, and pick organic produce tomorrow.


    Bruce had even dyed the cycling for Cindy.


    I looked around the tastefully furnished lobby, but suddenly felt my defensese crashing down


    Incongruously, I thought of the first time I had gone on a trip with Bruce


    It had happened not long after he held my hand for the first time.


    I suggested going on a trip, and he had agreed.


    In order to make sure that he was


    satisfied withthe trip, I secretly


    wrote codeYorpanies outside ._


    of schoat T''researched the trip and


    made an itinerary, booked the hotel,


    and atranged everything so that it


    would be perfect. However, Bruce


    changed his mind at thest minute


    and decided not to go. Content


    belongs to swnovel.ne


    He said that it was a waste of time.


    The hotel refused to give me a refund, which meant that I lost over 1000 in hotel fees.


    I had earned that money by working hard round the clock for half a month.


    At the times had innocently thought


    that Bruce was self-disciplined and


    restrained, and that people who¡±


    weredestined for great things \ were


    all like that.


    The hidden wound in my heart seemed to burst open into a bloody mess once again


    It was only today that I realized that Bruce hadn''t been lying. It was just that he hadn''t felt that I was worth spending time on.


    After lunch, we gathered together and prepared to cycle around theke.


    The one who got first ce would get a spa package as a prize.


    Caroline and I were eager to try, but then we heard Cindy say beside us, "I won''t be able toplete one whole round. How about I wait here for


    you?"


    The staff said very thoughtfully, "We also have tandem bikes here. If two of you ride one bike, you''ll save more strength.¡±


    Cindy blinked herrge eyes and looked at Bruce. He paused and said, "Okay."


    Therefore, among our bicycles, there was one tandem bicycle that stood out like a sore thumb.


    The weather was perfect, and it was a bright and sunny day. We all pedaled furiously so as not to disturb the couple behind us.


    When we hadvddden halfway


    through thetoute, I started to lose


    steam. I saw Caroline wave at me->


    from theeurve, so I clenched mys


    teeth and forced myself to cat¨¦h up.


    However, the moment I looked up,


    realized that I was ona steep slope.


    Before I could react, I fell down hard onto the ground


    My entire body was enveloped in pain, and I tried hard to suppress it although I was secretly terrified


    What would my aunt and the others do if I died here?


    I panicked at once, and tears began falling down my cheeks like broken strings of pearls


    "Don''t be scared, Nance! I''ll get help right away!" Caroline yelled in a panic.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    I closed my eyes and pulled myself together. In a moment, I felt something tighten around my waist, and I was lifted off the ground.


    When I opened my eyes, I was being carried sideways in Bruce¡¯s arms.


    Our eyes met, and his voice trembled. ¡°Don''t be afraid, the medics are almost here.¡±


    There was fatigue in his eyes, and his brow was furrowed tightly. He looked unusually anxious.


    Was this an illusion?


    I shifted my focus and closed my eyes before opening them again. I pushed his tense arm aside and said in a low voice, "I''m fine. Let me down."


    Bruce did not move. He looked up at John, who had rushed over. "Where are the medics?" he asked usingly. His voice was unsteady and


    wavering.


    I was too close to him. I could even see the vein throbbing in his forehead. He had lost hisposure.


    "They''reing. They''re almost here." John looked helplessly at me and saidfortingly, "Nance, don''t be scared. The rescue point is very close.


    You will be fine.¡±


    I corrected him. ¡°It''s Nancy."


    Then I saw Cindy walk out from behind John.


    She ran up, panting as she stared at Bruce and asked, "Bruce, why are you carrying Nancy?"Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    There was a note of hurt in her eyes, and she was obviously testing him.


    When Cindy asked him, Bruce seemed to realize that it was inappropriate. His brow knitted together. "She''s injured.¡±


    He sounded harsh.


    Cindy looked stricken. She lowered her voice and said, "That''s not what I meant. I meant... You can''t pick someone up right after they fall.¡±


    Bruce choked and nced at John. He said, "Are these medics tortoises?"


    John panicked slightly. There was a hunted and awkward look in his eyes.


    I breathed in and said, "Mr. Harold, Ms. Lane is right. Put me down."


    If he had identally moved my bone out of ce. it would be troublesome.


    "Don''t move,¡± Bruce reminded me. ¡°Get in the car."


    He insisted on carrying me into the ambnce.


    Cindy followed closely and said, "The cycling is still ongoing. You shouldn''t just leave, Bruce. I''ll go with Nancy and take care of her.¡±


    She was right. How could the leader not be present at a team building event?


    Caroline ran up to us. I looked at her meaningfully and said, ¡°Having Ms. Whittaker is enough. I won''t trouble Mr. Harold and Ms. Lane, then.¡±


    At the rescue point. the doctor gave me a checkup. When he looked at my arm, he identally touched my wristband, and there was an unreadable


    look in his eyes.


    ¡°You sprained your left wrist, but it''s not too serious." He wrote out a prescription as he said, "However, you are too thin.¡±


    I was over five feet tall, but I was barely 90 pounds.


    Caroline red at me. "Did you hear that? Eat your meals regrly and stop working overtime.¡±


    The doctor lookedpassionately


    at me and sad, '' ¡®Health problems


    aren''t necessarily because of your-~


    ~~


    eating habits. It could also be >


    because you are too stressed. You


    needito take care of your mental


    health as well.¡±


    swnovel. 4


    The doctor had just finished speaking when the door to the clinic opened suddenly. Bruce and Cindy both appeared in the doorway.


    Bruce looked at me intensely.


    My heart constricted, and my hand curled involuntarily. Unfortunately, it tugged on my ligament.


    It hurt.


    "Is it very serious?¡± he asked the doctor nervously.


    "It''s a sprain. Ice it and then make sure to rest. Don''t partake in strenuous exercise."


    "She fell down, after all." Cindy suddenly interrupted. ¡°Does she need to stay overnight in hospital for observation?"


    There didn''t seem to be anything wrong with her concerned tone.


    The doctor thought for a moment and said, "It would be best to observe her for a night.¡±


    Cindy looked obviously relieved.


    Only then did I realize what she was.


    up to. I said tactfully, "Mr. Harold,it''s


    a pity that I won''t be able to join the


    partytonight. hope that everyone


    has a good time." Content. belongs


    to  7


    Bruce inclined his head and said impassively, "Rest well.¡±


    After they left. Caroline took a sip of water in annoyance and said, "Cindy is on her guard against you.¡±


    I shrugged. "Isn''t this great? It''s quiet."


    Caroline paused and said, "When 2


    you fell.down that slope, I screamed


    for help. Bruce heard me and c¡±


    scrambled off his tandem i ina ¡®panic,


    leaving Cindy stranded by.t Herself."


    I closed my eyes and said softly, "Yes, well. This team building is organized by Roeval., after all. If something were to happen, Bruce would be held


    responsible.¡±

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    Caroline did not reply.


    I nced at the time and urged her. "The party is about to begin. Go and have fun."Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Caroline rolled her eyes at me. "Do you think that I''ll choose a guy over my friend?"


    On our way here she had told me about the standards for choosing waiters at Horton Estate. It was almost as strict as the standards held for gigolos.


    I could only whine at her. "Go! Remember to send photos in our group chat. I want to broaden my mind too."


    Caroline did not insist.


    That night at 7:00 pm, our work group chat began buzzing with content from the party. I nced at it briefly before putting my phone aside


    While I was slipping in and out of sleep, I heard a knock on the door.


    It was a waiter from the vi who came over to deliver food to me.


    There was soup and a main dish. which was chicken with mushroom sauce.


    I was rather surprised and asked, "Who sent you?"


    The waiter answered politely, "It was ady whosest name was Lane."


    I lowered my eyes and said nothing.


    My phone vibrated continuously on the table.


    I opened the chat and saw that there were 200 new messages in our work group chat. I scrolled through them idly, and finally stopped at one of the


    videos.


    After I erged it. I saw a scene of our colleagues urging Cindy and Bruce to drink together with their arms entwined


    In the video, Cindy lifted her ss shyly and looked adoringly at Bruce. She asked, "Bruce, can we?"


    In the strobing lights, Bruce''s face was hidden in shadow, and I could not see his emotions clearly.


    Then, he took Cindy''s ss away and whispered something in her ear.


    The video was very noisy and I could not hear what the two of them were saying. However, I could tell from Cindy''s coy expression that Bruce must


    have said something to appease her.


    "Don''t you like the food?" the waiter asked carefully, breaking me out of my thoughts.


    I nced twice at the food in front of me. I thought for two seconds before saying."Can you get me a bottle of red wine? The most expensive kind.¡±


    With the help of Romanee-Conti, I slept very well that night.


    The next morning, I went with the rest of the team to the organic farm on the estate. We were going to try picking fruit.


    There were many different kinds of fruits and vegetables, and the owner was very generous. He said that apart from being able to eat whatever we


    wanted, everyone was also allowed to take two baskets home.


    Caroline pulled me into the strawberry garden.


    I tasted one. It was plump, juicy, and tasted amazing.


    I decided to bring a basket to my uncle.


    Caroline leaned in and asked, ¡°What about the other one?"


    I looked at the sly gaze in her eyes and said, "What idea do you have now?"


    She patted my shoulder and said, "Professor Irvin has helped us a lot. Maybe we should grab this chance and bribe him."


    Just as she finished speaking, my phone rang.


    It was a call from Dous.


    What a coincidence


    "I heard that the temperature dropped in Nalvale yesterday night. Are you all alright?" Dous asked the moment the call was connected


    I exined about Horton Estate. Then I heard him ask, "Was it Bruce''s idea to go to Horton Estate?¡±


    I murmured an answer, and my eyes swept over Caroline. She pointed to the fruit basket and I immediately understood.¡± Oh right. We are in the


    strawberry garden right now, and they''re pretty fresh. Should I bring some for you and Lilian?"


    There was a sudden silence on the other end.


    I thought of Dous¡¯ status and position. Perhaps he held these things in disdain, so I changed my mind and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t like them..."


    "I do like them,¡± he suddenly interrupted. ¡°Thanks for that, old friend."


    After the call ended, Caroline raised her eyebrows. "Professor Irvin seems oddly agitated?¡±


    "He has a good temper."


    ¡®I''m not so sure. about that.¡± Caroline


    pinched her-chin. She thought for a


    moment and said, "At the banquet;>


    there was-a girl who hit on him. He


    only said a couple of words to her


    before going off to look for you with


    dessert." Content belongs te


    a


    I hadn''t noticed that. "You mean Dous?"


    "Yes." Caroline patted my shoulder. "Therefore, you should be more thoughtful when picking strawberries for the professor.¡±


    I was about to retort when I saw Bruce and Cindy standing a few steps away.


    Cindy looked over with a smile and said, ¡°Are you going to pick some strawberries for Professor Irvin, Nancy?¡±


    They heard everything.


    Caroline answered, ¡°You have such good hearing, Ms. Lane. You heard everything from so far away.¡±


    Cindy was not affected. She replied, "Bruce says that the strawberries here are crunchy, and he brought me here to try them. We just passed by


    unknowingly.¡±


    Caroline put on a smile. "You don''t have to take things so seriously, Ms. Lane. I''m just joking.¡±


    Cindy stared at the basket of fruit in


    my handsand sighed. "You''re SOL


    nice to Professor Irvin, Nancy. You re


    thinking of him even while you''re out


    having fun. If he knew aboutthis, he


    would be very happy.¡± Content


    b¨¦longs to  ~


    I looked down at the fruit I had just picked and said calmly, "You''re right, Ms. Lane. I should have asked Professor Irvin toe too.¡±


    After all, these were free. It would be a waste not to eat them


    However, Cindy''s smile froze.


    Caroline spoke again. "That''s a good idea. Next time we have team building, let''s allow everyone to bring their family.¡±


    Family?


    What was she talking about?


    That evening, we left Horton Estate loaded with things.


    I went to see my uncle with the strawberries.


    Uncle JacksorNooked at the fresh


    and delicious-strawberries. He


    sighed and Said, '' ¡®If only your Aunt ->


    Tina andour darling Alex were here


    too. Tina is good with her hands.


    She Could have made strawberry


    jan£¤for Alex."


    NovelDrama.Org 4


    Iforted him. "Yes, she would have."


    He was rushing to get to the night shift for work, so I didn¡¯t stay long. Before going into the subway, he suddenly rushed over and handed me a bag of


    roasted chestnuts. "Eat them while they''re warm."


    I didn''t think much about it, but when I got onto the subway, I realized that there was something else in the package.


    I opened it and saw a few neat rolls of dor bills.


    It wasn''t much. It was just 500.


    There was a note from Uncle Jackson too. "Nance, I have a job now. Remember to buy yourself something nice to eat.¡±


    I felt a lump in my throat and almost sobbed


    500 wouldn''t even be able to buy a signature from Bruce.


    That was just how unfair life was


    In a daze, I missed my stop and only managed to get back to my neighborhoodte at night.


    However, just as I entered the stairwell, I came across Bruce. He was lighting up a cigarette.


    He was only wearing a thin, round-cored sweater. The sleeves were rolled up slightly, exposing a slight section of muscled arm.


    When I looked over, he was leaning against the wall and blowing out smoke rings. His brow was slightly wrinkled, and there was a lost look in his dark


    eyes.


    There was a strange sense of decadence about him.


    He didn''t smoke in the past.


    When he saw me, his dark eyes looked me up and down. Finally he looked down at the basket of fruit I was carrying, and he said in a low voice.


    ¡°Have you sent it over?¡±

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    I was only carrying one basket of strawberries.


    It was for Dous and Lilian.


    I had been dyed on my way there, so I had had no choice but to carry it home.


    However, I hadn''t expected to bump into Bruce, nor to get sniped at by him.


    Bruce obviously thought that I had delivered a basket of strawberries to Dous.


    I did not want to argue with him.


    It would not be wise to offend an investor, especially when I was still waiting for him to continue his investments.


    "I''m going upstairs."


    "Are you in such a hurry to go and ingratiate yourself with him, Ms. Fisher?"


    I stopped in my tracks and looked at Bruce in confusion. In a sh, I understood what he was implying


    He probably thought that I was trying to be a social climber and get into the upper society through Dous.


    I curled my lips and said, "I remember the owner of the estate saying that the strawberries are free. I''m sure there''s no need for me to report to


    Roeval about what I''m going to do with them."


    My voice was calm, and I hid my emotions well.


    Bruce squinted when he heard me. Then he scoffed, "It seems that the injury on your wrist hasn''t dampened your ambition, Ms. Fisher.¡±


    I smiled instead of getting angry. "You are too kind, Mr. Harold. I still have many things I need to learn from you."


    It was just about saying polite things. Anyone could do that.


    Bruce did not answer. However, the gaze he turned on me seemed to be covered with ayer of venom.


    I decided not to push it and said, "If there isn''t anything else you want to give me feedback on, I''ll..."


    "Why were you drinkingst night?" Bruce cut me off. There was a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Were you drowning your sorrows in alcohol?"


    I was caught off guard by his question.


    How could I have forgotten about that?


    It had put a wrench in my ns.


    After a moment, I decided to be


    thick-skinned until the end, Wher!


    looked tip at Bruce, I asked =~


    shamelessly, "Are you asking +


    because your heart ached far me,


    Mr=Harold?"


    -


    Bruce opened his mouth and was about to speak when the phone in his pocket rang. I waved tactfully and hurried over to the elevator. I had


    managed to escape!


    I had to let Bruce see how frightening I could be after tossing aside any sense of shame that I had


    The next morning, I carried that basket of strawberries to the office.


    Caroline was surprised. ¡°You didn''t manage to deliver these?"


    "It was tootest night, so it wasn''t convenient.¡± I told her the truth. "I''ll deliver them tonight."


    Then I contacted Lilian through WhatsApp.


    "Nancy, you are amazing. Strawberries from Horton Estate! Thanks for thinking of us!¡±


    Lilian arranged to meet me at the book shop after work.


    However, I only realized that Dous was also there when I arrived.


    There was a book club taking ce at the book shop, and he was seated in the middle.


    When he saw me, he got up at once to say hello.


    "You didn''t-have toe


    personally" Dous stared at the


    basket of fruit. There was a sh of


    surprise in his eyes. "If you had


    mentioned it, I would havee to


    pick you up.¡±


    -


    I looked at him awkwardly.


    At that mament, Lilian ran over and.


    took the Basket from me. She said,


    "Thanks, Nancy. They look pretty


    good! I''ll go and wash them, and we


    cary riry themter." Content belongs


    t6 NovelDrama.Org -Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Dous nced at Lilian, and there was a sh of disappointment in his eyes. "So they aren''t specially for me?¡±


    Since I had caused a misunderstanding, I had no choice but to change the subject quickly. I asked, ¡°Dous, do you often attend book clubs like


    this?"


    Dous looked excited at once. "Since we''re on the subject, I have a book to give you. Come with me.¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief and followed him up to the second floor.


    After a moment, he handed a mystery novel to me and said," This story is very intriguing. You''ll never be able to guess the ending."


    Honestly I preferred books about programming, but I didn''t want to be a spoilsport. I nced at the author''s name and asked, "Is he a good writer?"


    Dous rubbed his nose and said, ¡°You''ll find out when you read it."


    I wanted to make things clear. ¡°How much is it? I''ll transfer you the money.¡±

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    Dous¡¯ expression turned serious. "Nancy, do we really need to split hairs like this?¡±


    He made it sound so natural that it was starting to convince me that paying him for the book was sphemy for our friendship.


    Caroline had teased me about being too uptight before, so I decided to change my approach and smiled. "Fine. Thank you.¡±


    "Hello, Mr. Irvin, Nance,¡± a soft voice suddenly interrupted. ¡°What a coincidence.¡±


    I turned around and immediately spotted Bruce and Cindy who were standing not far away.


    Bruce was holding several books and stood quietly by Cindy''s side. There was a weird glint in his eyes and he was even sneering mockingly.


    Cindy hade to the bookstore to find materials rted to game programming. As for Bruce, it goes without saying that he came along to keep an


    eye on his sweetheart.


    The two had been browsing the bookstore for a while but were still short on one programming book on their shopping list. They were anxiously


    locking around for it.


    "Mr. Irvin, are you apanying Nance to pick out books too?" Cindy blinked her doe eyes at Dous. ¡°Are you searching for detective fiction?"


    Dous scratched his head. "We just happened to bump into each other."


    As soon as he finished speaking, I noticed a pair of eyes sweeping over from across the aisle. I nced up and realized that it belonged to Bruce.


    Our gazes met, but I pretended not to notice and turned to point at the bookshelf. ¡°Second book from the left top shelf."


    Cindy was puzzled. ¡°What?"


    "The book you''re looking for." I sighed.


    Cindy nced at the spot I pointed to and eximed in surprise, ¡°You''re amazing, Nance!"


    I smiled but didn''t say anything.


    The bookstore had been around for seven or eight years now. During my university days, I came here often with Bruce. I had a fair idea about the


    programming books inside. So how could I not know where they were?


    Cindy, grateful for finding the book, smiled. "Thank you, Nance. How about we treat you and Mr. Irvin to a meal?"


    Should I consider myself lucky for earning a meal by pointing out a book''s location?


    Dous seemed to read my thoughts and politely declined, "You''re too kind, Ms. Lane."


    ¡®How aboutwe go to the school ~~


    cafeteria Cindy seemed clueless¡±


    and suggested, "Or how about we go


    to the ce where you and Nance


    had dinnerst time?" Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    Cindy was something else. After all, Bruce was more familiar with that cepared to us.


    So I nced at Bruce and asked, "What do you think, Mr. Harold?"


    "Let''s go, Bruce.¡± Cindy pouted and tugged at Bruce''s sleeve. "I also want to give that restaurant a taste.¡±


    Bruce looked reluctant.


    Seeing this, I readily agreed, "Alright, let''s go there."Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Half an hourter, the four of us appeared together in the school cafeteria.


    Dous was popr, so it wasn''t unusual for students toe over and greet him. Plus, Bruce also attracted quite a few gazes with his smart attire.


    Cindy didn''t mind and even looked a little proud about it. She held the menu and giggled. "What do you want to eat, Bruce?"


    "Mushroom chicken chop," Bruce hummed.


    "I''ll have what you''re having." Cindy smiled.


    ltwas a cgincidence. Bruce sat in ~~.


    the same-position as before ands


    even o¡édered the same dish. The


    only difference was that his.


    companion was no longer.tne.


    "What about you, Nancy? Do you want the same thing?¡± Dous¡¯ voice pulled me back to reality.


    I immediately recalled the dinner I had at Huston Vi and shook my head. "I grew bored of that. Let''s try something else.¡±


    Dous gave me two other suggestions. Since I wasn''t a picky eater, I shrugged casually. "I''ll have the same as you."


    The funny, thing was that both Bruce


    and Cindy ¡®ordered the mushroom


    chicken chop while Dous and''I


    ordered pork chop. I had to admit, it


    was quite tasty. Content belongs ite)


    NovelDrama.Org -

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    After dinner, Dous mentioned that he needed to pick up some materials from the teacher''s room, so we parted ways with Bruce and Cindy.


    As we walked along Nicox University, I suddenly felt that the ces I used to avoid didn''t seem so scary anymore.


    What caught me off guard was that Dous didn''t take me to the teacher''s room. Instead, he apanied me to the school¡¯s back gate.


    I thanked him, ¡°Thanks for your help, ss representative.¡±


    "Not a problem,¡± Dous replied bluntly. "Did you really like the pork chop?¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    I nodded. "Although it was a bit spicy, it was quite satisfying."


    I never used to eat that kind of stuff.


    Dous'' lips curled into a smile and his eyes shone. "See, Nancy? You can get a different experience if you change your taste."


    Thanks to him, I discovered the deliciousness of pork chop.


    The next day at work, I immediately suggested to Caroline to try this delicacy.


    Caroline frowned and whined, ¡°Pigs are so cute. How can you eat them?"


    As soon as she said that, Cindy came over with herptop. "Nancy, I wrote a small piece of codest night, but I couldn''t get it to work during the


    testing. Can you help me take a look at it?¡±


    I nodded and took theptop from her.


    It was a simple game code, amon example found in books. After a nce, I pointed out where the problem was.


    Cindy gasped with admiration and ran the code in front of me. But she didn''t immediately take herptop back after that.


    I casually nced at it and immediately saw the intimate photo on the screensaver. It was Bruce and Cindy.


    Cindy wag feaning against Bruce and


    making apeace sign at the camera,


    while Bruce stood behind her, ¡é¡ã


    smiling, His gaze was gentleand


    doting. Content belongs ta


    ¡°Nance.¡± Cindy nced at me and smiled. "You agree that this is a good photo, right?¡±


    Cindy''s unting was tant, and it even carried a hint of provocation.


    After carefully looking at the photo, I noticed that the location where the two were photographed was at Nicox University.


    It was obvious that the two tock another stroll around after we separated yesterday.


    He was so open about it. It was


    unlike me inthe past, who had spent


    so much tigie coaxing Bruce, only 4o


    be ruthi¨¦ssly rejected when I asked


    him toehange his phone ¡ª


    screensaver to a photo of us holding


    harids. s


    4


    I didn''t even dare to take a photo of us together.


    Cindy was right to show off to me.


    ¡°You''re a good match," I said faintly, "But it would be better with a filter on.¡±


    "Is... Is that so?" Cindy stuttered and forced a smile. "I''ll try that next time.¡±


    With that, she left with herptop.


    In the afternoon, I received a sudden call from Kate. "Nance, I have a party this weekend. Can you help me pick out two dresses?¡±


    I knew Kate''s preferences well. Her


    biggest t hobby was shopping, and~


    over the: years, I had frequentedt the


    mall alot thanks to her. Saying I was


    at her beck and call wouldn''tbe an


    exaggeration.


    NovelDrama.Org <


    But things were different now. I denied tactfully, "I still have some unfinished work left. You can ask Ms. Lane instead.¡±


    It was only right if Kate went with her daughter-inw instead


    "I don''t want her." Kate was never one to beat around the bush. "My head hurts when I see her fumbling around.¡±


    I was still struggling to find the right words when Kate continued with herment, "Nance, tell me the truth. Do you find me annoying?"

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    Kate made it seem as if she was wronged.


    I pinched my brows andpromised, "Can we do it after work then?¡±


    After all, she''s the investor''s mother.


    After the call ended, Kate immediately sent me the shop¡¯s address. It was an old tailor shop with a rich history, and it was famous among the wealthy


    ladies in Joddesdon and Saza


    Before leaving for work, I drank a cup of coffee to keep myself awake. But I didn''t expect for Bruce and Cindy to be there either.


    When the shop assistant led me to Kate, I saw Cindy handing Kate a piece of beautifully patterned fabric. When Cindy saw me, she bit her lip


    unconsciously.


    Bruce was even more blunt. "Why are you here?¡±


    I didn''t know how to respond to that


    Kate turned around at the sound and grinned. "I invited her. The two of you together still don''t know my preferences as well as she does.¡±


    Cindy looked disappointed after hearing this and lowered her head while she gripped onto the fabric in her hand tightly.


    I felt quite awkward.


    Cindy had a good eye. Although the pattern of the fabric she chose was a bit outdated, the color still matched Kate''s aesthetic


    Kate liked luxurious styles. So when she asked me for help, I deliberately picked out a in one for her.


    Kate was surprised by this. But to put Cindy down, she praised me nevertheless, "Look at how beautiful this is. Nance sure has got good taste."


    Cindy didn''t respond and buried her head even lower.


    I had to ease the tension. "Aunt Kate, you have fair skin, so any style suits you. Although Ms. Lane¡¯s choice is a bit unusual, only someone with your


    complexion can pull it off well enough."


    Only then did Kate reluctantly settle on a design


    Bruce couldn''t bear it anymore and.


    pointed at several pieces of fabrics


    "Make one of each of these colors


    arding to Ms. Lane''s oe


    measurements.¡± Content b¨¦longs to


    NovelDrama.Org -All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Cindy widened her eyes in surprise and hesitated. "That''s too much, Bruce.¡±


    Kate was also annoyed. "Nance has been making the rounds with me, and you''d never properly thanked her."


    Bruce nced at me indifferently. "Did you see anything you like, Ms. Fisher?"


    Since he asked, I couldn''t be too pretentious. So I casually pointed to a cream-colored dress and muttered, "I''ll have that one.


    After we were done selecting, Bruce made up an excuse and left with Cindy.


    Kate''s expression darkened at this...


    "Did yousee that, Nance? Him busy


    with work? I think he''s just afraid


    that''l''ll give Ms. Lane a hardtime.¡±


    I reassu ed her, "Since Mr. Ha


    likes her,you should spend m


    time with her and bring her ar


    Aftera I, she''ll be the one shanti


    Harold¡¯ s burden in the future.


    Kate shat me a defeated look. "Nance, if you and Bruce..."


    She stopped herself and sighed


    I knew what she meant. Kate probably thought that if Bruce insisted on finding a woman outside the rich circle, she would rather it be me.


    However, she forgot that she used to despise me the same way as well


    Bruce''s call camete into the night. ¡°You were quite enthusiastic today, Ms. Fisher.¡±


    He sounded indifferent.


    But I had enough and huffed. "You jest, Mr. Harold. And didn''t I get rewarded for it too?¡±


    Caroline mentioned before that the old tailor''s skill was not something one could buy with money.


    "You have opened my eyestely, Ms. Fisher. So you''re after money now?" His tone was mocking and arrogant.


    I suddenly remembered the five hundred dors my uncle secretly slipped me. ¡°I simply figured things out."

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    "What I''m getting here is, you''re willing to help Cindy get my mother''s approval as long as I pay the right price, right?" Bruce hummed.


    Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt like Bruce raised his tone when he said this.


    I replied truthfully, ¡°It depends on how much you''re willing to offer, Mr. Harold."


    Dignity meant nothing in the face of money.


    A chuckle came from the other end of the line. ¡°You better keep your word, Nancy Fisher.."


    He was probably questioning the loyalty of his business partner.


    After pondering for a few seconds, I licked my lips and asked, "So, how much are you willing to offer?"


    There was suddenly silence on the other end of the phone. I thought the call was cut off. But when I nced at my phone screen, the call was still


    connected.


    I figured Bruce was figuring out the right price. so I didn¡¯t rush and remained calm


    After a while. I heard Bruce say, "I''ll reward you greatly if you can get the Harold family to ept Cindy."


    ¡°How much are we talking about? Is it enough to buy a house?" I pressed on.


    Bruce must have not expected such shamelessness from me. After a moment of hesitation, he sighed. "Fine, I''ll reward you with a house.¡±


    He hung up after that.


    I sighed. I was starting to regret not discussing the down payment with Bruce


    Perhaps the years of being together had created some understanding between us. After a moment, I actually received a transfer of fifty thousand


    dors from him. The note attached to it read: "Down payment."


    I immediately transferred the money to Tina.


    It was already 10 p.m., but Tina called me within the next two minutes. "Nance, why did you suddenly transfer me so much money?"


    I shrugged. "I made a business deal."


    ¡°You shouldn''t have transferred all of it to us." Tina sounded tired. "Alex''s condition has improved a lot recently, and they rarely get sick. You should


    keep some money for yourself.¡±


    Alex had asthma and would often


    get sick iecthe autumn and winter.


    There were a few times when they


    almost didn''t recoverst year:


    Tina''s) words were probably jist to


    comfort me.


    -


    It was always good to keep some emergency funds.


    I bit back my sadness and came up with ame excuse before ending the call


    On Saturday, I was working overtime as usual when Dous came over. He closed myptop and stared at my wrist.


    I gave him a weird look and asked, "What''s wrong, Dous?¡±


    "Why are you still working with an injured wrist? What if it doesn''t healpletely?¡± Dous frowned


    I sighed. "It''s just a scratch, no big deal.¡±


    Dous looked as if he wanted to rebuke.


    I figured he had something on his mind, so I stopped working and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Dous scratched his head and probed, "There''s a party tomorrow night and I need a date. Are you free tomorrow?"


    Before I could respond, my phone suddenly buzzed. It was a message from Caroline. "Is Mr. Irvin with you yet?¡±


    it was obvious Caroline was the one


    who told Dous about my injured


    wrist. ¡°wondered if they talked


    about tomorrow night''s party.


    I couldn''t find a good excuse to reject Dous''s invitation.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Dous probably sensed my hesitation and kindly said, ¡°It''s okay if you''re busy. Maybe next time."


    I felt bad. "Is there a dress code?"


    "Pardon?" Dous was perplexed


    "Like attires, gifts, and so on.¡± I exined patiently.


    Dous was grinning from ear to ear now. "No need for that. You just have to show up."


    Despite his words, I still couldn''t be


    too casubout it. I''ve heard about


    Joddegdon and Saza''s rich circles. If


    fooled: around even in the slightest,


    it weuld be a huge blow to Dous''s


    image. .

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    After some consideration, I took out the dress from the old tailor shop and paired it with a matching cashmere shawl, then set off.


    The venue was at the Vienna Winery.


    Upon entering, Dous greeted me immediately with a look of amazement.


    "Did I choose the wrong outfit?" I asked worriedly.


    Dous''s voice was low. "No... you look stunning."


    Caroline had once said I was as beautiful as an ice queen. At least, on the surface.


    "No wonder Mr. Irvin has been absent-minded, turns out he had a date with a beauty." Two young men came over to greet us.


    Dous exchanged a few words with them and led me to the lift. At the same time, Bruce was leading Cindy toward us from the opposite direction.


    We bumped into each other at the lift.


    Cindy was dressed in a pink dress, looking like a sweet little princess.


    "Hello, Mr. Irvin, Ms. Fisher. What a coincidence,¡± she greeted us.


    Dous nced at Bruce. "Are you and Ms. Lane here for your dad''s birthday party?"


    Bruce replied with a question, "Is the Irvin family having a party tonight too?"


    "Yes, I''m here for my cousin¡¯s baby''s celebration,¡± Dous answered.


    Bruce nodded and said no more.


    Both parties were on the third floor, one on each end of the building. After getting off the lift, we went our separate ways.


    Dous''s rtives were more modest and polite than I had imagined. Besides a few simple greetings, conversations were brief.


    All except for Benjamin Irvin, Dous''s cousin.


    "You have an aura about you, Ms. Fisher. I''m sure your parents have spent a lot to take care of you." Benjamin was probing for my family


    background.


    I wasn''t surprised and quickly excused myself to the washroom.


    After meeting with a few investors


    with Careline, I gradually understood


    that to be epted into the rich


    circle-education, and ability were


    nothing in the face of a goodfamily


    baekground.


    -


    In the eyes of these rich folks, as long as one mentioned their family background and status, even if it was fleeting, the rich folks would view them in a


    good light.


    It was cruel yet realistic. And I had gotten used to it.


    After sorting out my emotions, I


    quietly left the restroom. All of a.


    sudden, I vaguely felt a pair of eyes


    on me. When I looked up, Bruce was


    leaning against the wall, staring at


    Me.


    His gaze was unfriendly, and I could even make out a hint of aggression behind them.


    I quickly averted my gaze. But before I could make it far, a shadow suddenly loomed over me, blocking my way.


    It was Bruce. As he approached, I noticed his dted pupils and hazy eyes.


    "Using my gift to win over Dous?" he slurred coldly. "Nancy Fisher, you sure are something else.¡±


    Despite being in public, Bruce stopped me in front of the restroom.


    He was being unreasonable.


    ¡ê


    Iposed myself and patiently


    exined, "Kou gave it to me, Mr.


    Harold. And:-how I use it is none of->


    your business. Or were you ~


    expecting me to give you a full


    report on how your gift is being


    used?¡¯ s


    on


    Bruce was the president of the prestigious Roeval Group. How could he be so petty?


    "Are you doing this on purpose?¡± He scoffed lightly in my ear.


    I felt annoyed and stared back at him. "Even if I was, what are you going to do about it? Take it back?¡±


    Two could y the game.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Bruce frowned and argued, "What if I did?"


    He clearly had one too many drinks.


    I didn''t want to argue with him and sighed. "If you insist, I''ll buy it from you."


    With that, I tried to brush past him. But he suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the restroom.


    I panicked and hurriedly reached for the door handle, only for Bruce to push me against the door.

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    Bruce red down at me darkly. "You''ve been acting differently ever since you got close to Dous."


    The corners of my mouth twitched and I rolled my eyes. "You''ve had too many drinks. Should I go get Cindy?¡±


    Bruce furrowed his brows at the mention of Cindy. I had clearly touched a sensitive spot


    Not wanting to create a scene, I reached for the door handle after a moment of silence. Suddenly, something warm pressed against my lips and


    Bruce pinned me against the door.


    Bruce was insane. He was a madman.


    I struggled, but it was futile. His kiss was intense and dominating as if he wanted to consume me entirely.


    Filled with anger, I bit down on his lip until I tasted blood. Yet, Bruce didn¡¯t relent and only deepened his kiss like a wild animal. His fingers even


    grazed the slit of my dress.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Having had enough, I murmured, "Why are you in such a hurry, Mr. Harold? Is Ms. Lane enough for you?"


    Bruce stopped abruptly and stared at me in disbelief. I met his gaze, unwavering.


    The lounge was eerily quiet and I could hear Bruce''s erratic breathing. Yet, it was also filled with distant chatter from outside the door.


    We stood facing each other. This time, I refused to back down.


    After what felt like an eternity, Bruce finally mumbled, "I don''t want to scare her."


    His words felt like a p in the face.


    He didn''t want to scare Cindy.


    I see. The girl was inexperienced and timid, someone who needed protection. Unlike me, who had been intimate with him long before.


    We tore away from each other. It took me a while topose myself. Looking at the torn slit of my dress, I couldn''t help but feel both amused and


    exasperated


    Abstinence? It was nothing more than a facade. What a hypocrite.


    The new week began, and we had to report to Roeval again


    Originally, it was Caroline''s and my responsibility. But Cindy came up to us with a small smile. "I''d like to handle the report this time, Ms. Whittaker.¡±


    It was merely a formality, so Caroline and I didn''t mind and agreed to let her take care of it.


    However, due to unforeseen circumstances, Cindy wasn''t prepared, so she simply copied the slides I had prepared. ording to her, she had


    rehearsed it several times and it would be fine.


    I informed Caroline that I wouldn''t


    be present this time. It was just a


    chat with Bruce. We didn''t have¡¯to


    send. the full team. With the extra


    timed might as well write a few


    mare lines of code. Content¡± belongs


    toNovelDrama.Org <


    Cindy was pleased to hear this and grinned. "Don''t worry, Nance. Leave this type of task to me next time.¡±


    She had a silver tongue


    The arrangement was set. But not long after they left. a bad feeling suddenly crept up on me and my heart sped up unexpectedly.


    Sure enough, something had happened


    The afternoon''s report at Roeval was more formal than usual because, in addition to Bruce, several other key members of the board of directors were


    present


    Cindy had fever faced such a


    situation-before. She forced herself


    to remain calm and took the stage.


    However, she made a mistake:


    durifig the presentation and was


    questioned by the board members.


    Flustered, she clicked on the wrong slide and was eventually forced off the stage by the board members.


    Caroline ryed all of this to me over the phone.


    I gripped my phone tightly and asked, "What was Bruce''s reaction?"


    "Of course, hes protecting Cindy.


    When he saywher crying, he


    immediately left the board members


    tofart her,¡± Caroline said in a


    lowered voice. "I overheard some


    managers discussing fin ding-a way


    to-eonvince Bruce to stop ipvesting


    it-Our project.¡± Content b¨¦fongs to


    NovelDrama.Org

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    Cease the investment?


    I felt a wave of anxiety from hearing those words. I reminded Caroline, "Keep it together and probe Bruce for his thoughts. We''ll discuss thister."


    But I never expected to receive a question from Bruceter on.


    "Nance, Mr. Harold wants you toe to Roveal immediately." John sounded anxious. "He doesn''t look too happy. so you''d best prepare yourself.¡±


    In the president''s office, Cindy sat beside Bruce with reddened eyes. looking like a sad little creature


    I looked at Bruce. "Why did you call me here. Mr. Harold?"


    Bruce pushed theptop toward me. ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    On the screen were the slides I had prepared. But there were obvious paging problems, just like what Caroline had told me.


    I suddenly realized something and shifted my gaze to Cindy. "What do you have to say about this, Ms. Lane?¡±


    Cindy stared at me with her doe eyes, looking confused and innocent.


    ¡°You should have been truthful if you didn''t want Cindy doing the presentation. Why did you give her such a messy draft?¡± Bruce butted in.


    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears and argued irritably, ¡°Is this how you see me, Mr. Harold?"


    "Bruce, maybe Nance didn¡¯t notice either. Don''t me her." Cindy''s voice was soft. She began ming herself. "I should have done my own


    preparations."


    Caroline couldn''t stand it anymore and huffed with annoyance. "That wasn''t what you said before, Ms. Lane.¡±


    "Ms. Whittaker." Cindy looked even more sad. "Do you also think I''m not qualified to do the reporting?"


    "Ms. Lane..." Caroline began


    "Forget it." I stopped Caroline and asked Bruce, "Will Roveal withdraw its investment?"All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    This was the crux of the matter.


    Bruce nced at me. "I''ll handle it, but I don¡¯t want to see the same mistake twice.¡±


    That sounded familiar. If I remember correctly, Bruce also warned me with the same line while protecting Cindy back then.


    But this time, he was warning our entire studio


    I originally wanted to ask Bruce if I could make it up to it, but now it seemed unnecessary. Bruce would take care of Cindy.


    Back at thepany, Cindy found me and muttered cautiously, "I''m sorry. Nance. I''ll work harder next time.¡±


    I smiled at her downed demeanor. ¡°Yes, you need to work harder. Otherwise, you won''t even be able to produce a decent graduation design.¡±


    Cindy paled at my words, and she silently returned to the office.


    All I could say was that she wasn''t clever enough. She never thought who would be affected the most by her little stunt¡ªBruce Harold.


    There were no secrets in this world.


    Once the Harold family caught wirid


    of this; ¡®those shrewd people would


    only look down on her evermore.


    What was she trying to do?


    Sure enough, the thing I was worried about happened within a day''s time.


    Kate somehow learned about this and rushed into the studio, scolding Cindy relentlessly.


    "It''s one thing to be stupid yourself! But how dare you drag Bruce into this." came the loud shriek, ¡°You stupid brat!"


    Cindy mumbled pitifully, "I didn''t expect there to be a problem with the slides. I..."


    ¡®Don''t pass the me onto others!*.


    Kate didnt give her a chance to =


    exin. "If it doesn''t work out, b>


    might as well stop this lousy


    project!"


    7


    Hearing this, I couldn''t sit idly by and hurriedly went to stop Kate, finally persuading her to the meeting room.


    "


    ance, my head is hurting.¡± Kate


    wiped her tears in front of me.


    "Bruce was scolded by Mom whens


    he went fiomest night. She said


    that hawas neglecting his duties,


    and the two of them got into-an


    argument, The rest of the family are


    afughing behind his back."


    Only then did I realize how important Cindy was to Bruce. At the same time, I also felt a lingering sense of danger.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    Not long after seeing Kate off, Cindy left early, leaving me and Caraline to be the only ones tearing our hair out.


    "They probably won''t withdraw their investment," I recalled Kate''s words about Bruce. "He will calm the storm down for Cindy¡¯s sake."


    Caroline didn''t agree with me. "So what if he does? Cindy undermined us today. She could easily im credit for our work tomorrow. In my opinion,


    we need to prepare for the worst.¡±


    Caroline meant that they should look for other investors.


    But Richard didn¡¯t seem interested. Who else could we approach?


    "I heard Samuel knows some people. I want to ask him for help," Caroline piped up.


    I was surprised. "Are you still in contact with him?¡±


    Caroline avoided my gaze. "Well, he does well when ites to... that."


    Since it was for the project, I agreed, "Let''s give it a try."


    For the next two days, Caroline was busy meeting with Samuel.


    Samuel was popr in Cloudons before and had quite a widework. He even knew some foreign investors. More importantly, he promised to help.


    Caroline and I were on edge and didn''t dare to rx even for a moment.


    But then, John''s call came again. "Nance, Mr. Harold wants you and Ms. Whittaker toe to Roeval right away."


    This was sudden.


    I probed, "Did he say what it''s about?¡±


    "He didn''t. But judging from Mr. Harold''s expression..." John trailed off.


    Caroline and I felt a headacheing on. We didn¡¯t know what Bruce was up to.


    Half an hourter, we arrived at the president''s office.


    AS we pushed the door open, Bruce


    was on the phone, speaking in a2


    foreigndanguage. He was fluentin it,


    and I eouldn''t make out a single


    worethe said. But his tone wasn''t


    very 7 friendly.


    After exchanging a nce with Caroline, we patiently waited on the side


    After a while. Bruce finally hung up the phone. He nced at us and asked, "Do you two know why I asked you toe here?"


    ¡°Just tell us straight, Mr. Harold." I didn''t beat around the bush.


    Bruce twirled the pen in his hand and cocked a brow. "I heard that you two have been in contact with new investors recently?¡±


    The news had reached him.


    ¡®Haha, I''m still standing strong, and.


    you''re already I in a hurry to find SS


    someone else?" Bruce sneered."Do


    yout think anyone would pickup


    Roeval s leftovers?" Content belongs


    t6  -


    Caroline and I had a bad feeling about this.


    We heard Bruce say, "Since I can''t sense any sincerity from you, we might as well call an end to this deal.¡±


    We were caught off guard by Bruce''s bluntness. He even knew that we were looking for other investors, so why did he suddenly get so angry?


    Bruce nced at me. "Things have changed.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    I was suddenly speechless. Who said money can''t talk?


    Caroline tried to ease things over. "Mr. Harold, we''re just a small studio. We can''t possiblypete with yourpany. We..."


    "Spea king.of yourpany¡¯s code .


    of condwet,¡± Bruce interrupted S


    Caroline, It''s really in line with the


    character of the person in charge."


    He nced at me and added, "You''re good at making backups.¡±


    He was being extremely sarcastic.


    After a while, John asked us to leave the president''s office. In other words, we were kicked out.


    Caroline was puzzled. "Bruce doesn''t seem like a petty man. Why did he suddenly turn his back on us?¡±


    I also felt that Bruce was acting strange today. "Maybe someone has been putting ideas in his head.¡±

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    Caroline mentioned that Cindy had visited her office this morning and saw the other projects on her desk. "Cindy must have tattled on us to Bruce.¡±


    That was expected. A good deal involved benefits for both parties. So why would Cindy side with us?


    But what would Cindy gain if the deal was called off? I couldn''t figure that out.


    "What should we do? I don''t think Bruce is joking." Caroline looked grim. "If Roeval is hell-bent on ending our studio, we''re doomed for sure."


    I rubbed my temples. ¡°Let''s wait and see what Mr. Hopkins says.¡±


    Samuel contacted Caroline the next afternoon, regretfully informing us that the two foreign investors we had previously contacted refused to engage


    with us again after having caught wind of the situation.


    I thought of Bruce''s phone call that day, and my mind was a mess.


    When it came down to mental warfare, he was more inept with it


    In the afternoon, Caroline called me into the office. "Mr. Zeigler called. The termination is set for the day after tomorrow.¡±


    Thepany was on the verge of bankruptcy.


    I sped my hands together and calmly said. "We need to find another way."


    "Are you going to see Kate again?" Caroline asked.


    I shook my head. "I''m going to talk to Cindy."


    In the coffee shop, Cindy asked innocently, "What do you need, Nance?"


    Of course, I wouldn''t dare push her around.


    I ordered her a ss of juice and murmured casually, "I''m sure you heard the rumors flying around these past few days. If Roeval withdraws its


    investment, our project will most likely fail."


    Cindy remained calm. "Bruce seems pretty angry this time.¡±


    "Yes." I yed along. "In the end, it''s because he cares about you and doesn''t want to see you in trouble again.¡±


    Cindy raised her gaze. ¡°You''re overestimating me, Nance."


    She sounded modest but her gaze betrayed her arrogant satisfaction.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    I gently coaxed, "But the project belongs to everyone. Without it, you would also suffer losses, wouldn''t you?¡±


    "


    ''s okay.¡± Cindy raised her chin.


    "Bruce said that when news spread


    that Roeval Group was venturing


    into the Mobile gaming industry,


    manypanies actively sought


    thersout. There will definitely bea


    suitable one for me." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ?


    She refused to negotiate. She was starting to be like how a Mrs. Harold was expected to be.


    I nodded. "That''s true. But with your


    graduation approaching, it won''t be


    easy to findva suitable projectso ~?


    soon. Mereover, they may not hav¨¦


    the sate abilities as I do. Since you


    heardabout me at the university,


    yourshould know the weighty


    name holds, right?" Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    I was hinting that our game could bring her fame and honor.


    Cindy chuckled. "You''re not being very modest, Nance."


    With that said, there was no point in beating around the bush any longer. So, I took out the printed documents from my handbag and handed them to


    Cindy.


    She looked at me suspiciously. "What''s this?¡±


    "I''ve written down all of Kate''s preferences." I smirked and feigned kindness, "Your sess will ensure our sess."


    Cindy looked uncertain. She was probably doubting its authenticity.


    I sighed to myself. Originally, I was going to take this to Bruce for negotiation


    But I wasn''t in a hurry and waited for Cindy''s response.


    After a while, she finally took the >.


    Xu


    document and put it in her


    backpack. ¡°Don''t worry, Nancec


    Bruce was justshing out. I Ithtry to


    tal some sense into him.! "Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    Her indifferent tone stung me unexpectedly.


    Caroline and I had been running around begging for money these past two days while she acted as if nothing had happened.


    In the end, life was never fair.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    After Cindy left. Caroline immediately approached my table. "I could sense her arrogance from a mile away. She sure does y her part well."


    I pinched my brows but didn''t say anything.


    "What did you give her? She seemed quite happy.¡± she asked.


    I told her about the little handbook.


    Caroline gave me a thumbs-up. ¡°A timely help indeed. You always seem to have a card up your sleeves. But what if she changes her mind?"


    Cindy wasn''t dumb. With my prepared guide, getting along with Kate would be a piece of cake. Compared to a small project, Cindy was smart


    enough to know being the president''s wife held more weight.


    "Aren''t you happy?" Caroline pressed on.


    Why wouldn''t I be? Judging from Cindy''s reaction, it was unlikely that Roeval would withdraw its investment from us.


    But the thought of giving away such a good card left me feeling a little resentful. I had hoped to cheat some good money out of it.


    "Let''s wait for the news.¡± I reassured Caroline. "Maybe we can finally sleep well tonight."


    That night, as I returned to my ce, I saw Bruceing from the opposite side.


    He was dressed in a navy blue wool suit. Under the moonlight, his tall figure exuded an air of elegance.


    I paused and took the initiative to start the conversation. "Are you here to see Ms. Lane?"


    I wanted to see if the two had met.


    Bruce nodded and walked into the hallway beside me. After a while, he asked, "Were you the one who gave her the guide?"


    It seemed they had indeed met.


    I told him the truth. "You paid the down payment, Mr. Harold. I had to show some sincerity."


    "How considerate," he said calmly, giving no indication of whether it was praise or criticism


    I didn''t feign modesty and smiled. "I''ve always been trustworthy. I''m sure Mr. Harold will understand overtime.¡±


    I wanted tosteer the conversation...


    Xu


    back to, the matter at hand. But


    Bruce didn''t immediately respand.


    He just stood quietly on the side,


    showing no intention of rel¨¦nting,


    The lift door opened. As we got in, I suddenly felt discouraged, and I couldn''t help but rub the strap on my wrists nervously.


    "Who gave that to you?" Bruce suddenly piped up.


    I looked at Bruce in confusion. Following his gaze. I realized he was referring to the wristband.


    He added, "You''re so fond of it. Is it a family heirloom?"


    I didn''t know how he could tell that I was fond of it. But the wristband suddenly felt ufortably hot.


    Then I heard Bruce sneering, "Is Dous that shabby?"


    He must have misunderstood and thought that the wristband was a gift from Dous.


    I lowered my head and tugged my


    sleeve tocover the wristband, nat¡±


    giving aim a response. But ~


    something inside me felt like it was


    being torn apart, causing a dull ache


    in-aay chest.


    -? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°You''re always so clever Ms. Fisher. So why did you beg Cindy for help?" Bruce was relentless.


    Hearing this, I bit down my


    difort and looked up at Bruce.


    "We boty know how unique the >


    project is, Ms. Harold. There''sno


    neeetto ruin our rtionshipover a


    trivial matter."


    -


    "A trivial matter?¡± Bruce suddenly raised his tone, and a hint of sadness flickered in his cold gaze.


    Was my eyes ying tricks on me?


    "Excuse me for my poor choice of words," I quickly corrected myself. "What I meant was, once the game goes online, your efforts will surely be


    rewarded."


    After spending so much time with Caroline, I learned to choose the right word.


    Bruce scoffed at my words. "Will that day evere?¡±


    My heart skipped a beat. After a moment of silence, I met the man''s unreadable gaze, trying to get a read on him.


    Unfortunately, I didn''t learn anything.


    My voice was barely a whisper. ¡°It will.¡±

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    Bruce sneered. "You''ve reached your goal.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    I nervously clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm. However, I realized that Bruce was referring to our floor when I looked up at him.


    I breathed a sigh of relief and forced a fake smile. "Sweet dreams, Mr. Harold."


    Bruce didn''t respond but he didn¡¯t look as hostile as before.


    I leaned against the wall, taking some time to regain myposure before immediately calling Caroline.


    "They''re not withdrawing their investment?" Caroline eximed. "These past two days have been a rollercoaster of emotions."


    I rubbed my temples. "Cindy''s words are more effective than ours, after all."


    Caroline sighed on the other end of the line. I knew what she meant¡ªCindy¡¯s favor wasn''t easily earned.


    As expected, three days after the crisis was resolved, Cindy came looking for me.


    She had a caring demeanor, taking her time to beat around the bush before finally getting to the point. "Nance, I''ve thoroughly studied Mrs. Harold''s


    preferences. Do you think I can find a chance to put it into practice?"


    So, she wanted me to create an opportunity for her and Kate.


    I recalled thest time Kate invited me to her home for dinner and said, "In that case, let''s go to the supermarketter. You can buy some gifts there


    Let''s head to Mons Vi after work.¡±


    Cindy blinked in surprise. "Are you sure, Nance? Won''t it be too abrupt?¡±


    Cindy suggested that I call Kate in advance. But it was more like she wanted me to sound her out.


    After considering it, I figured it wouldn''t hurt to repay a favor, so I did as she suggested.


    On the phone, Kate sounded quite pleased. But as soon as Cindy was mentioned, her tone shifted. "No, she''s an eyesore.¡±


    I tried to mediate the situation. "Aunt Kate, it''s nice to have a good family bond. You should do it for Mr. Harold. Besides, Ms. Lane cares about you.


    It''s rare to have such filial piety."


    Kate finally relented. So, after work, Cindy and I arrived at Mons Vi together.


    Cindy was just as amazed as I was


    seeing the extravagant vi. We both


    stood gutside gawking mindlessly at


    it. When Kate came out to greet us,


    Ciney was still staring at the?


    majestic entrance. Content:belongs


    to¡°NovelDrama.Org -


    I hurriedly probed her, "Ms. Lane.¡±


    Only then did Cindy regain herposure to greet Kate. "Nice to meet you, Aunt Kate. It''s my first time here, so I bought a gift. I hope you like it."


    Kate looked at the bird''s nest in Cindy''s hand with a displeased look.


    After entering the house, Kate immediately gave Cindy a hard time. "The cook had to leave for an emergency. I''m afraid we won''t be able to have


    dinner."


    In other words, there was no one to cook tonight.


    I took a sip of tea and shot Cindy a look, who immediately caught on and volunteered. "I cook regrly, Aunt Kate. I can prepare dinner tonight if you


    don¡¯t mind it.¡±


    Kate gave her a meaningful look. ¡°You can cook?"


    Cindy nced at me and nodded. "I have a few dishes up my sleeves.¡±


    Kate pulled out her seniority card and hummed thoughtfully. "Then, I''ll leave it to you, Ms. Lane.¡±


    Cindy obediently went into the kitchen. Kate also kept herself busy, leading me to the backyard to see the bougainvillea


    It wasn''t just one nt but a forest.


    of them. They were lush and vibraft


    and looked even more beautiful than


    those ¡®sold at the flower show It was


    obvious they were well taken care


    of.


    Among the vibrant red flowers, a white bougainvillea caught my eye. It resembled the nt I used to have in the apartment.


    Bruce used to say the nt was a waste of time.


    "Are you looking at the white flower in the middle?" Kate grinned. "The gardener said Bruce was the one who brought it back. Maybe it adds to the


    aesthetic."


    Since Bruce-brought it back, it


    couldn''t possibly betheonel <>


    ntedTast time. I remember the


    landlord warned me to clear out


    every decor inside the house


    including the flowers. Content


    b¨¦longs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    It was probably just a coincidence.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    I made up an excuse and left the backyard.


    Inside the spacious kitchen, Cindy was running around preparing the ingredients. When she saw me, her eyes twinkled as if she had seen her saving


    grace. "What should I do, Nance? My culinary skills are just mediocre at best."


    Looking at the chaotic countertops, it was far from mediocrity. It was downright terrible.


    I quickly tied on an apron. "Let me handle this."


    While my culinary skills weren''t exceptional, making Kate''s favorite dishes was like second nature to me. Plus, I had cooked for Bruce countless times


    during the two years together, so I knew their preferences like the back of my hand


    In less than half an hour, I had prepared five dishes and even a pot of soup. It was mushroom soup, one of Bruce''s favorites.


    Kate observed the served dishes, and her stiff expression finally softened. She hadn''t realized it was my handiwork.


    At that moment, I didn''t know whether to be relieved or upset. When she was hospitalized due to her heart attack, I was the one who cooked her all


    three meals for over a month.


    "Please give it a try, Aunt Kate.¡± Cindy enthusiastically handed Kate a pair of utensils. ¡°See if it suits your taste.¡±


    "Wait, Bruce is still on his way back.¡± Kate shook her head


    "Bruce ising too?" Cindy''s doe eyes were full of anticipation.


    Speak of the devil, Bruce had just arrived. He didn''t seem surprised to see us. My guess was that he probably caught wind of this beforeing


    home.


    Cindy eagerly approached him with a smile. ¡°Tonight''s dinner was prepared by me, Bruce. Come and taste it."


    Bruce took a seat while Kate and Cindy took the two seats beside him. Cindy kept serving Bruce dishes, acting like a dutiful wife.


    I was the odd one out.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Bruce and Kate liked Cindy''s ¡°cooking¡± and were enjoying every bite. When the mushroom soup was served, Cindydled a bowl for Bruce. After


    taking a sip, he furrowed his brows unconsciously.


    "What''s wrong, Bruce?¡± Cindy observed worriedly.


    Kate noticed this and immediately ~


    nced at the soup. She narrowed


    her eyes slightly. '' ¡®Don''t you know


    Bruce dislikes the taste of oO


    mushrooms?"


    She sounded harsh and her expression turned unpleasant


    Cindy was at a loss and shot me a bewildered expression


    Of course, knew Bruce couldn''t


    stand th¨¦ taste of mushrooms. So I


    used.to add some herbs to cover up


    the taste. But I didn''t do it today.


    I quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, Aunt Kate. I forgot to put in the herbs.¡±


    Kate stared at me, dumbfounded. "Nance, you..."


    In her memories, I always treated Bruce''s preferences as if they were thew.


    I lowered my gaze and put on an innocent look.


    I caught Cindy¡¯ s smirk from the


    corner oftmy eyes. She must have¡±


    never thought that her performance


    tonig nt was far from enough and


    had to rely on me, the ex-wif¨¦, to


    complete the final act. Content


    b¨¦longs to  ~


    If only she knew I purposefully refrained from adding the herbs.


    After dinner, Cindy stayed behind to continue her little act, while I found an excuse to slip away.


    It was in the dead of night by the time I arrived at my ce. I finally discarded my facade andy quietly on the bed


    With tonight''s performance, Bruce must be even more reluctant to discard me, right?


    My phone rang abruptly. Seeing the caller ID, I couldn''t help but quirk a brow.


    Bruce was calling. Shouldn''t he be with Cindy at this hour?


    Filled with doubt, I nervously answered the call. "Hello, Mr. Harold.¡±


    "You did well tonight.¡± His voice was hoarse. "How should I reward you?"


    I was caught off guard and had to take a moment to process his words. "It was just a small favor. I''ll leave it to you, Mr. Harald."

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    Of course, I wouldn''t mind receiving more money.


    Before I could finish my sentence, a notification popped up on my phone. Bruce had transferred another twenty thousand dors to me.


    "You''re too kind, Mr. Harold. If you ever need..." I began.


    "Ms. Fisher, you should consider going into the film industry," Bruce interrupted me, "You''re quite a good actor.¡±


    My voice got caught in my throat. I thought I had put on a wless show, so how did Bruce see through it?


    ¡°You knew to omit the herbs from the mushroom soup. But why didn''t you change the way you prepared the fish?" Bruce questioned


    I had a specific way of cutting the fish, but I hadn''t expected Bruce to remember.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    The next day at work, Cindy brought me breakfast and praised me, "You''re the best, Nance. Mrs. Harold invited me to a floral arrangement session


    tonight. I''m so happy."


    I expected as much. I guessed Bruce''s generous reward of twenty thousand dors was also due to this.


    I reminded her, "Mrs. Harold''s favorite is Damask rose.¡±


    Cindy nodded and thanked me. "I''ll go prepare now.¡±


    Look at that. As long as the goals are aligned, an ex-wife and a current girlfriend could still get along as friends.


    But Caroline didn''t like where things were going. "Maybe I''m being petty. But if it were me. I wouldn''t be so generous.¡±


    I rolled my eyes at her. "Who was the one who said reputation and self-respect mean nothing in the face of materialistic wealth."


    Caroline pulled me into her embrace. "Take it slow, Nance. Go on dates, and if you don''t like them, find some friends with benefits instead."


    I sighed at Caroline''s sex-crazed mind.


    But not long after, I received a text from Dous. "Are you free tonight? A good detective movie just came out in the cinema. Want to watch it


    together?"


    I wasn''t very interested. But thinking of Caroline''s words, I changed my mind. I didn''t want her to think that I was sacrificing my dignity for the studio.


    So I asked Dous, "What time?"


    Dous immediately sent a voice message. "8:00 pm. I''lle pick you up."


    His cheerful tone was starkly different from the bleak winter outside. I calmly agreed to the invitation as I looked at the bare branches outside the


    window.


    Just as it was time to leave work,


    Caroline ? dragged me into the lift one


    insisted ? on having a drink withme.


    hurriedly stopped her. ¡®Sorry,4 have


    ns tonight."


    Caroline was surprised. "Who is it? Mr. Irvin?"


    I nodded and Caroline visibly rxed. "Well done, Nance. Also, don''t forget to put on protection.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, I


    heard a I gasp behind me. I turned:


    around-and saw Cindy covering her


    mouth in embarrassment. It was


    noreval for a naive girl like he? to be


    startled.


    -


    The three of us got off the lift. each with our own thoughts. Coincidentally, Dous was already waiting downstairs.


    The winter cold in Joddesdon and Saza was freezing. Dous was only wearing a simple jacket, paired with a ck turtle-necked sweater. He looked


    elegant but cold.


    At the same time, he was rubbing his hands together for warmth. It was quiteedic.


    "Isn''t that Mr. Irvin?" Cindy''s eyes sparkled and she eximed, "So, he¡¯s your date tonight.¡±


    Dous h¨¦ard themotion and.


    quickly walked towardus. He =<


    nced at me and said worriedly,


    ¡®It''s getting colder. Are you going to


    be.dkay with so little clothing?¡¯


    It''s fine," I observed Dous''s red nose from the cold. "Have you been waiting?¡±


    "Not really. I just arrived.¡± Dous smiled kindly.


    Cindy giggled at his words, "You''re so considerate, Mr. Irvin.¡±

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    When we arrived at the cinema, Dous looked at the couple''s seat and awkwardly scratched his head. "Sorry, I didn''t know..."


    Our seats were in the middle, and at that moment. all the other seats around us were filled with couples.


    Regardless, I put on a calm demeanor and said, "The movie''s about to start. Let''s sit down.¡±


    During the movie, Dous kept close to the edge of his seat, afraid to cross the boundary.


    I noticed this and felt a wave of bitterness washing over me


    I''d done such a stupid thing before toa, but the difference was that Dous did it unintentionally, while I did it deliberately years ago.


    I''d purposefully chosen a horror movie, and when the scariest part came, I intentionally snuggled into Bruce''s arms, hoping that the statuesque man


    would fall for me.


    But even until the end of the movie, Bruce didn''t make a single move and maintained his dignified and cold demeanor.


    However, in retrospect, Bruce was only indifferent toward me because I was the wrong person


    Just as I was lost in thought. I suddenly felt some warmth on my fingertips. Then, I looked down and realized that I had identally touched


    Dous''s hand while reaching for my hot drink.


    Dous paused, and surprise shed in his eyes as he looked at me.


    But just as I was about to exin myself to him, my phone vibrated, and I shifted my attention to it. Then, I took the opportunity to get up and left the


    theater.


    However, upon seeing the caller ID, I felt a little dumbfounded


    It was a call from Bruce. He probably had some instructions again.


    I pinched my brows before politely answering the call, "How may I help you at thiste hour, Mr. Harold?¡±


    Truth be told, it was only 9 pm. It could still be considered quite early.


    Bruce cleared his throat before mockingly saying, "I remember you were always rushing to catch thest train, Ms. Fisher. What''s with the change of


    routine tonight?¡¯


    I sighed and got straight to the point. "What can I do for you, Mr. Harold?"


    "It''s not a big deal. I just want you to help me set up a plugin on Facebook.¡± Bruce hummed


    So, it was about work.


    Iposed myself and asked, "What type of plugin?¡±


    "Something like a couple''s chat¡ªa ce where two people can upload their photos and videos.¡±


    Bruce sounded indifferent as he


    spoke, as Sif he were discussing the


    weather. But on my end, I suddenly


    found myself at a loss for words.


    A couple''s chat.


    That was once one of the hundred things I''d promised him.


    At the time felt that a blog was tea


    normal, and many functions


    required payment. So, I bit the bullet


    and Said that I wanted to create a


    unique couple''s chat just for us.


    And now, he was going to start one with Cindy.


    Suddenly, my heart was ripped to shreds.


    For a moment, I didn''t know whether to praise Bruce for being such a good boyfriend or to rudely curse him


    However, after thinking it through, I brushed it off as a mere coincidence.


    Besides, the past was in the past. How could a busy man like Bruce still remember my promise back then anyway?


    So, I asked, "What style are you looking for, Mr. Harold?"


    Bruce answered without any hesitation, "Something dreamy and romantic."


    The same lines as Cindy¡¯s¡ªit was clear he was doing it for her.


    "Aren''t you going to ask what I''ll be using it for, Ms. Fisher?" Bruce pressed on.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I chuckled. "Do I even need to ask? I''m sure it¡¯s obvious enough."


    "You''re as smart as ever, Ms. Fisher," Bruce murmured indifferently.


    "You tter me,¡± I replied tly.


    After receiving the task, I was about.


    to hang ap when I heard Bruce say,


    "By the way, keep this a secret for


    now-You can discuss the details


    with me directly.¡± Content.belongs ike)


    NovelDrama.Org -


    Wow, not only did Bruce want to steal my idea, but he also wanted to surprise Cindy.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    As expected, it wouldn''t be easy to cheat an investor.


    I hummed, "Of course, Mr. Harold.¡±


    And with that, I hung up the phone.


    Now. I''dpletely lost my mood to continue watching the movie.


    The next afternoon, Bruce texted me to ask about the progress of the plugin. So, I sent him a screenshot. Then, after a while, he replied, ¡°Come to


    Roevalter. We''ll discuss it in person.¡±


    He seemed quite serious about it, so I had no choice but to find an excuse to leave as soon as work ended


    Then, as I was headed toward the president''s office, I ran into John


    "I was wondering why Mr. Harold suddenly canceled tonight''s ns. Turns out he has an appointment with his wife.¡± John teased.


    Well, he got it wrong again.


    But did Bruce really have ns for tonight? It seemed like he was going to great lengths to prepare Cindy''s surprise.


    When I entered the office, Bruce was still working.


    I didn''t dare disturb him, so I sat alone in front of the coffee table and coded while I waited


    "How''s the progress?¡± A deep voice sounded beside me.


    I immediately looked up and was about to respond. However, I was caught off guard by how close Bruce was as he stood beside me, slightly bent


    over.


    We were so close that I could even see his stubble.


    His scent enveloped me, causing my heart to race uncontrobly.


    "I-I''ve sent both versions to your email," I stuttered.


    But Bruce showed no intention of leaving. "Show them to me."


    So, I had no choice but to open the webpage.


    However, Bruce wasn''t satisfied with what he saw. "It looks tacky.¡±


    I''d used the dreamy pink that Cindy liked and was sure that she''d be satisfied with it. So, I cautiously suggested, "Should we ask Ms. Lane for her


    opinion?¡±


    "No need,¡± Bruce said firmly. He then pointed at several buttons and plugins. "This and this. Change them to different colors.¡±


    Since the boss had spoken, I could onlyply.


    But when {presented the revised


    version:to Bruce, he furrowed hisx*


    brows:sligntly and said, "What about


    using gradient colors?" Content


    belongs to  >~


    -\


    What he said was simr to what I''d done in the first version I showed him.


    If I didn''t Know Bruce''s picky nature,


    from the start, I would''ve suspected


    that he was deliberately finding fault


    in. my work.


    Swnovel ~


    Fortunately, my skills were not for show. Yet, after dealing with these changes, it was alreadyte at night.


    "If there''s nothing else. I''ll be taking my leave now, Mr. Harold.¡± I said.


    "It''ste. I''ll drive you.¡± Bruce offered.


    I guessed that he wanted to see?


    Cindy aswell. But considering oury


    odd rtionship, I quickly made Up


    an excuse and said, "I need todrop


    by. thepany.¡± Content.belongs


    t6  7


    Then, I saw Bruce''s hand, which was holding the car keys, pause.


    After leaving Roeval, I breathed a sigh of relief. But when I opened my palms, I realized that they were coated with sweat.


    Bruce probably didn''t care about how others viewed him and didn¡¯t think to avoid suspicion with me.


    He had every right to do that, but I didn''t want to invite trouble either.


    So, the next morning, I lied to Bruce and said that I''d identally caught a cold and could only report the progress online.


    However, Bruce didn''t reply.


    Then, at night in the empty office. I happily tapped away at the keyboard with my mittens on.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    But all of a sudden, I heard the door opening


    I looked up and raised a brow in surprise.


    Bruce was here.


    I cleared my throat and pointed to Cindy''s office. "Ms. Lane has left for the day."


    But Bruce then stepped closer and ced a bottle of medicine in front of me. "I''m here for you, Ms. Fisher."


    I lowered my gaze and saw that it was a cough medicine.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    I hadn''t expected Bruce toe and bring me medicine sote at night.


    For a moment, I felt both bewildered and guilty. But then, considering our meager rtionship, it wouldn''t make sense for Bruce to go through all this


    trouble just for me. So, I guessed that it might be rted to the couple¡¯s chat.


    As I looked at the code I''d been happily working on, an inexplicable feeling of annoyance suddenly washed over me.


    I softly thanked Bruce for the medicine¡ªdeliberately avoiding the matter¡ªand politely said, "I''m not done with my code yet, so I won''t be sending you


    off, Mr. Harold."


    Basically, I was chasing him out.


    Bruce was taken aback.


    He stood rooted in his spot as his gaze swept over my mittens. He shot me a puzzled look. "Didn''t you tum the heater on?"


    The heater? Did he think this was Roeval Group?


    In old office buildings like ours, having air conditioning was miraculous enough, let alone a heater.


    I forced a smile. "I''m not cold."


    However, Bruce didn''t respond to me. Instead, he unexpectedly picked up a nearby office chair and sat down.


    I guessed that he wouldn''t leave until I showed him a satisfying product. So, I switched to the couple¡¯s chat and asked, "What other changes do you


    wish to make, Mr. Harold?"


    Bruce slid the office chair closer to me and nced at my work. ¡°The saturation isn¡¯t enough.¡±


    What a familiar line.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Unsurprised, I swiftly answered, "Give me ten minutes.¡±


    Bruce hummed and shifted his gaze to the bookshelf nearby. Then, at the next moment, his well-defined fingersnded on one of the books


    I heard him ask, "When did you be interested in detective novels?"


    I nced over and realized that Bruce was holding the detective novel that Dous had given me.


    I''d flipped through it a few times when things had gotten rough, but I didn¡¯t know how Bruce came to the conclusion that I''d be a fan of detective


    novels.


    I evaded the question. "The story is good, and the plot is interesting.¡±


    "Oh," Bruce hummed.


    Judging from hisme response, I wisely kept silent and focused on editing my code.


    Then,te ttto the night, neither of ?.


    us spoke again Only the sound of


    tapping on the keyboard and the¡±


    asionally flipping of pages could


    be heard i in the spacious office.


    It was both noisy and eerie


    After a while. I finallypleted the task and asked, "Is this okay, Mr. Harold?"


    "Let me see." Bruce slid the office chair, instantly closing the distance between us.


    Just as I moved the mouse. the light suddenly went out. followed by the monitor cking out.


    I sighed. "The power must have tripped. Let me have a look at it."


    I reminded Bruce to move aside, and after doing so, I tried to get up.


    However, I ended up identally putting my hands on Bruce''s warm ones.


    I quickly pulted away. But instantly,


    Bruce gripped my right hand back:


    Then, his fingers intertwined with


    mine tightly pressed against the


    backof my palm and snuglydfitting


    there. .


    -


    His hand was warm, and it was a sharp contrast to my icy, cold ones.


    I flushed red as I felt my breath growing erratic, and in the dim light, I saw Bruce''s Adam apple bobbing.


    We were too close.


    I awkwardly tried to pull my hand back. But suddenly, Bruce pulled me into his arms.


    Then, he tightly held onto my hands and ced them around his waist, as if it was only second nature to do so.


    Through the thin fabric, I could faintly feel the clear lines of his waist.


    In the next moment, Bruce''s scent washed over me and stirred up a sense of danger from within myself.


    Then, I anxiously called out to Bruce, my voice tinged with caution.


    "Your hands are cold.¡± Bruce''s voice,


    was a little hoarse, and he spoke.as


    if he was simply talking about the


    weather. '' ¡®Let''s warm them up."


    "No need for that.¡± I shook my head.


    However, Bruce ignored my response, and instead of letting me go, he held me even tighter.


    "Be a good girl, Nance.¡±

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    I felt my heart trembling, and I realized that I''d lost my strength to struggle too


    Suddenly, I remembered those two years.


    In that cold apartment, Bruce had carefully tucked my feet into his arms and said that he wanted to use his body heat to drive away the long winter


    nights for me.


    But in reality, it was just an excuse.


    What he really wanted to do was to do it with me throughout the night.


    And at this moment, just like when he did then, he seemed dangerous yet captivating.


    Suddenly, my phone rang


    It was Cindy.


    This hit me hard, and I was forced back to reality.


    "Mr. Harold, Ms. Lane is calling,¡± I reminded Bruce.


    At the mention of Cindy, Bruce finally loosened his embrace.


    Simultaneously, the light also miraculously turned back on, and its ring light seemed to illuminate all the awkwardness and embarrassment lurking


    in the dark.


    Cindy''s sobbing voice came through the receiver, "Bruce, I''m not feeling well right now. Can youe pick me up?"


    Bruce rubbed his temples and paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Send me the address."


    After hanging up the phone, Bruce hesitated. He looked like he wanted ta say something but didn''t know how to say it.


    I met his gaze and frankly said, ¡°You should go. Ms. Lane will be angry if you''rete."


    Bruce acted as if I''d said some absurd joke, and his gaze darkened.


    I calmly asked, "Is there anything else, Mr. Harold?"


    With a cold snort, Bruce quickly left.


    Then, the ce fell silent again, and only the sound of wind whistling through the dying branches could be heard


    The next morning, I unexpectedly received a call from a renovator saying that he wanted to make an appointment with me to install heaters in the


    office.


    I was puzzled, but after confirming the time with the renovator, I suddenly recalled the scene fromst night and immediately called Bruce.


    On the other end of the line, Bruce calmly said, "It''s too cold in Joddesdon and Saza. I don''t want any dys in the project."


    The renovator told me that the heater instation had been paid, and it wasn''t a small amount either.


    "You shouldn''t have, Mr. Harold." I chose my words carefully. "Our air conditioning works just fine.¡±


    "I just want Cindy to be morefortable while working. Why are you rejecting it, Ms. Fisher?" Bruce hummed


    So, he was worried about Cindy getting cold.


    Since he put it that way. I had to ept it. "Then let me thank you on everyone''s behalf, Mr. Harold.¡±


    After hanging up, I sighed softly. Then. when I turned around, I saw Cindy standing behind me.


    Our eyes met, and I could see the suspicion in her gaze.


    She was the one whe broke the silence. "Was that Bruce on the phone, Nance?¡±


    I nodded.


    Cindy''s frown deepened. Then, she


    walked over and toyed with the cup


    in her hands. ¡°In order to mend the


    rtignship between Mrs. Harold


    and-ine, I''m sure Bruce had asked


    yotrfor plenty of favors.¡± Content


    b¨¦longs to  ~


    But I didn''t respond to her and simply waited for her to continue.


    As expected, she continued, saying, "Nance, did Brucee looking for you at thepanyst night?"


    Her tone was probing yet confident.


    I was taken aback by her questionContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Then, Cindy added, "Don¡¯t get me wrong. Nance. I just happened to see Bruce''s GPS log and saw that he was here. But


    She pausedand continued, "My


    guess is: that he came to ask for


    your help in mediating the -


    rtionship between Mrs. Harold


    and me, right?¡±


    What a kind way of putting it.


    I, amere paid worker, had be a noble peacemaker.


    I calmly replied, "Actually, Mr. Harold was preparing a surprise for you."


    Cindy quirked a brow. "Really?"


    I''d been worrying about exining the heaters to everyone, but now, I had an answer.


    ¡®Mr. Harold¡¯came to discuss a


    installing heaters I in the studio," =


    lookedCindy straight in the oe ¡°to


    prevent Ms. Lane from gettin ga


    colt." ...?


    NovelDrama.Org -


    Cindy''s gloomy face finally lifted. "Really? Bruce never told me."


    ¡°It''s a surprise, after all," I said tly.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    After listening to my exnation, Cindy happily called Bruce up


    Through the ss door, her sweet and cheerful voice could be clearly heard. It was starkly different from her demeanor with me earlier.


    Meanwhile, I couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief, as if I had narrowly escaped death.


    Thankfully, nothing chaotic happened. Otherwise, it would''ve hindered my road to sess.


    As expected, when I sent the couple''s chat updates to Bruce, he decisively transferred another twenty thousand dors to me.


    Then, as the winter wind howled outside, I called up my uncle, Jackson.


    "My sry came in. Come over tomorrow. I want to buy Aunt Tina some new clothes."All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Jackson adored Tina. So naturally, he wouldn''t refuse to buy her new clothes.


    Hence, we arranged to meet at the mall.


    Unfortunately, not long after, Kate called


    "Nance, I''m out of skincare products. Do you have time to apany me to the mall tomorrow?"


    I told her the truth and said, "Sorry, Aunt Kate. I already have ns.¡±


    Kate sighed in disappointment. "Fine. Maybe next time then.¡±


    Then, she immediately hung up. She probably thought that I rejected her invite on purpose and was unhappy about it.


    In the past, I would have been quick tofort her. But it wouldn''t be appropriate now.


    The next morning, I arrived at the mall as agreed and strolled through the men''s and children¡¯s sections.


    Then, I chose a brown men''s jacket and paid for it.


    However, as I turned around, I saw Maeve and Cindy behind me.


    Maeve''s memory was good, and she


    greeted r nie with a smile. Meanwhile,


    Cindy. walked over and curiously¡±


    asked, "Are you picking out a coat


    for. Mr. Irvin, Nance?¡± Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~~


    I smiled but didn''t say anything.


    Just as I was about to leave, Maeve piped up and said, "Do you have children, Ms. Fisher?¡±


    I was surprised.


    When I turned to Maeve, I noticed that her sharp eyes were focused on the children¡¯s clothing bag in my hand


    ¡°It''s for my niece,¡± I murmured.


    "Your heart is as beautiful as you look, Ms. Fisher," Maeve said.


    But I didn''t pay much attention to her. And since it was almost time to meet with Jackson, I exchanged a few pleasantries and left.


    Then, I overheard Maeve and Cindy''s conversation.


    ¡°You''re so beautiful, Cindy. Plus, Bruce is a talented young man. I''m sure your babies will be extraordinary..."


    Cindy whined softly, "Stop it, Mom. We haven''t reached that stage yet."


    ¡®It''s just a matter of time. I''m telling.


    you¡ª you have to put in some effort


    and speed things up. Besides, men


    are known to have affairs. ¡°Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org =


    Maeve was brave to be this blunt out in public.


    After all, even a seemingly serious man like Bruce had needs.


    Was Bruce only entertaining me because he couldn''t bear the thought of hurting Cindy?


    Suddenly, I remembered about the power outagest night and smiled wryly.


    Half an hourter, I anxiously called Jackson from the mall entrance. He couldn''t find the ce.


    ¡°Don''t worry and stay where you are. I''lle find you." I sighed


    There wagvan event at the mall, and,


    it had attracted a crowd, Not to .~


    mention, Jackson was new around


    here and was bound to getvost.

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    I instantly regretted meeting Jackson here, and the more I thought about it, the more ufortable I felt.


    Then, as I walked down the esctor, I wasn''t paying attention and missed a step.


    Suddenly, I twisted my ankle, and a sharp pain shot up from my foot.


    I furrowed my brows tightly as I bit back the pain and descended the esctor.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    At that moment, Jackson called again, but the voice belonged to someone else.


    "Yes, I''m at Entrance Three now. Could you please..." I began.


    "Nancy?" A surprised voice came through the receiver, "It''s me, Dous.¡±


    To my surprise, the person flustering around helping Jackson was Dous.


    A while after we finally met up, Jackson gratefully said to me, "He helped me... He''s a great young man.¡±


    Meanwhile, Dous patiently listened, not minding Jackson''s stutters.


    He smiled gently. "You were great too, sir. But remember to check the floor numbers next time.


    I exined to Jackson, "Dous and I were ssmates."


    Jackson looked pleasantly surprised. "It¡¯s... It''s fate.¡±


    Dous told me that he was apanying his cousin on a shopping trip and unexpectedly ran into Jackson in the parking lot.


    Apparently, Jackson had been stuck in the basement


    Jackson nced at me before turning to Dous. "Nance, he... he helped me... Let''s... treat him to some food.¡±


    It was only natural to do so, so I immediately asked Dous for his opinion.


    Dousughed heartily. ¡°Well, I am a bit hungry. I''ll ept your offer then.¡±


    Hence, we went to a nearby restaurant.


    At the restaurant, Dous was considerate and asked for Jackson''s opinion about the food. He¡¯d even ordered a cup of tea for him


    Jackson wasn''t a tea lover, but he held the cup and smiled at Dous''s kindness. At first, he was a bit awkward, but as Dous chatted with him, he


    gradually rxed


    It was a kind of inferiorityplex


    that someone with a lower status


    unconsciously showed when o


    encountering someone of a higher


    statug~But Dous handled it~:


    gracefully, easing Jackson¡¯ Se ~~


    embarrassment with his actions.


    I was quite moved by this.


    Then, wherDous heard that we


    were going to buy new clothes for


    my aunt, # Tina, he happily joined: in."


    also want to buy a coat for my


    mottter. Nancy, you have to Help me


    pick one outter." Content:belongs


    to¡° -


    I nodded. "I hope you don''t find my taste too old-fashioned, Mr. Irvin.¡±


    So, after the meal, the three of us went to the women''s section.


    Jackson then picked out a tender pink jacket for Tina. "Her skin is as fair as yours," he exined shyly, like a young man in love. "It will definitely look


    good on her.¡±


    Tina was already 49 years old this year, but in Jackson''s eyes, she would always be young and lovely.


    My nose prickled. "Let''s buy this then.¡±


    "Don''t you want to try it on, Nancy?" Dous asked.


    I had no intention of buying clothes, so I declined, saying. "You should pick one for Mrs. Irvin."


    Dous seemed to understand my thoughts and said hesitantly, "Her body shape is simr to yours. Could you please try it on for me?"


    Naturally, I wouldn''t refuse to help.


    Dous had chosen an elegant light brown coat. The coat was soft and was made from an expensive fabric.


    I sneakily nced at the price tag and saw it was over ten thousand dors.


    It was fitting for someone of Dous''s status.


    Then, as I came out of the fitting


    room, the salesperson


    enthusiastically approached us. =>


    iss, your boyfriend has a goods~


    eye. Icheven thought you were@


    celesrity from how good yourtook I in


    this ¡® ~


    swnovel.


    "


    But before I could exin myself, a familiar voice chimed in, "Look, Aunt Kate. Isn''t that Nance and Mr. Irvin?"


    I raised my gaze and immediately saw the trio across from us¡ªBruce, Cindy, and Kate.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    I wasn''t surprised to see Cindy again. But I didn''t expect Bruce and Kate to be with her too.


    I also remembered that Bruce wasn''t fond of shopping. So, much less could be said of helping the two women with their shopping bags.


    Hence, seeing Bruce with them took me aback, yet it was still within my expectations at the same time.


    Since I''d seen them now, I couldn''t avoid greeting them. Although I wasn''t particrly happy about it


    Kate nced at Dous and Jackson beside me and gasped knowingly. "So, Dous was the one whe you had ns with." She sounded


    displeased


    That was when I remembered her invitation over the phonest night


    She must have misunderstood.


    However, before I could exin, Cindy''s sweet voice chimed in, saying, "Look, Aunt Kate. Nance looks even more elegant in this new coat."


    With just a few words, she effortlessly shifted everyone''s attention to me.


    I was about to exin myself when Bruce suddenly said, "Do you like it?¡±


    He was asking for Cindy''s opinion


    Cindy nced at me before turning back to Bruce. "I just think this vintage-style coat is charming. It''s simple andfortable. A rare coat indeed."


    Bruce swept his gaze over me before focusing on Cindy again. Then, he gently said, "Then give it a try."


    As soon as he spoke, the enthusiastic salesperson suddenly hesitated. "I''m sorry, sir. But this coat is our store''s gship product, and there''s only one


    left."


    Upon hearing this, Cindy lowered her gaze and whispered, "Then forget it, Bruce. I''m not that fond of it anyway."


    How understanding.


    Perhaps her kindness had touched Bruce''s heart, because he stubbornly asked the salesperson, "Has it been paid for?"


    His question was straightforward and domineering, and I caught on immediately.


    If I was hearing it right. Bruce wanted to secure the coat for his dear Cindy.


    I was speechless. I didn''t expect Bruce to act so gracelessly.


    The salesperson had a sharp eye, ~~


    and uponseeing Bruce''s expensive


    suit and our modest attire, the c>


    salesperson asked me, ¡®Whabdo you


    think, miss?"


    -


    And just like that. they conveniently left the decision to me.


    "Please wrap it up," Dous suddenly interjected with a hint of displeasure in his tone. "Sorry, Bruce, but we''ll take the coat."


    It was a rare disy of assertiveness. But I understood.


    After all, no one would wish to have the gift they''d gone to great lengths for to be snatched right under their nose.


    It was firste, first served


    But Bruce seemed determined to win Cindy''s favor. So, he stepped forward and stared at the salesperson. "Why don¡¯t you give the manager a call?¡±


    Considering Kate''s love of shopping,


    she could eabily be a returning


    customerAnd after taking into


    ount Bruce¡¯ s reputation in _>


    Joddesdon and Saza over the past


    two-years, it would be a cakewalk for


    hin to secure the coat. Content


    belongs to  ?


    ~~


    Xu


    SS


    But was it necessary to go to such lengths for it?


    Dous frowned. "Bruce, you ~


    shouldn''t take the bread out of


    another''s mouth." He still wanted to


    reason with Bruce, who was already


    deep i in the throes of love. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~~


    Bruce snorted. "Mr. Irvin, you haven''t paid for the item. I don''t think you have the right to talk here."


    As expected of an economics student, he had to twist words into his favor.


    Then, Jackson, who was usually silent, couldn''t bear it anymore and angrily huffed, "You''re stirring up a ho''s nest.¡±


    For once, he didn''t stumble over his words, and his hands by his sides were clenched


    He stared daggers at Bruce, and the atmosphere suddenly tensed.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Upon seeing this, Cindy shot me a guilty look. "I''m sorry, Nance. We didn''t mean to take from you. Bruce just wanted me to try it out. If you like it, I... I


    won''t try it on.¡±


    She lowered her head, and tears began to form in her eyes.


    Meanwhile, Kate remained silent throughout.


    Feeling the slight pain in my ankle, I couldn''t help but furrow my brow at Dous. "It''s a bit tight around the waist and doesn''t feelfortable to


    wear.¡±


    I was speaking the truth, but I was also hinting at him to let this matter go


    Dous paused. "Then let''s look around a little more.¡±


    With thispromise, the farce ended.


    As we left the store, I heard Cindy whining from behind, "I have plenty of clothes. Don''t waste your money, Bruce. Pick something for Aunt Kate."


    She was acting like an understanding woman. No wonder Bruce was willing to please her even when it meant taking a blow on his reputation.


    After the incident, none of us felt like continuing to shop.


    Then, when Jackson saw the many bags that Jackson was carrying, he insisted on giving him a ride.


    After getting out of the car, Jackson looked despondent and hesitated before asking, "Nance, are you still in contact with the Harold family?¡±


    It seemed like he''d recognized Kate even though they''d only met once.


    But Kate clearly had no impression of him.


    I didn''t want to worry Jackson and lied, saying, "Not really."


    "Is that so?" Jackson obviously didn''t believe me.


    So, I quickly forced a smile. ¡°Don''t worry. I know what I''m doing."


    Jackson didn''t say much more after that. But before leaving, I noticed the anxiety and unease hidden in his gaze.


    Suddenly, I felt like a jerk.


    When the car arrived at the residential area, Dous unexpectedly stopped in front of the pharmacy. "Give me five minutes."


    He then hurriedly got out of the car without an exnation.


    Then, when he returned, he was holding a bottle of anti-inmmatory medication.


    He handed them to me. "You should apply some.¡± He was looking at my ankle with concern as he spoke.


    I didn''t know when he''d noticed my


    injury. After all, I''d keptit a secretto


    avoid worrying Jackson. Not ta">


    mention, I was also wearing pants


    longenough to cover the short


    beats.


    -


    I softly thanked Dous, embarrassed to roll up my pants in front of him


    However, Dous didn''t notice this, and when he saw my hesitation, he leaned over and lifted the cuffs of my pants.


    His expression froze. ¡°How did you manage to endure it until now?"


    Looking down, I saw that my ankle had dramatically swollen.


    I coughed awkwardly. "I''m almost home. I''ll take care of it myself."


    Dous paused for a moment before sighing. Then, he brought me back to my ce and patiently helped me to the door.


    "You shouldice itand apply the ~~


    medicinevater. And don''t move.


    around-too much," he reminded me.


    ¡®Callime immediately if anything


    happens.¡± Content belongs. to


    Dous was considerate enough not toe in, and his gentlemanly disy left a good impression on me.


    10 minutester, I sat on the couch icing my ankle and doing some work.


    Then, when I refreshed my Facebook feed, I unintentionally saw Cindy''s post.


    "I felt like a princess surrounded by her loved ones."


    Attached tothe text was a picture of


    a bunch of branded gifts,and _<*


    among them, I immediately spotted


    a. familiar shopping bag. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org -Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    It seemed that Bruce had indeed bought the coat for Cindy.

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    However, I wasn''t surprised and didn''t dwell on it.


    After all, Cindy was born under a lucky star.


    Yet, I didn''t expect to see Cindy chatting with Vanessa with the coat on when I returned to work on Monday.


    Cindy smiled as if she was disying some kind of trophy. "It still cost thirteen thousand dors even after the discount. I didn''t think it was worth it,


    but Bruce said that it looked good on me and paid for it without question. I can''t even return it now."


    Vanessa looked envious. "Wow! When will I find a handsome and rich boyfriend like Mr. Harold? Oh, please bless me with one someday."


    I couldn¡¯t help but stare at Cindy.


    How should I putit... I didn''t agree with Bruce''s taste.


    Cindy was petite and cute and was more suited for a cuter style of clothes. But that vintage coat, coupled with Cindy''s looks, only came across as


    awkward and out of ce.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Well, Bruce was rich after all.


    "Oh, Nance is here.¡± Cindy noticed me and walked over with a warm smile. "I wanted to apologize to you over the phonest night. But it waste.


    and I didn''t want to disturb your rest.¡±


    I was puzzled. "Apologize for what?¡±


    Cindy toyed with the belt of her coat and shyly muttered, "It''s about the coat. I actually feel quite sorry about it.¡±


    She felt sorry? Then why did she wear it to work with such a bright smile.


    I smiled. "You''re overthinking it, Ms. Lane. There''s plenty of choices in the mall. I could always find another one.¡±


    And the same went for men too.


    Just then, Caroline appeared out of nowhere and swept her gaze over Cindy. "That looks vintage. When did you change your style, Ms. Lane?"


    Cindy happily nced at the cor of her coat. But before she could answer, Caroline continued, "Something cuter would''ve fit you better. You look


    like an old woman in that.¡±


    Cindy''s smile froze.


    After returfing to the office, I NS


    nced & at Caroline. "That coat coat


    over tef thousand dors. But you


    made ¡®it sound like it was only worth


    petinies." Content belongs.to


    Caroline chuckled. "Have you forgotten? I used to be an honored guest of the blue bloods."


    Indeed, although Caroline''s clothes were not of thetest season, any piece of hers was worth seven to eight times that of Cindy''s.


    Now. inparison, it seemed that Brue wasn''t that generous after all. And suddenly. I didn''t feel as frustrated about it as before.


    However, in the afternoon, I received a call from Kate.


    "Nance, I happened to be passing by. Would you like to have a cup of coffee together?¡±


    It sounded like a friendly invitation. But I could tell that it was anything but.


    Knowing that I couldn''t avoid her forever, I epted the invitation


    At the cafe, Kate sat at a seat by the window.


    She wore a light brown mink coat that put her elegance on full-disy, truly living up to her status as a wealthy wife.


    "You''re here, Nance,¡± Kate greeted me.


    "Do you need something, Aunt Kate?" I got straight to the point.


    Kate didn¡¯ texpect the bluntness.


    Then, shehanded me a Chanel bag


    and said," I saw it while shopping


    yesterday and thought the color


    would suit you well. So, I bowght you


    one."  ..


    I nced at it.


    It was a ck Chanel 2.55¡ªa ssic


    bag that went well with most outfits.


    A second-hand model such as this


    could: Leasily be sold for twenty to


    thirtythousand dors, let alone a


    brad new one.


    NovelDrama.Org <

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    I didn''t know how Kate had concluded that the bag would suit me well. So, I lightly shook my head. "Aunt Kate, I can¡¯t possibly ept such an


    expensive gift."


    Kate''s expression froze, and she pursed her lips awkwardly.


    After a while. she finally sighed. "Nance, are you nning to settle down in Joddesdon and Saza?"


    "What do you mean, Aunt Kate?" I asked


    Kate picked up her coffee cup and sipped it. "I didn''t recognize your uncle at the mall yesterday.¡±


    I suddenly understood what she meant, and in that instant, my heart dropped.


    Perhaps it was because we had been getting along rtively well recently that I almost forgot that we were never on the same side.


    "Nance, I didn''t mean anything by it. I just wanted to say that since we''re all residents here, if I can help in any way..."


    "Mrs. Harold,¡± I coldly interrupted Kate, ¡°I''m sorry, but I have to go back to work."


    Kate would never understand that even though we were poor, we didn''t need her cheap pity.


    I then went around the building a few times before finally returning to thepany.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    But unfortunately, I bumped into Bruce at the lift.


    Bruce''s brows were tightly furrowed, and his jawline was tense, giving him a strong air.


    But this could only mean that he was in a bad mood


    Looking at the time, I guessed that he was here to pick Cindy up from work. But I couldn''t tell which button would push Bruce over the edge.


    This mother-and-son duo really knew how to make trouble for others.


    Nevertheless, I forced myself to say hello to him


    However, Bruce merely hummed indifferently without even ncing at me. It was clear that he didn''t want to converse with me.


    So, after getting on the lift, I tactfully stood behind Bruce, hoping to blend into the background.


    Neither of us spoke.


    Then, just when I thought I could have a moment of peace, Bruce suddenly said, "Doesn''t it feel ironic?"


    His question came out of nowhere, leaving me puzzled and unable to form an answer.


    Observing my silence, Bruce repeated, "Doesn''t it feel ironic to seduce another man in the same room you did it with your ex in?¡±


    He sounded calm, yet it felt like a p in the face.


    For a moment, I couldn''t find the right words to respond, so I simply stood there silently.


    But soon, I understood what Bruce was getting at¡ªhe was using me of seducing men back to the apartment we used to share.


    It wasn''t hard to guess that he had.


    seen Dous sending me home ast


    night. After all, Cindy lived upstairs,


    SO itwasn''t surprising for hirmto


    have witnessed the ordeal. Content


    belongs to  ~~


    I guessed he''d misunderstood my rtionship with Dous.


    If it were ipthe past, I might have ~~


    exinedmyself. But now, it only.


    felt like-an invisible hand was tightly


    gripping my heart, renderings me


    breathless.


    Who was Bruee to criticize me?


    As I thought of this, I clenched my fists and looked up. ¡°It seems like you''re focusing on the wrong things, Mr. Harold."


    Shouldn''t he be more concerned about Cindy?


    Bruce turned around and stared at me with a cold gaze. ¡°Nancy Fisher, you sure think highly of yourself." His tone was unreservedly mocking.


    clenched my jaw, refusing to back.


    down. "Yeu were using the wrong


    words,Mr. Harold. And I think it?s


    my responsibility to set you Aight," I


    retorted. Content belongs. to


    NovelDrama.Org


    However, Bruce didn''t understand where I was getting at and merely remained silent, the light above him only enting his cald features further.


    But I''d had enough of him and spoke frankly, "You were never an ex, Bruce. Never."

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    I was speaking the truth. But Bruce''s frown only deepened.


    Just then, the lift door opened, and I feigned a calm demeanor and walked out.


    But suddenly, Bruce grabbed my wrist and pulled me backward.


    "Say that again, Nancy Fisher," he grunted hoarsely and urgently, giving off an inexplicable sense of grievance.


    I took a deep breath and said, "I''m just stating the facts. Am I wrong, Mr. Harold?¡±


    "You..." Bruce began


    "Bruce," Cindy suddenly interrupted.


    Bruce paused before immediately letting go of me.


    Then, Cindy jogged up to Bruce and affectionately hugged his arm. "I sent you a message. Didn''t you see it?¡±


    Bruce hummed, the anger on his face fading, and his expression returning to normal.


    It was as if I had imagined the confrontation.


    ¡°You seemed engrossed in your chat with Nance. What were you talking about?¡± The topic suddenly shifted to me.


    I met Cindy''s doe eyes and muttered calmly, "Nothing much. We were just discussing the use of words."


    ¡°Really?¡± Cindy turned to Bruce. "Are you also interested in this area, Bruce?¡±


    "I finally found you, Nance.¡± Caroline stood at the door, giving me a knowing look.


    Grateful, I hurried to her office.


    "What''s wrong? He didn''t seem to be in a good mood today.¡± Caroline said.


    She was always good at observations.


    I sighed. "I''m to me for my thirst for knowledge."


    "What?" Caroline was confused.


    "Mr. Harold taught me a bit of economics yesterday. So, I returned the favor by teaching the art of words to him today.¡± I exined indifferently.


    Caroline sighed and pouted. ¡°Is this how you nerdsmunicate?¡±


    It seemed we were getting off track, and I had more to learn.


    Observing my silence, Caroline handed me a gilded, red envelope.


    "Mr. Fowler is-holding a business


    banquet at the Vienna Winery the


    day after tomorrow, and many


    industry big shots will be there.


    Then, she paused before continuing,


    "Stack, whom you admire, will also


    beattending.¡±


    4


    -~


    Xu


    mS


    I was shocked. "As in the world-renowned software engineer, Stack Wilson?"? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    "Yes." Caroline smiled at me. "Feeling better now?"


    My heart skipped a beat, and I was too excited to speak.


    Stack was a world-ss software engineer whom I had admired since my college days


    And the amazing thing about him was that he didn''t need a debugger. Just by scanning the code, he could expose any errors within it.


    It would be my greatest honor to meet him


    So, I spent the whole night preparing the technical questions I wanted to discuss with Stack


    Somehow, news of the banquet reached Cindy.


    The next naorning, she texted in the,


    group, ¡®Caroline, I heard that we alSo


    received an invitation from Helix


    Group. Can I tag along tornorrow


    night?" .


    She even sent an emoji to highlight her yfulness.


    Caroline wasn''t a petty person. Butit


    was unfortunate that the invitation¡¯


    clearlyStated that eachpany


    was.only allowed to bring one key


    person. Content belongs ta


    NovelDrama.Org 7

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    Helix Group was a big corporation, so they were particr about their rules and regtions.


    Since they had already stated it, it meant that there would be personnel conducting strict screening. Thus, there was no way that Caroline could take


    Cindy with her.


    So, Caroline called Cindy and me te the office to exin this to us


    "Ms. Lane, it''s a shame we can''t participate in this party together. Don¡¯t worry, though. There will be plenty of parties in the future. We can take part


    together next time.¡±


    Cindy lowered her gaze and whispered, "I understand."


    After that, Cindy left the office looking disappointed.


    Then, I thought of how Bruce would be distressed if he saw this.


    Caroline also noticed this and remarked, "I''m sure this won''t be thest time I''ll be hearing about this."


    I looked toward her, and when our gazes met, Caroline added, "Cindy brought this up in our work group. Let''s not forget that Bruce is also inside it.¡±


    I understood what Caroline was saying¡ªshe thought that Cindy did it on purpose.


    I started to feel a bit uneasy.


    However, sometimes, what one feared most was simply bound to happen.


    When it was almost time to get off work, Caroline sent a screenshot of the conversation between her and John


    "Mr. Harold wants you to find a way to bring Ms. Lane to tomorrow''s party."


    Although John wasn''t straightforward about it, Caroline and I both knew what he meant behind it.


    Only two people could go to the party. Thus, Bruce wanted Caroline to choose between me and Cindy.


    Caroline furiously roared, "I could normally overlook how biased he is to her. But tomorrow''s a special asion. And as a student who hasn''t even


    graduated yet, what right does she have to participate in it? Is Bruce blinded by lust?"


    So, Caroline rejected John''s proposal.


    "As thepany president, I''m sure I have the final say in this matter."


    I knew she felt it was unfair for me


    However, I knew Bruce wouldn''t give up until he achieved his goal.


    Seared that he might take it out on Caroline, I took the initiative to call him


    "Yes, Ms. Fisher?"Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I hesitated for two seconds before asking, "Are you free to meet up? I have something to discuss about tomorrow''s party.¡±


    Bruce paused for a moment before stating. "Address." It seemed he wasn''t willing to say a word more from how concise his answer was.


    So, I set the ce at the coffee shop Kate and I met yesterday.


    Half an hourter, I sat before Bruce.


    His expression was gloomy as he


    rejected the menu being handed. Rv)


    him. He said straightforwardly,.t


    only I have ten minutes. I need to go


    ¨¦mpany Cindy to choose¡¯a


    dress.¡± _~


    -


    I got choked up on my words after hearing that. It seemed that Bruce left no room for negotiation for me.


    Observing my silence, he furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "What? What do you want to say?¡±


    I advised, "Given your distinguished status, I''m sure it''s not a hard job for you to get Cindy into a party, right?"


    Bruce looked at me indifferently. "I told you I don¡¯t want her to be gossiped about.¡±


    I gripped the handle of my cup to keep calm. Then, I spoke frankly, "Are you determined to have me give the attending opportunity to Ms. Lane?"


    ¡°You''re not giving to her. I''m sure you understand that it''s up to the person in charge to decide who gets the opportunity."


    The persopin charge he was ~


    referring to was himself. And I knew


    that if Caroline and I acted against


    his wishes, Bruce had tons afways


    ta. force us toply. Content


    belongs to  ~~


    Not wanting to jeopardize the future


    of ourpany over such a trivial


    matter (raised my eyebrows and


    forced smile. "Since you''ve already


    made up your mind, let''s talk¡¯about


    the-price."


    NovelDrama.Org -

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    When I brought up money, Bruce¡¯s expression was no longer calm. Instead, he furrowed his eyebrows deeply.


    I tried to look calm. "What? Are you not willing to spend any?"


    When Bruce lifted his gaze. I saw that it was filled with mockery. "Nancy, do you not understand? I told you this opportunity isn''t given..."


    "The chance was mine." I had long abandoned my moral boundaries and said indifferently. ¡°Think about it¡ªwhat choice do you have if Ms. Whittaker


    insists on bringing me to the party? If word got out in the end, people would only think Ms. Lane was being troublesome. It might even tarnish her


    reputation.¡±


    Bruce narrowed his eyes and unhappily replied, ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    "I wouldn''t dare,¡± I said humbly as I took a sip of my coffee. "If I recall correctly, part of the graduation assignment includes an evaluation from the


    internship employer.


    "I''m sure you know what to do, right?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Bruce seemed to instantly turn cold


    His naturally indifferent demeanor now gave off an even more forbidding air, and it would make anyone scared.


    Although I was also scared, I knew Bruce didn''t want to see a scene where both sides suffered losses.


    Now. I was simply betting on how important Cindy was to Bruce.


    After a long while. I heard him speak, "How much do you want?¡±


    Indeed, he still cared about her.


    Despite winning, I still felt a sense of bitterness in my heart.


    Nevertheless, I calmly replied, "It''s not the first time we''re partnering up. You can pay as you see fit."


    I had lost my dignity and the chance to meet my idol. So, the least I could do was get some money forpensation


    After that, Bruce took out his phone and tapped heavily on his screen, showcasing how unwilling he was.


    "You have received one hundred thousand dors."


    My notification snapped me back to reality, and at the next second, I received suspicious nces from the people around us


    But I was as stunned as they were.


    It was one hundred thousand, after all.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    This time, Bruce really suffered a huge loss for Cindy.


    He sneered. "Are you satisfied now? I''m sure you''ll know how to tell Cindy about this, right?¡±


    My fleeting pleasure brought by money disappeared in an instant.


    I stared at Bruce and replied, "Of... Of course.¡±


    I realized that my voice was trembling when the words left my mouth.


    As I watched Bruce leave, I took out my phone.


    When I counted the zeroes in my bank ount, I felt like I was dreaming.


    I should be happy.


    At least, Caroline wouldn''t be caught in the middle anymore, and I could use this chance to purchase a car.


    I''d been wanting to buy a car anyway.


    Traveling to Joddesdon from Saza


    was way.too cold. And if Ihad a car,


    my uncle wouldn''t need to endure


    thevold to get on the subway.


    After Caroline heard about this, she


    happily said, "That''s right! You''re.the


    manager of the IT department, 80


    you should at least have a cars! lI


    bringyou to choose one tomorrow


    mening.¡± Content belongs. to


    NovelDrama.Org -


    I happily agreed.


    However, I didn''t expect Caroline to bring me to BMW.


    As I looked at the staff''s expectant look, I whispered, "I only want to purchase a car for around a hundred thousand.¡±


    However, Caroline seemed displeased. "Do I seem that poor?¡±


    After saying that, Caroline nced at the staff. "Drive over the red car."


    Looking at the price, I noticed that it cost almost 30 thousand for the lowest spec.


    Then, Caroline forced me into the driver''s seat.


    Although the color of the car was a bit striking, driving it still felt pleasant.


    Caroline seemed pleased too as she


    advised"! thought it suited you at?


    first nce. Nance, the warm red


    should be your color." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org >


    I lowered my gaze. "I can¡¯t afford it."


    Caroline burst intoughter. "Don''t worry. I''ll top up the rest. Ourpany still offers some perks."

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    In the end, I couldn''t persuade Caroline otherwise.


    And as such, I could only carefully drive the BMW back to the office.


    After heading inside, Caroline reminded me, "As a newbie, you need time to get used to driving. You should get off earlier these days and find a ce


    with fewer cars to train.


    "Right. You can also ask Mr. Irvin to go with you."


    "Huh?"


    Caroline raised her eyebrows and replied, "You guys have the same car."


    It was no wonder I felt a sense of familiarity when I got in the car.


    I wanted to say something else but stopped after seeing Cindy happily leaving the pantry.


    When our gazes met, Cindy suppressed her happiness and whispered, ¡°You''re back."


    "Yup."


    "Bruce told me that something urgent came up for you. That''s why you couldn''t make it to the party tomorrow. Is that right?¡±


    After she said that, everyone turned their attention to me.


    Meanwhile, Caroline''s expression darkened.


    My tone was soft as I replied, "That''s right. I''ll have to trouble you to attend the party tomorrow with Ms. Whittaker.¡±


    After Cindy got my confirmation, she grinned and humbly replied, "Don''t worry. I''ll definitely do my best."


    I thought Cindy was quite interesting.


    Bruce and Caroline were the ones giving her the opportunity. Yet, she was thanking me for it.


    "Oh. Did you buy a new car?" Vanessa poked her head over. Then, she stared at the car keys in my hand and sighed. "It''s a BMW too.¡±


    I didn''t pay her any heed.


    However, when I nced over to Cindy, she was staring at the car keys in my hand too. Then, a displeased look shed through her eyes.


    But when I looked over again, she had returned to normal and smiled, saying "With her sry, a BMW is nothing to her."


    Cindy spoke quite highly of me. But she didn''t know that it was all thanks to her that I had the downpayment for the car.


    I didn''t manage to hide this from Caroline though.


    After that. she called me to the office and said in exasperation, ¡°You sold your dignity for a mere hundred thousand?"


    Iforted her, saying. "At least I got some money. Perhaps Bruce will wake up one day and invest more in us."


    Caroline was furious. "I don''t care. The car is on him. If he dares to disagree, I''ll immediately fire Cindy!"


    I was quite impressed with the way Caroline did things


    Then, after work, I called Lilian to ask about driving.


    She was the first in our ss to get.


    a driver''s license. Not to mentions


    \


    she was a good driver too, and this


    helped her earn her bosses¡® respect.


    "You asked the right person. I know where it is. Just wait there for me.¡±


    Without another word, Lilian drove her motorbike to ourpany.


    "It''s the same model as Dous¡¯. You always have good taste." Lilian stared at the BMW.


    I facepalmed and exined, "Ms. Whittaker was the one who chose it."Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Lilian smiled ambiguously. ¡°Okay. Let''s go and train!"


    Lilian then miraculously led me to a driving school.


    We chatted while training, and when


    the party the next day was brought


    up, Lilian giggled. "You should wear


    the gown from before. I''m sure you''ll


    wood a lot of people." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    I sighed and said, "I can''t attend the party tomorrow."


    But I didn''t mention Cindy and only exined that there weren''t enough slots.


    "You should have told me earlier. Helix Group and Nicox University set up a joint venture office. I think Dous might still have slots."


    Dous didn''t tell me about this. But I''d already troubled him sa many times, so I didn''t feel like it was right to do it again


    Then, just.as I was about to reject ~


    her suggestion, I heard Lilian saying,


    "How could you do this, Dous?


    Arent you going to help Nancy? She


    cari attend the party!" Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    Her call had already gone through.


    Dous felt a bit speechless. "Pass the phone to Nancy.¡±


    Lilian obediently passed the phone to me.


    While doing so, Dous'' caring voice sounded from the speaker, "Nancy, what happened?"

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Dous arrived at the driving school half an hourter in a taxi.


    When he got closer, I could see the flush on his fair skin.


    Lilian and I also smelled the faint scent of alcohol on him.


    He whispered while looking at us caringly, "I had a sudden appointment. Did you guys wait for long?"


    I''d already exined to him why I wouldn''t be attending the party on the phone¡ªit was the same excuse I used on Lilian. But Dous was still


    worried and wanted toe over anyway.


    I didn''t know that he hade over from a drinking session and felt embarrassed. "I should be the one to apologize. Did I ruin your gathering?"


    But Dous didn''t answer me and Lilian replied instead, "You''re too kind. Have you forgotten who he is? It''s our kindest and sweetest ss


    representative. I bet he¡¯s dying for you to find him."


    "Stop fooling around."


    Lilian shrugged. "Cops. My dad''s calling me home for dinner. Since you''re here, please help teach Nancy how to drive."


    Lilian left as she spoke, and in the blink of an eye, she disappeared from our line of vision.


    Dous exined, "Her father is the best driving instructor here.¡±


    I understood immediately.


    After all, there was no way normal citizens like us could get ess to such a big training area.


    Dous then redirected the conversation back to me. "Let''s talk about you. Nancy, Stack will also be attending tomorrow''s party.


    "Theirpany has set their sights on the domestic market. So, he¡¯s speciallying with hispany¡¯s person in charge to look around. It''s a rare


    opportunity.¡±


    My hope that had been extinguished suddenly flickered back to life by Dous¡¯ words.


    Observing my silence, Dous asked again, "Didn''t you always idolize him? Don''t you want to meet him?¡±


    I was a bit shocked. "How did you know that?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Dous smiled. "I know a lot more than that."


    I suddenly didn''t know what to say. Then, I heard him say, "Everyone knows how talented you are. Go and meet him. You can''t just stay down and


    feel defeated because he rejected you, right?¡±


    "He rejected me?" I was confused.


    Dous nced at me. "I''m sorry. I happened to see your application to study abroad at the counselor''s office.


    "How should put it? The


    competi tionat Jadara University''s


    software engineering program is <>


    always fh flerce. Not to mention, Stack


    is onewf the top engineers in the


    word: It''s just normal that you


    failed.¡± s


    o


    When I heard Dous talking about traveling abroad, my mind seemed to have exploded, and I stood there stunned.


    I thought not many people knew about this.


    Then, merfories from the past


    flooded may mind, and I couldn''t help


    but think of the Jadara University


    eptance letter that I had secretly


    tori up. Content belongs ta>


    -


    At that time, Stack was the lecturer in charge.


    I guessed Dous thought that I had been rejected.


    When I recalled this memory, I also felt the anger and unwillingness behind it.


    I whispered, "Do you still have slots?"


    I had to admit, I was wavering.


    Upon hearing this, Dous grinned. "Of course. I''m happy you made this choice.¡±


    He was so emotional that he reached out for a hug. In fact, he seemed to be more passionate than his usual gentle demeanor.


    I thought he wanted to motivate me, so I reached out my hand. "Dous, thank you."


    After chatting for a while, I suggested sending him back.


    After ncing at the BMW identical to his, a hint of surprise shed in his eyes.


    "It''s apany benefit. Ms. Whittaker chose it." I felt a bit awkward


    Dous raised his eyebrows and grinned. ¡°She has good taste."


    An hourter, I sent Dous back to a hostel near the university town


    Then, Dous stood before the car and pointed at the building. "You know where I live now, soe over when you have time."


    "Okay."


    ¡°Kayson and Lilian alsoe back.


    asionally to have a meal. "Mm


    pretty ¡®good at cooking, you know,¡±


    Dous patiently exined- ¡®Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org =

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    Looking at the time, I said, "Dous, can I pick you up tomorrow at seven?¡±


    Dous looked shocked before chuckling. ¡°Sure. Let''s do it your way."


    I felt ufortable at having to keep troubling him. And since I''d bought a new car, it was only right that I picked him up.


    However, Dous¡¯ tone seemed a bit off.


    After leaving the hostel, I called Caroline.


    However, I heard her heaving on the other end of the line. "What happened, Nance?"


    I knew it was bad timing for me to call. But I could only force myself to say, "I need an absolutely stunning dress."


    Caroline raised her voice. "Oh my... Who is it?¡±


    I honestly replied, "Mr. Irvin. I''ll also attend the party tomorrow."


    Caroline happily shouted, "Nice! Let me take care of this..."


    Suddenly, I heard a weird noise from the other end of the line.


    Then, I paused for a second before ending the call.


    Perhaps this was why people said women were more sexually frustrated after 30 years old.


    Caroline only came to the office that afternoon.


    Plus. she looked flushed and radiant.


    I stared at her and teased, "How was your sleep yesterday?¡±


    Caroline looked at me and blushed before saying in a high-pitched voice, "Shut up. You should ask how my night went."


    It was obvious that she was suggesting something


    Then, Caroline rolled her eyes at me. "You can''t keep being single. Do you know that our ovaries will start to age after we turn 30? You should find


    some fun before that and enjoy the beauty of love-making, okay?¡±


    I blushed


    "Don''t be so indifferent all the time. It''s been so long. You should really try something new."


    When she said this, certain vivid images uncontrobly popped up in my mind. and my face flushed even redder.


    I almost got led on by her.


    So, I quickly changed the topic. "When are we going to choose the dress?¡±


    Caroline twirled the stray hairs next to her ear and giggled. "Right now."


    Then, she brought me to the three-story mansion in Westhill Residences that her ex-husband left her.


    I was stunned after seeing the numerous dresses in her walk-in closet.


    I suddenly felt that although her ex-husband was a scumbag, he was pretty generous to her.


    Caroline rolled her eyes at me. "I should at least have one out of money and intimacy. right?"


    I pondered over those two words and suddenly understood what she meant.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    At the nextmoment, Caroline MN


    handed r me a cream-colored satin=


    evening gown and said, "This was


    reserved for me at the Bulgast party


    two years ago. I''ve never worn it.


    "With your fair skin, you''ll definitely look good in it.¡±


    Although the design was simple. it was made from high-quality fabric. When it touched my skin, it felt as light as being brushed by feathers.


    It was indeed a high-end piece.


    Apparently, Caroline also called in a


    stylist and make-up artist to the 2


    house to. And in the end, I wore a


    whitex dress with my long hair pinned


    up aird a touch of eye shadow and


    lipstick applied.


    <


    Then, I essorized with a ruby ne and bracelet from the same brand, and¡ªstepping into my nude-colored Christina Louboutin shoes¡ªl


    headed out.


    ¡®Nance, I gan already imagine the ~~


    men lining outside our office to see


    you after tonight." Caroline patted


    the back of my hand. ¡°Let''s meet at


    the party." Content belongs. to


    Then, I drove to the hostel to pick Dous up


    d in a ck suit, Dous wore his usual silver-rimmed sses.


    It added a touch of solemnity to his demeanor, yet somehow also exuded a hint of seductiveness to his air.


    Dous pushed his sses up. "Does it fit well? Does it look too formal?"


    I awkwardly averted my gaze. "It¡¯s nice.¡±


    For some reason, I suddenly remembered the image of Caroline asking me to try something new.


    I felt guilty.


    Not knowing what was in my mind, Dous gently smiled. ¡°Let''s go then."

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    Vienna Winery wasn''t far from the hostel, so it didn''t take long for us to reach its parking lot.


    Then, when I was carefully backing my car, a Maybach suddenly parked into the spot next to mine, and two familiar figures got out of the car.


    It was Bruce and Cindy.


    I should have guessed that Bruce wouldn''t let Cindy attend such an event alone. But I still felt bitter looking at them.


    I couldn¡¯t help but grip the steering wheel


    When Dous saw this, he asked, "Do you want to go and say hello?¡±


    We were all attending the same party, and not to mention, everyone was close. So, it wasn''t right for me to pretend that I didn''t see them.


    I nodded. "Okay."


    After getting my approval, Dous called out to Bruce.


    When Bruce heard him, he turned around.


    Then, when he saw Dous and me, he widened his eyes, perhaps feeling a bit shocked.


    Meanwhile, Cindy, who was all dressed up for the asion, reacted differently.


    She was stunned as she widened her eyes and parted her lips in astonishment. "Nancy... Are you here to attend the party tonight?¡± Although Cindy


    hid her feelings well, there was still a hint of disappointment in her tone.


    I nodded and replied, "I''m attending with my ss representative.¡±


    I thought that I needed to make this clear. Otherwise, Bruce might think Caroline and I were two-faced.


    Cindy looked at Dous before turning to look at me with a smile. "I know. So, you said you had something to do tonight because you''re attending


    the party as Mr. Irvin''s partner, right?"


    I was unsure if she was genuinely innocent or she was oblivious to the situation


    Nevertheless, I calmly replied, ¡°It''s all thanks to you and Mr. Harold."


    Cindy furrowed her eyebrows, puzzled. "Are you trying to tease us? It''s clearly your own achievement. Why are you thanking us?¡±


    Not wanting to waste my time


    talking tocher, I turned to Dous ~


    with a smile and asked, "Didn''t you


    Say that there are a few seniors in


    the same program also attending


    this party?" Content belongs: ite)


    NovelDrama.Org -


    Dous understood my intentions immediately. Then, he took a look at his watch and answered, ¡°They should be here by now.¡±


    After saying that, he turned to Bruce and Cindy and politely said, ¡°Bruce, Ms. Lane, we''ll take our leave now."


    With that, Dous and I left before them.


    Then, not long after, a sweet voice rang in my ear, ¡°Bruce, did you notice that Nancy looks very different today?"


    If Caroline heard that, she would definitely scoff.


    After all, her clothes cost almost seven figures. It was expected that I looked different.


    Besides, the jealous look on Cindy''s face was way too obvious.


    At the party, everyone exchanged greetings, and Dous brought me around to meet many people from the same industry.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Ta my surprise, some seniors knew who I was.


    "So, you''re Nancy. You''re the NN


    legendary figure who managed tar


    beat the: two otner elite schools and


    got f first prize in the National


    Software Competition." Coritent


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    This happened three to four years ago, but it seemed like it happened yesterday by how they put it.


    "You have a sharp eye, Dous. Tell us honestly¡ªdid you already have an ulterior motive toward Nancy back in school?"


    Dous adjusted his sses. "Guys,


    I don''t mind ifyouteaseme. ¡ª <*


    However, Nancy is quite shy. Gan


    you guys hold yourselves back?"

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    The seniorsughed. ¡°You''re already being protective!"


    However, someone still brought the topic back to me. "Nancy, listen to us. Dous is quite sneaky. You should be more wary of him."


    It was obvious that they''d misunderstood our rtionship.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    The circles in Joddesdon and Saza were quite different. Back then, I would have exined to them about my rtionship with Dous. However, I''d


    learned not to after being in the industry for some years.


    So, I didn''t say a word when faced with their teasing.


    Besides, I wouldn''t cross paths with these seniors in the future. And hence, there was no need to exin myself.


    If one exined too much, it would only make people suspect even more


    Meanwhile, the party''s atmosphere was quite harmonious.


    However, I felt someone staring at me for some reason.


    But when I tried to look for the gaze, I couldn''t find it and wondered if it was just my imagination


    Just then, a buzzing from my bag interrupted my thoughts.


    I backed to a corner and saw that Bruce had sent me a message.


    ¡°Come over to the right side of the hall.¡±


    It was his style to send such a straightforward message.


    I didn''t know why Bruce would look for me at such a time. So, I asked him, "Do you need something?"


    Bruce''s reply was quick. "Yes. Let''s talk face-to-face."


    Honestly, I wouldn''t waste my time entertaining him if he wasn''t my investor. But unfortunately, he was ourpany''s investor, and since he''d asked,


    I could only force myself to go.


    Meanwhilein the corridor, Bruce ~~


    stood alone before the ~~


    floor-to-ceiling windows and


    furrawed his eyebrows as if be was


    stuck i na dilemma. Content belongs


    t6 NovelDrama.Org -


    Then, after hearing someoneing, he turned around to look at me.


    He nced''me up and down. "Didn''t


    you say that you wouldn''t attend. *


    tonigh {? What are you doing I now?


    Areyou going back on your word?"


    So, he called me over to hold me ountable.


    I calmly replied, "There seems to be a misunderstanding. I only said that I wouldn''t snatch Cindy''s spot in attending the party."


    Bruce snorted. "How bold of you to y with your words. Who gave you the courage to do that? Was it Caroline?"


    Bruce was quite rude, and he left me quite speechless


    However, many rich and influential.


    people were attending the party S


    tonight. ¡®And with so many eyes¡±


    watching, I didn''t want to cause any


    trouble with Bruce right now.


    So, I kindly replied, "If there''s nothing else, I''ll leave now."


    I couldn''t offend him, so the least I could do was to stay away from him.


    "I''m not done yet," Bruce called out to me.


    Then, he stared at me for a while before speaking, "Now that the party hasn''t started yet, find an excuse and leave."


    I was already at the party. Yet, he was asking me to leave early just like that.


    I didn''t think it was fair, and it felt like something shattered in my chest, making it hard to breathe.


    Then, I remembered the disappointment in Cindy''s gaze when we''d entered.


    Meeting Bruce''s eyes, I unexpectedly heard myself saying, "Is it because Ms. Lane is unhappy?¡±


    Bruce was stunned for a moment. Then, he unnaturally dodged my gaze and answered, "She feels a bit uneasy with you here."

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    Bruce''s answer confirmed my guesses


    Although I saw how much he adored Cindy, I still lost it when I heard his answer.


    He was asking me to leave just because Cindy felt a bit uneasy. He wasn''t making sense!


    Usually, I would have respected him as my investor. But today was different.


    After all, Dous had spent a lot of effort to obtain a spot for me to attend the party. So, it wouldn''t be right for me to leave now.


    After calming myself down, I replied, "I''m sorry, Mr. Harold. I can''t do that.¡±


    Bruce furrowed his eyebrows deeply upon hearing this, and his tone was very unfriendly as he said, "You know that I''m not here to negotiate with


    you.¡±


    It seemed that he was determined for me to leave.


    But I curled my fingers and honestly answered, "If I was attending on behalf of mypany. I wouldn''t mind fulfilling your request. However, I''m


    attending as Mr. Irvin''s partner. And I''m sure you understand what that means.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Bruce was still our investor, so I couldn''t go too far.


    Bruce sneered. "Are you trying to use Dous against me? Am I being too nice to you that you''ve even forgotten who you are?"


    I found myself speechless against how dominant Bruce was being. I never thought of causing a conflict between Bruce and Dous.


    "What do you want? Do you want me to invest more?" Bruce added after observing my silence. He probably thought I was provoking him to get more


    benefits from him


    "No need. I won''t leave." I curtly rejected


    Bruce stared at me and snorted. "Are you sure? Is this party that important to you? Are you that desperate to butter Dous up?"


    Bruce''s words and his sneer caused me to feel like I was being shamed.


    Meanwhile, he was being so arrogant because I caused Cindy to feel a bit ufortable.


    Upon thinking of this. I forced myself to smile. "The party is about to start. Please excuse me."


    With that, I turned around.


    However, ithe next second, Bruce''s


    voice rang out again, "Are you sure


    you can take the responsibilityon


    behalf of yourpany?¡± Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org -


    I immediately stopped in my tracks, and my feet felt heavy, as if they were filled with lead.


    I sensed a threat from Bruce''s voice.


    However, I already made up my mind.


    So, without even turing back, I replied, ¡°Please suit yourself."


    After all, having a high tolerance toward him didn''t mean that I didn''t have principles.


    When I returned to the hall, Dous was searching for me.


    ¡°You look kind of pale. What happened?" he asked.


    I rubbed my throbbing temples and simply found an excuse, saying, "Perhaps it''s because I drank too much."


    "I already told you to just take a few sips of the drinks they offer you. If worstes to worst, you still have me, right?¡±


    Dous was a good friend, and I didn''t regret turning Bruce down just based on this fact alone.


    Sensing my silence, Bruce continued, "Plus, did you see the seating arrangement of the party?"


    I hadn''t noticed that yet.


    Dous tetiched his nose after


    seeing my confusion. Then, he _~


    exined, "We''ll be seated at the


    main table along with Stack. Will you


    be.> ¡°okay with that?" Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    Dous always considered everything carefully.


    And since he brought up Bruce, it meant that Cindy would also be at the same table.


    Perhaps he was scared that I would feel awkward.


    Nevertheless, I pretended to be calm and said, "It''s not a problem. Don''t forget that I''m here tonight to meet my idol.¡±


    As the party started, the guests


    gradually took their seats. And just


    like Dous said, we were arranged


    to.sit at the main table. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org >


    -\

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    Bruce and Cindy were sitting right across us.


    Everyone there was big shots, and as an unimportant coder, I knew I was there to blend into the background


    Soon, Stack, who I was waiting for, appeared with the person in charge. Their seats were arranged next to Richard and close to Bruce and Cindy.


    Cindy also recognized who Stack was. So, she took the opportunity to hand her name card to him.


    It wasn''t anything out of the ordinary. After all, world-ss software engineers like Stack weren''t easy toe by. However, it made Cindy look a bit


    anxious by how eager she was.


    Thankfully, Stack wasn''t a rude person.


    After taking over the name card, he politely scanned it before handing it to his assistant.


    At least he didn''t embarrass Cindy.


    Cindy was overjoyed. Then, she used a less-than-perfect foreignnguage to engage in a conversation about an ongoing game development project.


    At this, Stack seemed a bit interested. However, he soon changed the topic and asked, "I heard Mr. Fowler bring this up before. I heard that the


    software engineer in charge of building the front and back end is called Nancy Fisher?"


    It was obvious that Cindy froze upon hearing this. But I didn''t expect that Stack would bring me up either.


    Meanwhile, Dous was quick to react, and he took the initiative to greet Stack, "The Nancy you want to know is right here.¡±


    Stack shot me an inquiring look.


    Naturally, I wouldn''t give up on such a good opportunity. So, I enthusiastically greeted him, "Stack, my name is Nancy. Nice to meet you."


    Stack eyed me up and down. And after pondering for a moment, he started, "So, you''re Nancy. I didn''t expect to see you here two yearster.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    I was a bit shocked. "Do you still remember me, Stack?" We''d exchanged a lot of emails regarding my admission matters.


    Stack spoke confidently, "Of course. I was sad when you gave up enrolling in Jadara University. You have a lot of potential in software building.¡±


    His words caused everyone to focus their attention on me, and I felt embarrassed.


    Not many knew that I gave up going to Jadara University, and everyone''s gazes toward me changed when Stack said that.


    This was especially the case for Bruce too.


    We''d once promised to go to Jadara University together.


    However, [pretended not to notice


    and smosthly shifted the ~~


    conversation back to the new


    project. Then, I continued to happily


    chat with Stack.


    Meanwhile, Cindy seemed unwilling to give up and tried to butt in on the conversation a few times.


    However, she was brushed off by Stack, and in the end, she could only quietly sit there.


    After the party ended, Stack gave me his name card.


    Stack only-gave out two name cards


    at the party that night. The other


    name ¨¦ard was given out toa ?


    famous techpany in thes¡±


    industry. Content belongs. to


    So, I left the party feeling quite fulfilled


    At the downstairs of the hostel, Dous looked drunk as he said, "Nancy, I feel very happy today, you know."


    ¡°It''s all thanks to you," I said.


    Dous stared at me. "But... Why don''t you call me by my nickname?"


    I didn''t expect him to ask such an


    unexpected question, so I awkwardly


    replied, ¡®I''m used to calling yourby


    your name."


    Swnovel _


    "How about calling me by my nickname in the future?"


    Just as I was about to answer him, my phone rang


    Bruce was calling.


    Dous nced at me before adding, "I''ll take it as you agreed.¡±


    With that, he went inside the building.


    Then, I went into the car and stared at the buzzing phone.


    After taking a deep breath, I epted the call


    "Nancy Fisher, you''re not at home?" Bruce actually called me by my full name. It seemed like he was quite anxious


    But it made me wonder why he knew I was not at home.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    Bruce answered my confusion, saying, "I''m in front of your house. Nancy,e home now.¡±


    Then, he hung up the call before I could answer.


    As for his tone, it was impolite as usual


    But I could understand why.


    After all, Cindy was practically made invisible at that night''s party.


    I thought Bruce hade to avenge Cindy, so I decided to get it done with it.


    And thus, I calmly returned to my home.


    Besides, I had to deal with it sooner orter.


    Although I had mentally prepared for it, I still felt shocked to see Bruce leaning against my house door.


    His eyes were half-closed as he tiredly leaned against the door.


    The high-quality suit and tie he wore had already been removed and draped on his arm, leaving him in only a white shirt. The once neat cor was


    now loose too and revealed a patch of pale skin


    In the dimly lit hallway, there was an inexplicable sense of vulnerability enveloping his delicate face. He seemed a different person from the dazzling


    Roeval Group''s president at the party.


    Not to mention, he seemed even more tired than me.


    Suddenly, I didn''t know how to greet him.


    Just then, Bruce seemed to have sensed my arrival and slowly opened his eyes.


    Our gazes met, and I heard him say, "So, you''re finally back."


    Bruce''s voice was naturally low at that moment. And while one would think that he seemed hostile whenever he was serious, there was actually a hint


    of gentleness whenever he lowered his tone.


    Just like what he was doing now.


    I gripped the car keys in my hand and pretended to be calm. "Is something the matter? You''re here sote.¡±


    Bruce lowered his gaze and looked.


    at my hand. Then, he grinned ands


    replied,¡¯ "You''ve made quite an effort


    to butter Dous up." He was


    stating at the car keys in my rhand.


    It seemed that Bruce also noticed I was driving the same car model as Dous.


    I jingled the car keys and calmly answered, "Speaking of which, I have to thank you.¡±


    Bruce furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "What do you mean?"


    "I wouldn''t have had enough for the downpayment if you hadn''t given me the hundred thousand," I honestly said.


    Bruce quietly looked at me with a


    dark gaze. Then, he replied, L


    incredulous, " ¡®You used my money to


    tter another man?" He aised his


    voig¡ée toward the end of the ?


    sentence. Content belongs. to


    NovelDrama.Org ¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I didn''t waAtto escte the conflict,


    so I exp ained, "I already told yous¡±


    that although the money is yours, Wis


    already made the deal. I don''t think I


    needto tell you how I''m spending


    the-smoney, right?" Content.belongs


    to¡°NovelDrama.Org -


    Bruce froze for a moment. Then, he impatiently tugged his cor only to realize that his tie was already undone.


    After that, he stared at me and asked, "Since you went to such lengths, did Dous agree to invest in your business?¡±


    He was adamant that I was ttering Dous because of money.


    Meanwhile , I was wondering why he''de in such a rush to ask something like that.


    Observing my silence, Bruce predicted the answer and said, "It seems like it''s a no. Are you nning to use the tactic you used to tter me on him


    too?"


    Bruce seemed a bit unusual tonight. He talked more today than what he would have talked to me in a month. And surprisingly, he wasn''t here to


    speak up about Cindy.


    As I gazed into Bruce''s dark eyes, I couldn''t help but feel frustrated. Then, I blurted out, "What exactly are you trying to say?"


    Bruce was momentarily taken aback by my question. Then, he immediately averted his gaze and stayed silent.


    The details of his reaction were my answer.


    It was also at that moment I realized my drunken slip of the tongue.

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    Just as I was about to exin, I heard Bruce asking another question, "What''s the deal with the admission letter?"


    I finally understood what was happening.


    The stuff he''d said earlier was just to lead up to this. This was the question he wanted to ask the most.


    I casually replied, "As you heard, I gave up because I didn¡¯t want to go." I gripped my car key nervously as I said so.


    At that moment, what shed through my mind was the scene of me handing over my hard-earned one hundred thousand to the study abroad


    agency.


    Two years ago, studying abroad wasn''t as difficult as it was now. However, one had to meet the requirement of paying a deposit


    It was a critical part of the application process, and as a student, I could only afford to pay that much.


    However, the agent told me that only one person could study abroad with that amount


    At that time, I thought it was okay for me to not go. After all, with my abilities, it wouldn''t make much of a difference to enroll a few yearster.


    What''s more, Bruce needed that opportunity more than me


    So, I hid the fact that I was epted into the course. And then, I handed over my entire savings¡ªthe only one hundred thousand I had¡ªto Bruce.


    "Why did you hide it from me?" Bruce''s assertive voice snapped me back to reality.


    I forced a smile and replied, "It was my own cheice to give up studying abroad. You don''t need to held a grudge over it. If you really feel bad about it,


    just consider it as if I''ve opened a fixed-term deposit with you. You can give me the interest when you return the money."


    "Nancy!"


    Bruce''s sudden roar startled me, and I looked up to see him staring grimly and in disbelief at me.


    His eyes surged with emotions, and he gave off a dangerous air.


    Suddenly, I thought it was irrational for me to bring up the money.


    Then, I adopted a sincere tone, as if I were dealing with an investor. "I''m sorry. I..." I began


    Bruce called my full name again, ¡°Is that it, Nancy Fisher? Is that all?¡±


    For some reason, my heart trembled when I heard him asking that.


    But being lovesick wasn''t a glorious thing to talk about.


    So, I questioned back, "What else?"


    Bruce let out a sneer. Then, he walked toward the elevator and said, "Okay. A fixed deposit, you say.


    As the elevator doors closed, I felt my legs go weak, as if all support had suddenly vanished.


    Then, I slumped against the wall in dismay.


    I should''ve been happy to receive another sum of money. Yet, I found myself unable to sleep that night.


    The next morning, I went to the office earlier than usual.


    However, I didn''t expect to bump into Cindy at the elevator.


    She had her hair tied into a high


    poryia\kand held a folder in her ~


    oN


    energy.


    Swnovel =


    It seemed like she hadn''t been affected by the events of the previous night''s banquet.


    Cindy was also stunned to see me. "You''re also early today, Nancy," she said, her voice sweet as usual.


    I nodded. "You''re quite early too.¡±


    "Oh dear. I felt so embarrassed from


    hearing your conversation with =


    Stack yesterday." Cindy looked at


    me shyly. "That''s why I went back


    and-Spent the entire night stddying


    oueproject."


    -


    I lifted my gaze and skimmed over Cindy''s delicate cheeks. However, I stayed silent.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Then, in the¡¯next second, I heard her


    ask, "Doyou know that I found a .*


    huge.bug in our game when I Isoked


    att carefully?"


    Swnovel i

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    I was a bit stunned when Cindy handed me the suggestion proposal. Not to mention, it was about three to four pages long.


    I had to admit, she was more hardworking than I thought.


    After all, the proposal seemed legitimate after I saw the formatting andyout.


    However, I felt a bit uneasy when I saw the content of it


    Cindy''s entire proposal revolved around the four virtual male protagonists in our game that yers could romance


    In her proposal, she wrote that character design determined how much a yer would spend. Thus, the male protagonists¡¯ appearance was the most


    important.


    Yet, Cindy, who had neverpleted a project before, thought that our male protagonists weren''t perfect enough. So, she suggested we redraw it.


    This was her first point.


    But I wasn''t particrly surprised about this


    After all, everyone had their own preferences, and she had done something simr before, so I could understand that.


    However, her other proposal was to change the character design of one of the male leads¡ªspecifically, the lovesick finance major to that of a high-


    achieving student.


    And the overall image of the schr was simr to that of Bruce''s.


    "The lovesick man''s background information would remind people of Bruce, so this isn''t favorable for Roeval Group''s public image and needs


    changing.¡± Cindy wrote in the proposal, making it seem like she was the president''s wife.


    She was being quite dominant.


    I closed the proposal and nced at her. "The proposal was written very well. However, if you had carefully reviewed the project, you should know


    that we received Mr. Harold''s approval when we initiated the project n.¡±


    I was trying to tell her that Bruce didn''t think the male protagonist''s background was a problem.


    Cindy froze for two seconds before answering, "Back then, Bruce only wanted to find a project because it was my university''s requirement. It was


    quite urgent, and you guys knew each other before. That''s why it led to our coboration. So..."


    Then, she raised her voice and said. "Perhaps Bruce didn''t even see what was inside the project n.¡±


    Her voice was soft, and there was a hint of a smile in her big eyes.


    It was the kind of look that would make people feel like she was genuinely giving us advice


    After some careful deliberation, I thought that she made sense.


    After all, she was thepany''s game nner, so we couldn''t just ignore her two suggestions.


    Besides, although her two suggestions seemed unnecessary to us, Bruce was still backing her up.


    Suddenly, the pressure seemed to build up on me out of nowhere.


    So, I told Cindy, "If it''s not urgent, please allow me to discuss this with Ms. Whittaker."


    Caroline had told me before to just drag things out in the workce if it wasn''t anything pressing.


    However, Cindy seemed unwilling to give me this opportunity.


    She smiled, saying. "Of course. I would also like to take part in the discussion. If it''s necessary, I can also call Bruce toe over."Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She was bringing up Bruce again. It,


    seemed that she was determined for


    us togive her feedback on thetwo


    suggestions as soon as possible.


    There''s norush," I responded in a


    soothing-tone. "Mr. Harold is busy,


    SO we can just discuss among ~


    ourselves. We don''t want to bother


    Roeval Group''s board members with


    sueh trivial matters." Content


    b¨¦longs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    Cindy''s attitude softened when the board members were brought up, and her eyelids drooped. "Okay. I''ll do as you say.¡±


    With the discussion concluded, I


    watchedas she returned to the 7


    office with ack of enthusiasm:


    Then I closed my eyes and let out a


    getitle sigh of relief. Conterit belongs


    t6 NovelDrama.Org -


    If Bruce had seen this scene, perhaps he would think that we were bullying his beloved.


    Suddenly, I had a bad feeling.

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    Soon, I handed the proposal to Caroline.


    After reading it, she pursed her lips. "I knew it. She wouldn''t let what happened at the party slide so easily."


    I silently stared at her.


    Caroline looked at me as her slender fingers tapped on the table. "She''s unhappy that you stole the spotlight from her at the party. That''s why she''s


    looking for trouble."


    I stuck to the facts. "However, when Bruce sees the proposal, he''ll think she¡¯s very ambitious.¡±


    Caroline agreed and said in frustration, "If she had reviewed the project n carefully, she would know the studious character she''s requesting is the


    male protagonist from the art department.


    "Just think about it¡ªhow can two male protagonists both be intellectuals in one game? It''s like she''s just fooling around."


    Of course, Cindy wouldn''t mind ovepping characters in a game.


    Upon hearing this, Caroline scratched her ear and cheeks. "She insisted we give her an answer, right?"


    Indeed, we both had great chemistry.


    "Since you already brought this up, I''m sure you already thought of a way to deal with it, right?"


    Caroline thought too highly of me.


    If we rejected Cindy''s twa suggestions, she mightin to Bruce. However, if we didn''t solve it, it might seem like we didn¡¯t value her as a game


    nner.


    So, we were stuck in a tough situation.


    Caroline propped her chin up and mused, saying, "Cindy probably thought about this too. The character designs and personality were already


    established before the project was initiated.


    "She''s going too far. In my opinion, she''s not trying to uphold Roeval Group''s image. She''s just using this chance to y with us.¡±


    Caroline thought that Cindy was being too scheming, so she immediately made a decision and said, "We both understand that character images are


    crucial to the structure of the entire game. There''s no way we can change it. Otherwise, if word gets out, people would think that we''re being led on by


    a girl who hasn''t even graduated."


    I didn''t think that Caroline would think this far. But I did agree with what she said


    The only problem now was how to break the news to Cindy.


    Caroline looked at me and added, "Drag it out for two days and see how she reacts."Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I didn''t disagree.


    Suddenly, Caroline changed the topic and asked, "However, were you really epted by Jadara University?¡±


    "Do I not lock like it?"


    Caroline nced at me and asked,_¡°!


    was wondering why you gave it up


    then. After all, you love coding, and it


    wasa once-in-a-lifetime Oo


    opportunity." Content belongs ite)


    -


    The injury on my wrist throbbed as I replied self-mockingly, "Perhaps I was too lovesick at the time."


    She asked, "How about now?"


    Now. I had fully recovered.


    We wanted to drag things out. Yet, .


    Cindy didn''t give us a chance, ands


    she came looking for me again after


    a day. .


    Swnovel =


    "Nancy, how did your discussion with Ms. Whittaker go?¡±


    I replied calmly, "We''re still discussing it."


    Cindy seemed disappointed as she muttered, "Oh."


    So, I could.only try tofort her I


    and said,"The character''s i images


    are crucial to the game, so we still


    need some time." Content belongs


    to  -


    Cindy''s eyes twinkled. "I''ll wait for a bit more then.¡±


    I thought I had handled it well. However, Bruce suddenly called before lunch was even over.


    His tone seemed unfriendly. "Pleasee to Roeval Group immediately with Ms. Whittaker."


    He tried to seem professional, but it was obvious that he was ordering us around.


    I guessed that it had to be rted to the proposal.

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    Caroline and I rushed to Roeval Group''s president''s office. However, the secretary then informed us that Bruce had just left.


    He was the one who ordered us toe over. Yet, he refused to see us when we got there.


    But it was easy to guess why he did that.


    I didn''t mind it, but Caroline was angered. "He''s the president of Roeval Group. Does he need to go to such lengths for Cindy?¡±


    Well, I myself had never seen him dote on someone so much either.


    Plus, we had to think about how to deal with the trouble that came with the proposal.


    After all, Bruce was more challenging to handlepared to Cindy.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Caroline immediately calmed down and nced at the female secretary outside the reception room. "Watch and see,¡± she said


    Five minutester, she sessfully got to know from the secretary that Cindy and Bruce were at thepany''s cafeteria.


    I reckoned neither of them had eaten yet


    Then, Caroline suggested that we strike while the iron was hot. "We should be more sincere and thick-skinned. If all else fails, we''ll try to act pitiful


    like Cindy."


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    However, while we might be willing to act, Bruce might not be willing to watch.


    At the cafeteria, we saw Bruce and Cindy sitting not too far away from where we were.


    The two of them sat facing each other.


    Bruce had his back to us, so we couldn''t see his expression. Meanwhile, Cindy''s eyes were red, and the make-up on her face was a bit smudged. It


    seemed that she was extremely aggrieved


    Even I couldn''t help but pity her, so it went without saying how Bruce would feel.


    Then, when Caroline and I were about to head up to them, Cindy suddenly picked up a piece of cabbage and offered it to Bruce''s lips.


    "It must be boring to listen to me go on for so long. Here. Let me reward you with a piece of cabbage." Her voice was sweet and cute.


    There was also softness in her eyes while she smiled. And coupled with her slightly tear-stained face, she looked like she was mustering up her


    spirits with difficulty.


    It was heart-wrenching to see someone pretend to be strong despite feeling wronged


    I thought that Bruce would immediately eat the cabbage. However, he called the kitchen to bring more soup for Cindy instead.


    They were in a public setting, after all. He couldn''t keep disregarding his reputation to look out for her.


    Just as Caroline and I were trying to decipher the situation, Cindy spotted us.


    She looked at us in confusion. "Nancy, Ms. Whittaker, why are you guys here?"


    This caught Bruce''s attention, and he turned to the side and silently looked at us.


    Then, he furrowed his eyebrows.


    It was obvious that he didn''t wee us.


    "Mr. Harold and Ms. Lane, I heard you two were still eating. It''s such a coincidence that Nancy and I hadn''t eaten yet either.


    ¡°Can we share a table?" Caroline was full of smiles.


    Her words caught me off guard. And when I thought of the pork stew I wolfed down in the afternoon, I felt a bit guilty.


    Cindy immediately replied, "It''s sote. You haven''t eaten yet, Ms. Whittaker?¡±


    Caroline started her act. "We were going to eat, but Mr. Harold called us over. Nancy and I didn''t dare to dy, so we rushed over immediately.¡±


    Cindy curiously looked at Bruce and whispered, ¡°Why did you..."


    Bruce nced at us and said indifferently, "I''m afraid our cafeteria food might not suit your tastes."


    The meaning behind his words rendered Caroline speechless.


    While I could endure Bruce not usually showing much regard for me, it was uneptable for him to be so rude to Caroline in front of Cindy.


    After all, Cindy was her subordinate.


    So, I pulled-out the chair opposite


    him without hesitation and calmly¡±


    Said, "You re overthinking it. Ms->


    Whittaker and I have always had


    good-appetites. We aren''t picky


    eaters.¡¯ Content belongs ta>


    -


    Thus, we miraculously got seated at the same table.


    Then, I ordered two vegetable dishes and pretended to eat a few bites.


    It wasn''t bad, but I didn''t have much of an appetite.


    Meanwhile;Cindy giggled. "You ~~


    should havee early, Nancy. The


    meatballs our kitchen makes ar¨¦


    trulydelicious. You shoulde and


    taste it when you have time¡±


    The choice of wording she used had another meaning to it.


    By using ¡°our kitchen", it seemed that she was trying to tell Caroline and me that we were outsiders while she and Bruce were from Roeval Group.


    Caroline also picked up on this and teased, "You''re already inviting us on behalf of Roeval Group, so how could we refuse?¡±


    Cindy froze before gnawing on her lips. "I don''t mean it that way."


    Seeing Caroline furrowing her


    eyebrowssI decided to head straight


    to the topic. "Mr. Harold, you asked


    us tome in such a hurry. You


    musthave something to telkus,


    t?" .


    -


    As soon as I finished speaking, I noticed Cindy''s hand under the table subtly curling up.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    Brucezily wiped his mouth. "Ms. Fisher, you''re too kind. Afterst night''s party, everyone in the industry knows that Stack is fancying a new


    software engineer called Nancy.


    "And as a mere investor, I wouldn''t dare to give you any orders."


    His tone was calm, yet he was mocking me with every word.


    I politely smiled. "Thank you. However, none of them provide investments like you do. Don''t worry. Roeval Group will always be our benefactor." I also


    knew how to exchange formalities.


    Bruce didn''t seem to expect that I could respond to him. With a snort. he replied, ¡°However, you''re all talk.¡±


    "What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You know what I''m talking about." Bruce said, his dark eyes carrying a questioning look.


    So, I decided to go straight to the paint and seriously said, "We never thought of brushing you and Ms. Lane off. However, it''s not appropriate to


    simply change the character image and profile.¡±


    Bruce looked up and answered, "So, it''s suitable for you to change the image of the finance major male protagonist?¡±


    I had nothing to say about that.


    Indeed, I had created the character with personal grudges. However, I wouldn''t tell him that.


    Plus, this wasn''t a problem to deal with considering how far we were with the game development.


    Caroline also seemed to notice Bruce''s displeasure and exined, ¡°You''re such a big-hearted person. I''m sure you don''t think that we created the


    character based on you. right?"


    Bruce stared at me and replied. "Ms. Fisher, you seem to not like this character."


    rm bells rang in my heart. "Do... 1?"


    "The protagonist is still unwilling to give up even though it has been years. Do you think you''ll do the same?"


    Once again, I was caught off guard.


    The answer was ringly obvious from Bruce''s perspective, and I couldn''t help but feel that Bruce was just settling the score with me.


    Then, Bruce continued to attack me and said, "This setting is way too unrealistic. Nobody would wait for a person for so long.¡±


    He was making it quite serious.


    Cindy only wanted to change the game''s image. but Bruce thought that the character was too far-fetched


    His opinion fitted his usual indifferent demeanor.


    So, I patiently exined, "It''s


    precisely because it doesn''t exisiin


    reality: ¡®That''s why we need to satisfy


    theusers¡¯ fantasies in the game."


    -\? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    "Hah! Fantasies. You sure know what the users want.¡± Bruce mockingly repeated the words.


    After seeing the disdain in his eyes, I didn''t know what to say.


    Meanwhile, Caroline chimed in to ease the tension, saying. ¡°Did you hear that? He''s acknowledging our abilities.¡±


    I admired Caroline''s ability to be able to lie through her teeth.


    However, Bruce continued to stare at me. "I really do feel inferior by how much effort you put into the project.¡±


    He didn''t seem to be saying that Caroline was wrong.


    Cindy alsq-seemed to have noticed


    this as well, and her face turned pale


    and she muttered, "lim sorry, Me


    Harole: ¡®and Ms. Lane. I didn''t think it


    threagh when I brought up the


    preposal. I was being unnecessary.


    She bit hertips after saying that, as.if


    she was 5 Suppressing her emotions.


    And it also seemed like tears would


    roll down her cheeks in the next


    second.


    -


    Bruce also saw this and softened his tone, saying. ¡°You''re already doing great. As you mentioned, the characters¡¯ images are indeed unpolished.¡±


    Caroline and I froze upon hearing this.


    Suddenly, I had a bad feeling.


    In the next moment, I heard Bruce say, "Redefine all the drawings for the protagonists and bring in a well-known illustrator to take charge."


    "This..." I suddenly didn''t know what to say.


    We had never doubted Anika¡¯s drawings. However, her efforts went down the drain just from a few words from Bruce.


    "How about Camille? Haven''t you always liked his drawings?¡± Bruce interrupted me and dotingly asked Cindy.


    Joy shed across Cindy''s gloomy face. "I do. But it must be difficult to hire him, right?"


    My heart skipped a beat.


    Camille was a renowned genius among game illustrators and could hardly be seen. He wasn''t someone we could easily reach out to.


    Plus, nobody had ever seen how he looked before. so I didn''t even know where to start looking for him


    Then, I heard Bruce ask, "Ms. Fisher, it''s not a problem, right?¡±

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    Bruce wasn''t asking for our opinion, he was giving out an order.


    The reason why he made this decision was because Cindy liked Camille.


    Camille was well-liked among all the other illustrators, and his style of drawing was lifelike, unique, and colorful.


    He always stood out in the circle, especially considering that he often drew his artwork by hand.


    Needless to say, his drawing technique was something else.


    However, talented individuals often had peculiar temperaments.


    That was why Camille had never appeared in a single interview or revealed himself before the media.


    He was quite secretive.


    Not wanting to hear my exnation, he calmly said, "Ms. Fisher, if it''s something easily achievable, why would I bring it up?¡±


    It was obvious that Bruce wouldn''t change his mind.


    Meanwhile, Cindy was understanding and said, ¡°Actually, Nancy has a point. It''s difficult for us to hire an illustrator like Camille. Although I like him, I


    don¡¯t want to make things difficult for Nancy and Ms. Whittaker.¡±


    As she spoke, she innocently batted her big eyes.


    Caroline immediately replied, ¡°You''re so understanding. Nobody has ever seen how Camille looks, and not to mention, we can''t afford to hire him.¡±


    Caroline considered problems realistically and straightforwardly.


    A few years ago, Camille''s artwork was sold for six figures. And in the past two years, he''d also coborated with several film and television


    companies to create many well-known posters.


    So, now that his poprity had soared, he would be extremely expensive to hire.


    "Money isn''t a problem as long as you can hire him," Bruce said straightforwardly while gently looking at Cindy.


    "Bruce... I''m at a loss on what to say,¡± Cindy shyly said while lowering her head


    "Let''s see how the two of you perform. I''m sure you won''t let me down right?¡± Bruce stood up and concluded


    With that, he left with Cindy.


    Meanwhile, Caroline and I were left there in shock, and we eventually left Roeval Group in low spirits.


    I had to admit that that meal was quite a thrilling one.


    Neither of us expected Bruce to give us such a hard task.


    CoincidentallyN: heard that another


    well-known Software development


    com pany<who also="" received="" a="" business-card="" from="" stack="" at="" thes="" dinneryesterday¡ª="" recently="" tried="" to="" cormmission="" some="" artwork="" camille.="" content="" belongs="" noveldrama.org="" 4<="" p=""></who>


    _


    x


    ~~Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    However, his manager brushed them off by saying that his schedule was fully booked until early summer next year.


    Camille was quite a tough nut to crack


    Caroline angriy gripped the steering


    wheel, sayingr "Don''t you


    understand? Bruce is so sly. He


    must have guessed what our =


    approach was to the proposal., But


    he cat let us push Cindy around.


    That''s why he came out witha


    ctitveball.¡±


    Bruce had really gone to such lengths to protect Cindy.


    "Also, don''t forget that Anika retorted Cindy before. If Camille was really hired, where is she going to go?¡± Caroline sighed when she brought up the


    past.


    I didn''t think too much about that. But with Anika''s hot temper. she might not be able to take it


    Caroline smiled bitterly. "I definitely underestimated Cindy.¡±


    I looked at Caroline curiously.


    Then, after pondering for a moment, I asked in disbelief, "Are you saying that Cindy deliberately brought up Camille before Bruce?¡±


    "What else?"


    I was a bit stunned


    If Caroline was right, there would be more trouble toe in thepany.


    Bruce was extremely smart, and there was no way he didn¡¯t see through her intentions.


    Yet, he was also the one who made the decision


    He was extremely protective of her.


    Taking partnering up with Camille as an example, we would only be consideredpleting our job if we managed to find him.


    However, this matter would drag on if we couldn''tplete the task.


    "It''s like killing three birds with one stone. Nance, we''re in big trouble." Caroline sneered


    Regardless if Caroline''s guess was correct. one thing was undeniable¡ªif we couldn''t convince Camille, we were doomed.


    After discussing it with Camille, we decided to split up.


    She was incharge of dealing with


    Anika. After all, Anika was deeply:


    invested in designing the main. =


    character. So, it would be hard for


    her o ept that all her designs


    had I been rejected. Content-belongs


    to¡° -


    Meanwhile, I was tasked to contact Camille''s manager to see if I could meet up with the legendary figure.


    If I could get to meet Camille, I would be halfway to sess.

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    I wondered if Camille would be willing to work with a small gamingpany like ours, and I felt a bit uneasy.


    A dayter, I sessfully got the phone number of Camille''s manager from a friend in the same industry.


    Then, I arranged to meet him in the afternoon


    Camille''s manager was an eloquent middle-aged man in his 30s named Niki Morisson.


    We arranged to meet at the art studio he founded.


    He was quite polite. And when I told him my reason foring, he didn''t look arrogant. Instead, he handed me a form. "Ms. Fisher, you can fill out


    this partnership form if you don''t mind."


    This was the first time I saw someone requiring this.


    But Camille was a legendary figure. after all. So, it was normal for him to have his ways.


    However, a section in the form was quite interesting.


    He asked for the reason why I wanted to work with him.


    Niki exined, "I''m sure everyone knows about Camille''s temper. You cane up with any reason.¡±


    Of course, I knew I couldn''t write just any reason.


    Camille wasn''t an ordinary illustrator, and this form was undoubtedly a challenging task he posed for everyone who wanted to partner with him.


    If I was right, Niki would definitely pass the form to Camille once I leave.


    This was like a written test.


    Then, after pondering for a moment, I wrote my true motive.


    ¡°It''s a matter of life and death."


    When Niki saw that, he was stunned. Then, he smiled. "You''re funnier than I thought."


    "Mr. Niki, I''m not kidding. By hook or by crook, Camille must be the illustrator for our project.¡± I pinched my wrist and earnestly said


    I needed to give Bruce an exnation.


    After the meeting ended, I went down the stairs with a heavy heart.


    A few secondster, my phone rang


    It was a call from Vanessa.


    "Nancy,eback quickly. I don''t


    know wheresnika got the news that


    Ms. Lanewants to findanew = <>


    illustratorto rece her, but shes


    wantsto take revenge,¡¯ Vanessa''s


    frantic voice rang from the ather end


    of the line. Content belongsto


    NovelDrama.Org 4


    I felt my heart pounding as I asked, "Where are they?¡±


    "Ms. Lane Said she was going to buy


    an afterndon snack, and Anika went


    looking-for her. However, I didn''ttell


    Anika: -where Ms. Lane was. Ms.


    Whittaker I is out, so only yousan


    stap Anika," Vanessa honestly said.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Instantly, I felt a pounding headache.


    I contacted Anika after hanging up the call, but it kept saying the call was engaged.


    Immediately, I rushed to Cindy''s favorite caf¨¦.


    As I expected, both Cindy and Anika were present, and the atmosphere between the two was clearly tense.


    Just as I was about to step in, Anika


    picked up-the cup before her and=~


    ssh¨¦d it toward Cindy. "lonly>


    called you Ms. Lane out of courtesy.


    Who are you trying to fool. Here?"


    Anika''s face was flushed with anger, clearly furious.


    I quickly stepped forward. Then, while ordering the waiter to get some tissues, I advised, "Anika, apologize to her now."


    Anika didn''t expect that I would''vee.


    She curled her fingers and stubbornly replied, "She was the one who provoked me first. I''m not in the wrong.¡±


    I looked at Cindy in confusion.


    She had her brows furrowed and her eyes were downcast. And coupled with the coffee stain on her chest. she didn''t seem like an instigator at all.


    ¡°Anika. I''m doing it for the project. Nancy also agreed to it. Right, Nancy?" Cindy whispered in distress.


    I felt a bit speechless.


    However, Anika didn''t listen to her exnation. Instead, she widened her eyes and pointed at Cindy. "How fake! I know that you''re the one behind all


    of this!"


    Just as she finished talking. tears spilled down Cindy''s cheeks and she asked in a choke voice, "Nancy, you heard that. right?¡±


    Just as I was about to respond, a sharp voice suddenly interrupted, "What are you guys doing?¡±


    I hurriedly turned around and saw Bruce and John by the door.


    I wondered why he suddenly showed up.

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    Bruce immediately draped his jacket onto Cindy.


    Then, he red daggers at me and Anika, obviously angered.


    "Mr. Harold, I have a change of clothing in my office. Should..."


    "No need,¡± Bruce said indifferently. Then, he ordered John, "Call the police immediately.¡±


    I was stunned after hearing that he wanted to call the police.


    I immediately stopped him and said, "It''s just a misunderstanding. I can exin to you all."


    After that. I turned to look at Cindy for help.


    However, I saw tears streaming down her face as she choked out, "Bruce. I''m fine. I just upset my colleague because I said something wrong.¡±


    Bruce''s expression darkened after Cindy exined herself. Then, he consoled her, saying, "Don¡¯t worry. I''m here."


    After that, he shot John another look.


    John gave me a hesitant nce before taking out his phone.


    "Mr. Harold, please..." I felt a sense of urgency.


    After all, Anika was still young. It was dishonorable for her to be involved in legal matters at such an age.


    "She''ll need to face the consequences for doing something wrong. Let''s meet at the police station," Bruce interrupted me with an impartial look.


    Then, he led Cindy to the resting room.


    He waspletely ruthless.


    Half an hourter, we were brought to the police station.


    The head of Roeval Group''s legal department had also rushed over.


    After recording-our statement, the


    police kindlyreminded us, "The other


    party''swyer indicated that the =>


    coffee temperature was too highyso


    they¡¯ renot ruling out the possibility


    thatshe was intentionally causing


    harm to others."


    6


    I felt a pang in my heart as I asked, "Does that mean they''re also considering pressing criminal charges?"


    The police officer shot mea


    meaningftil look before ncing at


    Anika. ¡®Since you guys are ~


    colleagues, I suggest settling the


    matter privately. And try to do it with


    a sincere attitude." Content:belongs


    to¡° -


    Anika was absolutely stunned. She didn¡¯t expect her sudden outburst would lead to this situation.


    I tried tofort her and said, "It''s not right to attack others, Anika. You were really in the wrong this time."


    "But Cindy shouldn''t have said that my characters were rubbish. You know that my projects are so precious to me. I won''t allow anyone to insult


    them!" Anika''s eyes were red.


    I was a bit stunned. I didn''t expect that the soft-spoken Cindy would say something like that


    "Don''t worry. I''ll go and talk this out with Ms. Lane and Mr. Harold."


    Although Anika was in the wrong and deserved punishment, she shouldn''t have to bear criminal responsibility.


    If she was charged, her future was ruined


    However, Bruce and Cindy had left the police station when I reluctantly went to find them.


    Thewyer told me, "She got quite a bit of shock, so she''s still a bit emotional now. Mr. Harold felt uneasy leaving her alone, so he took her back."


    Thewyer even told me that Bruce made it clear that his decision was final before leaving.


    After pondering for a moment, I could only call Cindy.


    "Ms. Lane, Anika has already admitted to his mistakes. She''ll apologize to you first thing in the morning tomorrow. Can you try to convince Mr. Harold


    to settle this matter privately?¡±


    Cindy went silent for a while before asking. ¡°Nancy, would you forgive her so easily if you were the one getting sshed coffee at?¡±


    My voice choked up before apologizing, "I''m sorry.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Cindy''s tone carried a hint of


    displeasuire as she said, "You''re not


    in the wrong, so there''s no need to


    apologize to me. But all in all, you


    ands. Whittaker never considered


    mea member of your tean"


    C¨¦ntent belongs to NovelDrama.Org

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    It was at that moment that I knew Cindy was the most perceptive among us.


    Sensing my silence, she added, "You don''t need to convince me. It was Bruce''s decision to press charges against her. I''m sorry, but there''s nothing I


    can do about it.¡±


    Cindy hung up after saying that, not giving me the chance to convince her.


    Then, when I recalled what Caroline had said before, I felt a sense of unease in my heart.


    Since I''d failed to convince them, we could only find awyer just in case anything happened.


    Caroline and I knew of twowyers that were responsible for civil cases. However, they immediately turned down the case after hearing the intiff


    was from Roeval Group''s legal department.


    Caroline stomped her feet in anger. "Look at how cowardly they are!¡±


    But I could understand where they wereing from. After all, nobody wanted to stir up trouble for themselves.


    It was unsure where Dous got wind of this, but he brought awyer in charge of legal cases to our studio.


    Caroline and I were extremely grateful


    Thewyer advised us, "It''ll all boil down to the evidence. Although the caf¨¦ has CCTY, it''s too far to record what exactly happened. I think we can ask


    the staff about the entire story."


    Upon hearing this, at least Caroline and I now knew how to proceed.


    Before sunset, Dous and I got the employee''s recording and arranged a meeting with Cindy.


    When Cindy saw Dous and me, she was stunned. She asked, "Nancy, why did you guys ask me toe?"


    Dous and I exchanged nces before passing the recording to Cindy. "Ms. Lane, this is a recording from the caf¨¦''s staff. You can listen to it.¡±


    Cindy''s face turned pale. "What... What recording?¡±


    I patiently answered, "A staff member said that you guys had a fight before Anika sshed coffee on you.¡±


    Cindy curled her fingers and


    mumbledy"Is... Is that right? After¡±


    our calljust now, I also thought


    about it. Actually, this matter isnt as


    serigus as thewyer made iP to be,


    17"


    SVinovel -


    Dous and I exchanged nces. "What do you mean by that?¡±


    Cindy nced at me. "I''ll try to convince Bruce to stop pressing charges."


    Finally. I let out a sigh of relief.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Then, I heard her asking, "Then, this recording..."


    Cindy didn''t know that the recording only contained our small talk with the staff.


    Nowadays, the staff were also smart and didn''t want to cause trouble for themselves.


    However, Cindy had shown her true colors.


    It didn¡¯t take much for us to tell that Anika was right. Perhaps Cindy had really provoked her.


    ¡®Ms. Lane, We''ll remove the a


    recording: ¡°and as for the court case,


    you know what to do," Dous?¡±


    patienily said after sipping his¡±


    coffee. Content belongs te.


    -


    Cindy looked at me in fear. "I... I got it.¡±


    Cindy always gave off a frail vibe. But now, when she looked so timid, it seemed as if she had been wronged.


    Fortunately, the oue turned out well


    "Bruce, why are you here?" I heard Cindy question.


    When Dous and I followed Cindy''s line of vision, we saw Bruce standing a few feet away.


    Furrowing his eyebrows, he walked over with a stern expression


    Bruce then silently looked at me before ncing at Dous.


    Then, he scoffed. "What? Since you,


    couldn''teonvince me, you called. a


    helper. to make things difficult for


    her?" . <>


    Swnovel a

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    Bruce''s appearance caught me off guard. Plus, he even said that we were making things difficult for Cindy.


    Now that the incident had escted to such a point. it seemed suspicious that we were secretly meeting Cindy.


    Not to mention, we even deceived her by saying that we had the recording from the caf¨¦''s staff.


    We might be able to fool Cindy, but it was difficult for Bruce to believe us.


    Instantly, my heart began to race


    Fortunately, Cindy was tactful enough to smooth things over. "You''ve misunderstood. I was just meeting up with Nancy. It was... quite fun."


    But due to her young age. her lie seemed a bit unnatural.


    Bruce also noticed this.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Then, he sat down beside Cindy and nced at the recorder on the table. "What is this?"


    "A gift. Nancy gave me this,¡± Cindy exined before Dous and me could speak.


    After saying that, she looked at me pleadingly.


    So, I went along with her. "Ms. Lane has been in thepany for so long. She deserves a gift for her effort.¡±


    Just as I finished speaking, I heard Bruce mockingly say, "Your gift came at such good timing.¡±


    Bruce was right though.


    It was easy to decipher the motive behind me giving Cindy a gift at this time.


    However, I couldn''t tell the real purpose of the recorder either. So, I could only continue lying.


    "Bruce, you really misunderstood Nancy," Cindy sweetly said as she affectionately leaned toward Bruce. Then, she tried to cozy up to him. "However,


    when I think about it, I was also in the wrong in the incident."


    Then, she paused for a moment before saying in determination, "Anika is still Nancy''s and my colleague. Why don''t we just let it slide?"


    When Cindy said that, it made her look extremely forgiving


    Bruce stared at Cindy before looking at me. "You let it slide thest time too. But some people will just take advantage of your kindness."


    He was referring to the incident where Anikained about Cindy to me.


    It was obvious that he was unwilling to let it go


    ¡®Bruce, Anika is still young and might


    act recklessly. But she''s still working


    under Nancy and Ms. Whittaker. it


    wont benefit either of them ifthis


    goes to court.


    -


    "What do you think?" Dous, who had kept silent this whole time, spoke seriously.


    Bruce sneered at Dous before ruthlessly saying, "Are you telling me how to do things?"


    Suddenly, the atmosphere seemed to turn tense.


    I didn''t expect Bruce to go so far as to protect Cindy.


    Then, I immediately smoothed things over, saying, "You misunderstood, Mr. Harold. Dous is just trying to ease things over. He..."


    "Really? You seem to know him very well," Bruce looked indifferent as he interrupted me.


    I suddenly didn''t know what to say.


    Although Bruce and Dous weren''t good friends, they still knew each other from Nicox University.


    It was one thing for Bruce to retort to me, but there wasn''t a need to vent it out on Dous.


    However, Dous didn''t get angry. Instead, he exined, "Bruce, you know I don¡¯t mean that."


    ¡®If she poured coffee on Cindy today,


    then she Could throw garbage atJ me


    tomorrow. You say she''s still young,


    but isn''t she already an adult? Why


    can''t hold her ountable?


    Bruce¡¯ s voice was stern. Content


    b¨¦longs to  ~


    At this point, I could tell Bruce was unhappy that Anika had bullied Cindy.


    But as Bruce doted on Cindy, he was ignorant of the other side of the story.


    Although Cindy tried to convince him, he thought she was just trying to be forgiving.


    My heart suddenly sank when I thought that. Then, I earnestly asked, "Mr. Harold, is there really no room for negotiation?¡±


    Bruce nced at me before replying firmly, "Yes. Didn''t you already look for awyer? Let''s meet at court.¡±


    With that, he left with Cindy.


    As I stared at their departing figures. I thought that even Bruce''s figure seemed ruthless.


    I didn''t expect that we would still need to go to court.


    Plus, I didn''t expect Bruce to be so well-informed. He even knew we''d found awyer.


    "We can''t rush this. Let me consult.


    with some relevant parties again.1"l


    contact you if there¡¯s any news;


    Dousforted me before¡¯


    parting. ~


    NovelDrama.Org -

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    When I thought of how ruthless Bruce was to Dous, I apologetically said, "I''m afraid I have to turn you down. I''ve troubled you for too many things,


    so I''ll handle the rest of it by myself.¡±


    Dous paused for a moment before answering, "Okay."


    After seeing Dous off, it was alreadyte in the evening.


    It didn¡¯t take long before I received a call from Caroline.


    "Come and pick me up from Vienna Winery. It''s something urgent," she stuttered, indicating that she had drunk.


    Not daring to dy, I immediately drove over.


    However, when I pushed open the door, my heart ached when I saw Caroline being surrounded by three to four men


    I drank three sses before I managed to get her out of there.


    When we entered the basement, Caroline stopped acting andined, "If it weren''t to get information from them, I wouldn''t even have bothered!


    "But I already told you that I could handle it. Why did you drink?¡±


    I was displeased. "You should bring me along to things like this."


    Caroline sensed what I was thinking, so she came over and hugged me. "Don''t worry. I can handle this amount of alcohol. But most importantly, I


    managed to get information about Camille."


    Caroline said that Camille would secretly appear at his fan meetings


    This was fantastic news for us, and I really didn¡¯t want Anika''s incident to make her unhappy again.


    After sending Caroline back, I thought about how I couldn''t let Anika head to court.


    So, it seemed like the only way left was for me to beg Bruce.


    Even Caroline was willing to go to great lengths for thepany. so I figured that my dignity wasn''t that important.


    It was already night when the taxi stopped at Roeval Group


    After taking a deep breath, I headed into the building


    However, I was stopped by the guard on duty.


    "Mr. Harold has an appointment with me. My phone died, so please let him know about this," I lied through my teeth.


    The guard looked at me suspiciously.


    But since it was urgent, I could only press my luck. "Don''t worry. I''m close to Mr. Harold. He won''t me you."


    Then, just as I finished talking, the guard suddenly straightened his back before bowing. "Good evening, Mr. Harold."


    I turned around and instantly felt embarrassed.


    Bruce and John were standing a few


    feet away, -and from how tense


    Bruce was, it was apparent that he''d


    heard I my conversation with the


    guard. Content belongs ta


    ¡±


    "Mr. Harold, she said..." the guard started


    I didn''t wartto be cklisted by


    Roeval Group¡¯ s security system, so I


    interrugted him and forced a smile.


    "Mr. Harold, why did youe back


    SOte? I''ve... I''ve been waiting for


    yotk" ¡® ~


    Perhaps I was under the influence of alcohol, because my tone seemed softer than usual.


    It made it seem like I was buttering up to him


    Bruce also smelled alcohol on me. Then, he furrowed his eyebrows and asked indifferently, "Did you drink?"Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Well, at least he didn¡¯t kick me out.


    I nodded and pinched my palm. Then, I picked up the courage to ask, "I have a bit of a headache. Can you offer me some coffee?"


    A hint of mockery shed across Bruce''s eyes upon hearing this.


    Then, he snorted and headed toward the entrance of the elevator without even sparing me a nce.


    Instantly, I felt my heart sinking.


    Bruce was a clever man, and there was no way he couldn''t see through my scheme.


    However, I wasn''t Cindy. I was unable to evoke even a little bit of sympathy from him.


    It was the same as before.


    However, just as I was about to give


    up and leave, John''s reminder rang


    in mycear, "Nancy, don''t just stand


    there. The elevator''s almost here.¡±

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    I followed behind Bruce and John, timidly entering the president''s office.


    "Nancy, is ck coffee okay?" John asked


    I nced at Bruce, who was taking off his jacket, before nodding.


    Then, only Bruce and I remained in the vast president''s office.


    Bruce sat in front of his desk, d in a ck shirt, and his long fingers flipped through some documents with precision.


    His serious face was now filled with concentration, and he seemed to pretend that I wasn''t even there.


    It was obvious that he was ignoring me:


    But I didn''t want to rush things either. Besides, I was there to ask for help, so I had to y the part.


    So, I picked up a financial magazine from the coffee table and studied it


    But before I could even finish reading the content page, Bruce spoke, ¡°You seem quite rxed." As he spoke, his dark eyes remained fixed on the


    documents in front of him


    And although his tone was casual, it dripped with sarcasm.


    To be precise, his tone had always been this mocking since my past two encounters with him.


    I was already ustomed to it.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I closed the magazine and gently started, ¡°Mr. Harold, I have something I want to exin to you.¡±


    Bruce didn''t answer, and this usually meant that I could continue with the conversation


    "We were certainly in the wrong to contact Ms. Lane privately. However, we never thought of making things difficult for her." After a moment''s pause, I


    continued, "Plus, the reason we contacted awyer was not to oppose you, but...¡±


    Bruce suddenly interrupted me, "Was it not? The information I received was that you intentionally found awyer in charge of court cases."


    Bruce emphasized on the word "intentionally."


    Seeing his gloomy expression, I could only stoop even lower. "It was our fault."


    Bruce nced at me before scoffing. "Why did youe and look for me? Didn''t you already have Mr. Irvin as your helper?¡±


    I suddenly didn''t know what to say when Dous was brought up.


    After all, Dous was just looking out for me.


    "You were just talking about reaching apromise with mywyer. Yet, you found yourself awyer right after that


    "Have you always been so two-faced?" Bruce sneered and said the word "two-faced" through gritted teeth.


    Of course, Peouldn''t tell him that we


    found awyer because Cindy was


    firm on-her decision. Thus, I coutd


    only ? concede, "You''re right. Our


    biggest mistake was thinking that


    you''re a narrow-minded person.


    "However, when I think about it, you''ve always been generous, and there''s no need for someone as forgiving as you to stoop to our level.¡±


    This was something I would N


    normally Say. However, given the.


    urgency of the situation and that I


    hada bit to drink, it felt easy f for me


    to. tter him.


    -


    Bruce didn''t expect that I wouldpliment him like that.


    After pausing for a few seconds, he.


    awkwardly averted his gaze. Then;


    while lgoking at his documents; he


    said,¡° didn''t realize you wereso


    eloquent.¡± Content belongs. to


    His tone was light, and it seemed that he didn¡¯t dislike it.


    So, I struck when the iron was hot. "I was just telling the truth.¡±


    Bruce coughed softly before pressing the button on thendline before him. "Why are you taking so long to make coffee?"


    Well, he didn¡¯t want to talk to me anymore.


    Soon, John came in with the coffee.


    "Nancy, here''s your ck coffee.¡±


    I immediately stood up to reach for it. However, I felt a strange weight at the back of my head, and I couldn''t control my movements.


    And just like that. the cup of coffee spilled onto my chest


    ¡°Be carefull¡±


    And along with this reminder came the sharp sensation of scalding hot coffee meeting my skin


    "How bad is it? Does it hurt?" Bruce''s anxious voice rang in my ear.


    When I looked up, I saw his slender hands reaching out to my cor and unbuttoning my shirt.


    I rushed to stop him, but I identally touched his warm palm.


    When our skin made contact. my heart skipped a beat.


    In the next second, I tried to withdraw my hand, but Bruce was gripping it tightly. "Go out first.¡±

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    Bruce uttered hismand by my ear. And suddenly, I was being pulled by the waist and into his arms.


    Then, I caught a whiff of that familiar fragrance, and my heart began to race.


    I lifted my head in confusion and saw a fiery gaze in Bruce''s eyes.


    Was I seeing things?


    Just a second ago, Bruce wanted to chase me out.


    I took a step back and declined, saying, ¡°Thank you. I... I''m fine."


    However, my backing up only drew Bruce closer to me.


    With every step I took backward, he arrogantly took a step forward. And atst, I found myself by the sofa.


    There was no way for me to retreat further.


    As Bruce stood before me. he fixed his eyes on me, and there was an inexplicable feeling of aggressioning from him


    He was too close. He was so close to me that I could see the bobbing of his Adam''s apple.


    "Mr. Harold, I should..."


    However, Bruce didn''t give me a chance to finish my sentence. Instead. he forced a kiss on me to shut me up.


    His breathing was heavy, and he kissed me in an overbearing manner. It felt as if he was about to consume me, and my reflex was awakened in a


    sh.


    Perhaps it was due to the alcohol, but the word "desire" shed across my mind at that moment.


    Then, my rationality started to slip away from me as he passionately kissed me.


    This was overly ridiculous. But at the same time, it felt extremely real.


    Then, right at that moment, I felt Bruce''s touch around my wrist


    All of a sudden, my fading rationality came back to me, and I turned my head away, looking disgusted


    Bruce''s body was still against mine, but he stiffened up when he saw the look on my face.


    In an instant, all the passion between us vanished and only awkwardness and tension remained.


    A momentter, Bruce asked, "Is this wristband that important to you?"


    If I wasn''t mistaken, he had wanted to remove the wristband earlier.


    Then, I was reminded of that horrible scar, and my chest tightened.


    ¡°Answer me.¡± Bruce said in a stern voice.


    It was obvious that he was feeling more irritable now.


    "That was a gift from Dous. Is that why it''s so important to you, Nancy? You can''t even bear to remove it even when we''re being intimate?" he


    mocked.


    I looked straight at him in disbelief. His eyes had turned red, and they were filled with hatred.


    It was as if the pain fram the wound had transformed into a dagger, and I felt like I was being stabbed with it.


    Two years had already passed.


    The wound had healed a long time ago, and it was indisputable that a scar was all that was left.


    But didn''t that still count as a full recovery?


    With that said¡ªwhy was my heart aching so badly?


    Bruce, oh, Bruce.


    He just had to take a closer look at the pattern of the wristband. And if he did, he wouldn''t have said such a thing.


    After a few seconds of silence, he uttered, "Get out."


    Upon hearing him say that, I felt a lump in my throat, and tears started uncontrobly streaming down my cheeks.


    Nancy, oh, Nancy.


    After that day, I vowed never to shed another tear because of this man.


    Yet, how could I be so weak at this moment?


    It felt like I had ruined things.


    The next day, I got to the office in the morning, and the first thing I did was to contact thewyer.


    I wanted to discuss our next n of action. And since we were unable toe to a settlement, we could only go by the books.


    After hanging up the call, I turned around and spotted Cindy standing at the door.


    She was staring at me. Then. in a surprised tone, she asked, "Are you really taking Bruce to court, Nance?¡±


    I wasn''t sure whether tough or cry.


    Yes, I intended to take legal action.


    against Bruce. However, she was?


    the instigator of this matter. Haw


    cou id < she dare to look at mewith


    such an innocent look on her face?


    "What else should I be doing then?"


    "Don''t rush it, Nance. I have an idea."


    Cindy curled her lips up into a smile


    and continued, "Brucey and I booked


    2) private room at Rico Restaurant


    for tonight. I''ll send you the time and


    loeation via text in a bit. Content


    b¨¦longs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    "Later tonight, you shoulde over


    together with Mr. Irvin. Just say that


    it was.a coincidence that you c>


    bumped into us. Then, we can ¡°sit


    down and have a proper discussion.


    "What do you think about that?¡±


    Cindy''s suggestion came as a surprise, so it caught me off guardExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    But then. she added, "Tonight is our three-month anniversary.¡±

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    Cindy said that it was their three-month anniversary,


    I pondered on that piece of information, and it made me think about Bruce''s desirous gaze fromst night.


    Suddenly, it felt like I had bitten into a green olive, and I could feel its bitter taste on my pte


    Bruce was a cold and serious man. What''s more, he was also often upied. Hence, anniversaries were insignificant to him, and I didn¡¯t think that he


    would remember them.


    However, he had kept his anniversary with Cindy in mind. And not only that, he was attentive enough to make a reservation for a private room for their


    celebration.


    This was something that I had never experienced within the past six years of interacting with him.


    This was a day that they deserved to celebrate in private, yet Cindy chose to extend the invitation to me on this particr day.


    "Would that be appropriate?" I asked.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    However, I also thought about Anika¡¯s future and tried my best to suppress the difort in me and continued, "It might infuriate Mr. Harold. And if


    so, we would be in great trouble."


    I had already wronged him oncest night. I couldn''t afford to cause trouble again now.


    Cindy immediately answered, "Not at all, Nance. It''s going to be a ¡®coincidence¡¯ anyway. Moreover, it''s going to be an important day. I''m sure that


    Bruce would agree to whatever I suggest.¡±


    She sounded confident. I knew that her confidence developed after she had spent so much time with Bruce.


    I clenched my fists and said, ¡°You''re too kind, Ms. Lane."


    "No worries, Nance." Cindy''s eyes sparkled and she smiled, saying, "I can see that everyone has been anxious over this matter. To be honest, I feel


    bad about it too. After all, the issue happened because of me. I don''t want things to get awkward between everyone."


    She had a sincere expression on her face when she said that. But she looked so sincere that it made me doubt her sincerity.


    "Also, don''t you want to help to alleviate some of the tension between Bruce and Mr. Irvin?"


    I didn''t respond immediately. So, Cindy stared at me with an expectant gaze.


    Then, she continued in a low voice, "I feel as if... there''s some misunderstanding between the both of them. And if there is, wouldn''t it be better for


    them to talk it out?"


    Cindy''s reasoning was sound. But, for whatever reason, I felt a little conflicted.


    With that said, I also understood that she wasing from a ce of good intentions. So, I asked matter-of-factly, "Are you confident that you''re able


    to convince Mr. Harold?"


    Cindy smij¨¦d and answeredina ~~


    determined voice, "You should know


    this toe, Nance. Bruce isn''ta <>


    calctive person. Right now) ¡®he''s


    simply reacting out of anger.


    ¡®But tonights our three-month


    anniversary, so he''ll definitely ask


    me what I''d like him to give to me.


    Then: I can suggest a reconatiiation.


    There¡¯ $ no way that he''d reject me.¡±


    That was true.


    Cindy was the apple of Bruce''s eye, and he always obeyed her. How could he bear to reject her?


    And if Cindy didn''t mind it, then why would I shy away from such an opportunity?


    After all, things would get tricky once we took the legal route, so I needed to be more rational.


    It was as if Cindy had read my mind because she probed, "What do you think about this idea, Nance?"


    "It''s not bad,¡± I replied


    I didn''t truly think so though


    ¡®Oh, right. The recording pen." Cindy.


    opened her backpack and handed>


    the recording pen to me. "Everything


    happened so suddenly yesterday. I


    forgot to return it to you. ¡® Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    I looked at Cindy and hesitated


    Then, she cautiously exined herself, "Don''t worry, Nance. I didn¡¯t listen to any of the recordings on it."


    Upon hearing her exnation, all my worry dissipated.


    That made sense.


    Based on her temperament, I didn''t think that she would be so willing to reconcile with us if she had indeed listened to the recording


    Hence, I nodded. "Alright then. Let''s go ahead with your suggestion.¡±


    This was all for the sake of Anika''s future, so I was fine if I had to eat my slice of humble pie.


    After all, a harmonious situation would be a rare chance toe by.


    But when I ryed this to Caroline, she pouted and retorted, "Cindy''s a young woman, yet she seems quite malicious.¡±


    She felt that Cindy had a more deliberate n going on.

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    But was it necessary? After all, everyone knew how biased Bruce was toward Cindy. He even wanted to sue Anika for her sake.


    That was a privilege that people like us couldn''t dream of having.


    However, there was something else I now had a dilemma about¡ªI wasn''t sure if I should ask Dous to meet.


    ¡°You should go ahead and call Mr. Irvin. He would probably want you to." Caroline continued fanning the mes. "Cindy is the one setting this up


    anyway. It would be fine even if Bruce was displeased. It wouldn''t be our fault anyway.¡±


    Caroline had her fair reasoning. However, I wasn''t keen on dragging Dous into this again.


    After putting some thought into it. I decided to turn up solo.


    Their reservation was for 7:30 pm.


    Before Cindy left the office, she dropped by to bid me goodbye.


    I didn''t waste any time either and departed shortly after.


    Nheless, I was new to driving, so I was still unfamiliar with the roads. And by the time I arrived at Rico Restaurant, it was almost dinner time.


    I looked for a waiter to inquire about the location of the private room. But unexpectedly, I spotted Dous standing a short distance away.


    He was wearing a long. wool coat that was light tan-colored. He also had a tartan-check pattern Burberry scarf around his neck, and under his coat,


    he wore a formal and smart-looking suit.


    His outfit looked casual yet serious at the same time.


    At that moment, he was speaking with a staff member.


    Then, as if he could sense that he was being watched, he suddenly turned around and saw me.


    After that, he walked toward me with big strides.


    "Hi, Nancy.¡± He smiled slightly. "I thought I waste."


    I looked at him with a perplexed look on my face. "You were waiting for me?¡± I asked.


    "Yeah. Aren''t we meeting Ms. Lane for dinner tonight?"


    Upon further inquiry, I found out that I wasn''t the only one whom Cindy had extended her invitation to. Apparently. she''d also personally called


    Dous.


    She''d even called him te remind him to be punctual.


    But she wasn¡¯t aware that I hadn''t nned to invite Dous at all.


    Now. my n was messed up.


    It was as if Dous realized what


    was running.through my mind, so he


    said in amapologetic tone, "I was the


    one whoveaused you trouble with>>


    regards t to searching for an attorney.


    Yourfave to give me a change¡¯ to


    redeem myself this time, Nancy."


    As usual, he was able to make anything sound so pleasant.


    I was the one who owed him a favor.


    However, I noticed the sincere expression on Dous¡¯ face and couldn''t bring myself to ask him to leave.


    So, in the end, I sighed and said, "That''s not your fault. I was the one who was being too impatient.¡±


    Dous broke into a smile as he


    nonchatantly replied, "We''ve both


    made mistakes. Shall we redeem


    ourselves together then?" Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org -Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I was aboutto answer him when I :


    heard Cindy¡¯ s voiceing from


    besideme. In a sweet-sounding>


    Voice, ¡®she said, "Hi, Nance. Hiy Mr.


    Irvin. What a coincidence.".Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    I looked toward the direction of her voice.


    Cindy was holding on to Bruce''s arm, and they were standing a few meters away.


    Cindy looked cheerful and innocent as she put on a convincing act of being surprised to bump into us.


    In fact, it didn¡¯t seem like she was acting at all.


    Meanwhile, Bruce was standing next to her, and there was a glint in his eyes.


    His gaze was fiery, and the shape of his brows showed a clear depiction of his disgust.


    But it didn''t matter how convincing Cindy''s acting was.


    Bruce had already made up his mind that Nancy Fisher was a cunning and selfish person.


    Just take this uncoincidental coincidence as an example. He''d probably assume that I hade with bad intentions in mind.


    He probably thought that I was the one who set up this coincidental meeting.


    Well, so what if I did have other intentions? Wasn''t it more important to achieve my goal?


    So, I went up to them


    Then, I warmly and causally greeted them, "Hello, Mr. Harold and Ms. Lane. What a coincidence to see the both of you here."

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    I spoke with a tone that sounded like I was making fun of myself. After all, my intention was to make the situation feel less awkward


    However, Bruce maintained the gloomy expression on his face.


    It was obvious that he didn''t want to entertain us.


    Then, Cindy spoke up to smooth things over, saying, "It''s a coincidence indeed. Nance, have you and Mr. Irvin made a reservation for a private room?


    You can join us if you don''t mind.¡±


    This was the scenario that we had agreed upon.


    I was about to answer when Bruce said, "Tonight''s an important asion for us. Are you sure that you want two outsiders to ruin our mood?"


    He spoke in a calm voice. Yet, he emphasized on the word ¡°outsiders¡±.


    We had experienced an intimacy that outsiders wouldn''t otherwise have had. But even so, he wasn''t wrong.


    Cindy didn''t mind as she smiled slightly. "Nance and Mr. Irvin aren''t outsiders. Plus, the more the merrier."


    Her voice sounded sweet, and her tone was coquettish and soft.


    She made it difficult for others to reject her.


    Then, despite not being in on the n, Dous seemed to have sensed something odd.


    He asked out of curiosity, "What''s the special asion today?"


    "To be honest with you, Mr. Irvin, teday is our three-month dating anniversary," Cindy exined, her big. round eyes sparkling with happiness.


    Upon hearing this, Dous shot me a brief yet pitiful look.


    He hesitated.


    So, I continued ying along with Cindy''s act. "I see. Then. it''s indeed inappropriate for two outsiders like us to be present. We should just proceed


    on our own, Mr. Irvin."


    It shouldn''t have been a problem for me to reply in this way, so the next response would be up to Cindy.


    ¡°Don''t say that, Nance. Bruce was just kidding.¡± Cindy grabbed my hand and swung it from side to side. \


    Then, she looked at Bruce with a pleading gaze. "Say something, Bruce."


    Bruce gave me a quick and cold nce.


    Then, he became more at ease and helplessly answered Cindy, ¡°You''re the boss tonight. You can make the call." He didn''t sound particrly gentle.


    But he had still shown full respect to her.


    To me, a typical man would never allow his ex-partner to join in on his anniversary celebration with his new girlfriend.


    Yet, Bruce gave in to Cindy.


    He sure was a man of principles.


    I''d initially thought that he would be adamantly against us joining in.


    Nevertheless, reality showed me new perspectives time and time again.


    In the private room, pink and white


    balloons filled every corner. There¡±


    was algo a bouquet of roses in the


    shape-of a heart, anda celebratory


    wish''saying "Happy Third ?


    Marihsary" was written ont.


    C¨¦ntent belongs to


    Even the air in the room smelled sweet


    Clearly, a lot of detail was involved in decorating the room.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    On the dining table, there was also.a


    buttercream cake, and it was SO.


    detailed I that even the figurineson


    top of ¡®the cake were miniature


    versions of Bruce and Cindy.


    The Bruce I knew was someone who never remembered anniversaries.


    He seemed like apletely different person now.


    Cindy, the main protagonist of this celebration, was stunned.


    She covered her mouth with her hands and gasped. Then, she looked toward Bruce and asked, "Did you prepare all these for me?"


    Bruce froze before mumbling a confirmation


    Touched, tears welled up in Cindy''s eyes, and she choked back on her tears, remarking, "You''re too nice to me, Bruce.¡±


    Given the already lovey-dovey setting of the room, the atmosphere now made them look like two people in love.


    Meanwhile, I quietly stood in a corner and stared at Bruce''s lean back.


    Then, the corner of my lips bitterly twitched.


    How should I best describe this?


    Dous and I were standing here, and it was indeed unnecessary for us to be there at this time


    At that moment, I started to feel some admiration for Bruce.


    After all, he had also looked at me with the same soulful gaze once.


    He really had everything going for him, and I truly couldn''tpare myself to him.


    Just when I expected them to end up sharing a passionate kiss, Bruce took a step back and prompted Cindy, "You should blow the candles out first.¡±


    A look of disappointment shed across Cindy''s face.


    Perhaps she was unhappy that he was being dense.


    Despite that, her mood returned to


    normal saon enough as she stoad in


    front ofthe lighted candles. "Bruce,


    would be too greedy to make-two


    wishes?" she asked with an ¡®Anocent


    loak on her face.


    ¡°


    ¡°Not at all." Bruce promptly replied

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    Cindy happily put her hands together and said in a sincere tone, "Here is my first wish. I wish that Bruce will continue to stay by my side and that we


    can celebrate more anniversaries like this in the future."


    Upon saying that, she lovingly looked at Bruce, waiting to see his response.


    I was also curious to know how he would respond to such a straightforward confession like that.


    But instead of reacting, Bruce simply asked, "What''s your second wish?"


    Cindy froze. Then, she cautiously stated, "If possible, I wish to make peace with Anika, Bruce.¡±


    I became alert at the mention of Anika''s name.


    Then, I looked up and happened to meet Bruce¡¯s eyes at that moment. his gaze as deep as the sea.


    The lighting in this private room was dim. Yet. for some reason, we locked eyes, and it was as if we had chemistry.


    At the same time, I sensed a hint of mockery and sarcasm in his gaze.


    "Bruce." Cindy tugged at Bruce''s arm


    Then, Bruce turned away from me as Cindy continued, "I know that you care for me. But, look, I''m the happiest woman in the world right now. Can we


    just let it go?"


    Bruce leaned toward Cindy and looked at her. After a short pause, he answered, "I really can''t say no to you." His voice was tender.


    So, it looked like he had agreed to reconcile, just like what Cindy had assured me.


    This was a positive oue. But why didn''t it make me feel happy?


    Once again, I got to witness how important Cindy was to Bruce.


    After the celebration, Dous proposed a toast to Bruce and Cindy.


    "Thank you for your generosity, Bruce and Ms. Lane," he said in a sincere tone. "Let Nancy and I propose a toast to the both of you.¡±


    Bruce stared at the ss that Dous was handing over to him and smiled slightly.


    He remarked, "This issue was because of Ms. Fisher''sck in educating her subordinate. How does it have anything to do with you, Mr. Irvin?"


    Dous was verbally criticized for no good reason


    But my guess was that Bruce was actually intending toe at me.


    Hence, I lifted my ss with both my hands and politely said, ¡°You''re right, Mr. Harold. I''ll take this drink on your behalf.¡±


    Then, without waiting for him to respond, I emptied my ss in a single breath and drank one ss after another.


    The wine was Bruce''s favorite¡ªDomaine de Roman¨¦e-Conti.


    It tasted good, but I wasn''t able to stomach it after having too much to drink. So, I excused myself from the private room.


    I was retching in the washroom for quite a while before sobering up a little. Then, I walked out of the washroom in a daze.


    However, to my surprise, I heard Bruce rebuking someone.


    "We were just going to have a simple


    meal. Why did you have to put upvall


    these showy things?" His voice was


    bitingly cold, and every word.was as


    sharp as a knife. Conten belongs to


    NovelDrama.Org -


    ¡®I want youto cklist this ~


    organizers I''ll never work with them!


    Also, I want you to write a ten-wage


    selfceflection paper. I will nabept


    anything less than ten pages.¡±


    Organizer? Self-reflection?


    Was Bruce dissatisfied about the organization of tonight''s decoration and event?


    As an outsider, I would actually be


    willing togive it a score of eight aut


    of ten. Moreover, Cindy was the>


    main protagonist of tonight''s ~


    anniversary Celebration, andShe


    was 5 clearly thrilled. Content ¡®belongs


    to¡°NovelDrama.Org <


    So, what was Bruce dissatisfied about?


    Well, that didn''t matter anyway. After all, he was apany president. How could I dream of understanding how his mind worked?


    Then, I started making my move to carefully walk away.


    But right at that moment, I heard Bruce saying in a low voice, "Ms. Fisher, you seem to have perfected your acting skills.¡±


    I stopped in my tracks and looked toward Bruce.


    I noticed that he was leaning against the wall, and his face was hidden in the shadows, barely visible.


    I could only see an orange glowing from the lit cigarette that he held between his fingers.


    All of a sudden, I didn''t know how to respond.


    As I had expected, he had alreadybeled me as the mastermind of tonight''s coincidental meeting. There was no use for me to exin myself.


    "Yesterday''s trick didn''t work, so you roped in a helper to take a different approach?" he asked as he walked toward me.


    In the next second, he was already towering over me.


    "Tell me. Isn''t Dous bothered by what you''re doing?¡±


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    As Bruce came closer, I got a clearer view of the agitation in his eyes.


    That was an emotion that I had never seen in him before.


    And perhaps because I was in a daze from being intoxicated, I also saw an inexplicable hint of grievance in him at that moment.


    But he had just celebrated his three-month dating anniversary with Cindy.


    What was he curious about?


    It looked so ridiculous for him to have his curiosity piqued at this time, even if he was only slightly curious.


    Dous was a kind man, and he didn''t deserve to receive any unnecessary hatred.


    If it wasn''t for his sake, I wouldn''t have had any reason to exin myself to Bruce.


    "We''re just friends," I honestly said. "But I appreciate your concern, Mr. Harold.¡±


    Bruce took another step closer to me. "Why do you have to exin yourself?" he asked in an overbearing manner.


    "Now that it hase to this, did you think that there was anything that I was still curious about?" he continued in an arrogant voice beside my ear.


    I lifted my head and met his dark eyes, and to my surprise, he looked discontented


    I thought to myself that it was probably my own delusion, a misjudgment due to having too much alcohol.


    Immediately, I looked away and casually responded, "Weren''t you the one who asked about it first. Mr. Harold?"


    Under the dim lighting, I saw Bruce twirl the cigarette in his fingers before saying, "You really like to brag, Nancy."


    He stepped back.


    Then, he coldly clicked his tongue and turned around to leave.


    I watched as he walked away.


    Then, I gradually uncurled my fingers and breathed a sigh of relief.


    Initially, I thought that we''d achieved a perfect oue that night.


    However, I received Anika''s resignation letter the next morning.


    "I caused so much trouble for you and Caroline. I''m too embarrassed to remain here."


    It was as if Anika had matured overnight. The look in her eyes was less reckless than before.


    She apologetically continued, N


    "Moreover, as you know, I only joined


    this team in the first ce because I


    likedthis job. But I really can ¡®htake it


    anymore now.¡±


    She said that she couldn''t take it anymore, and it was obvious that she still held a grudge about what had happened before.


    If I forced her to stay on, she would still have to work together with Cindy. And I knew that would still be a form of torture for her.


    But the issue was that the project had already progressed to its current stage and Anika¡¯s departure would cause a sudden disruption in the art


    designs.


    That would be as good as not having ting for a dish that was being served


    Naturally, the progress of the project would then be halted, and it would make things extremely tricky.


    At the same time, there hadn''t been any progress with Camille either.


    We hadn''t heard back from Niki ever since we filled in the form, so chances were really slim.


    In an instant, we ended up being on the reactive side.


    After negotiating, Anika agreed to work with us until the end of the month, albeit reluctantly.


    However, Caroline and I were well aware that it was impossible to keep someone once they no longer wished to be with thepany.


    So, this only meant that we had to lock down the coboration with Camille before Anika''s departure


    It was indeed a tall order.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Caroline supperted her forehead


    with her pales-and sighed, "You were


    too understanding. Let''s say that ~


    we''re ludky enough to invite Camille


    to joins. We would still need a>


    couple of months to adapt tovone


    anather. Then, Cindy''s thesis ¡®might


    b@ affected. Content be anys to


    "If so, we would be breaking the agreement, and I''m afraid that Bruce will make sure that we feel sorry for it.¡±


    Caroline''s words made me feel burdened, and in the blink of an eye. I started to feel pressured.


    Camille''s fan meeting was happening in the afternoon, so we put our hope in that event.


    "Based on his past practice, there''s no way that Camille wouldn''t show up.¡± Caroline carefully came up with an analysis.


    "When I went fer drinks the other


    day, I was informed that he likes to


    blend in with the crowd. He likes ha


    hide among his fans to watch


    people''s. reactions. So, he''ll surely be


    witht the crowd of fans this¡±


    aff¨¦tnoon, Nancy." Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    With that said, there would still be a total of 50 people at the fan meeting.


    It wouldn''t be easy to spot Camille within such a crowd.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    "Based on gender, we can eliminate a portion of the female fans. But the rest is up to our luck.¡±


    Immediately after lunch, Caroline and I made our way to the resort by car.


    That was where the fan meet was taking ce.


    This was my first time attending a fan meeting with one of the best concept designers in the industry, and it was quite a bustling sight.


    There were many young people who were holding on to Camille''s artwork patiently lining up.


    But every now and then, I spotted a few older faces too. They either looked like homebodies, or they were simply here to join in on the hype.


    They didn''t look like they could be associated with Camille at all.


    Then, an even more unfortunate thing happened


    During the security checks to enter, the security guard informed us that the invitation that Caroline had only allowed one person to enter.


    Caroline was pissed. "The ticket seller told me that it was a ticket for two,¡± she exined.


    We had a detailed discussion, and after that, we decided to have Caroline infiltrate from within.


    After all, she was more experienced with knowing and getting to know people.


    As for myself, I was in charge of observing from outside.


    "Since he likes to watch others, I wouldn''t be surprised if he leaves the ce in advance. Do keep a good watch on the back door, and contact me


    immediately if you see anyone suspicious."


    I was amused by Caroline''s brilliance and replied in a serious tone, "Don''t worry, Ms. Whittaker. I promise I''llplete my mission.¡±


    After agreeing on our respective tasks, I went to order a cup of coffee. Then, I sat at the back door of the fan meeting to wait for my prey.


    Seconds and minutes passed.


    It was already halfway through the fan meeting, yet I hadn''t seen anyone who looked suspicious.


    Just then, I heard someone saying, "Excuse me. Please, excuse me.¡±


    I looked in the direction of where the sound was caming from


    There was a freight elevator a short distance away, and a child around three years of age was standing in front of the elevator.


    The elevator door opened, and a trolley that was piled with things was very quickly pushed out from the elevator.


    Without thinking too much about it, I rushed forward and wrapped my arms around the child


    Simultaneously, I felt a sharp pain in my back.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    It was so painful that I started to see stars.


    "Be carefull" I heard the sound of a clear voice by my ear.


    Then, just as I was expecting to be knocked down by the goods, it didn''t happen.


    I opened my eyes slightly and looked up to see someone with a youthful face standing by my side.


    He had stopped the goods on the trolley from knocking me over.


    He was a young man of around 20


    years of age. His hair was dyed gray,


    and he Fad a set of dark red-colored


    headghones around his neck. His


    skirvalso was fair, and his eyes


    glistened. Content belongs.to


    <


    He looked at me with a twinkle in his eye. "Are you alright, Miss?"


    But before I could respond, the child in my arms started bawling in fear.


    His parents came over after hearing him.


    They insisted on treating me to a meal after hearing about my bravery.


    "You''re both too kind. I also owe it to


    this young man for lending a helping


    hand." looked toward the young


    mannext to me and said, "


    should thank him instead. ¡°ontent


    belongs to  ~


    In the end, the parents suggested treating the both of us to coffee.


    So, the heroic man and I found ourselves sitting at the waiting area.


    I then ced my cell phone on the table. But right at that moment, it rang


    It was Caroline.


    I cautiously turned my back against the youthful man before answering the call


    ¡®Nance, I just feund out that Camille


    is a lefty. Hetas a small mole the


    size ofa sesame seed at the area -


    betweenthis thumb and forctingel


    SO fous on looking for a man like


    this Caroline shared in an excited


    voise. . S


    NovelDrama.Org


    I uttered a quick thanks before turning around.


    The man in front of me was using his phone. And with his left hand, he was dexterously tapping on his phone''s screen.


    I was taken aback.


    Then, upon closer inspection, I spotted a small mole about the size of a sesame seed on his purlicue.


    Hence, I probed, "Are you Camille?¡±

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    Upon hearing my question, the man looked up, and our eyes met.


    As I looked into his eyes, I noticed a sh of surprise in his charming eyes.


    But his surprise vanished in the blink of an eye.


    Then, he smiled and said, "Are you also a fan of Camille, miss?¡±


    I didn''t answer him immediately. Instead, I nced at his left hand¡ªit was well-proportioned.


    I responded with a question, ¡°Are you a fan of his too?¡±


    "You could say so,¡± he replied nonchntly. "But Camille would be overjoyed to know that he had such a stunning fan like yourself."


    "I heard that he''s used to drawing with his left hand." I didn''t want to beat around the bush and stared straight at this suspicious person in front of me.


    I continued, "Earlier, you also used your left hand to stop the goods from falling off the trolley too.¡±


    "And...2"


    I went straight to the point. "He also has a mole around the size of a sesame seed on his purlicue, just like you do."


    The man froze.


    Then, he chuckled, "You''re not thinking that I''m Camille, are you?"


    "I think that it''s possible that you are him,¡± I answered in a serious voice.


    Then, I questioned, "Are you?"


    Perhaps the level of seriousness I carried with me had scared him because he finally stopped acting yful.


    He replied in a solemn tone, "Miss, it''s been ten years since Camille''s debut. But I just turned 22 this year.


    "His reputation among the concept designers far precedes him. So, this would mean that I would have started creating since I was 12. I would have to


    be gifted and overflowing with inspiration, wouldn''t I?"


    22 years old.


    That was poles apart from the information that we had heard.


    "Wow, so, I seem like such a talented man to you," he said.


    I fixed my gaze on the young man''s naive-looking eyes. Then, I said matter-of-factly, ¡°Camille''s age was never publicly specified."


    I paused before continuing, "Plus. you seem to know him very well.¡±


    As I was entering the venue, I had a good look at the fans that were there. They looked ecstatic as they anticipated meeting their favorite artist.


    Yet, this man in front of me was too calm.


    He was so calm that he seemed a little arrogant too.


    "Ah, I''ma superfan of Camille''s," he


    patiently exined, ¡®To be honest?


    with you, Camille and I have even


    gamed: together in the past. I was


    the one who secretly spreadthe


    news about him being a lefty.¡±


    C¨¦ntent belongs to NovelDrama.OrgExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    All of a sudden, I didn''t know how to respond. "So, that was fake information?"


    He shrugged without answering.


    Caroline had so much experience under her belt. Yet. she had been yed by this nobody.


    "Did I make you mad, miss?"


    I wasn''t exactly mad. But it didn''t feel good to have my spirits dampened right when I was ignited with hope


    "This is my business card," I said as I presented my business card to him


    Networking with a fan was still part ofworking anyway.


    "If you happen to have any news about Camille, could you please immediately inform me?¡±


    The man epted my business card with a curious look on his face. Then, he smiled and remarked, "Nancy Fisher. Nice to meet you, Ms. Nancy.¡±


    I wasn''t inthe mood to continue ~


    hanging around. But as I was getting


    up to leave, he added, Oh, right-Ms.


    Nancy, my name is Jonah o


    Fethandez. I''ll see you around."


    Half an hourter, the fan meeting ended, and Caroline and I exited the resort with disappointed looks on our faces.


    I then told her about meeting Jonah, and Caroline''s jaw dropped. "It seems like much more effort is needed in order to meet Camille in person."


    When we got back to the office, we bumped into Cindy. She was about to get off work.


    She came over and inquired, "Nance, I heard that you went to meet Camille this afternoon. How did it go? Has he agreed to partner with us?"


    She was basically rubbing salt onto Caroline''s and my wound


    Caroline afswered in an irritated ~


    voice, ¡®You have Mr. Harold as your


    backing. But we''re not like youxMs.


    Lanes So, I''m afraid that we don''t


    have any good news for you.¡±

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    Cindy looked down and said softly, "I didn¡¯t mean anything else by that, Ms. Whittaker.¡±


    Caroline smiled slightly, not saying anything else in response.


    Right after that, Cindy added, "But you''re right, Ms. Whittaker. For the sake of the project''s progress, I could perhaps go to Bruce to ask for some


    help.


    "Let me see if there''s a chance to meet Camille in person."


    I was stunned and couldn''t find the right words to speak.


    Meanwhile, Caroline smiled. ¡°Sure. Thank you in advance then, Ms. Lane."


    Cindy smiled slightly, saying. "No worries at all, Ms. Whittaker."


    She smiled sweetly, but there was also a hint of boastfulness in that sweet smile of hers


    Caroline also noticed this


    So, after Cindy left, she grumbled, "She was the one who came up with this challenge. But now that we''re feeling helpless over here, she¡¯s offering


    her help?


    "What if she really manages to rope Camille in? We''d be so ashamed!"


    "Weren''t you the one who said that money''s more important than that?"


    Caroline rolled her eyes at me. "How could she dare to boast in front of me? How rude!¡±


    Then, she picked up her phone and started speaking coquettishly over the line, trying to get more information on Camille.


    I knew that we needed to be tenacious if we wanted to seed. So, after some thought, I gave Niki a call, intending to ask him to meet.


    Unfortunately, he rejected me and said that his schedule was packed.


    So, I pondered over it for an evening


    The next day, I brought a gift with me and showed up uninvited at Niki''s art studio.


    His secretary showed me to the waiting room, and I remained there from 10:30 am until 12 pm.


    After such time, his secretary politely said to me. "I''m sorry, Ms. Fisher. Mr. Niki is still upied. It might be better for you to take your leave."


    I understood what she meant, so I figured that I should act tactfully too. I wanted to ensure that he gets his gift.


    "You shoulctbring it back with you,


    Ms. Fisher¡± Niki''s secretary =


    haughtily insisted. "Mr. Niki


    already has heaps of trinkets like


    these. He doesn''t need more" She


    pushed the gift back into my hands.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    u


    ~


    However, she underestimated her strength, and the gift box slipped out of my hands before crashing on my foot.


    The gift I''d chosen was a set of paints made by an artisanal paint maker.


    They were quite weighty, so it was rather painful to have them smash onto my foot.


    Niki''s s¨¦tretary awkwardly shot.


    mea sid¨¦long nce and said, "Kve


    already told you that we won''t be


    epting your gift. Just takext back


    with you." Content belongs. ie


    NovelDrama.Org


    She sounded as if she was trying to dismiss a beggar.


    Deep down, I felt wronged. And at that moment, I couldn''t stop myself from feeling overwhelmed by those emotions.


    I silently bent down.


    Suddenly, I heard Cindy''s familiar voice gasping. "What are you doing here, Nance?"


    I lifted my head in doubt.


    Then, I saw Cindy standing in front of Niki''s office with Bruce.


    I didn''t go into the office that morning. So, I was quite surprised to bump into Cindy here.


    But, I was more dumbfounded to see that Bruce was also here.


    And at the same time, Niki was standing next to both of them.


    It was obvious what their purpose was


    Previously, Niki treated me in such an unfriendly manner. But right now, he looked as if he was trying to tter them.


    He may betamille''s most valued ;


    agent. Yet the look on his face wa


    the expression one would have¡¯


    whe they showed adoration vito their


    superiors. Content belongs. to


    NovelDrama.Org


    In an instant, I was reminded of the conversation I had with Cindy before getting off work the previous day.


    Only a night had passed since then. And despite usually being unemotional and impartial, Bruce had actually brought her here to see Niki.


    I couldn''t believe that he had done so without any hesitation.


    He was already as protective over her as he could be.


    I, on the other hand, was utterly embarrassed and was being chased out of Niki''s office.

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    Thanks to Bruce and Cindy''s influence, I was also invited into Niki¡¯s office.


    His secretary¡ªwho''d spoken to me arrogantly earlier¡ªwas now standing by the side.


    She was trembling with fear while she quietly listened to Niki¡¯s reproach.


    After giving her a dressing-down, he looked toward me.


    In an apologetic tone, he said to his secretary, "Apologize to Ms. Fisher, now."


    His act was rather convincing


    I watched as Niki''s secretary looked terrified. But I didn''t take it to heart. So, I replied, "It had nothing to do with her. I was too careless."


    Upon hearing that, Niki nced over at Bruce and Cindy, as if he was trying to read their responses.


    Then, he consoled me, saying, "I appreciate your broad-mindedness, Ms. Fisher. I just found out that you work together with Mr. Harold and Ms.


    Lane.


    "My apologies if I have wronged you in any way.¡±


    His apology was directed at me. But it sounded as if his exnation was meant for Bruce.


    That being said, there were simr people in every industry. They had connections everywhere, and if this move could help me achieve my goal. I''d


    be more than happy to y along.


    ¡°All''s good, Mr. Niki. Nance is known for being very forgiving," Cindy¡ªwho was sitting by the side¡ªchimed in. She still had a slight smile on her


    face.


    Then, she continued, "That being said, I really never expected to bump into you at Mr. Niki''s, Nance. I guess we''re quite in sync.¡±


    I cringed and forced a slight smile on my face.


    The back of my foot was throbbing, and I was trying my best to quietly withstand the pain.


    At the same time, there was an inexplicable feeling of bitterness in my heart.


    Nevertheless, I decided to get straight to the point.


    "Mr. Niki, we''vee here today because we sincerely wish to invite Camille to partner with us. But, before that, I believe that he needs to have


    an all-rounded understanding of the partnership.


    "It was quite rushed thest time I came by, so I hadn''t prepared anything at the time. But beforeing over today, I prepared a simple video as an


    introduction to the project.


    ¡°It''s not long. It''ll just take two minutes. Please help us to pass it on to Camille."


    Upon saying this, I handed over the USB with the copied file.


    I had spent the entire night editing the video.


    It was shartyet very detailed, and it.


    was certainly more interesting than


    flipping through a few pages of &


    project proposal. It would also¡± save


    hist more time.


    7


    It was The Information Age after all. Of course we''d have toe up with ideas to captivate our clients within a couple of seconds.


    Furthermore, Camille¡ªwho was highly sought after¡ªwas the artist whom we were trying to get onboard.


    I guessed that he would only briefly nce through every chart. So, I had toe up with something more unique


    Niki raised his brows as a look of


    surprise t same across his face. Hes


    asked. 6ut of curiosity, "Ms. Fisher,


    would you mind if I take a look at it


    first?" ..~


    -


    "Of course not. I''d be more than happy to hear anyments from you personally too, Mr. Niki," I answered confidently.


    "Then, I should learn from Nance too." Cindy got up and came closer to me.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Then, in a rather humble posture, she said, "I want to see the tricks that she''s secretly got up her sleeves.¡±


    Cindy sounded yful, butshe


    completely hadn''t realized that this


    was a ¡®¨¦rucial moment that I had¡±


    worked hard for. I aimed to get


    Niki s recognition. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~~


    Oh, right.


    That wasn''t necessary from her perspective anyway.


    She had Bruce as her trump card. Of course she could do whatever she wanted. Unlike me, she didn''t need to be overly cautious.


    Shortly after, the short video ended


    Niki looked at me with a staggered look on his face.


    "Ms. Fisher, you are indeed someone whoes from a background in IT. This was a short video. Yet, you made it in such a unique way. I''m


    impressed.¡±


    Indeed, I had put in quite a bit of effort into making the video.


    asionally, Camille posted updates on his Facebook, so I referenced the style of his content in order toe up with the overall style for the video.


    My spection was that Camille wouldn''t have much time to work on showy content like that.


    Hence, there was only one possibility¡ªNiki was the one who appreciated the aesthetics.


    "You''re too kind, Mr. Niki." I kept a calm expression on my face.


    Then, I exined truthfully, "All I did was apply some tricks. It''s not really up to standard."


    "That''s very modest of you, Ms. Fisher.¡±

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    Niki''s attitude was more candid than before. And based on how we were progressing, I thought that we should be headed toward a good oue


    soon.


    However, our conversation took a turn, and he said, ¡°But. I''m sure that you''re all aware of the kind of person Camille is. He has to be the one who has


    an interest in a particr partnership. Otherwise, others aren''t able to recruit him at all."


    Niki was gracious in the way that he spoke, and he was sincere too. But it was obvious that his sincerity was mainly disyed for Bruce¡¯s sake.


    However, I was unable to make a snap judgment about Niki¡¯s truthfulness.


    Finally, Bruce broke his silence and spoke up in a horse voice, "That''s alright. Partnerships are two-way rtionships anyway. Camille might not be


    interested in our project. And if that were really true, it wouldn''t work even if we forced him to join us.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "Don''t you think so, Ms. Fisher?¡±


    Suddenly, Bruce took a strong stance.


    I hadn''t expected him to do so at a time like this. so I was taken aback for a moment.


    Then, I went along with him and replied, "That''s absolutely true, Mr. Harold. However, my instincts tell me that Camille would be very willing to partner


    with us after he gets an understanding of our project.


    "What do you think, Mr. Niki?"


    Bruce and I expressed ourselves using two opposing strategies.


    He had the capital and the confidence. But as a mere employee, I had to have a more humble attitude


    Weplemented one another, and our cooperation was impable.


    I was also quite stunned by how in sync we were.


    Niki, on the other hand, was putting on airs and had a conscientious look on his face.


    Upon seeing this situation, he finally showed a slight change in his expression.


    Perhaps he couldn''t withstand the pressure any longer.


    After all, Bruce was a man of status. Even if he had just sat there, his presence alone was intimidating enough.


    Thus, negotiations continued. And in the end, Bruce ended the meeting using Cindy''s hunger as an excuse.


    Later on, Niki tried to keep us. But no matter how he tried, Bruce didn¡¯t agree to his suggestion to have a meal together.


    During this negotiation, it was clear that Bruce had turned the tables for us with a few simple words.


    Then, at the parking lot area, the three of us stood together.


    Earlier, I''d overheard Bruce on the phone


    John was on his way to pick Bruce and Cindy up, but he was stuck at a junction nearby. So, he would be a few minuteste.


    Hence, I had no other choice but to wait together with them


    Then, I took notice of Cindy''s mood


    She didn''t seem too enthusiastic ever since we''d left Niki''s office. Rather, she looked quite despondent.


    She wasn''t really good at hiding her feelings and hung her head low. She looked as if she had been defeated.


    One could easily tell from her face that she was unhappy.


    Bruce noticed this as well and asked in a concerned voice, "Are you tired?"


    Cindy looked up.


    She took a brief yet cold nce at me before looking down again. Then, she softly sighed.


    Upon realizing that I was third-wheeling, I guessed that it was inappropriate for me to continue standing there.


    So, quick-witted, I said, "I''m sorry, Mr. Harold. I''ve got some urgent matters to attend to. I''ll be making a move first.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Cindy fluttered her eyshes, and a joyful look shed across her dejected face


    She looked at me and asked, "Aren''t you going to have lunch with us, Nance?"


    "No. Thank you, "I turned her down ~


    immediately. '' lim not too familiar


    with this parking area anyway. qd


    batter be off to look for my:parking


    "


    I came up with a reasonable and realistic excuse.


    However, when I walked tothe =.


    junction, t suddenly realized that td


    eft my ¡®phone at Niki''s office. So, I


    had to head back immediately.


    As I walked past the junction, subconsciously, I looked toward the spot where Bruce and Cindy were standing.


    Cindy was looking at Bruce with an anguished look in her eyes.


    She choke¨¦+back on her tears and ~


    said, ¡°I I wanted to take this SL


    opportunity to share the burden With


    yous But instead, it felt like yau had


    more chemistry with Nance: Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~


    "And as for me, I was only standing by the side like an outsider. I couldn''t even chime in.¡±

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    The streets were busy, and there was only one main road. So, inevitably, I had to go past Bruce and Cindy in order to get to Niki¡¯s studio.


    I wasn''t too far away from them. But since Bruce was patiently listening to Cindy, they hadn''t realized my presence.


    I had also just found out about what Cindy was bothered by.


    Other than me being their third wheel, she was also bothered by our differences at work


    I didn''t intend to eavesdrop, so I started to walk away.


    But suddenly, I heard Bruce saying in a deep voice, "Last night, who was the one who came to my office looking all pitiful? And who was the one who


    postponed his morning meeting to apany you?"


    All of a sudden, my legs felt heavy, as if they had been chained down


    It turned out that Bruce had postponed his morning meeting so that he could be here.


    Then, Cindy started to beat herself up, saying, "I know that this goes against your principles. But Nance and Caroline have been troubled and anxious


    over this. I really couldn''t bear to see them like that.


    "Moreover, I was the one who suggested changing the character''s image. So, I wanted to y my part and share the load too. I''m sorry that I troubled


    you.¡±


    "No. It''s no trouble," Bruce casually said.


    After hearing his response, Cindy looked more rxed. Then, she happily linked arms with Bruce and smiled. "I just wanted to perform well in front of


    everyone. I was wrong. I shouldn''t have been envious of Nance."


    I looked up slightly upon hearing my name.


    Then, without realizing it, I found myself looking at Bruce''s face.


    He smiled and said in a warm tone, "There''s no need to rush. Take your time. We have lots of time."


    It was only at this moment that I knew Bruce could have such a patient side to him.


    He was someone who thought that I was wasting my time by growing a bougainvillea nt. Yet, today, he put his workload aside to apany the


    apple of his eye as she learned to be more mature.


    At the end of the day, I just wasn''t as fortunate


    But then again, I should be d


    After all, there was nothing that couldn''t be done as long as Bruce had set his mind to aplishing it.


    We would probably be able to see Camille soon enough.


    After returning to the office, I updated Caroline on all that happened


    However, she looked dejected as she said, ¡°There''s nothing to be happy about. What if Cindy starts to oppress us with this?


    "If so, it would get trickier and trickier to get the subsequent work done. And we may even lose control over it.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I was confused. "What do you mean?"


    "Think about it-Camille would be in


    charge oftour game''s artistic design.


    Cindy''srying to recruit him using


    her cannections, and once she


    sucseeds, in some ways, they would


    be-on the same side. Content


    b¨¦longs to  ~


    "Are we going to have to battle them every day?¡±


    Caroline''s words gave me a sudden realization, and I was now aware of the seriousness of the matter.


    I needed to do all I could to get Camille''s recognition when I got to meet him.


    We ended up waiting for two whole days.


    Even so, there was still no news from Niki


    Bruce was there as a backing. And logically speaking, Niki wouldn''t sidestep the issue.


    Besides, he neither had any reason, nor any guts to do so.


    But I couldn''t feel at ease. So, after some thought, I ended up calling Niki.


    "Camille has geen the video.


    Personally, Ae thinks that your


    projec isather interesting. But =>


    unfortunately, he''s been upied>


    with another job recently. So, I''m


    afraidthat he has to decline this


    partne ship."


    swnovel.


    Niki had mentioned the word "decline".


    This was such a major update. Why hadn''t I heard anything about it?


    Niki continned, "Fortunately, Mr.


    Harold is a stnart man. He insisted


    for me torarrange a meeting o


    between¡®him and Camille.


    Coincidentally, there''s a privatecart


    exhibition at Minerva East tamorrow


    afternoon. Camille will be there.


    ¡°Didn''t Mr. Harold mention this to you, Ms. Fisher?¡±


    Bruce was arranging to meet Camille at a private art exhibition, and to my surprise, he had already made the necessary arrangements for the matter.


    As one of the persons involved, I couldn''t believe that I was still in the dark at this moment.


    "He has. Mr. Harold did mention it. It just slipped my mind." I answered vaguely.

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    I managed toe up with a decent excuse for myself.


    Then, after we hung up, I looked at my hands.


    They were trembling


    My heart felt heavy too. as if it was being weighed down by something.


    I thought about the conversation I just had with Niki.


    It sounded as if Bruce had already made all the arrangements.


    And from my understanding of Bruce, he was a perfectionist in his nning. He might n something in advance, but he would never dy anything


    Perhaps he had already nned everything out a day ago.


    But he didn''t say anything about it. and Cindy didn''t mention anything either.


    Hence, there was only one possibility¡ªthey didn''t want me to be involved.


    At that thought, disappointment washed over me.


    But I forced myself to cheer up for the sake of the project''s future.


    To me, that was my right. I certainly could not give it up to someone else.


    So, I drove toward Roeval Group.


    Bruce didn''t seem too surprised to find out that I hade by. He spoke coldly over the phone and asked, "What brings you here, Ms. Fisher? Is


    there anything important?"


    I could hear the apprehension in his voice. Then. in a patient tone, I suggested, "Let''s talk face-to-face. I''m already on the ground floor of Roeval."


    Ten minutester, a receptionist escorted me to the president''s office.


    I pushed the door open and entered.


    Bruce was sitting at his office desk, approving some documents.


    He was wearing a pair of silver-framed sses, looking serious and focused


    Upon sensing that someone had entered his office, he said without looking up, "Postpone the board meeting to next Monday. I have other ns for


    tomorrow.¡±


    I was taken aback.


    I felt a lump in my throat, and all of a sudden, I was unable to speak.


    If I wasn''t mistaken, his n for tomorrow would be to apany Cindy to meet Camille.


    I couldn''t believe that he was rescheduling the board meeting because of this. He was postponing a meeting with the board of directors!


    But then again, as the president, his status and power was not like a normal person''s.


    Meanwhile, I remained standing at the same spot and didn''t respond


    Atst, Bruce realized that something was amiss. So, he gently pushed up his sses and looked up slightly.


    He looked toward me, and our eyes met.


    I could sense a hint of impatience in his eyes as he remarked, "That was fast."


    I clenched my fists and went straight to the point. "Do you have some time, Mr. Harold? There''s something that I wish to discuss with you.¡±


    Bruce was still going through his documents. "What is it?" he askedExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Mr. Niki told me that you''d already made arrangements to meet with Camille,¡± I exined.


    Upon saying this, I realized that I sounded quite casual.


    ¡°But I haven''t heard any news about it,¡± I continued.


    Right after that, Bruce stopped what he was doing.


    He peered at me, and after pausing.


    for a fewSseconds, he said, . ¡ª


    Everything has already been ?


    arranged ordingly. So, I don''t


    have to trouble you, Ms. Fisher.¡±


    "Trouble me?" I repeated his words in a shaky voice. "Does that mean that you and Ms. Lane are the only people who will be meeting with Camille?"


    "That''s right." Bruce answered immediately, not a single sign of hesitation in his response


    He had just confirmed my spection.


    I wasn''t satisfied, so I stared at him,


    "But, why? I m the person in charge


    of the project. There''s no reason for


    yaurto leave me out of this heeting.¡¯


    Upon hearing that, Bruce furrowed his brows slightly.


    A few secendster, he responded?.


    ¡®Roeval Group was the one that =


    fought£¤or this opportunity. Dot heed


    to cansult you on who to hard this


    opportunity to, Ms. Fisher2"Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org ~

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    Previously, I had thought about the possibility of Bruce orchestrating all of this. But nheless, I was now hearing him admit to it personally.


    It still felt like my heart was being stabbed with a dagger, and the pain was unbearable.


    He was such an intelligent man. And if this was something that Caroline had thought of, surely he was capable of doing so too.


    However, he wanted to have Cindy be the one leading the project.


    It wasn''t as simple as having here to ourpany to gain some experience.


    He wanted to give her something more substantial. He wanted to give her more


    After quite a while, I finally found my own voice again. Calmly, I said, "Mr. Harold, this is different from what we agreed on previously.¡±


    "Is it?¡± Bruce looked away and replied nonchntly, "I don''t think I ever promised to bring you along, have I?¡±


    That wasn''t wrong. Indeed, he had never said so.


    In the presence of all three of us, Niki had sung praises about the video I produced. But despite that. Bruce still had the most influence at the end


    of the day.


    He treated Cindy like the bougainvillea in his garden. He watered it and pruned it personally.


    I, on the other hand, was just a gardener whom he forced to assist in protecting that nt of his.


    I was a nobody. I was someone who could be discarded once he was done with me.


    Was there anyone who would care about how an insignificant gardener felt?


    I couldn¡¯t help but sneer. "Mr. Harold, there can only be one person in charge of this project. And that person is me.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Bruce froze and stopped writing.


    He looked up slowly and gazed at me with his deep, dark eyes. "What do you mean by that. Ms. Fisher?"


    I answered him honestly, "No agreement has been signed with Camille yet, Mr. Harold. Let''s see which one of us has the ability to have him sign it."


    My working principle was to never give up easily. So, I would persevere until the veryst second.


    Bruce acted as if he had just heard a funny joke. He scoffed and leaned back on his chair.


    Then, he askedzily, "Do you think that you''ve still got a chance?"


    "I will have to try in order to find out," I said in a belligerent tone.


    Bruce didn''t respond immediately. But after a while, he said, "You''re still the same, Nancy."


    I knew that he was mocking me.


    He had helped Cindy to get a headstart with the matter regarding Camille. But that aside, I was now challenging Bruce. I was aware that I was biting


    off more than I could chew.


    After all, Roeval Group was a corporation that had the financial and material resources. And right now, Caroline and I were overreaching.


    But then again, what if this was the case?


    Bruce was the one who started this by being hical. And we definitely couldn''t endure it time and time again.


    It was already afternoon by the time I left Roeval Group.


    The warm and sunny weather had changed, and it was now freezing cold.


    The wind that blew was chilling to the bone, and I couldn''t stop shivering.


    Then, I realized that I had broken out in cold sweat when I was speaking with Bruce.


    This opened my eyes.


    I used to be so obedient to him. I didn''t think that I had the guts to challenge him like I did today.


    I had acted impulsively.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    It was easy to challenge someone verbally. But it was a long shot to make it a reality.


    Moreover, this was about Camille, whom we know nothing about.


    Then, I shifted my attention toward the private art exhibition.


    This sort of art exhibition was usually a way for the upper-ss society towork with one another.


    Its scale was small, but it was extremely secretive. And the purpose of it was to allow them to build rtionships internally.


    It would be extremely difficult to sneak into a ce like that.


    So, I could only pin my hopes on Caroline.


    Hence, Caroline spent the evening


    asking around for information and


    found gut that there were two ~


    private-art exhibitions that were


    happening in Joddesdon andSaza


    inthe afternoon.


    wat


    <


    One of them was happening in the neighborhood in Minerva South¡ªit was an open exhibition.


    Another exhibition was being held at Calista Gallery at Minerva West¡ªit was a private event and not open to the public.


    ording to Caroline''s exnation,


    Calista Gallery was a private art 2


    gallery 4 4t was founded by a budding


    artist who had just returned to-the


    country and was rarely open¨¦d to


    the-public.


    Its main concept was being low-key and mysterious.


    "This suits you.¡± Imented as I made some notes. "So, how are we going to enter?"


    Caroline alSo had a troubled


    expression on her face. ¡°It would.be


    difficult¡¯ The guests invited to the art


    exhibition are wealthy and noble,


    and-they'' re very particr about


    their privacy.


    NovelDrama.Org ¡°


    I''m sure that the security in the afternoon would be tight too. So, I''m afraid that my tricks to sneak into the event wouldn''t work there."


    This was my first time witnessing Caroline feeling helpless.


    In the past, there had been parties that the both of us wanted to attend. And during those times, she was always able to find out information about


    those parties from insiders.


    Some of them were party attendees. while some of them were chefs in the back kitchen.


    I had never seen her with her hands tied like today.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    Iforted Caroline, saying, "How about this? You focus on your work, and I''ll go there this afternoon to keep watch. If I spot someone familiar, I''ll


    find a way to follow them in."Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Caroline was already overwhelmed by the promotional n. She nodded. ¡°Keep in touch."


    And so I drove to Calista Gallery. I ended up circling the area for a while because the gallery was in a remote location, and I wasn''t familiar with the


    route. It took me a while to find the exact location.


    Caroline was the one who usually scouted out ces. So, I had no choice but to call her for help


    "It''s not your fault. That area is full of twists and turns." Carolineforted me and suggested, "You can try something else."


    She instructed me to park by the roadside and observe the passing vehicles. If I noticed three or more luxury cars heading in the same direction, it


    was most likely where the gallery was.


    That made sense. Yet, the moment I hung up the phone, I suddenly felt my body lurch forward, crashing into the steering wheel.


    Ouch!


    A blue Porsche had run into my car.


    Ignoring the sharp pain in my wrist, I nced into the rearview mirror, annoyed


    Trouble was thest thing I wanted.


    I opened the car door in frustration. But when I looked up, I saw the familiar shade of dyed gray hair.


    It was Jonah.


    He still had a pair of bright red headphones around his neck and was wearing a vintage jacket matched with denim jeans. At a nce, he appeared


    rebellious yet full of life.


    After briefly exchanging a nce with me, he grinned. "Nancy. this must be fate."


    I was at a loss for words. "What a coincidence.¡±


    A sharp pain suddenly shot through my wrist, and I furrowed my brows unconsciously.


    "Are you injured?" Jonah wasn''t a fool. He stepped forward nervously. "Let me take you to the hospital.¡±


    It''s fine," I said, recalling the situation with Camille. "Can you check my car for me?"


    Jonah was surprised. "Are you saying the car is more important than you?¡±


    "It''s not..." I didn''t know how to exin. "I have something urgent to attend to."


    ¡®Even if it''s''urgent, you still need to.


    go to the hospital,¡¯ Jonah insisted


    "Leave ¡®the car for the i insurance


    company to deal with.¡± Content


    belongs to  >


    With that, Jonah supported me cautiously, afraid of hurting me further.


    I tried to move my wrist, but pain shot through me again. It seemed like a sprain.


    "We definitely need to go to the hospital.¡± Jonah looked anxious. "I''ll call a cab."


    With the pain in my wrist and the uing art exhibition in mind, I refused Jonah''s offer after a brief consideration.


    ¡°It''s just a minor injury.¡± I said, shrugging him off. "It''s nothing serious."


    Jonah, whe-was rummaging


    through his car for his phone, turned


    aroundand red at me. ¡®Nancy,


    you need to take better care of-


    yourself I don''t care. You have go to


    the-hospital.¡±


    ¡°


    I rubbed my temple, feeling a headacheing. This kid was young yet stubborn


    Just as I was about to refuse again,


    noticed a:gold invitation letter onthe


    passenger seat of Jonah''s car¡®The


    words " ¡®Calista Gallery" were written


    boldly on the cover. Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org -


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!