Ring, ring…
An ear-splitting alarm broke the initial tranquility of the morning. A few seconds later, a long and fair arm shot out from under the covers and turned the alarm off.
Another few seconds passed before Joan rubbed her groggy eyes and started her morning ritual of getting out of bed, washing up, and having breakfast.
Throughout it all, she didn’t make a single sound.
Joan then arrived at the company where she worked and started completing her daily tasks. Ever since she started working at her cousin’s company, she had been very conscientious. While her performance wasn’t exactly impressive, she hadn’t made any mistakes either.
“Good morning. This is Opulent Designs. How may I help you?” Joan answered the call skillfully when the company’s landline rang.
“Good morning, I’m from Norton Corporation…” After having conversed for some time, Joan then hung up the phone in jubilation.
Oh my God, I’ve finally gotten a huge project! I’ve got to work hard. I’ll definitely do my best! she resolved while jumping for joy.
Calming herself down, she then got to her feet and rushed to Norton Corporation. I’ve got to hurry over to Norton Corporation immediately and discuss the details of the project with the person in charge lest anything happens!
Upon arriving at Norton Corporation, Joan took the elevator to the thirty-third floor. Staring at the plaque with the word “office” in front of her, she inhaled deeply before knocking on the door.
“Come in.” A deep and mellow voice drifted out of the room.
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The moment Joan heard the voice, a sense of familiarity inexplicably niggled at her. Having no time to mull it over, she pushed open the door and walked in.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Joan Watts from Opulent Designs.” She started introducing herself as soon as she entered the room. However, she didn’t notice that the person who had his head buried in his work at the other side of the table had stilled upon hearing her name.
As she didn’t notice anything amiss, she continued, “I came here to discuss the details of the collaboration this time. May I know…”
All of a sudden, she froze because the person in front of her lifted his head at that precise moment. The face that greeted her was a countenance she had missed greatly and was so familiar to her that it was engraved in her mind.
Larry Norton! He’s a man I’ll never forget until the very day I breathe my last. Everything I experienced with him has long since been imprinted in my mind. I love him, yet I had no choice but to push him away. At the thought of that, she abruptly found it difficult to breathe.
“W-Why is it you?” Joan muttered dazedly as she stared at the man before her.
“Why can’t it be me?” Larry countered, his voice no longer gentle and mellow but threaded with a sharp edge. “Isn’t this Ms. Watts? Why are you here at my company?”
“I-I’m here to discuss business with you,” she stammered in a flustered voice.
“Discuss business? In that case, do you know who’s going to discuss business with you?” Then, Larry commented mockingly, “I trust you still remember me, Ms. Watts? Anyway, it doesn’t matter even if you don’t. After all, you usually care only about yourself. You never cared about others.”
Joan merely stood there in a daze, her lovely face drained of all color at that very moment. She stared at Larry intently with a conflicted gaze.
As Larry spoke, he became increasingly enthusiastic. A sense of gratification at having obtained his revenge flooded him as he pinned his gaze on her panicked and helpless expression.
“Oh yes, where’s the person you love, Ms. Watts? Where’s your boyfriend? After such a long time, you must have had quite a few boyfriends, huh?”
His words were like a knife that mercilessly stabbed Joan right in the heart. I’ve fantasized about meeting him again countless times, but never have I thought that it would be like this. Tears of aggrieve brimmed in her eyes, and she hastily lowered her head, not wanting him to see her looking all miserable.
The project was no longer important to her anymore. At that very moment, the only thing she wanted was to leave. Just as she was about to put her desire into action, the door of the office was slowly pushed open.
In the next instance, a seductively dressed woman sashayed in. She had on a mini skirt with reddish-orange hair and bright lipstick. On the whole, she was a very beautiful woman. However, her slightly lifted eyebrows marked her as a scheming woman.
“You have a guest, Larry?” As a coquettish voice sounded, the owner of it leaned against Larry.
“She’s an old friend.” Larry’s voice was neutral. In the next moment, he pulled the woman into his arms and kissed her on the cheek in a possessive move.
At that, jubilation flooded the seductive woman though she had no idea why he suddenly did that when he had previously been lukewarm toward her. Anyhow, she then cast a smug glance at Joan who had her head hung low. Extending a hand, she murmured sweetly, “Nice to meet you. I’m Larry’s girlfriend, Gabriella Ward.”
Gabriella Ward? Could there truly be such a coincidence? Joan’s head snapped up in astonishment, and she met Gabriella’s likewise surprised gaze.
“Joan? It’s you? What a coincidence! Why are you here?” Gabriella greeted warmly even as a flicker of disdain and arrogance flashed across her eyes, but she promptly concealed them.
Gabriella was Joan’s best friend during college. Her father was a renowned jeweler in Marsingfill, so the Ward family was extremely wealthy. Despite that, Gabriella was friendly with everyone and showed nary a hint of superiority over anyone. Back then, she treated Joan especially well. Of course, that was merely Joan’s naive perception.
“Gabriella! I never thought that I’d meet you here. I’m here to look for La… I mean, Mr. Norton to discuss a business matter,” Joan answered with a faint smile while suppressing the anguish within her.
