But not this moment. She felt like a stranger to me.
When she saw me not saying anything, she continued with a hint of reproach, “With all those employees around earlier, I had to keep things professional. Otherwise, who would respect me?”
"Please, try to understand me, okay?"
At the end of the words, she showed a pitiful expression, as if I had wronged her and made her suffer great injustice.
“Is that all? Isn't it because you care about Julian more than me?" I asked seriously.
“What are you thinking!”
She hastily denied it. "Don't overthink. I only think Julian is talented. I admire him and want to keep him ...”
Before she finished speaking, Julian's voice sounded.
She left after saying, “After the annual meeting, let's take a boat tour around the city to watch the fireworks.”
Then she turned and hurried away.
As I watched her, I shook my head in disappointment and muttered to myself, "Do you think I'm an idiot?"
In fact, there were some warning signs before today's incident.
Yesterday, when I went up to the rooftop to smoke, I accidentally overheard two executives talking.
They said Julian had asked Wanda to replace me as general manager and she had agreed. She even told him to find any excuse and bring it to the annual meeting.
With so many people around, it would be easy to pull it off.
She also told him not to worry and said she and I were only engaged.
Whether we would get married was still uncertain. Then she encouraged him to try even harder.
At the time, I dismissed it as ordinary gossip and didn't give it much thought. Little did I know reality would slap me in the face so hard.
Perhaps I should have realized long ago that their relationship was more than just business.
Take Julian's meal allowance, for instance—it's ten times higher than others. Another thing, Wanda was a very private person, so no one, including me, could enter her office freely, except for Julian.
Julian and I shared the same birthday, but she chose to attend his birthday rather than mine.
Every time I wanted to talk about it, she would use the same familiar line. "Julian is talented. I want to keep him, so of course I have to put in more effort."
“It’s not for me—it’s for the company.”
“Please try to understand me, okay?”
Paired with that signature pitiable gaze, it always melted my heart.
At the same time, I couldn't believe Wanda had changed her heart.