I told myself I shouldn’t care anymore about matters like this. After all, I’d already turned in my resignation.
But now that I was facing it for real, my chest still tightened painfully.
Zamora tilted her head with a practiced smile. “I hope you’ll all look after me from today onwards.”
She stopped in front of me, leaning down slightly and speaking gently. “I’ve heard from Mr. Stockdale that you’re his most capable assistant. Seeing you in person really lives up to the reputation.”
Her voice was sweet, like sugar coating.
But in her eyes, I caught the sharp glint of disdain.
I lifted my head, met her gaze, and calmly reached out my hand.
The moment our fingers touched, Ross’s slender hand covered mine lightly.
“That’s enough,” he said in that low, gentle tone—one that somehow carried both indulgence and command. He turned to Zamora. “Come on. I’ll show you my office.”
She blushed faintly and lowered her head. “Okay.”
The room instantly buzzed with energy.
Someone blurted out jokingly, “Sir, that’s pretty close for just colleagues! Miss Zamora doesn’t seem like just a director, huh?”
Ross glanced back, his lips curving in a faint but casual smile. “She’s my fiancée.”
At those words, the air froze.
Then came the outburst—cheers, gasps, and congratulations all at once.
“Fiancée?”
“Are you serious?”
“Sir, you really kept that low-key!”
Zamora covered her mouth with a dainty smile, her voice soft and perfectly measured. “We’re getting married soon. I hope you all join the party.”
Applause and laughter rippled through the room like waves.
People crowded around them, smiling and offering congratulations.
Ross stood in the middle of it all—calm, collected, wearing that same gentle smile on his face.
Meanwhile, my world fell completely silent in that instant.
I lowered my eyes, feeling my heart twist tight.
I’d told myself over and over that I didn’t care anymore.
But standing there, the pain still hit me without warning.
I had waited eight years for Ross to say just one sentence. “She’s my fiancée.”
Eight long years.
But he’d never once given me a clear, official title in front of everyone.
And now, Zamora had only been back for a few days, and he said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“They look perfect together.”
“I heard Miss Zamora is the Forrers’ heiress. They’re really a perfect match.”
“The CEO really hit the jackpot this time.”