Chapter 6 What a Small World
After signing the divorce agreement and agreeing on a date to collect the decree, Clarence and I parted ways outside the courthouse.
Naturally, Ivana showed up, buzzing with excitement. The moment she saw Clarence, she rushed over and threw her arms around him.
“Clarence!” she called out.
I ignored them both and walked away without a second glance. I didn’t go back to my apartment or my parents‘ place. Instead, I headed straight downtown.
It was time to start my career.
1/1
Reed Corporation was founded by a senior from my university. Right after I graduated, he offered me a position. However, I turned it down for Clarence. Anşel Reed picked up on things like a bloodhound. As soon as he found out about my divorce, he wasted no time reaching out.
“So, the hopeless romantic finally escaped her love snare,” he teased. “How about we build something great together?”
Ansel wasn’t one for subtlety. The name of his company made that perfectly clear.
This time, I didn’t hesitate. I said yes.
I had heard Ansel’s name more than once before. Over the past few years, he had flourished. Though he was still running the same company, he had become a leader in the industry.
Clarence had once muttered under his breath, “People with the same finance degree are out there becoming rising stars, and you’re just a housewife?”
w–What did you say?” I stuttered.
The truth was, I had heard him loud and clear. I just couldn’t believe those words had come out of his mouth.
We used to be the couple everyone envied. Getting to this point shattered my heart and left me cold inside.
And yes, I had given up on him. However, reaching the point of divorce brought all the memories rushing back
I felt a pang of regret when I didn’t dwell on them. But when I let myself think it through, I realized this marriage should have ended long ago. Perhaps, I had made the wrong choice from the very start.
In actuality, Clarence never truly understood me.
I stepped out of the spotlight for his sake, but I never left the finance world entirely. Ansel wouldn’t have offered me such a generous package to join his company if I had.
Clarence was unaware of all these. If he had cared even a little, he would’ve known. But sadly, he never did.
After I signed with Ansel, he sighed and said with mock regret, “Too bad I only get to have you for two years. I wish you could stay forever.”
He knew about the arrangement I had with my parents, so all he could do was grumble.
Watching him pretend to be heartbroken made me feel like a bit of a villain. So, I replied, “Come on. We’ll still have chances to work together down the line.” “You said it, not me. I’ll definitely be holding you to that.”
I merely nodded in response. As talented as Ansel was, he still couldn’t compete with a corporate giant like my family’s company. That was why he didn’t push and simply said he hoped we’d collaborate again.
I hadn’t expected to run into Clarence so soon.
The reunion had been planned for a while. I had asked him if he was going, and he said no. But on the day of the event, there he was. Worse, he showed up as Ivana’s
date.
This wasn’t a typical class reunion. It was a department–wide gathering, open to alumni from all years. The organizer just wanted to throw a massive get–together. So while most of the guests were our former classmates, a handful of Ivana’s friends were there too.
My friends knew what had happened between Clarence and me, but Ivana’s classmates had only picked up bits and pieces. To them, it probably looked like she and Clarence had finally found their happily ever after.
Running into them in that kind of setting left me feeling uneasy,
