Chapter 10 Let Bygones Be Bygones
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I didn’t respond to Ansel’s teasing. Instead, I fixed my gaze on the person in charge, nerves on edge.
Once everyone had finished presenting their projects, the final results were announced right then and there. I never would’ve guessed it, but we actually won the
bid.
Thrilled, Ansel pulled me into a hug. “Damn! Janelle, you killed it!”
Honestly, I wanted to say, “Benson deserves the credit.”
That evening, Ansel and I took Benson out to dinner. When he found out why, he scratched the back of his head and insisted he had just been talking nonsense that day.
Ansel jumped on that and grinned at me proudly. “See? I told you my brother’s something else.”
“He really is,” I admitted.
The three of us had a great time. Since Benson was on break, we roped him into helping out at the office. It would’ve been a perfect day if I hadn’t run into Clarence at the end of dinner.
On my way back from the restroom, I walked right into him.
Clarence blinked in surprise when he saw me. But almost immediately, his face twisted into a scowl.
“Janelle, didn’t you say you’d never bother me again? So why are you following me? Do you have any idea how pathetic this looks?”
Watching him get so worked up made my skin crawl. Somehow, I smiled anyway. I couldn’t believe I had wasted years loving him.
Clarence took my silence for guilt and began piling it on. “Just so you know, things with Ivana are going great. You should stop trying to come between us.”
Out of nowhere, a voice called out, “Janelle, what took you so long? I’ve been waiting forever.”
Before I could react, a strong arm slipped around mine. I glanced over and found myself staring into Benson’s fiery gaze.
I hadn’t expected him to be this bold.
He looked slightly thrown off by my gaze but cleared his throat and played it cool. “So, this is the ex–husband, huh? Now that I’ve seen him, I must say, you made the right call walking away.”
As a shadow of disdain flickered across
enson’s face, I found myself admiring his guts.
certain he wouldn’t let this slide.
Clarence, on the other hand, had a huge ego. It
Sure enough, he snapped, “Who the hell are you? Do you even know who you’re talking to? Do you have any idea what you just said?”
“What’s the matter, sir? Were you zoning out during that part? Or are you just not getting it?” Benson shot back without missing a beat. “You little-”
Benson had a sharper tongue than Ansel, that was for sure.
We had been gone for a while by then, so Ansel must’ve gotten worried. At that moment, he came looking for us and walked straight into the scene.
He already knew about my history with Clarence, but he couldn’t figure out why Benson was suddenly so close to me.
“What are you doing here, Ansel?” asked Clarence.
Ansel had never liked Clarence, but he still addressed the latter formally. “It’s been a while, Mr. Kirk
Yet, Clarence didn’t seem to notice the coldness in his tone. He frowned briefly, then broke into a smile. “Long time no see, Mr. Reed.”
Ansel nodded before turning to me and Benson. “What took you two so long?”
In an instant, Clarence caught the dynamic between us, and his expression darkened. Moments later, he looked at Ansel and said, “You didn’t actually bring Janelle into your company, did you? Do you know she’s spent the last few years as a housewife?
“I heard your firm just landed a major project. And you’re letting her join the team now? Aren’t you worried she’ll screw up? She’s not the same person she was in university.”
Well, at least he didn’t deny what I’d accomplished in school. Still, he was clearly looking down on me now.
I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Meanwhile, Ansel’s expression grew grim after he heard Clarence’s words. He then said, “I’ve been calling you Mr. Kirk out of respect. Did you really think you achieved everything on your own? Let me tell you
Ansel, that’s enough. Let’s go,” I cut him off.
Iknew exactly what he was about to say, but it wasn’t necessary. Clarence and I were done–whatever happened in the past was history.
Chapter 11 Exes
