Chapter 13
Zachary’s hint put me in an awkward spot. Luckily, he was more eager to close the deal. I played dumb to dodge his suggestion and still managed to secure a small discount.
I waited excitedly to brag about my success to Luther. Once his meeting ended at 11:00 am, I headed for his office.
As I passed Matthew’s office, he came out and warned me. “Ms. Miller, Mr. Stone’s not in a good mood today. Be careful.”
“Okay, thanks,” I said as I headed toward Luther’s office door.
Through the door, I heard his cold, curt voice say, “Come in.”
I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Seeing his dark, stormy expression, it felt like the temperature in the entire office had dropped. This wasn’t just him being in a bad mood. It was like he could explode at any moment. I immediately regretted coming now and thought maybe I should have waited until the afternoon.
Luther kept his head lowered, reading the documents in his hand. I approached his desk and said, “Mr. Stone, Hall 22 is secured. My friend helped negotiate a small discount on the rent.
“The finance team has already transferred the deposit to the Hilstone Airshow account, and we should receive the lease contract this afternoon.”
“Okay,” he replied flatly.
I really didn’t get why he looked like someone owed him a lot of money. I figured it was best to leave before he took his anger out on me.
“Mr. Stone, if there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.”
Just as I turned to leave, he called out, “Wait.”
I froze, then slowly turned back.
Luther put down his papers and looked up at me, motioning for me to come closer. “Come here.”
I walked over, and before I knew it, he pulled me onto his lap. His intense gaze made me embarrassed, so I lowered my eyes and whispered, “Mr. Stone, if someone walks in on us, it won’t look good.”
He wrapped his arm around my waist. He smiled slyly as he changed the topic. “How did you manage to land the Hilstone exhibition hall deal?”
“I just talked to my friend,” I said.
He began undoing the buttons on my shirt one by one. The soft click of each button and the gentle touch of his fingertips sent a subtle rush through me.
As my collar loosened, my breathing deepened, and I quickly grabbed the collar, saying, “We’re at work. Don’t do this.”
“Getting interrupted does kill the mood,” he said, smirking as he texted Matthew.
Throwing the phone aside, he said, “There won’t be anyone coming in now.”
“This is your office. We’re at work,” I repeated.
He raised an eyebrow. “So what?”
He pushed my hand away and started kissing my neck.
As his warm lips gently brushed against my skin, I closed my eyes, feeling a spark ignite within me effortlessly. When he kissed my ear, I heard him whisper, “Tell me. Did you agree to sleep with him in exchange for the exhibition hall?”
I snapped my eyes open. “No.”
He ignored my denial.
“Do you have any idea how many people I sent to negotiate that hall? Even the deputy CEO stepped in and couldn’t seal the deal.
“But you the woman I keep by my side–managed to pull it off. How impressive. You’re even more capable than him.”
I could see the distrust in his eyes, so I explained, “Zachary is the main person in charge. We were classmates. He agreed mainly because of that.”
Luther leaned in and said coldly, “Is it really just because you’re classmates, or is it because he’s interested in you? Do you think I’m that naive?”
Zachary’s not–so–subtle hint over the phone played in my mind. As long as he didn’t say anything and I kept quiet, no one would ever know. I stuck to
my story.
I said firmly, “Don’t overthink it. He only agreed because we were classmates. We used to be close. Besides, we were young back then. What kind of relationship could we possibly have had?”
I shoved him away. The pain made my teeth chatter. “Why won’t you believe me? I have no reason to lie to you.”
As long as I refused to admit anything, I could ride this out, and it worked.
He started kissing me again, and everything that followed happened naturally.
When I got home and changed into my loungewear that night, I noticed a few bruises from his fingers on my skin.
Chapter 1
Lucy came to look for me and said, “Sapphire, wash your hands. It’s time for dinner.”
“Okay, Lucy.” I still felt calling her Lucy was more natural.
She brought over another dish. “Luther said you’re leaving for a few days soon. He asked me to help you pack.”
I shook my head. “No need. I can do it myself.”
She smiled. “No worries. I’m happy to help.”
I didn’t think Luther would actually take me to the airshow. After what happened in the office today, it was clear he was uneasy about my relationship with Zachary.
After Lucy finished tidying up, she left. Luther still hadn’t returned, but I felt most at ease when I was alone.
I grabbed a cushion and sat by the floor–to–ceiling window, lost in thought. Outside, the city buzzed with life, and the dazzling lights made everything feel almost surreal.
Suddenly, my phone rang, snapping me back to reality. Seeing the number, I answered with a serious tone, “Hello, Mom.”
“Sapphire, did you divorce Ryan?” she asked.
My heart skipped a beat. My first thought was that Ryan had told her.
I didn’t confirm or deny. I just asked, “Who told you that?”
My mother was always old–fashioned. She believed that once a woman married into a family, she should stay loyal for life.
She pressed, “Don’t play dumb with me. Did you get divorced or not?”
I was frustrated and hadn’t figured out how to explain it to them yet. “Mom, who exactly told you?”
“My shame is boundless because of you! Ryan is a good man. Why can’t you lead an upright life? Your shameless behavior tarnishes your reputation and drags our family down.
“The villagers are whispering behind our backs. We do not have a daughter who brings such disgrace upon the family. You must call Ryan at once, apologize sincerely, and beg for his forgiveness.
“Furthermore, end your relationship with that reckless man immediately. Such conduct is utterly disgraceful,” she said.
My mom tore into me from start to finish. I didn’t even get a chance to speak.
“Mom, are you done yelling?” I wiped the tears from the corner of my eyes. I refused to let her hear me crying.
“Done? I don’t even want to see you. If I do, I’ll give you a good beating.”
I swallowed hard and sniffled before saying, “Mom, it’s true that Ryan and I are divorced. What I want to know is how he explained the reason for our divorce to you.”
She snapped, “How dare you say that out loud? Do you want me to repeat all your dirty secrets?”
At that moment, I felt like I had nowhere else to belong and that home no longer needed me.
I said, “Mom, did Ryan tell you that he can’t have children?”
