Chapter 4
The next day at the company, a bombshell dropped out of nowhere. That old creep, my boss, Mr. Sterling, was fired. I silently cheered, “Oh yeah!” I’d been expecting to get chewed out today. I hadn’t even touched the work I brought home yesterday, because Rhys had kept me pinned down, massaging me for hours and hours, sending me straight to dreamland. Who knew the tables would turn so quickly? In just one night, that old creep was out. It was truly cause for celebration! I immediately sent a SnapChat to my darling husband, sharing the good news. He sent me a selfie. In the photo, he was wearing the sportswear I bought him, out for a run downstairs, playfully making a finger heart at me. Sunny, handsome, full of energy. And the best part? This man was mine. A powerful sense of satisfaction washed over me. My subconscious urged me to work even harder, to keep him pampered and perfect, so he could continue to bless my life. The new boss was a woman, in her early forties, and very kind. To get off on the right foot, she was treating everyone to dinner after work. I couldn’t refuse, but I was really worried about Rhys back home. I called him and sent him messages, but I couldn’t relax during dinner. Tonight, the boss was treating us to a buffet, which was nice. Everyone could pick what they liked. But nothing here was as good as what we had at home. The abalone wasn’t big enough, the chicken soup wasn’t fresh enough, and I had to wait in line for lobster. A colleague next to me chatted, but my mind was entirely on Rhys, so I was a bit distracted. “Violet, have you heard that our company is going to be acquired?” I shook my head, listlessly poking at the food on my plate. Ugh, not as good as what my husband makes. “How can you not care? Our department is buzzing about it!” My colleague looked completely surprised, making me feel bad for not asking. “What happens if we’re acquired? Will I be laid off? Will I get a raise? Is the new boss handsome?” My colleague shook her head like a bobblehead, totally confused. “Exactly! Everything’s unknown, so I don’t get why you’re all whispering about it.” My colleague scratched her head, then nodded, seemingly agreeing with my point. I finally put an end to that topic. I speared a strawberry and popped it into my mouth. Ugh, it was… indescribable. “Why does this strawberry taste like nothing? It’s nowhere near as good as what my husband buys, and it’s even worse than the wild berries he picks from the roadside.” My colleague leaned in, intrigued, bumping my shoulder. “Tsk, tsk, look at you, Ms. Big Shot. Three sentences and it’s all about your husband. You’re such a husband-bragger! Violet, you’ve been married for about a year, right? We’ve never met your husband. Why don’t you invite him to join us tonight?”