Chapter 2
Our last conversation ended with Felicity calling.
Leo was about to explain things to me when her crying drew him away.
He quickly left with a hurried “Wait for me.”
He never came back.
I discharged myself and packed my belongings alone.
Chloe, the nurse, couldn’t stand watching and helped me, grumbling as she did.
“He admitted he was your family, but then he wasn’t there when it mattered.”
She was indignant, but I just felt indifferent.
Luckily, I don’t like changing passwords, so my phone worked fine.
I found the address of my new place in my notes and hailed a cab.
After packing up and heading downstairs, the bakery owner called out to me, “The usual, miss?”
Like I was possessed, I mumbled a “Yes.”
When I came to my senses, I was holding two pastries.
Cabbage-filled. I don’t even like them.
The moment I stepped into the company building, a colleague walked up, teasing, “Bringing pastries for Mr. Maxwell again?”
As soon as he finished speaking, the pastry was snatched from my hand.
Felicity’s face lit up with joy. “Anya, I love the cabbage pastries from this place the most!”
Hearing her overly sweet, affected tone, I frowned.
I snatched the pastry back and handed it to the colleague next to me, raising an eyebrow.
“They’re for you. Be careful not to get any green tea on them.”
The colleague froze, before they could even react, Leo walked over.
He first pulled the red-eyed Felicity behind him.
Then he looked down at me.
“Just because Felicity and I have the same taste, you can’t stand her?”
The colleagues who had gathered to watch the drama quieted down at his words.
Their expressions were strange as they darted their eyes back and forth between the three of us.
After all, the two main protagonists of this dispute had already been the talk of the town yesterday.
I stayed silent for too long, and someone, unable to bear it, stepped forward to speak up for me.
But before she could even open her mouth, Felicity’s sobs started.
Tears flowed artfully down her face, making her look utterly heartbroken. “I didn’t know you liked this flavor after I left, Anya.”
“When I saw the familiar packaging, I thought Anya had brought it for me.”
Leo shot me a warning look, then turned away to gently wipe her tears.
I stared intently at the watch on his wrist.
I’d seen an identical one on my bedside table at home, though it was a woman’s version.
When I snapped back to reality, Felicity had already uttered the words:
“If you mind, Anya, I can apologize.”
She was pure green tea. It reminded me of the manipulative female antagonist I’d cursed for three days straight in a novel.
I blinked and said, “Then apologize.”
Felicity choked on my words, her tears abruptly stopping.
I, however, smoothed my brow, pointing to the ID badge on my chest.
“Are you, an intern, really going to go against me, a department manager?”
“I know you’re straightforward, but you don’t have to talk so much crap.”
I emphasized the word “manager.”
According to company policy, Felicity should have been fired.
It was Leo who took the responsibility, using his own demotion to protect her.
I sighed, somewhat confused as to why he was so foolish.
Last night, I’d stayed up all night reviewing all our chat records.
Only then did I realize I’d been forced into a secret relationship with him for three years.
Leo had never publicly acknowledged me.
Now seeing him protect Felicity like this, my feelings were incredibly complicated.
But I showed no emotion on my face. Instead, I picked up a box with a good-natured expression and handed it to Leo.
“Maxwell, darling, hurry up and move to your new desk.”
I had no intention of quitting.
After all, I wasn’t the one at fault, so why should I leave?
But when I was leaving work, Leo stopped me.