Layla broke eye contact with Annie. She was holding her food tray in both hands. The girl looked uncertain, putting on a hesitant look.
“How may I help you, Layla?” Annie asked. Her voice was gentle and her lips held a subtle smile.
Layla would have been thrilled by the girl’s nice demeanor. Yet, there wasn’t anything special about it. Because this was the same way Annie looked at everyone. She wasn’t sure if Annie was mad at her or not. No one could tell what she was feeling.
“Can I– May I sit here?” She asked.
“Sure.” Annie shrugged and returned to what she was doing. Layla couldn’t help but sigh.
She was also surprised that Annie would resume work so soon. She was so shocked to see her yesterday that she didn’t find the courage to speak to her. Even today, she didn’t know if she would have the courage to.
“About what happened, Annie…” she trailed off, studying the girl’s expression. Annie’s calm look didn’t faze, giving Layla the courage to go on. “I would like to know if you’re alright. I– I feel guilty for not checking on you. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I wasn’t aware of what my brother was up to. Annie, he is not that kind of person. Maybe there’s a misunderstanding. The things he said that day…”
Layla went silent again. What was she even saying? What her brother and her parents did was uncalled for. Wasn’t she sounding like a hypocrite?
Annie had stopped what she was doing. She listened to Layla’s words without interrupting. When the girl was done speaking, she shook her head, laughing softly. “Jason had his choice. If you’re worried that I’m distressed, be rest assured, Layla, It’s not in my power to change his decision.”
So why waste her emotions on it?
Annie’s words had a point, and Layla could understand even the unspoken meaning behind them. She sighed and fiddled with her hands. “Does that mean you aren’t mad?”
“Mm.” Annie nodded her head, focusing on her unfinished food. “Things happen because they were meant to. If we can’t reverse time, why dwell on what can’t be changed?”
Layla parted her lips in shock. She took some minutes to study the impassive girl. There was no sign that she was faking those words. Had she really moved on? Or did she possess a special ability to be immune to traumatizing events?
If that kind of thing happened to her, Layla didn’t know if she could continue having the will to live. The employees’ words were nothing but the truth. How she wished she was like her.
“Since you’re not mad, Annie, our friendship is intact, right? Please please please don’t snub me. I know I deserve to be snubbed for what my parents and brother did to you. But in the whole of MystiArt Productions, you’re the only person I look up to. So can we still be friends?”
Layla spoke nonstop, giving Annie a desperate look. She even cupped her palms together in a pleading gesture.
Annie almost laughed at the girl’s expression. She opened her mouth and was about to speak, but a voice came from the table nearby.
Obviously, the employees sitting next to them were eavesdropping on their conversation.
“Ha, I think my ears are paining me. Did she just apologize?”
“Hehe, Ms. Ju’an, even a fool will not give in to this apology.”
“Everyone knows how your family humiliated Annie at the event.”
“Isn’t it hypocritical of you to come begging for forgiveness? Is it that you have an ulterior motive?”
“You–“ Layla stood up and glared at the girls. “Will it kill you to stop poking your nose into others’ business for once?”
“We are just saying the truth. Why are you suddenly irked?”
“Annie, do you also think I have ulterior motives?” Layla brought her attention to Annie. Apart from looking mad at the other employees, she also looked helpless.
“Relax, Layla. Don’t listen to them,” Annie replied.
“Ah! Ms. Lin, why are you coaxing her?” One girl asked in bewilderment. “Oh, now I get it. You are not over Mr. Ju’an, right? You are just pretending. By keeping your friendship with his sister, you’ll still have the chance to rekindle your love, right?”
“Eh? Ms. Lin is smart. So that’s the reason.”
“I don’t think she smart. I think both she and Ms. Ju’an have lost their minds.”
“That’s it!” Layla couldn’t take it anymore, and she grabbed the last girl who spoke and delivered a hard slap across her face.
A hushed silence fell in the cafeteria. All the employees looked aghast.
BREAKING NEWS: Two Female Employees Almost Tore Each Other Apart at the Company’s Cafeteria Today.
“What could be the source of their argument?”
“People said they had a misunderstanding and were unable to resolve it.”
“No, I heard that it’s because of a man. Apparently, one girl was secretly dating the other girl’s boyfriend.”
“And who is that boyfriend?”
“I heard he also works in this company.”
“You are partly right. What I heard is that, both girls were best friends before. But because of the guy, their friendship is no more.”
“Ah, men can be dangerous. What is MystiArt Productions turning into?”
“Right now, both girls are at the HR Department. What is their fate going to be?”
“Who knows, they might get fired. Unless they have someone backing them up.”
.
Annie sat outside the door to the HR Department’s Manager’s office. Because of what happened earlier, she wasn’t able to finish eating or complete her project.
The security had packed all the witnesses and brought them here. Luckily, she had brought the tablet with her.
So while Layla and the other girl were being questioned inside, she busied herself with drawing.
>Inside the Manager’s office,
Layla’s anger hadn’t cooled off and she kept glaring at the girl who was holding her swollen cheek.
“Ms. Ju’an, everyone said you hit her first. Do you realize this can cost you your job? You know the rules regarding hurting colleagues.”
“I am wronged, Sir! You must seek justice for me!” The girl fell to her knees and wailed. “I wasn’t even speaking to her, she just hit me out of nowhere!”
The HR Department’s manager looked between the girl who was crying and the girl who didn’t have a hint of regret on her face.
This girl, if he could remember correctly, was the Younger Sister of the Manager of the Arts Department. Some months back, he had to stop courting that beauty because of the Arts Department’s Manager.
Even though the wedding did not happen, he still held a grudge. Now, he finally had his chance to get back at that man.
“Ms. Ju’an, based on what happened, I’m afraid to tell you that you can no longer work in this company. The HR Department reserves the right to deal with every employee’s misconduct.”
“Huh?” Layla opened her mouth in shock. The other girl wiped her tears and started smiling.
The Manager wanted to continue speaking, but someone opened the door and he quickly composed himself.
“Eh? What is going on here, Mr. Zhang?” Assistant Jiang peered inside.