"Yeah, he's in his office upstairs," Kathy said, nodding and pointing up.
Melinda nodded back and made her way to Raymond's office on the second floor.
"Raymond, I swear I'll work hard and not let you down," she thought, standing nervously but determined in front of his office door.
The door was slightly open, and just as she was about to knock, she heard a sweet, flirtatious laugh from inside.
The voice was clear and melodic, with a hint of playfulness.
Her heart tightened, and she instinctively gripped the door handle.
"Alright, do your best," Raymond's deep, magnetic voice responded, with a warmth that was rarely heard from him. He was usually so serious and stern.
Judging by the voice, it must be a pretty girl.
Raymond hadn't come home last night. Could it be because of this girl?
A wave of jealousy and pain surged in her heart.
She knew she had no right to question Raymond, but she couldn't help wanting to know who this girl was and what their relationship was.
"Raymond, are you free tonight? I'd love to treat you to dinner," the girl's voice rang out again.
Melinda's heart tightened further, sensing a hint of intimacy in the air.
"Tonight? Let me check my schedule," Raymond's voice carried a trace of hesitation.
"Raymond, please say yes! You work so hard, let me treat you," the girl pleaded, her voice filled with a mix of sweetness and entreaty.
Melinda's hand slipped, and she accidentally pushed the door open, stumbling into Raymond's office.
Startled, she looked up to see a beautiful girl leaning over the desk, one hand supporting her chin in a suggestive pose.
Melinda's face turned pale, and she stammered an apology, "I'm... I'm sorry for interrupting. I didn't mean to. Please, continue..."
She turned to leave, wanting to escape the awkward situation.
Celestia's eyes flashed with annoyance. This Melinda had a knack for ruining moments.
She had finally found a chance to be alone with Raymond, only to be interrupted.
But she believed Raymond would eventually be drawn to her charm.
Raymond looked up and saw Melinda standing at the door.
He noticed a mix of surprise and panic in her eyes.
A smug smile played on his lips.
Had she been eavesdropping?
"Sorry, my hand slipped," she said, turning to leave.
Raymond quickly regained his composure. "Wait a second."
Raymond turned slightly, his expression indifferent. "Celestia, go familiarize yourself with your office."
Celestia had hoped to have dinner with Raymond, but Melinda's sudden appearance had ruined her plans.
She smiled sweetly and obediently replied, "Okay, Raymond, I'll go now."
As Celestia walked past Melinda, the two girls exchanged glances.
Celestia suppressed her irritation and politely greeted Melinda, "Hello."
"Hello," Melinda responded politely.
With the door closed behind them, Melinda and Raymond locked eyes. She nervously walked over and placed a card on his desk. "This is for the tuition."
Raymond frowned slightly at the card. "What's this?"
"It's $200,000. $30,000 is the refund from the kindergarten, and the rest is my savings. I want to use this money for Sam's new school tuition," she explained, pausing before continuing, "I know it might not be enough, but I'm willing to use half of my future salary to cover the rest. Mr. Thomas, is that okay?"
Her eyes were filled with hope and pleading, her hands tightly clasped together.
Raymond's face darkened instantly.
"You're offering me money?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Melinda's heart raced. "No, I can't keep taking advantage of you. Besides, I'm a single mom with a kid. It wouldn't look good for the Thomas family."
Raymond's chest heaved with anger. He tugged at his collar, exhaling sharply. "Do you really need to be so clear-cut with me?"
"Mr. Thomas, that girl seems nice," she said, trying to change the subject.
She had only wanted to thank Raymond for his care for Sam, allowing him to attend the prestigious kindergarten under the Thomas Group, which had left her both surprised and anxious.
Standing in front of Raymond, her hands tightly clasped, her voice trembled slightly, revealing her inner unease. "Mr. Thomas, I'll always remember your help, but I don't want to owe you too much because of this."
With that, Melinda turned to leave.
Suddenly, Raymond's cold voice stopped her. "What did you overhear just now?"
Melinda paused, shaking her head quickly. "I didn't hear anything."
Raymond explained, "Her name is Celestia. She's the daughter of my father's close friend. Starting today, she'll be your colleague."
Melinda thought to herself, so their relationship wasn't ordinary after all.
Taking a deep breath, she mustered the courage to say, "Really? She's very pretty!" She then looked at Raymond with a meaningful gaze.
Raymond's brows furrowed slightly. "What are you trying to say?"
"I think she likes you. She seems to be pursuing you, Mr. Thomas. You should seize the opportunity," Melinda teased.
Raymond leaned on the desk, his gaze intense. "Are you lacking confidence? Afraid of being outshined?"
Melinda was stunned for a few seconds, then self-deprecatingly said, "What do I have to fear? I'm already a mother. It's not about confidence; it's about not daring."
Raymond's lips curled into an amused smile. "In that case, show your gratitude! I don't mind if you're ugly. Even if you were a 300-pound pig, I'd still accept you."
A flash of displeasure crossed Melinda's eyes. Did he just call her a pig? A fat pig, no less! Was he implying her figure was out of shape?
She had always managed her figure meticulously and never allowed such insults.
Raymond's words felt like a sharp thorn, piercing her heart.
Her confidence and pride, which had been brimming moments ago, seemed to shatter instantly.
Sitting at her desk, Melinda still felt the anger burning inside her. She opened a drawer, took out a small, delicate mirror, and scrutinized her reflection.
In the mirror, her features were delicate, her skin clear. She might not be a stunning beauty, but she was undoubtedly naturally attractive.
Her figure was curvaceous and well-proportioned, with no trace of being a "pig."
"What kind of judgment is that? Calling me a pig?" Melinda fumed, clenching her fists and slamming them on the desk with a loud bang.
Angry as she was, she still had work to do.
Melinda began to busy herself with her documents when Kathy walked in, holding a cup of coffee.
"Ms. Sharp, the new deputy manager treated us to coffee. It's air-shipped from the original place. Try it and see if it tastes like the one you usually drink," Kathy said excitedly.
"Deputy manager?" Melinda frowned slightly, looking at the coffee in her hand.
"Celestia!" Kathy explained further.