Chapter 71

Chapter 71

On the wrist was a watch I knew all too well.

My whole body froze. With difficulty, I lifted my head, following that hand upward.

Wellington had somehow come over. He was slightly frowning, his ice-blue eyes looking down at me.

But right now, these eyes that once made my heart flutter and briefly gave me warmth only stirred up endless panic in my heart. What did his concern mean at this moment?

Was it the casual sympathy a boss gives to an unlucky employee?

Or was it some more sophisticated form of manipulation?

I avoided his outstretched hand, clenched my teeth, and used my hands to push against the slippery ground, struggling to stand up.

I kept my head down, my voice dry as I greeted him, "Mr. Learmond."

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" His gentle inquiry only made me more uncomfortable.

I instinctively took a small step back, creating distance between us.

"I'm fine." My voice was so low I could barely hear it myself.

He seemed about to say something when that red-haired woman walked over.

She very naturally reached out and hooked her arm through his, smiling at me.

"Who's this? Are you alright? Do you need help?" Her natural inquiry made me feel even more embarrassed. I just wanted to disappear immediately.

"A subordinate." Wellington answered her question.

A subordinate.

Yes, a perfect definition.

I pulled at the corners of my mouth, but it felt more like crying.

"Matilda? Darling! What are you doing here? What happened to you?" A familiar voice suddenly came from behind me.

I turned around in shock.

It was Jonathan! My childhood friend, whom I hadn't seen in ages!

After seeing it was really me, he quickly walked over, opened his arms, and gave me a solid hug.

"Jonathan?!" I exclaimed in surprise.

Meeting someone I could trust at my most embarrassing moment made me instantly relax. I instinctively gripped back his hand that was supporting my arm.

"What happened to you? You're soaking wet!" Jonathan released me and looked me up and down with concern.

"Come on, let me take you to buy some clean clothes. You'll catch a cold like this!"

I just wanted to leave this suffocating place immediately, so I quickly nodded.

Jonathan put his arm around my shoulders, about to lead me away, when his gaze finally noticed Wellington standing nearby.

He raised an eyebrow, "And who might this be?"

Remembering Wellington's earlier words "a subordinate," that stuffiness in my chest surged up again.

Somehow, I responded almost spitefully, "Just my boss."

Then I grabbed Jonathan's arm and hurried away.

Jonathan stumbled as I pulled him, turning to look at me in shock.

"Whoa! Matilda, that tone just now—do you have some grudge against your boss? But well done! I've never liked those pretentious elite guys anyway!"

I didn't answer, just grabbed him and rushed away.

Jonathan pulled me into a fast-fashion store he frequented in the mall. With what he called his sharp eye as a fashion editor, he quickly put together an outfit for me—a clean off-white knit sweater and light blue jeans.

At checkout, he caught my hesitant expression and waved his hand generously, "Consider it a gift to celebrate our reunion and your successful escape from the devil's clutches!"

After changing out of the cold, damp dress, he dragged me to a salon on the mall's first floor for a styling.

The hair dryer's warm air hummed. Jonathan leaned against the mirror counter nearby, his eyes scanning my face like searchlights, finally unable to hold back.

"Alright, can you tell me now, my dear Matilda? That boss of yours just now—what's really going on?"

My face instantly flushed red. I instinctively tried to dodge, but Jonathan leaned down closer.

"Don't even think about fooling me. I saw very clearly just now—the atmosphere between you two was definitely more than just boss and subordinate. Come on, spill it!"

I quickly avoided Jonathan's too-sharp gaze and answered vaguely, "There's nothing to say. He's just a really annoying boss. Demanding at work, cold and impersonal, always likes to exploit his employees. But luckily, I'm not working under him anymore—I transferred to another department."

"Oh? That's all?" Jonathan clearly didn't believe me.

"If he's just a boss who exploits employees, why would running into him at the mall make you act like you'd seen a ghost? Why would you fall like that in front of him and refuse to let him help you up? Matilda, do you know that when you said 'just my boss,' your tone was so sour it could be used as salad dressing? Your reaction looked exactly like jealousy."

"Jonathan!" I exploded instantly, whipping my head around to glare at him.

"What are you talking about! Who's jealous! I just dislike him! Detest him! Do you understand!"

"I understand, you dislike him. He's detestable."

Jonathan quickly raised both hands in surrender.

"Fine, whatever you say. Let's change the subject then. How did you end up in Harmony City? And what happened to make you such a mess in this mall?"

I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly followed his question.

"I'm working here. Didn't I tell you before? But what about you, Jonathan? Why are you here? And what a coincidence..."

"Me?" Jonathan's face instantly broke into a brilliant smile. He proudly held out his left hand and waved it in front of me.

On his ring finger, a platinum ring was particularly eye-catching.

"I moved to Harmony City! And I'm getting married soon!"

"What?!" I opened my eyes wide in delight, grabbing his hand to examine the ring closely.

"Really?! Are you getting married? To who? When? Oh my god, why didn't you tell me!"

Jonathan showed a rare hint of shyness.

"Who else could it be?"

"Really!"

I was even more surprised, elbowing him hard.

"Oh my god! After all these years, you two are still together! And you're really getting married! Jonathan, you're so inconsiderate! Getting married without telling me, moving to Harmony City without telling me! Am I even your friend anymore!"

Jonathan pretended to be hurt, rubbing his arm with a pitiful expression.

"How can you blame me? Ever since you came to Harmony City, you haven't called, haven't replied to messages, haven't updated your social media. I thought you'd forgotten all us hometown friends! I wanted to tell you, but I had to be able to find you first! I figured you were probably so head over heels in love that you forgot all about us, right?"

"I did not!" My face reddened as I defensively protested.

It was true—after coming to Harmony City, because of my mother's illness, work pressure, and that whole series of chaos, I'd cut off contact with most of my old friends.

I instinctively felt a bit evasive, afraid of being found out.

"Alright, I'm done teasing you." Jonathan knew when to stop and put his arm around my shoulders.