In the end, they started arguing.
The manager listened for a bit and finally got it.
Stuart was eager to buy her a car—not just any car, the best one—but she didn't appreciate it.
The manager couldn't help but look at Josephine with newfound respect. Not everyone could resist the temptation of millions of dollars.
Josephine said, "If you buy me a bracelet, I can hide it. But a flashy car? How am I supposed to drive that?"
"What's so flashy about it? A car is meant to be driven," Stuart's voice was cold. He claimed,"You don't care, but if you drive a junker, it reflects badly on me!"
The manager quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, Mr. Haustia is right."
Josephine stayed firm. She said stubbornly, "Go ahead and buy it, but I won't drive it."
Stuart was furious. He scolded, "Don't be ungrateful!"
Josephine shouted, "Why are you acting crazy? I'm trying to save you money! I don't want it; why are you forcing it on me?"
Stuart didn't even know why he was acting crazy.
Rich people's money didn't grow on trees. They weren't as generous and extravagant as people think.
But he just wanted to buy it for Josephine.
When he saw that bracelet at the auction, he didn't even think twice. He just felt it suited Josephine and bought it.
Same with this car; he thought the color and design were perfect for Josephine. He just wanted to give it to her.
Josephine was about to say something when Stuart stepped closer and whispered in her ear, "If you dare mention divorce again, I'll sew your mouth shut!"
Josephine wouldn't mention divorce in front of others.
She just said, "You're giving me such an expensive gift; I can't reciprocate."
Stuart sneered, "Reciprocate? Do you even think about that? I gave you a bracelet, and you didn't reciprocate. Even Doris knows to give a tie in return!"
Mentioning Doris made Josephine laugh. She quipped, "If she knows how to reciprocate, then keep giving her gifts. Don't give them to me."
Stuart angrily said, "Do you really want me to strangle you?"
The manager was listening in fear, worried that Stuart might actually strangle Josephine in a fit of rage.
After all, a powerful boss like him could probably get away with murder.
He was puzzled. Who refused free stuff, especially worth millions?
He looked at Josephine with newfound admiration.
Then Stuart glared at him. He snapped, "What are you looking at? Mind your own business!"
The manager quickly averted his gaze, not daring to look around.
Josephine felt she couldn't argue with him. Stuart was definitely the kind of person with a screw loose, so why bother getting angry with him?
She took a deep breath and said, "If you want to buy it, go ahead, but I won't drive it to work."
Driving a car worth millions to work would definitely make her the center of attention.
Josephine had always been low-key and didn't want to be the subject of gossip.
Stuart looked coldly at the manager. He instructed, "Go handle the paperwork."
The manager thought that with Josephine's refusal, Stuart would be too angry to buy it.
But he was going through with it.
Were all men like this?
The more she didn't want it, the more he insisted on giving it.
The manager wondered if the world had gone mad.
Until Stuart and Josephine left, the manager felt the world was back to normal when another older boss came in with a young, pretty girl clinging to his arm, acting coy. The boss bought her things, and the manager felt a sense of normalcy return.
Stuart didn't think he was abnormal.
The car would take a month to arrive, but just thinking about Josephine driving it and remembering him made him feel inexplicably satisfied.
"It's about time," Josephine said, glancing at her watch. "I need to go..."
"It's still early," Stuart said, displeased. "Don't you have something else to do?"
Josephine was puzzled. She asked, "What?"
Stuart angrily said, "What did you come out for?"
"Oh, to buy you a gift," Josephine remembered.
Stuart was furious. He asked, "Josephine, are you even trying?"
Josephine found his words strange.
The one not trying was him, wasn't it?
Josephine was tired of arguing. She said, "Let's go to the mall."
Stuart was angry. He remarked, "Don't you want to buy me a gift?"
Josephine looked at him.
Her eyes clearly said, "The gift is something you wanted."
She hadn't planned on buying him anything.
Like birthday gifts, she used to give them willingly, even if Stuart didn't care, she was willing to give.
However, it was different now.
She didn't want to continue this endless unrequited love.
Seeing Josephine's reaction, Stuart really wanted to strangle her.
He took a deep breath and suppressed his anger. He asked her, "Have you thought about what to buy me?"
Josephine thought Stuart was really good at business, able to bend and stretch.
She thought he would throw a fit again. But she also wanted to get it over with quickly. Who knew what might happen if she stayed with him too long?
"What do you want?" Josephine asked since she had no idea what to buy.
The gift for Liam was something she had carefully chosen.
She had been looking for that Lego set for a long time, and a patient had helped her find it.
As for what Stuart liked, Josephine really didn't know.
He had no reaction to the birthday gifts she had given him before.
So she decided not to rack her brain and let him choose.
"Whatever I want, you'll buy it?" Stuart asked.
Josephine said, "I don't have that much money, so keep it reasonable."
"You're worried about money when buying me something?" Stuart was angry again. He remarked impatiently, "Do you know how much the bracelet and car cost?"
"That's why I told you not to buy them!" Josephine thought he was being unreasonable. She reiterated, "I said I can't reciprocate such expensive gifts!"
Stuart said angrily, "It's not about the money! It's about whether you're willing!"
Josephine said, "I don't have that much money; willing or not, I can't afford it!"
Stuart asked, "Did you consider the price when buying things for Liam?"
Josephine replied, "You're different from him!"
As soon as she said it, Josephine regretted it.
Stuart, being the crazy person he was, would surely go nuts hearing that.
Sure enough, he slammed the steering wheel, his voice cold. He remarked, "Yes, you and he grew up together, childhood sweethearts, with a special bond. What am I? Just a husband from a family marriage, a tool to satisfy your desires!"
Josephine looked at him in disbelief. She replied, "Stuart, do you know what you sound like right now?"
Stuart asked irritably, "What?"
"Jealous." Josephine looked at him with a complicated expression. She asked, "Can you seriously answer me, do you have even a little bit of feelings for me?"