Chapter 95: Mia, How Ridiculous You Are
Mia stood at the company entrance with her long hair down and a mask on, unnoticed by the gossiping people as employees streamed in and out.
"Mr. Smith and Ms. Martinez are really together? No way! Didn't they say Mr. Smith is already married? Why would Ms. Martinez be willing to be a mistress?"
"Why not? It depends on who you're doing it for. To be Mr. Smith's mistress - how many women wouldn't want that?"
"Plus, I heard Mr. Smith has loved Ms. Martinez for years, but before, Ms. Martinez didn't realize she loved Mr. Smith. They missed their chance, so Mr. Smith just married some random woman."
"A while ago Ms. Martinez came back to the country, and they ran into each other twice. Ms. Martinez realized she'd actually loved Mr. Smith all these years, she just didn't know it. So she confessed to Mr. Smith."
"Think about it - the woman you've loved for years confesses to you. No one could resist that."
"Haven't you seen the way Ms. Martinez looks at Mr. Smith these days? So flirtatious!"
"Mr. Smith's been working overtime a lot lately, right? Ms. Martinez goes up every day to have dinner with him. Speaking of dinner, Mr. Smith and Ms. Martinez have this whole steak connection."
"We all know Mr. Smith only eats steak, but it's actually because Ms. Martinez has loved eating it since she was little. Mr. Smith used to never touch steak... tsk!"
As soon as the long-haired woman finished, the short-haired girl covered her mouth and let out a suppressed squeal, "So cheesy! Who knew rich people's romance could be so down-to-earth!"
Mia stood quietly to the side the whole time, head down. No one knew what she was thinking.
The two gossipers didn't dwell on the steak thing for long and quickly circled back. The short-haired woman asked, "Overtime, overtime - keep talking about the overtime! I'm getting excited!"
"They say it's overtime, but as they work and work, everyone on the 32nd floor leaves, and only Ms. Martinez and Mr. Smith are left. I heard from security that Mr. Smith and Ms. Martinez spend at least an hour or two alone together.
Everyone at the Smith Group knows Mr. Smith's work ability - does he really need to work overtime like this? Working until eleven or midnight!"
"Use your brain and think - what are Mr. Smith and Ms. Martinez really doing during their 'overtime'?"
The long-haired woman finished speaking and looked at the short-haired woman suggestively.
After the excitement, she calmed down again. "I still don't quite believe it. Mr. Smith has always kept work and personal life separate. I've been at the company for two years and never seen him involved with any subordinate. He couldn't possibly do something in the office..."
The long-haired woman was clearly exasperated and rolled her eyes at the short-haired woman. "You think I'm just making this up? See for yourself! I worked so hard to get this - don't spread it around!"
As she spoke, she opened her phone and held it in front of the short-haired woman.
While she watched, the long-haired woman continued, "This was secretly filmed on the 32nd floor yesterday. Mr. Smith carried Ms. Martinez into his office in front of everyone. They didn't even close the door before they were kissing on the couch."
"Can't really blame Mr. Smith. I heard his wife is pregnant, so she definitely can't satisfy Mr. Smith. With Ms. Martinez, such a stunning beauty, right there beside him, and she's the woman he loves."
"I really never thought..."
Before the short-haired woman could finish, a hand reached over and took the phone away.
Perhaps it was the coldness in the half of Mia's face that was visible that left them both stunned for a moment.
By the time they came to their senses, the phone had already been handed back to them.
Without a word, Mia slowly turned and walked out.
The company had central heating and was warm inside.
The moment she stepped out the company door, as the cold wind hit her, her blood seemed to freeze too.
Her heart felt ice cold.
Bone-chillingly cold.
Luxe Haven
When Mia got home and opened the door, she was greeted by delicious aromas filling the house.
She stood in the entryway, like a robot, stiffly and slowly turning her head toward the kitchen.
Following the aroma, a figure gradually materialized in the empty kitchen, fumbling around.
That person seemed to be her.
A very clumsy kitchen novice, trying hard to learn his favorite dish to surprise the man she loved.
His favorite dish!
'Amelia is the one who loves steak. James never used to touch steak...'
Her teeth sank deep into her tender lip again.
The wound that had been bitten at the Smith Group building was injured again, blood seeping out once more, her mouth full of the taste of blood.
She looked at that foolishly busy phantom and laughed out loud.
But as she laughed, tears came out.
Look how ridiculous she was.
...
Near the end of the workday, there were some problems with the first project Amelia had brought to the company.
James had an emergency meeting with the marketing department. When the meeting ended and he picked up his phone, he saw missed calls from Mia.
He immediately called back, but no one answered.
Unable to reach Mia, James called the housekeeper.
When the maid heard that James couldn't reach Mia, she understood.
Mia was deliberately not answering James's calls, wanting to surprise him.
She made up some excuse. James didn't suspect anything, hung up, and drove home.
When James pushed open the door, the whole place was dark.
The climate control system seemed to have failed - the house was actually colder than outside.
"Mia?"
Didn't they say she was home?
What's going on?
He turned on the lights and strode in. Just as he was about to call Mia, he found her on the living room couch.
Seeing her curled up in a ball from the cold, he looked up at the normally functioning climate control system. The house was this cold only because she had opened all the windows on the first floor.
Looking at her shivering, he suppressed his anger, first closed the windows, and said in a helpless tone, "There was a last-minute meeting today, that's why I'm home late."
Mia didn't respond.
Not until James closed the windows, turned around, and walked back to the couch, looking at Mia who had kept her head buried in her knees since he came in.
He had no idea what she was up to now.
Controlling his temper, he softened his voice, "What's wrong?"
Like a hedgehog, Mia quickly shrank back the instant he reached out.
Her back pressed tight against the couch, one hand on her belly, breathing deeply.
She looked at James, whose expression had darkened.
Her heart felt desolate.
An hour ago, unable to stand the smell of steak in the air, she had opened the windows. The smell had dispersed.
But that smell kept lingering in her nose.
The things she'd heard at the company played like a slideshow in her mind, over and over again.
Again and again.
Paired with the video of him kissing Amelia.
She had asked him to fire Amelia. He had told her firmly that he needed to keep work and personal life separate.
She had stupidly believed in his separation of work and personal life!
This was how he kept them separate!
So disgusting!
They were both so disgusting!
"Don't touch me." A second before James's hand touched her, Mia pushed it away, looking at him with disgust.