Chapter 13 You Don't Know Her!
Bryce immediately ordered the servant to tidy up Rossie's room after Lily left and returned to his office. He slumped in his chair and snorted in annoyance.
Bryce's mouth tightened into a thin line as an indescribable feeling of unease came over him.
Steven then treated Bryce's wounds and left the room.
Bryce held his head, which felt dizzy from thinking about Lily's outburst. As long as he had known her, Lily had been a gentle and kind soul—an angel in human form. She had never seemed like someone who would lose her manners.
"People can change, I guess," he thought with a sigh.
But Lily was still his childhood sweetheart, no matter what. She was the one who had accompanied him through his darkest times. He was going to marry her.
He checked some documents while enduring the pain when his gaze fell on the suit he had found in Rossie's room. Curious, he approached to pick it up and take a closer look.
Bryce was about the same height as Dominic, but he had broader shoulders and a more muscular build than Dominic. The suit was clearly made for him.
"It's ugly," Bryce snorted. But that didn't stop him from putting it on a few minutes later.
He stood in front of the full-length mirror to assess the fit. One swing of his arm, and it was clear that the suit fit like a glove. The artistry was on par with that of suits from luxury fashion brands!
"A country girl like her has good taste," he thought.
A knock on the door interrupted him. It was his housekeeper, Tina, who came in with a cup of warm milk for him.
"Oh? You're wearing the clothes Madam Rossie prepared for you. She'll be pleased to hear that!" Her happiness was evident.
No one in the Johansen family took Rossie seriously except for Tina, who had raised Bryce.
"What are you saying?" Bryce was surprised.
"The clothes you're wearing. Aren't they a gift from Mrs. Rossie? They must be... She asked me to pick them up from the atelier a month ago and told me to hide them from you. She said it was a birthday present for you."
"A birthday present?" Bryce stood frozen in place. His birthday was still months away.
"I know you get along with her, but she's not here anymore. You don't have to keep praising her." His gaze turned cold.
"I watched you grow into the man you are today, Mr. Bryce. You won't find anyone more honest with you than me."
She approached and looked at the handsome man in the mirror. "Mrs. Rossie once mentioned that the process of making clothes takes a long time. Every thread and stitch is her work. The fabric is also specially made. Even the buttons come from the original mold. She is usually busy with housework and spends little of her free time in the atelier each day. That's why when it was finished a month ago, she hid it in the closet. She didn't want you to know."
Bryce's eyes widened in disbelief while his heart pounded in his chest.
"If you don't believe me, you can check the label. Your name is sewn on there."
He hurriedly took off the jacket and threw it on the sofa as if it were on fire. "We're not married anymore. I'm not interested in what she did for me. You'd better leave."
"Why did you and Mrs. Rossie divorce, Mr. Bryce? She's an amazing woman who loves you with all her heart..."
"Loves me with all her heart?" He snorted. "If that's true, would she have run straight into the arms of another man as soon as she was no longer with me?"
"Mrs. Rossie wouldn't..." Tina didn't finish her sentence.
"It's true what they say. You never really know someone."
Bryce never hesitated to scold Rossie harshly for her mistakes. It was clear he had lost his patience. "Why pretend that I was everything she needed when she felt nothing for me? Did she think she and I would eventually fall in love? Does he think I'm a fool he can fool? "
" I'm sure there's a misunderstanding, Mr. Bryce. I can see how much he loves you. "Tina shook her head regretfully as she went to put away the suit carefully.
" Enough, Tina! "
" You'll regret letting Mrs. Rossie go someday."
The next morning at Rossie's house…
Rossie actually wanted to sleep longer, but her biological clock woke her up at precisely five o'clock. Usually, she would prepare breakfast for the Johansen family. Now, she no longer had to put herself in danger by cooking for the family.
She no longer had to endure the Johansen family's cynical glances directed at her. Life as a divorced woman was truly incredible!
She put on her swimsuit and started exercising in her private gym. She did cardio to sweat out all the negative energy in her body. After exercising, she had breakfast and took a shower before going downstairs in high spirits.
Her assistant, Darren, stood up straight when he saw her. Rossie had tied her hair back and applied subtle makeup, highlighting her porcelain features and captivating eyes. A khaki business suit with a knee-length pleated skirt further accentuated her appearance.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Rossie asked, snapping her fingers in front of his face.
"Damn!" He blushed. "Y-You're beautiful, Miss Rossie."
"You're my brother's chief secretary, you know. Can you not act like an idiot when you see a beautiful woman?" She shook her head with a smile.
Then, a Rolls-Royce drove up to the Nexus Group. Its arrival, unnoticed by anyone, frightened the staff. No one dared to relax after yesterday's lesson.
Rossie walked around, then returned to her office after giving some instructions.
"I can do everything myself. You can go back to Dominic!" Rossie exclaimed.
"I don't need to go to his side anymore," Darren said with a smile. "Mr. Dominic wants me to work for you. Now I'm your secretary."
"What?" She stared at him in disbelief. "Dominic mentioned wanting to give me a gift today. Are you... the gift?"
Darren nodded enthusiastically.
"What kind of gift is this? Why would he give me a living, breathing person?" she thought.
Darren started to panic when Rossie didn't say anything. "You're not going to fire me just because I used to be Mr. Dominic's secretary, are you?"
He smiled. "Nonsense! That's called work experience!"
"Haha! I'll do my best! I'm not asking for much. Maybe just a small annual raise?" he joked.
"Money? Do a good job, and I'll make sure you live in luxury. Do a bad job, and I'll hand you over to someone else like my brother did." Rossie smiled as he rested his head in his hands.
"As promised yesterday, all the furniture in the show unit has been replaced. We've also instructed that we will no longer work with JHome, and within a week, all their products will be gone from the Nexus Group!"
As he spoke, he was interrupted by urgent knocking at the door.