Chapter 239 Just Friends

Chapter 239 Just Friends

After Maggie's homewrecker identity was exposed online, she felt like people were gossiping about her everywhere she went.

When she went to the Miller Group to see Luke, taking the elevator from the underground parking garage to the top floor and passing through the open office area, those colleagues and subordinates who used to greet her with smiles all looked at her differently.

Some lowered their heads pretending to read documents, only looking up after she passed to exchange meaningful glances with people beside them.

Some whispered behind her back, "No wonder she and Mr. Miller still haven't gotten married - turns out she really is a homewrecker."

"Exactly. The photos are all out there. She started interfering in Luke's marriage four years ago, when his wife was still pregnant."

"She always acts so gentle and proper, but does this kind of thing behind everyone's back."

Maggie's steps paused for a moment, her nails digging deep into her palms. Her face showed no expression as she continued walking forward.

She pushed open Luke's office door. Luke was standing by the window, phone in hand, as if waiting for a call.

Hearing the door, he turned around, glanced at her, and put his phone on the desk.

"You're here?"

Maggie didn't sit down. She stood in front of the desk, looking at him.

Her eyes were a bit red, but she held back her tears.

She took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady: "You've seen what's online. What do we do now?"

Luke frowned and said, "I'll issue a clarification statement, confirming that we're just friends and everything online is baseless speculation."

Maggie's expression changed instantly, as if she'd been slapped hard across the face.

She stared at Luke, her lips trembling slightly.

"Friends? Just friends?" Her voice was shaking.

Luke looked at her, his brow slightly furrowed, saying nothing.

Maggie took a step forward, placing both hands on the desk, leaning forward slightly, staring into his eyes as she asked seriously:

"Luke, tell me, what have I meant to you all these years? Am I really just... just a friend?"

The office was quiet for a few seconds.

Luke lowered his eyes, as if choosing his words carefully.

When he looked up again, his gaze was calm, his tone flat:

"Maggie, maybe I had those kinds of thoughts once, but that was a long time ago. Ever since I married Evelyn, especially after having Andy, I've only seen you as a friend."

Maggie's tears finally fell.

She wasn't someone who cried easily in front of others.

But right now she couldn't hold it back. Big tears fell down, hitting the desk and spreading into small wet spots.

"You're lying." Her voice was hoarse, choked with tears.

"If you only see me as a friend, why were you so good to me? When people teased us, you never denied it."

"You let me hold your arm at all kinds of events, you spent my birthdays with me, gave me the most expensive gifts, and you even gave me BlueSky Biotech. You made me think... you made me think you still loved me."

Luke was silent for a few seconds.

He said, "I just didn't want you to lose face in front of others. As for BlueSky Biotech... you earned it, you contributed a lot to the company. Of course... you can also think of it as compensation from me."

Maggie's head snapped up, her eyes full of disbelief and anger.

"Compensation? You think I've been by your side all these years for those things? I don't want your company, I don't want your gifts, I want you! Don't you understand?"

Her voice got louder and louder, echoing in the quiet office.

Luke said nothing.

Watching him stay silent like that, the fire inside Maggie burned hotter and hotter, burning until her insides ached.

She suddenly understood something, her voice dropping, carrying a tremor she didn't want to believe herself.

"Have you... fallen in love with Evelyn?"

Luke's eyebrows moved slightly. He didn't confirm or deny it.

Seeing his expression, Maggie felt the last thread in her heart snap.

She stepped back, leaning against the wall, covering her face with both hands, her shoulders shaking violently.

"Why... what do I lack compared to her? Why does everyone have to like her? Brandon likes her, Gavin likes her, Geraldo likes her, and even you..."

She dropped her hands, looking at Luke, tears streaming down her face, her voice hoarse, "What do I lack compared to her?"

Luke frowned, "Maggie, calm down."

Maggie acted as if she hadn't heard, continuing to talk to herself.

Her voice got faster and faster, as if she wanted to pour out everything she'd kept bottled up in her heart all these years.

"I held on for so long, I gave so much, I don't want anything anymore, I just want to be with you. Now you're telling me you only see me as a friend? How am I supposed to accept that?"

Luke walked over, standing in front of her, reaching out to touch her shoulder.

Maggie violently knocked his hand away, stepped back, and looked at him with eyes full of hatred.

"Luke, remember what you said to me today. If I'm not doing well, nobody else will either."

She turned around, pulled open the door, and strode out.

The employees in the hallway heard the commotion and looked up, seeing Maggie come out of Luke's office with tears all over her face, walking quickly toward the elevator.

Everyone was stunned.

Before the elevator doors closed, someone heard suppressed crying from inside.

Luke stood by the window, watching Maggie's car leave the parking lot, turn at the corner, and disappear from view.

He took out his phone and called his secretary.

"Maggie's emotionally unstable. Have someone keep an eye on her, don't let her do anything stupid."

The secretary acknowledged and hung up.

Maggie didn't go back to the Nguyen Manor.

She drove around the city for a long time, not knowing where to go or where she should go.

When she came to her senses, her car was already parked downstairs at BlueSky Biotech.

She wiped the tear stains from her face, touched up her makeup in the rearview mirror, opened the car door, and walked in.

The receptionist in the lobby greeted her, but she ignored them and went straight into the elevator.

She pushed open her office door. Frank was sitting on the sofa.

He'd obviously been waiting a long time. Seeing Maggie come in, he stood up, looked her up and down, his brow furrowed tightly.

"Maggie, why didn't you answer your phone? I called dozens of times, you didn't return a single one." His voice carried urgency and concern.

Maggie sat down in her office chair, her tone flat: "My phone died."

Frank walked to the desk, placing both hands on the edge, staring at her, "Is what's online true or not? If Evelyn and Luke were married, then what's your relationship with Luke?"

Maggie looked up at him, her gaze calm, not like someone who had just been crying.

"Friends. All that speculation online is nonsense."

Frank stared into her eyes for a few seconds, "You're lying."

He paused, "Why are your eyes so red? Did someone bully you?"

Maggie shook her head, "No."

Frank wanted to ask more, but Maggie's voice suddenly rose, "Can you just let me cool down for a bit?"

She stood up, walked around the desk to the window, turning her back to him.

Frank stood there, stunned.

After a few seconds, he gave a self-mocking smile, turned, and walked out of the office.

Maggie stood by the window. Hearing the door close, she knew Frank had left.

Her assistant knocked and came in, looking very serious.

"Ms. Smith, the stock price dropped again. If we can't control public opinion, the company will have to file for bankruptcy."

Maggie didn't move, lost in thought.

During this time, she'd invested all her savings into BlueSky Biotech, wanting to grow the company, and this was the result.

God really wasn't fair.

The assistant was still standing at the door. She asked carefully, "Ms. Smith, should we contact the media to issue a statement?"

Only then did Maggie shake her head, "No need. Go out, let me be alone for a while."

The assistant didn't dare ask more questions. She nodded and closed the door.

Maggie returned to her desk.

She picked up her phone from the desk. As soon as she opened it, she saw news reports about OmniFront Labs.

#AI project already taking shape, press conference expected next week.

#Sentience BioTech's CGT therapy enters Phase II clinical trials, multiple hospitals lining up to apply for collaboration.

#Brain-computer interface listing preparations in final stages, approval expected next quarter.

Every single project was something she dreamed of having.

But now? OmniFront Labs was developing rapidly, while she could barely hold onto her own company.

Maggie gripped her phone, her fingers tightening bit by bit.

She stared at that photo for a long time.

Suddenly, the corners of her mouth slowly curved up.