I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra) novel Chapter 103

My phone buzzed relentlessly. A quick glance showed at least ten missed calls from Steven.

I scoffed and ignored it. Answering that call would be asking for a verbal assault.

I hurried to the office. The usual morning chatter filled the room, but the moment I walked in, it fell silent. Several people shot me looks before turning back to their desks.

Unfazed, I walked into my office.

Jacob, the sweet kid, shot up from his chair the moment he saw me, his eyes lighting up. His gaze lingered on my face with concern. “Zephyra, you weren’t here this morning. Is everything okay?”

I sat down and turned on my computer. “I’m fine, just got held up by something. Let’s get to work.”

Jacob studied my face, a worried frown on his handsome features. “Zephyra, your lips look a little swollen. Is it an allergy? Verna told me some people get swollen lips from cheilitis.”

Damn it. I added another mark to my mental list of grievances against Steven.

I gave Jacob a reassuring smile. “It’s not that. I had some incredibly spicy seafood for lunch, so they’re just a bit swollen. I’m really fine, it’s nothing.”

He visibly relaxed, a smile returning to his clear eyes. “Oh, good. Let me update you on our work progress, then.”

“Sounds good.”

My work was fairly structured. With autumn setting in, Myron had tasked me with designing the winter collection. Each season had a theme, and we had to predict upcoming trends.

Even though I’d been a housewife in my past life, I had always kept a close eye on the fashion world. I knew the major trends like the back of my hand, so I quickly finalized a preliminary proposal.

Myron was my direct report, so I took the proposal to his office. I could have just emailed it, but I also wanted to ask him about a doctor for Uncle Julian.

I found Myron lounging in his office, his eyes glued to his computer screen. “Come in.”

In my past life, my world had revolved around Steven. I’d lost myself, becoming obedient, docile, timid, and utterly boring. Those words had defined my marriage.

Being fierce, having a temper, talking back—those things were unthinkable for the old me. But living this way now felt… good. It was liberating, and being more assertive seemed to keep the negativity at bay.

Even Myron, who in my past life thought I wasn't good enough for Steven, didn’t dare look down on me now.

I was quite satisfied with the person I was becoming.

After reviewing the proposal, Myron spun his pen, circling and marking up the pages, his smile growing wider.

“Zephyra, you’re a treasure. Oneira’s reputation is well-deserved. This minimalist yet unique style is exactly what the younger generation wants. I’ve been trying to tell the old-timers in the company that we need creativity and innovation, but they’re stuck in their traditional ways, as if they can’t design without clinging to the past.”

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