“I know,” Marico murmured, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he struggled to control his emotions. “We can do something else.”
“Hm?” Yvonne looked at him, her clear eyes reflecting a mix of confusion and innocence.
But then realization dawned on her, and her cheeks flushed a deep red.
In the end, she didn’t even get a chance to eat the cake. Embarrassed, she made a beeline for the stairs and escaped to her room.
While showering, she calmed herself down and thought things through. With her period as a natural shield, she reassured herself that nothing unexpected would happen.
Later, after her shower, Marico called her to bed. The moment she walked into the bedroom, he pinned her against the wall and kissed her, moving from the doorway to the bed. In the end, he kept his promise—not going any further, but instead, finding other ways to express his affection.
…
The next day, as Yvonne worked on her proposal, her typing was noticeably slower than usual.
Her fingers pecked at the keys, letter by painstaking letter, and she seemed lost in thought.
Across from her, Nydia immediately noticed. “Yvonne, did you not sleep well last night? Was your grumpy boyfriend giving you a hard time again?”
Yvonne snapped out of her daze and looked at Nydia. “No, nothing like that.”
“Then what’s up? You look out of it, and the way you’re typing—it’s like you’re just pretending to work, no energy at all.”
Seeing Nydia’s genuine concern, Yvonne felt both helpless and embarrassed.
It’s all Marico’s fault!
“I’m fine. Just had a bit too much to drink, so my head aches and I didn’t sleep well,” Yvonne quickly made up an excuse.
“Oh, that’s a relief,” Nydia said, letting out a breath. “What does your boyfriend do, anyway? He always seems so strict. Just overhearing you talk to him on the phone makes me break out in a cold sweat.”
“This is a file?” Yvonne glanced at the packaging; it was obviously anything but an ordinary file.
“It’s a meaningful sample,” Linda replied, her expression unreadable. “Mr. Hamilton will understand as soon as he sees it.”
Yvonne didn’t get up. She was always a bit wary around Linda.
“What, afraid I’m setting you up? Please. Mr. Hamilton clearly favors you. I just thought if you delivered it, he’d appreciate it more.” Linda flashed a sudden, sharp smile, her tone unmistakably threatening.
It was as if she might spill the details of Yvonne’s little mishap at the company party at any moment.
Yvonne noticed the curious stares from her coworkers, but didn’t overthink it. It was just a sample, after all.
It’s not as if it was a bomb. What was there to be afraid of?

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