Chapter 33
I was a bit confused. “What are you talking about?”
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“Playing dumb?” He sneered. “You know Tamara is allergic to pollen, yet you had someone send flowers to the office. Isn’t it just to get back at her?”
I truly admired his ability to make assumptions, but I wasn’t going to take the blame. “You’re overthinking it. It’s just a coincidence.”
His eyes narrowed. “So, you’re saying Ivan sent you flowers on his own?”
“Who else could it be?” I countered.
The corners of his lips curled into a mocking smile. “Charlene, aren’t you with Ashton? How come you’re now flirting with Ivan?”
I furrowed my brows, finding his words repulsive.
He didn’t relent, pressing on. “Charlene, you’re such a slut. Can’t you live without a man?”
His words made me laugh in disbelief. “Why do you care? I can be with whomever I want, and that’s not your business.”
He gripped the pen on the desk with such force that his knuckles turned white.
He stayed silent for a while. Just when I was starting to get impatient, he spoke again, “Are you so eager to sever ties with me?”
I looked up at him and smiled lightly. “Wasn’t it you who first cut ties with me?”
“True.” He nodded, his lips pressed together, but there was a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
I couldn’t tell if it was just my imagination, but something about that smile seemed to carry a hint of bitterness.
Harlan said, “For the sake of our pleasant past, let me remind you, Ivan is no good.”
I glanced at him, but he wasn’t looking at me. His eyes were full of complexity.
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I could probably understand Harlan’s mindset–he must be uncomfortable seeing me, who used to obey him without question, now surrounded by other men.
It’s a common human flaw. People want the whole world to revolve around them.
I didn’t dwell on it and simply replied, “I know.”
He looked at me for a moment, his gaze lingering before he said, “And don’t bring flowers to the office again. Not even floral–scented perfume.”
I looked up at him sharply. He knew full well that my favorite scent was magnolia.
The fragrance wasn’t just perfume to me; it was the antidote to my soul.
Noticing my silence, he asked, “Do you have a problem with that?”
I straightforwardly asked, “Are you deliberately targeting me?”
He lowered his gaze. “No, it’s just that Tamara can’t tolerate it.”
Upon hearing this, I couldn’t help but sneer internally. “Since when could she not tolerate it?”
“She tolerated it before because she didn’t want to make you angry,” he said.
After saying that, his tone softened a little. “Charlene, please don’t make this difficult for me.”
I paused, looking at the familiar eyes and brows, but in the end, I didn’t say anything.
I thought to myself, I really should break free from these dependencies, whether it was magnolia or Harlan’s face.
When I returned to my office, the air was thick with the scent of air freshener. Stella rolled her eyes as soon as she saw me. “How rude. You know Tamara’s allergic to pollen, yet you still brought flowers to the office.”
I gave her a glance. She didn’t seem to think she had said anything wrong, her expression full of smugness.
“Did you see me bringing the flowers to the office?” I asked.
She seemed caught off guard by my question, her expression faltering for a moment. Then, she confidently responded, “It was right there on your desk. Who else could it have been?”
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11:44 AM
Chapter 33
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“So, you didn’t actually see it.” I smiled. “Does that mean you’re spreading rumors and slandering me?”
Her face turned pale. “Don’t try to twist things.”
“What am I twisting?” I raised an eyebrow. “Stella, the company rules clearly state that those who spread rumors and stir up trouble can be fired.”
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