Chapter 6

The next morning, Mila had barely stepped into the office when Mindy hurried over. She showed Mila something she had discovered earlier today. "I heard that Ms. Lewis spent the night with Mr. Hall," Mindy whispered, afraid that people could hear her. She showed her a photo she had taken. "They arrived in the same car this morning. Ms. Lewis was still wearing yesterday's outfit." Mila glanced at the screen. Matteo was standing by the car door, half of his face swallowed by the shadow. His head was lowered as he looked at Penelope climbing out of the car. The angle taken made the scene look intimate. Mila silently stared at the photo for a few seconds before looking away. She tipped a handful of pills into her mouth and drank several gulps of hot water to swallow them down. The heat slid down her throat, but she felt nothing. Nothing at all. She spent the entire morning organizing the project material she was responsible for and drafted a resignation letter. During that time, Penelope had visited Mattoe's office four times, each visit lasting over 30 minutes. Having the right person by his side put him in a good mood. Matteo didn't come looking for Mila about her standing him up the night before. Close to lunch, Matteo finally exited his office with Penelope. When they passed Mila's desk, they didn't even spare her a look. Penelope was talking to Matteo, asking what he felt like having for lunch. She wanted to treat him as thanks for drinking in her stead. Matteo said there was a place nearby known for its stews. The food was easy on the stomach, and he thought it would be good for Penelope right now. Penelope was visibly touched. "Matt, that's really thoughtful of you." Before the elevator doors closed, Mila typed her name at the bottom of her resignation letter. Just then, Mindy messaged her, asking what she wanted for lunch. Mila gave it some thought before replying, "How about Harper's Kitchen?" Mindy agreed. … It was peak lunch hour. The restaurant was crowded. Mila spotted Matteo and Peneloped the moment she walked in. They were hard to miss. "What a coincidence," Mindy muttered, worried about Mila's reaction. Mila stayed calm. Her gaze passed over them without stopping. "There's an empty table over there." The server recognized her and smiled as she took a seat. "Ms. Wright, will you be having the chamomile chicken stew as usual?" Mila shook her head with a smile. "Not today. I'll have something gentler on the stomach." "Is your boss's insomnia finally better?" the server asked casually. Mila visited the shop daily to buy sleep-aiding stews for Matteo. Over time, she had become a regular. Most of the staff here knew her. Mila stayed calm. "Yes. I won't be needing that anymore." From now on, all she needed to take care of was herself. "Do you have anything good for people low on iron?" Mindy asked. "I'm on my period and feeling a bit lightheaded." "We do," the server said brightly. "We had three servings of beef and lentil stew today. You're in luck. There's one left. That gentleman over there ordered the other for his girlfriend." The server's tone was full of admiration. "They're such a perfect match—both are good-looking and polished. Plus, he treats her so well. Men like that are rare these days." Mindy felt like covering the server's mouth. The couple she was talking about was Matteo and Penelope. So, Matteo had brought Penelope here for the stew since she was on her period. That was also why he had stepped in and drank the drinks for her last night. Those were details that only people in really close relationships knew about. Mila and Matteo had been together for seven years. He hadn't always been cold or distant. But all marriages went through the seven-year itch. They weren't immune to it. As Royal Investment flourished, its business empire expanded. Matteo barely had time to breathe, let alone indulge in romance. Mila couldn't even remember the last time they had gone on a date alone. Such thoughtful acts were just distant memories. Once the server left, Mindy looked at Mila anxiously. "Mila, are you okay?" Mila snapped herself out of her daze and shook her head gently. "I'm fine." Harper's Kitchen's stew lived up to its reputation. Two bowls later, Mila felt comforted. She realized how important self-care was. Being kind to others didn't always pay off, but being kind to yourself always did. The return was immediate, too. … There was an investment department meeting in the afternoon. It was Penelope's first time attending as the Head of Investment. Everyone was curious about her credentials. She opened by introducing her background. She had a PhD in Economics from the WT School of Business in Meridia. The room buzzed. So that was why Matteo had recruited her from overseas. It was no wonder that she had been fast-tracked straight into Royal Investment. She was a high-achieving beauty. The WT School of Business was world-renowned. Those who earned a doctorate from there were few and far between. Mila had lost fairly. Those who had pitied Mila began to waver. People admired strength, and they were no different. Mila's local undergraduate degree didn't stand much of a chance with Penelope. Mila continued as usual, taking notes with focus. But when she started typing the words "WT School of Business", her fingers paused briefly over the keyboard. She had received an offer from there once, too. She had turned it down for Matteo, and her professor had never forgiven her for that choice. She didn't think she would feel the consequences of her actions years later. With Penelope's golden credentials, nobody questioned Matteo's announcement that she had secured the project from Treveur Corp. It was as if the deal had been hers all along. The irony stung. Mindy furiously texted Mila, "Wait, how did Ms. Lewis get the project? You bled for that deal, Mila! How is this fair? Mr. Hall is so biased! I don't get it at all!" "Calm down. It doesn't matter anymore," Mila replied calmly. She had already given up on Matteo after seven years. One project was nothing compared to that. Mindy wasn't convinced. "But that project cost you everything. Does Mr. Hall even know that you lost a child because of it?"