Chapter 7

The mention of children brought back the pain Mila had tried to forget bit by bit. The harsh white lights of the ceiling. The sharp stench of disinfectant in the air. The bone-deep chill after the uterine evacuation surgery. She would never forget any of it. She would forever remember the pain of flesh and blood being torn away from her that day. Looking back now, perhaps the child had sensed something early on. That was why it came quietly and left just as quietly. It was like it was meant to put her through a trial. After the meeting, Penelope asked Mindy to send her a copy of the minutes. Still bristling, Mindy snapped, "They're not ready yet." "Then finish them when you're done." "I'm swamped. I don't have the time to do that." Penelope frowned and glared at Mindy. Mindy ignored her and continued clearing the meeting room with Mila. When Penelope finally left, Mila gently advised Mindy, "You shouldn't bring personal emotions into work. That's not allowed at Royal Investment. If you want to make it here, don't offend anyone, especially people above you." "I just think it's unfair to you," Mindy replied stubbornly. Mila's expression faltered. "There's nothing unfair about it." In her eyes, love was never an equal exchange. She had treated Matteo well of her own volition. She had never expected him to give back to her, because doing so would only bring her unnecessary suffering. She had loved Matteo. That was why she'd been willing to gamble her future, give up her chance to study abroad, and stay behind to support his startup. The outcome wasn't ideal, but she had never regretted it. She would accept defeat, pay the price, and leave as soon as she could. Sometimes, the greatest enemy in life was being trapped inside one's own mental fortress. Even so, the end of a relationship inevitably left her exhausted and heartbroken. She just needed some time. She would get through it. … Before leaving the office, Mila sent Penelope a message. She told her that all the project materials from the investment department were organized and ready for delivery. Penelope's reply came quickly. "Ms. Wright, could you please bring the materials to Matt's office? I've just returned from abroad, and I'm not very familiar with the local business environment. I need Matt's help to go through it." She kept referring to Matteo as "Matt". Matteo never once corrected her, allowing her to address him that way. However, Mila clearly remembered how he hated informality in the office. For the past seven years, she had adhered strictly to that rule. She had always addressed him as "Mr. Hall" in the office and at social functions. She was always diligent and conscientious. It all seemed like a joke now. His rules were only for outsiders, and she was one of them. He never set boundaries with the woman he liked. After replying to Penelope, Mila stacked the project materials together with the documents that needed Matteo's signature. Before standing up, she took the signed resignation letter from her drawer and slipped it into the folder meant for him. She didn't know whether he would sign it, but the process had to be followed. Holding the thick stack of documents, Mila walked straight toward Matteo's office. As always, she knocked on the door, then entered the office. That was the one privilege he had given her. As his secretary, they had frequent work interactions. To save time and improve efficiency, she was allowed to enter without waiting for permission. Over time, it had become muscle memory. So, after knocking, she instinctively pushed the door open. Before she could say a word, her heart was brutally crushed by what she saw. Penelope was sitting on Matteo's desk, her upper body leaning toward him. Matteo's face was extremely close to her chest. Their posture was far more intimate than anything she could have imagined. "Oh…" Penelope seemed startled by Mila's sudden entry and fell straight into Matteo's arms. Matteo frowned deeply and snapped at Mila, "Don't you know how to knock?" Mila wanted to say that she had knocked, but arguing now felt completely meaningless. "Where are your manners? Is this how you do your job?" His expression was icy, and his tone was sharp. It was as if he had completely forgotten that he had given her the privilege not to knock in the first place. "Sorry. It won't happen again," Mila said quietly. There would be no next time. Penelope finally raised her head from Matteo's arms. Her cheeks were flushed, as if she had just been thoroughly indulged. "Don't be so harsh, Matt," she said sweetly. "Ms. Wright didn't do it on purpose." Then, she turned to Mila with a warm smile. "You're here to deliver the project materials, right? Just leave them on the desk. I'm not in a position to receive them right now." Mila placed the documents on the desk and calmly added, "There are some documents here that need Mr. Hall's signature." "Sure. You can leave now," Penelope told her as if she were the owner of the company. "Don't come in here again unless it's necessary. That goes for everyone," Matteo added. Mila's chest tightened. Her fingers trembled. "It won't happen again." That was her promise to him. She didn't know how she managed to leave that suffocating office. All she could remember was that before she left, Penelope was still seated comfortably in Matteo's arms. Absolutely unmoving. Matteo did not attempt to push her away. He had been angry because she had interrupted something, hadn't he? In seven years of knowing him, that was the first time Mila had seen Matteo lose control like that. It was as if all his composure and rationality had been an illusion. Perhaps men only lost restraint and reason in front of the woman they truly loved. How else could things escalate to something so obscene in broad daylight, right inside an office? As soon as it was time to clock out, Mila shut down her computer and stood up to leave. The other secretaries stared at her in shock. Everyone knew that Mila was Royal Investment's famous workaholic. She held the highest overtime record year after year. After taking over the investment department's affairs, she practically lived at the office. Yet, she was now leaving on time. It was unbelievable. Just after she stepped out of the building, Zach Yale called again. In the past, Mila would've hung up immediately or found an excuse to refuse his calls. Zach was a headhunter. He had tried to recruit her many times and failed every single time. But this time, Mila answered without hesitation. Zach was so shocked that he nearly forgot why he called. Mila spoke first. "Mr. Yale, would you like to have dinner tonight?" "Of course!" he exclaimed, ecstatic. "I'm always free for an invitation from you, Ms. Wright. What kind of food do you like? I'll book the restaurant!" "Something light, if possible. My stomach isn't great." "No problem at all! I'll book a place and send you the location. See you soon!" Zach said enthusiastically. "See you soon." Mila went home to change clothes before heading out. The apartment she rented wasn't far from the company. It was expensive, but close enough to make commuting and overtime easier. Matteo had never understood her choice. He thought the place was too small and messy, and he never returned after visiting once. Whenever he needed her, he simply told her to go to his place instead.