“So that’s why you kept turning down Elmer White all through high school. I always wondered what the reason was, but now I get it–it was because of Jonathan.”
Niamh’s chest tightened at the mention of Elmer White.
The bedroom fell silent for a moment. Lana tapped her own forehead in mock reproach.
“Sorry, sorry, my bad. Let’s talk about something else… What about Julian? He’s easy on the eyes too. Okay, maybe not Jonathan–level, but definitely some fresh eye candy.”
“Are you suggesting a married woman seduce a college kid?” Niamh snorted, half amused, half exasperated.
“Why not? Your husband’s a married man and that hasn’t stopped him. He’s out there every day, hanging all over that bitch–totally shameless.”
Whenever Jonathan’s name came up, Lana never had anything good to say.
Niamh picked up her phone to check the time and absentmindedly scrolled through
her feed.
Jonathan almost never posted, but tonight, surprisingly, he had. There was a photo, too–a bedroom she didn’t recognize, with a big double bed right in the center. The decor was unfamiliar.
But it was the comment underneath, from Preston Winslow, that caught her eye.
Preston Winslow: Ditched me for drinks, huh? Turns out you’d rather spend the night with your darling. Bros before hoes, my ass.
“What’s your sorry excuse for a husband done now?” Lana asked, instantly suspicious as soon as she saw Niamh’s face.
“It’s nothing. He just posted a picture from Marina’s place.”
Lana’s eyes widened. “Is he trying to rub it in your face? Unbelievable!”
“Maybe.” Niamh sighed and, in a few sentences, told Lana about the awkward, miserable encounter with Jonathan in the hotel room.
“I was the one who told him to go to Marina’s, so posting that picture is probably just his way of getting back at me… I guess?”
Her voice trailed off, growing unsure. Was Jonathan really so petty as to post for
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her benefit? Did he actually care that much about what she thought?
Probably not.
“You’re overthinking this,” Lana muttered, giving Niamh’s head a gentle knock. “You two aren’t even divorced, and he’s still hot as hell. Just sleep with him already! Then toss a couple hundred bucks on the nightstand and tell him that’s all his
performance was worth.”
“Lana, you read way too many trashy romance novels,” Niamh said, dissolving into helpless laughter.
Unsurprisingly, both Niamh and Lana overslept the next morning and turned up late
for work.
Marina was late too.
Niamh barely made it through the door before Monica lit into her, scolding her in front of everyone. When she got back to her desk, Genevieve and Melanie were still snickering behind their hands.
Marina breezed in late as well, but Monica just tossed her a bland remark: “Just because you’re dating doesn’t mean you can slack off at work.”
“Sorry, team lead. I was just so tired last night…” Marina blushed, deliberately tugging at her shirt collar.
Everyone in the office noticed the red marks on her porcelain skin.
Niamh did too.
“Are those hickeys?” Genevieve whispered to Melanie, eyes gleaming with gossip. “Look at Marina, all bashful and radiant. Her boyfriend must be amazing in bed.”
“He’s not just great in bed–he’s loaded, too. I heard all those designer labels she wears are gifts from him.”
“Oh, God. I want a boyfriend like that.”
Genevieve and Melanie could barely hide their envy.
Beside them, Niamh’s hand froze around her pen. The creative spark she’d felt earlier evaporated in an instant.
For the new product line, Monica had demanded ten designs from each team. member. In the end, Marina had three designs chosen. Everyone else had one.
Niamh had none.
Chapter 46
As soon as the lunch break started, she knocked on Monica’s office door.
Chapter 43
Chapter 43
