Chapter 97
“This isn’t going to work… I took another look, and we’d better just go back to the original version.”
Marina stood by Niamh’s desk, issuing orders with her usual brisk authority.
This was Niamh’s new desk.
She’d switched jobs recently–not Jonathan’s secretary anymore, but now an employee in the Thomas Group’s Design Department.
Marina was her supervisor.
Niamh had no idea if this arrangement was Marina’s idea or Jonathan’s.
She’d already drafted her resignation letter, but she couldn’t bring herself to submit
- it.
The last time she’d brought up resigning to Jonathan, he’d shot her down so firmly that she’d been left speechless.
After all, her joining the Thomas Group had been Jonathan’s condition for letting Lana off the hook.
Even now, if she brought it up again, there was a ninety percent chance Jonathan would refuse to accept it.
And truthfully, Niamh herself was torn about whether to resign.
‘She didn’t want to work under Marina.
But even more, she didn’t want Marina thinking,she was running away out of fear.
In the end, the resignation letter sat in her drawer, untouched.
On her very first day in the Design Department, just as she’d expected, she was working late again.
After more than eighty revisions, they were back to the very first draft. Niamh couldn’t even claim Marina was picking on her–this was just how things worked in the design world.
Fortunately, overtime didn’t bother Niamh. She’d long since gotten used to it; it was practically second nature.
What did bother her, though, was seeing Jonathan show up at the Design Department entrance to pick up Marina at the end of the day.
1/3
14:16
The last time they’d been at the Jade Peak Pavillon, Jonathan had made himself clear-
He knew she was the one who’d carried him down eight flights of stairs.
Niamh couldn’t figure out how Jonathan had found out.
Everyone else thought it had been Marina who’d helped him.
Maybe…
Maybe Jonathan, even in his delirious state, had been a little aware of what was going on.
But Niamh wished, more than anything, that he didn’t know.
She’d rather he believed Marina had been his savior.
Given how they were now–estranged, yet unable to divorce–the more Jonathan saw through her lingering feelings, the more exposed and miserable she felt.
Niamh buried her head in her work, pretending not to notice Jonathan’s gaze lingering on her.
“Are you looking at Niamh?” Marina asked Jonathan, her arm looped through his, blunt as ever.
“Yeah.”
Jonathan didn’t hesitate to admit it.
“You said she studied design, that she’d be better off in the Design Department… but is she really up to it?”
“Well…”
Marina tugged Jonathan’s sleeve, leaning in close to whisper, making sure Niamh could see her out of the corner of her eye.
“Let’s talk outside.”
She pulled Jonathan away/out of the office building.
Outside, the sun was setting, traffic crawling by in the golden light.
“I just don’t think Niamh is cut out for this…” Marina said, her face creased with concern. “I thought she’d be more at ease doing design work, but you saw it yourself–everyone else finishes their tasks in eight hours, but she always needs to stay late. I just think maybe… Niamh isn’t suited for the Thomas Group. It’s intense
2/3
14:16
Chapteryz
here, the standards are high, and someone like her… I’m afraid she just can’t keep up. If she keeps struggling, it’s going to be a real blow to her self–esteem…”
She tried to sound as earnest as possible, watching Jonathan’s brow furrow slightly.
“Let’s have her stick it out for two months,” he said.
Marina’s lips curved up in a faint smile.
“If it really doesn’t work out, I’ll transfer her back.”
But that smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by her usual calm before Jonathan could notice.
“Jonathan, why are you so determined to have Niamh work at the Thomas Group anyway? Wasn’t she doing just fine at FY before?” Marina asked, strolling hand–in–hand with him as if they were just making small talk.
3/3
