You’ll be going as my girlfriend

Valen Group Manager's Office.

Bang~~~

The man slammed a document onto the desk, visibly furious. "What is this? You can't even handle such a simple task?"

Viola looked as if she was about to burst into tears, quickly apologizing. "I'm sorry, boss. Lia was in charge before. I didn't pay enough attention when I took over..."

Lucas banged his fist on the desk. "Get out. Everything's about Lia! Without her, can you even do your job? If that's the case, just quit. You're making me sick to look at."

"Yes, boss."

Viola ran out of the office crying. This was the third time she had been scolded today. How did Lia put up with this all this time?

"Oh, you've been scolded again."

Everyone watched with sympathy as Viola left. It seemed like more and more people were getting scolded lately, and the tension in the office was growing thicker by the day.

"Woo woo, the boss is so scary."

In the manager's office, Lucas impatiently tugged at his tie. What kind of person had HR hired? A task as simple as this and she couldn't get it right?

Lia was like a plague. Since she left, everything had fallen into chaos. He didn't believe his work and life would be so affected just because she was gone.

It was just a matter of getting used to it. He would adapt, and everything would get back to normal in no time.

He also believed that Lia wouldn't last long without him. Her grandmother had to undergo surgery, and she had no money. Eventually, she'd come crawling back to him for help. When that happened, he would show her the consequences of walking out on him.

...

In the park, Lia sat under the shade of a tree, reading a book.

She had always loved reading, but before, she never had the time. Her life had never truly been her own, always available 24/7 for work.

The phone rang, and Lia quickly checked the caller ID. It was a number she recognized, and she answered it without hesitation.

Over the past few days, she had received calls from him now and then. What had started as awkwardness on her part was now just calm indifference. Cassius usually called just to talk about some random things.

"Cassius."

Hearing her say his name made the man smile. "Lia, where are you?"

She glanced up at the clear blue sky before answering, "In the park."

"What are you doing in the park?"

"I'm bored, just killing time."

Truthfully, she had wanted to spend more time with her grandmother, but her plans had been interrupted. With nothing else to do, she found a quiet spot in the park to relax and get some peace of mind.

"If you're bored, come with me somewhere," Cassius suggested casually, twirling the pen in his hand.

"Ah? Where?"

The pen slipped from his fingers onto the desk. "Do you have any plans tonight?"

"No," Lia replied. Her grandmother had asked her not to come to the hospital tonight since her foster mother would be there.

"Which park are you at? I'll pick you up."

"No, I'll meet you there," Lia said quickly.

"Which park?" he pressed.

Lia gave in and answered, "Central Park."

"I'll be there in half an hour. Don't move." He stood up, gathering his things.

"Okay, be careful on the road," Lia replied, still sitting under the tree.

"Boss, are you leaving?" 

Kyle entered the office with a stack of documents.

"Put those on the table and cancel my next appointment," Lucas ordered.

"Yes, boss."

Kyle stood there for a moment, stunned. The boss was actually leaving? He, who always worked late and never skipped a day, was suddenly leaving early? Who would believe that?

Kyle thought back to the days when he worked as Cassius's special assistant overseas, where he had been working like a dog, nearly risking his life every day. He had finally returned to China with Cassius, expecting less pressure. But now, his boss was taking a break? If the word got out, no one would believe it.

Forget it, Kyle thought. Let's just do our job. Not having to work overtime for once was a small blessing.

...

Central Park.

Lia was sitting on the grass, completely absorbed in her book. The shadows from the trees danced on the ground, surrounding her in soft light. She was lost in the pages, as she often was when she had a rare moment of peace.

The sound of approaching footsteps broke her concentration. She looked up to see the man walking toward her, his hands behind his back, a smile on his face that was as warm as a spring breeze. It was as if the cold, distant Cassius she once knew had disappeared entirely.

Lia stood up quickly and gave him a slight nod. "Cassius."

"Reading?" He asked, glancing at the book in her hands.

"Yeah, just browsing through it."

She put the book in her bag and walked toward him. "Where are we going?"

Cassius looked at her clothes, considering. "We're going to buy some clothes."

"...Buy clothes?" Lia asked, surprised.

"Yes," he replied, "there's a dinner party. You're coming with me."

"Ah, I see," she nodded. That made sense. She had attended events like this before when she worked at Valen Group, and mostly she would take Lucas's female companion to do styling.

"The Golden Wedding of the Winters family," Cassius added.

Golden Wedding? Lia's expression stiffened slightly. It was typically a celebration of a couple's fifty years of marriage. Was it really appropriate for them to attend such an event, especially given their current situation? Their relationship wasn't exactly public or official.

"Cassius, I'm not sure it's appropriate for me to go." She hesitated. It felt like too much, too soon.

Cassius tilted his head slightly, his voice low but firm. "You'll be going as my girlfriend."

Girlfriend? Lia was taken aback. "But... isn't it...?"

Benjamin Winters, a well-known figure in Knoxwell, would surely have many important people at the event. If Cassius took her along, it might raise some eyebrows, and cause some unnecessary misunderstandings.

Cassius leaned in and placed a hand on her waist, his tone soft but insistent. "Lia, who else should I bring with me? Or should I just skip the dinner?"

She whispered, "should be your girlfriend."

Still smiling, but with a colder undertone now, he responded, "Then who else are you?"

Lia opened her mouth, but found no words. Her mind was racing.

He gently cupped her chin and lifted her face to look into her eyes. "I don't keep lovers."

His meaning was clear, and Lia couldn't help but understand. She lowered her head in quiet acknowledgment.

"Do you think you're suitable?" Cassius asked softly, his fingers tracing the line of her hair.

Lia hesitated, then muttered, "Cassius, you're easy to misunderstand."

"What misunderstanding?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "That you're my woman? Or that we have a secret relationship? Or maybe that you're my captive canary?"

Lia swallowed hard. She felt a pang of unease, but at the same time, she realized he was not trying to hide their connection.

She didn't speak, just nodded, unsure of how to respond.

"Any questions?" Cassius asked.

"No," Lia replied quietly, still grappling with the implications of his words.

"Good, then let's go."

Lia glanced at their intertwined hands, then up at his back. An unfamiliar, yet powerful feeling stirred within her chest.