Chapter 90
“Lucas.”
Lucas had been fervently discussing the Meyer Group when he abruptly fell into silence. Ines noticed his absent–minded demeanor, which had persisted for a significant duration. Concerned about his unusual quietness, she found herself involuntarily calling out his name.
Lucas, snapping back to reality, smiled and said, “Sorry, I was lost in thought.”
“You look a bit worn out. If you’re not feeling well, you should ask Ethan for a day off.” Ines didn’t want Ethan’s secretary falling ill.
Shaking his head, Lucas gazed at Ines for a moment before asking, “Does anything look familiar to you? I’ve seen you here before.”
“I’ve been here before?”
Lucas paused before laughing, “I forgot. The boss told me you lost your memory in an accident.”
“I’ve forgotten a lot about the past.”
Ines sighed heavily. It seemed Phoebe was right. She had been very fond of Ethan before, so much so that even Lucas remembered her. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she asked, “Lucas, I didn’t do anything inappropriate back then, did I?”
Lucas just smiled, “No, you never officially met Mr. Meyer.”
“So, he’s never met me?” For some reason, Ines felt a bit disappointed.
“No. He had only once seen her from behind. When Leila Caldwell told him she was one of his admirers, he just laughed it off.
“Then please don’t tell Ethan about this.” She felt embarrassed even though it was her past self who hadn’t been seen properly.
“Sure.”
Lucas gave Ines another tour around the place. She felt an indescribable sense of familiarity with the Meyer Group. Shaking her head, she became increasingly certain that she had worked here before.
Ines excused herself to the restroom and told Lucas to go ahead with his work. After all, the president’s office was just one floor up and she could find her way there herself. Lucas remembered he had a lot of work to do and didn’t stay with Ines.
While in the restroom, Ines overheard two women talking and paused before leaving.
“Did you hear? The boss’s wife was here. Mr. Meyer really is married.”
“Yes, I heard it. They say she’s quite nice and easy to get along with. The other woman chimed in.
Ines couldn’t help but smile. She didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but she always seemed to stumble upon these conversations Since she was the topic of discussion, she didn’t mind listening in.
“I thought Mr. Meyer’s heart died when that woman left. I didn’t expect it to be revived.”
“What woman? Did Mr. Meyer get hurt by a woman, and that’s why he hasn’t married for so many years?” The woman sounded surprised.
After a moment of silence, the other woman warned, “You have to keep this a secret. This is a taboo topic in the Meyer Group. If Lucas hears about it, you’ll be packing your bags.”
“Don’t exaggerate. I wouldn’t dare mess with my job.”
“The former love interest of Mr. Meyer was reportedly the chief secretary of the Meyer Group. At the time, Lucas was positioned within the second rank while she was the preferred candidate. However, her sudden disappearance led to Lucas filling her vacated role. The circumstances surrounding whether she betrayed Mr. Meyer remain shrouded in mystery, but his subsequent desolation was evident to all. He devolved into a workaholic, shying away from any female interaction”
“So that’s how it was.”
“Did you notice? The secretarial department is all men now. I think it has something to do with that woman. How could someone like Mr. Meyer make the same mistake twice? He got burned by a female secretary once, he wouldn’t hire another
1/2
one.”
Leaving the restroom, Ines felt a bit down. She hadn’t expected Ethan’s past lover to be his chief secretary. It was a classic case of falling in love over time.
As she passed the secretarial department, she gave the people inside a glance. Just as the women had said, it was all men. That was definitely Ethan’s style. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
She had known all along that he had a past, but hearing about it still stirred up feelings of unrest that she couldn’t shake oll.
She lingered outside for a while longer, trying to convince herself not to care, before going to find Ethan. She knocked on the door, trying to act professional.
“Come in.” Ethan’s deep voice came from inside. Ines tiptoed in to find Ethan sitting in a leather chair, his suit jacket hanging behind him, dressed in just a white shirt with the cuffs rolled up. He was engrossed in his paperwork, the setting sun casting a glow on his handsome face. He looked so charismatic that even though she had seen him at work many times, Ines still couldn’t help but be attracted.
She couldn’t help but think, no wonder her naive past self had been so smitten.
“Mr. Meyer, is there anything I can assist you with?” Ines pretended to be his secretary.
Ethan jolted, looking up in disbelief. Two faces blended in his sight, making it hard for him to tell reality from dream, past from present.
Years ago, there was also someone like that…
Ines approached Ethan and waved her hand in front of his eyes, “Did I scare you?”
Ethan pulled Ines into his lap. His grip was so tight it was almost uncomfortable, but seeing his distressed state, she didn’t resist.
Only with her in his arms could he clearly understand that this was his wife, the woman he loved.
“Izzy.” Ethan murmured.
“Hmm, Ethan, what’s wrong?” Ines was confused about what was happening.
“I missed you.” Ethan said seriously, his chin rubbing against her neck and his hand exploring her body.
Ines blushed. This man… They had just separated in the morning, and it had only been a day apart.
In a fleeting moment, Ines registered his body’s reaction, a realization that left her feeling a combination of embarrassment and irritation. She found herself exclaiming, “Ethan, let’s not cross the line, okay?” After all, this was a professional environment, a place that called for gravity. She couldn’t afford to let him treat it frivolously.
