Chapter 2

I asked in my usual slow, hesitant manner, “Hi, I’m looking for Eunice Latour.”

Without even looking up at me, he asked, “Do you have an appointment?”

“No, but if you tell her that a Julian Vance is here to see her, she should…”

“You can’t see her if you don’t have an appointment.”

After cutting me off impatiently, the irritation in his voice became increasingly pronounced. “Ms. Latour is very busy. She doesn’t have time to meet just any common nobody who waltzes in here.”

I tried to reason with him, “I have something important to discuss with her. It’s about—”

At last, he turned to look at me and informed me crossly, “As I said. No. Appointment. No. Entry.”

He was relatively good-looking, if not for the scornful look. He even made a point of raising his voice to attract the attention of the other office workers waiting for the elevator in the lobby.

Then, he fixed another look at me and went on cynically, “Look, mister. You look pretty young, and I get that it must be hard to make a living when you have a kid, but don't get any shady ideas. Do you have any idea who Ms. Eunice Latour is?

“I’ve seen plenty of people like you making up excuses to get to her, in hopes of latching onto her and leeching off her wealth and status. Trust me, you’re not the first guy to bring a kid with you to get some easy pity points.

“Here’s my advice. Take your kid and get out of here before you humiliate yourself any further if you don’t want me to call security. Would you rather get dragged out by force? That wouldn’t look very nice, would it?”

The comment section erupted once he was finished.

[Way to go, receptionist!]

[What a brutal takedown! That’s right, there is no reason to be nice to a cheap gold digger!]

[Go on and scram! What are you waiting for, the security guard?]

Meanwhile, Eve appeared to be unsettled by his hostile voice and started to squirm in my arms.

I gently patted her back to comfort her. It was only then that my delayed response kicked in and my anger started to flare up bit by bit.

Around the same time, a group of executives all dressed handsomely in suits emerged from a private elevator. They were all surrounding a woman and were taking turns reporting to her in hushed voices.

It was Eunice.

In the month since I last saw her, her rigid aura that cautioned anyone from approaching her intensified. Everywhere she looked, people bowed their heads to avoid eye contact.

Right next to her was a tall, impeccably groomed man, dressed in a striking white shirt matched with well-tailored black trousers. He was speaking faintly to her with a tablet in hand.

The live-stream comments erupted again.

[Here comes Mr. Bruno! The man himself is here!]

[It’s time to put the pathetic supporting male lead in his place!]

[He’s so cool! I can’t handle it!]

When Bruno glanced up and noticed me, his expression stiffened visibly for a moment before he assumed his usual composed smile.

Then, he leaned in toward Eunice and whispered something to her, which caused her to slow down for a moment and cast a look in my direction.

Her gaze was utterly menacing.

It was a look I could not recognize. I felt as if I was looking at a stranger.

My heart dropped for a moment, but I quickly regained my composure.

If she forgot about me, then so be it.

At this point, all I wanted was for her to repay the money she owed me.

Her gaze lingered on me for less than two seconds before she turned away and continued advancing toward the exit.

When they walked past me, Bruno, who was walking alongside her, flashed a coy grin and seemed to relish the experience.

The comments section approved of the gesture.

[Look, Mr. Bruno ignored him!]

[Awesome! You get nothing, you bastard!]

[Go on, get lost!]

Just as Eunice was about to step through the revolving door, Eve, who was in my arms, suddenly jerked to life.

She had been rubbing her eyes, but the moment she caught sight of Eunice’s figure, her tiny body jerked with a tremendous amount of energy.

With her tiny arms outstretched, her voice rang across the tranquil lobby.

“Mommy! I want hug!!”