Chapter 3

First thing on Monday, I showed up outside Brimble Network. The System wouldn’t stop yapping in my head.

“Are you sure about this, Player? We are in Arabella’s territory now. According to the plot, she’ll…”

While walking into the office building, I asked, “She’ll what?”

“She’ll have a complete set of office supplies and a work station ready for you. The office assistant will get you breakfast, too. Huh? That’s not quite the villainess I expect…”

I burst into laughter.

Even five years back, I knew that Arabella wasn’t some spoiled, willful heiress.

If the System hadn’t cast us as rivals, things between us might not have ended up this way.

The elevator door slid open, but before I could walk out, Arabella was right outside, waiting for me.

She checked me out, her brows furrowed. “Didn’t I get you a new wardrobe? What’s with the outfit choice?”

I looked down at my white blouse. “Those clothes were too expensive. I just—”

She cut me off. “Just wear what I gave you. Quit making excuses. Come with me. Your office is on the eighteenth floor.”

I was taken aback. “An office? I’m just an engineer. I don’t need a—”

Arabella made a beeline ahead without even looking back.

“If I say you need one, you need one. Brimble Network isn’t Suede Corporation. We don’t put our chief engineer up in a cubicle. And, your payroll…”

Turning on her heel, she slipped a debit card into my hand. “Here’s an advance of three months’ salary. Go and sort out your rent. Don’t get evicted for missing payments. I won’t have you embarrassing me.”

My gaze fell on the card, and my fingers trembled.

The System whispered, “Player, something doesn’t feel right. Wasn’t that supposed to be the male lead’s line?”

I was sitting behind my desk, my mind elsewhere, when Joe popped his head in.

“Ms. Simms, Ms. Brimble wanted me to let you know that you’re having lunch with her. Our office cafeteria has a legit Italian chef.”

I snapped my eyes up.

The Suedes preferred light, bland food. Since Patrick’s chronic stomach issues were so severe, he was put on a strict diet.

Meanwhile, I had been raised on hearty Italian food. In the past five years, I’d almost forgotten what home tasted like.

During lunch, Arabella and I sat across from each other. Joe approached with a big smile on his face, carrying a steaming tray of arrabbiata pasta.

Arabella frowned. “I forgot to mention—hold the parsley.”

I was surprised. “How did you know I can’t stand parsley?”

Arabella gave me a funny look. “What kind of silly question is that? I have eyes. I can see.”

I let out a wry smile.

An incoming call from Patrick popped up on my mobile screen. I left the call unanswered until it disconnected on its own.

Next, Arabella’s phone rang.

With a chuckle, Arabella hung up on Patrick. “I guess he must have seen our press release about our new chief engineer. I never imagined I’d see him this shaken after years of nothing but arrogance.”

Biting down on my straw, I fell silent for a bit. “I thought you were into him.”

Arabella raised a brow. “It’s true that he’s a suitable match for me in this social circle. I couldn’t accept that someone like you would take him from me, but you have no idea how happy I am to blindside Suede Corporation for once.”

My phone lit up with Patrick’s call again. Still, I didn’t pick up.

The System asked cautiously, “Player, are you seriously rejecting his calls? He’s panicking because you’re gone.”

I stared at the phone, my mind drifting back to the years I spent waiting up for him.

All that waiting—for his calls, his news, or even a little attention.

For the five years I had waited, he never bothered to find out where I lived.

He was unaware of my bedtime, or did he know that I was alone when I got my appendix removed?

Patrick had no idea that I often stressed about making rent.

The fact that I stayed away from parsley and mangoes was not known to him.

Little did he know, I was afraid of the dark. I needed to keep the nightlight on when I slept at night.

There were simply too many things he was oblivious to.

Yet, Arabella noticed them all.

Letting out a long breath, I cracked a can of Coke open and raised my drink to her.

“Here’s to a happy partnership, Ms. Brimble.”

I blocked Patrick’s number.