Overdue Love

While I was inspecting the factory before signing the contract, Elaine Stone, the new assistant the company hired for me, locked me in the cold storage.By the time I was rescued, my clothes were stuck to my skin. I was on my period, and my blood had soaked through my skirt.My hands were also bruised and bloodied from the way I'd pounded on the door. Parts of my knuckle bones could even be seen. It was a gruesome sight.Cameron Hodge and Ian Nash were two of my closest childhood friends who had always cared deeply about me, but when they saw that, they swiftly covered Elaine's eyes. Both sported looks of disdain.When I regained consciousness, I found out that the business deal I had worked so hard to close had been handed over to Elaine while I was unconscious.Cameron and Ian even handed me a pre-prepared release of liability agreement and asked me to sign it."Thanks to the incident with the cold storage, you've damaged the company's image," Cameron declared icily. "Since you

All of a sudden, the door flew open, and Elaine came rushing over in tears.She kneeled in front of my bed and bowed, saying, "I'm so sorry, Belle! It's all my fault! I had no clue the door to the cold storage would lock by itself. I was just desperate to get a chance to prove myself. I didn't want to be considered an airhead anymore."She grabbed my hand and started slapping herself with it. Even more tears streamed down her face as she declared, "Go ahead and hit me! I won't be able to live with my guilt otherwise. You can even lock me in the cold storage if that makes you feel better."Elaine was gripping my wound. Her nails dug deep into my flesh, and the pain made me push her away. She immediately stumbled backward, but Cameron and Ian both grabbed her before she fell to the floor.Being quick to anger, Cameron immediately rebuked me, "I already told you that Elaine didn't do it on purpose! What more do you want? You're fine, aren't you?"Even Ian was eyeing me coldly as he d

When Ian heard the robotic voice informing him that the number couldn't be reached, the uneasy feeling in his heart intensified. He didn't even realize that his hand was starting to shake.Over the next few days, he kept calling the number he could memorize by heart, and each unanswered call made him feel even more defeated. His initial nonchalance soon turned into fear.Ian lit up a cigarette, but even as the cigarette ash fell onto his pants, he didn't move.Annoyed by Ian's display, Cameron tried to call Belle too, but he ended up with the same outcome.Expression grim, he growled, "She's got quite the nerve, alright. Where can she go anyway? I can't believe she's resorting to running away from home at her age."However, Ian's eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was shaky as he asked, "Cameron, do you think it's possible that the game Belle mentioned is real?"Cameron's face stiffened briefly before he let out a snort. "She can't be without us. I bet she only said that in a mom

Before the meeting started, Ian stopped me and secretly handed me some information. Looking at me with lingering affection and regret, he said, "This information will ensure that you secure the rights to the national distribution channel."He left after saying that. I took a look at the document he handed me. It was filled with confidential information, including the company's lowest offer and market reports.I never thought that someone as principled as Ian would actually commit corporate espionage. Either way, I didn't bother using the information he gave me. He didn't know that I no longer needed the help he presumptuously tossed my way.Throughout the meeting, Ian kept staring at me, staying quiet the whole time. The negotiation team on his side was livid. Even Otis was grinding his teeth.Ignoring Ian's unprofessional attitude, I pushed forward in the negotiation without showing any interest in compromising. In the end, I succeeded in claiming the rights to the national distri

Cameron brought me back to the orphanage. Strips of cloth hung from the oak tree. They were filled with the wishes of the children living at the orphanage. At the end of each strip was a small bell that rang each time the wind blew.Beside the tree were small brick flower beds filled with roses and sunflowers.Cameron reached out and stroked each bell. He looked like a walking corpse whose soul had been sucked out, leaving nothing but bitterness and sorrow behind.His voice was choked as he said, "After you left, I searched for ages without ever finding your bell, so I tied a bell to every single strip of cloth here. That way, it's as though you've never left. It's as if you simply returned to the orphanage."For a long time after you left, I kept thinking I did no wrong. I stubbornly believed you were the one who'd changed. But later on. I found out the truth about what happened at the cold storage. It was then that I slowly saw Elaine's true colors and started suspecting the trut