Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 50

After Cecilia left with her poker face intact, Wallis grabbed me and vented, “Do I have this weird feeling of being challenged by a subordinate?”

I consoled her. “It’s all good.”

A couple of days ago, Wallis had a go at Cecilia in front of Hogan. Cecilia must’ve taken it to heart.

Puffed up with vanity.

Wallis sighed and said, “Being the apple of the investor’s eye really does make a difference, huh?”

“Jealous much?”

Wallis shook her head, snorted dismissively. “Honey, when I was the center of attention back in the day. I saw it all.”

She cut off abruptly, probably hit by some unpleasant memory.

I was a bit worried and asked a bold question, “If your ex–husband, that jerk, came back to the country to look for you, would you forgive him?”

“Hah,” Wallis scoffed, “What’s the matter, not enough obedient pretty boys at the club, or not enough eye candy fawning over me?”

Tough cookie.

I didn’t call her out on it.

The next day we hopped into a rented seven–seater van and headed for the legendary Honto Abbey.

I started to get why everyone was fussing over Cecilia.

middle of a 70-80 acre exotic–style estate, I

every door and window, screamed

to mention the exquisite carpet underfoot

and patterns you’d never see in the stores, truly one of a kind.

said, “Mr. Zade has arranged accommodations for everyone, please follow

to

“Has Mr. Zade arrived yet?”

his partner, said the event will start in the afternoon.”

12:22

parts: a bike ride around the lake, a party at night, and organic picking

had even postponed the bike ride.

ornate hall, I suddenly felt

to my first trip with Hogan, not long after he’d taken the initiative

the trip and Hogan had agreed.

please him, I secretly coded for an off–campus company, researched travel guides, booked hotels, and after all that effort. Hogan changed his mind at the

said it was a waste of time.

refund the booking, and there went hundreds

earned from coding non–stop for half

naively thought Hogan was a big–shot, disciplined

heart felt like it had

lying; it’s just that I wasn’t the one he thought worth spending time on.

gathered for

would get a