Later that afternoon...
Elowen wanted to focus on work. But her mind kept drifting back to Soren.
The designs lay scattered across her desk. The pencil remained frozen between her fingers as she stared blankly at the unfinished sketch.
She was supposed to finish it, but she could barely make any progress.
’I want you to trust me. I’ve changed.’
’I’ll prove it through my actions. I’ll be a good husband.’
She couldn’t forget his words. Then she remembered his hand on her stomach.
The memory sent a tremor through her body. Heat spread across her cheeks.
She cupped her face. "What if he suspects something? What if he finds out..."
"What will he find out?"
Elowen gasped. Her heart nearly leaped out of her mouth.
"You..." She breathed out, pressing a hand against her chest. "Vera, stop showing up sneakily like this."
"I am not sneaking around." Vera huffed as she leaned against the desk. "I came to check on you."
Elowen assumed Vera had come to check her work. "My brain is not working at this moment. I haven’t come out of any ideas."
"Exactly, you are not acting like yourself." Vera studied her carefully. "I’ve been noticing it since morning. You were murmuring something to yourself."
She crossed her arms across his chest. "Now spill it. What’s troubling you?"
Elowen stared at her, her mouth slightly open in surprise. "How? How do you know something is troubling me?"
"Elowen..." Vera leaned toward her slightly. "We are friends. I’ve known you for five years. I can tell just by looking at you whether you are okay or not."
Elowen’s shoulders sagged. The exhaustion she had been holding inside finally weighed her down.
"Yes, you are right. Something is bothering me. It’s about my husband."
"Your husband?" Vera’s eyebrows shot upright. "That bastard. What did he do this time? Did he scold you again?"
"Keep your voice down." Elowen looked around.
The other employees were working at their desks. No one seemed to be paying attention to them.
Then she returned her focus to Vera. "If he had scolded me, I wouldn’t have been worried. I am used to it. For the past seven years, he has been cold to me. He never cared about me. But he suddenly changed."
Vera chuckled. "Then you should be happy. He finally changed after seven years of marriage. Isn’t that what you wanted? What is there to be worry about?"
Elowen looked at her with a troubled expression.
"You don’t understand. He hated me. He said that himself. And he even said that this marriage was meaningless, that he didn’t want to be with me anymore. But he changed overnight. It’s as if someone cast a spell on him."
Vera stopped smiling. She didn’t interrupt.
"He is now trying to get close to me, flirts with me. He comes to drop me off at the office. Last night, he read Sera a bedtime story."
Elowen shook her head in disbelief. "I don’t understand how someone can change so much overnight. It feels like he has become a different person."
"Really?" Vera’s surprise deepened.
Elowen shook her head. "I no longer know him. His cold attitude seems far better than this loving and caring behavior. At least I know what to expect from him before. But now... I don’t know what he is going to do next. It scares me."
"Hmm..." Vera hummed thoughtfully. "That does sound suspicious."
She made a thoughtful face. "You know, when man started acting like this..." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "It usually happens when he is cheating on his woman."
Elowen’s breath caught. "Cheating?"
"Yes," Vera said firmly. "He is obviously cheating on you. His guilty conscience is making him act loving and caring toward you."
Elowen had no reason to dismiss the possibility. She knew how much Soren was into Tahlia.
He had always been good to her. He had supported her. Whenever she called him, he would rush to her side, abandoning everything. There had been a soft corner in his heart for Tahlia.
’Perhaps they crossed the line this time,’ Elowen thought. ’And that’s why he proposed divorce.’
But then another question surfaced.
’If that’s true, why did he change his mind all of a sudden?’
"But he didn’t have to act lovey-dovey to me even if he had been cheating on me," Elowen said. "He never loved me. He never showed me any affection before. So why now?"
At that, Vera’s expression turned solemn. "You have a point. In that case, he is hiding something from you."
"Hiding?" Elowen’s voice dropped further. She looked at her curiously.
"I am not sure. Maybe he has eventually realized his mistakes and started seeing your value in his life. That’s why he is trying to make it up to you. Or..."
She paused dramatically.
"Or what?" Elowen’s curiosity rose.
"Maybe he is sick." Vera shrugged. "Maybe he doesn’t have much time left to live. That’s why he is treating you nicely during his last days."
Elowen’s heart jolted. ’Sick? Is he really sick?’
The thought of Soren suffering from some kind of illness made her restless. An unknown fear gripped her heart.
"No, no... He is not sick. He is healthy. Nothing has happened to him."
"Don’t get worked up." Vera patted her shoulder. "It was just an assumption."
Elowen nodded, but uneasiness remained.
"Look, don’t overthink it. You have more important things to deal with. Mr. Knox wants the presentation in two days, remember? Elowen."
She squeezed her shoulder gently. "I know your potential. You can become the next chief designer."
Elowen lowered her gaze to the design drawings on her desk.
’Vera is right. I can’t miss this opportunity.’
The Eden District project could change her career.
She took a deep breath. "Do you want coffee? I’m going to have some."
Vera laughed, waving her hand. "Don’t bother. I already have some. Enjoy yours."
She flashed a smile and walked back to her desk.
Elowen went to the recreation room. She poured herself a cup of coffee from the coffee vending machine. Just as she turned around, Daphne walked over and blocked her path.
Elowen took a step back. "You are blocking my way."
Daphne flashed a smug smile. Instead of stepping away, she moved toward her.
"You heard what the CEO said. He wants the presentation in two days." She pressed a finger against her chest. "You are going to make my presentation."
Elowen frowned.
Daphne had always stolen her designs, taken credit for her work. She had abused her position, forced Elowen to complete her work, and threatened to fire her.
But not anymore.
Elowen wouldn’t work for her this time. It was a chance to become the chief designer of such a big project. And she intended to take it.
"Why should I? You should make your own presentation."
Daphne’s mouth twisted with irritation. "How dare you defy me? I am the chief designer."
"Not anymore. Anyone can become the chief designer now. So why won’t I fight for it? If you want that position, earn it."
"You..." Daphne clenched her fists. Anger flashed in her eyes. But she swallowed it quickly.
"Listen, if I become the chief designer, I’ll keep you as my assistant. After all, we went to the same school. Help me this time, and I’ll say some good things about you to the CEO."
Elowen could see the desperation in her eyes.
"Since I have a chance to become the chief designer, why should I settle for being a mere assistant?"
She tried to walk past her.
"You dare disrespect me." Daphne shoved her.
Elowen stumbled. The cup tipped, and the coffee spilled across her hand.
"Ah," Elowen grimaced and immediately dropped the cup.
Heat burned through her skin, turning it red.
"What’s going on here?" A deep voice boomed.
Elowen and Daphne turned around.
Theron stood there a little distance away from them.