As the company's chairman, it was easy for Joshua to facilitate someone's employment. Desmond did not have much to say. He assumed that Isabella was a close friend of Joshua's and simply agreed on the spot.With Joshua by her side, Isabella went to complete her onboarding paperwork. The whole process made Desmond extremely nervous, and his mind went blank when he saw Isabella write her name, Isabella Quier, in the space provided.As Isabella filled in details about her educational background and past work experience, Desmond felt like his world was crashing down. This was the person Luther specifically emphasized not to hire!What was going on?! What was the connection between Isabella, Luther, and Joshua?Joshua noticed Desmond's expression and asked, "Is there any problem?" "N-None," Desmond replied. He could not possibly admit there was an issue. Despite feeling anxious, he forced a smile, saying, "I just find it a bit of a waste to have someone with such high qualifica
After all, Isabella would be working directly with them. "Since you don't care, let's meet your immediate manager. He should be done with meeting and returning to his office," Joshua suggested, noting her wandering eyes, and he knew what was on her mind.Isabella beamed with joy and said, "Great!"A short while later, Joshua brought Isabella to the office of Luther's personal assistant.Isabella raised an eyebrow, confused. She looked at the person in the office and then back at Joshua. She thought she was supposed to meet her immediate manager.Joshua shrugged it off and hinted that this was, indeed, the guy.Isabella sighed internally. She had been hasty in her assumptions!"This is the President's new personal secretary. From now on, you two handle all matters concerning the CEO's personal life," Joshua introduced, explaining to the young assistant, Roderick.Roderick appeared calm on the surface. "Alright, Mr. Neal."In truth, his heart was racing as he recognized this gi
"Who says you can't eat out just because your family owns a restaurant?" Isabella countered nonchalantly.Luther was rendered speechless by her reply.Feeling the strange atmosphere between the two, Roderick could not help but feel puzzled. As far as he was aware, Luther had feelings for Isabella. So, why was Luther treating her that way?"I'm officially starting work next Monday; I've already completed the onboarding process. Is there anything specific I need to know?" Isabella proactively spoke to Luther, unaffected by his cold demeanor."You have a one-week probationary period. If you don't pass, you're out."It was obvious that Luther was purposely making it hard for Isabella. "Understood." Isabella nodded. She did not linger in the office, immediately turning to look for Joshua.Luther had expected Isabella to talk to him, to inquire why he had not replied to her letters or met her all these years. Yet, while he anxiously awaited these questions, she did not ask anythi
Whenever a new employee joins the company, there will usually be a welcome dinner. Hence, Isabella intended to use this event as her first step in pursuing Luther.While Isabella remained emotionally unaffected and went on her day as usual, Luther, on the other hand, was quite restless. He sat in his chair, lost in thought, replaying the scene of Isabella's sudden appearance in his office. Over the years, he had secretly visited her many times, but they never had never met."Mr. Brooks?" Roderick tentatively asked.Luther was forced to snap back to reality, but he was still somewhat distracted. "What is it?""This document is needed urgently." Roderick pointed to the document that had been sitting in front of him for two hours, still unsigned. He lowered his voice as he spoke, "Would you like to sign it now?"Luther glanced briefly at the document, ensured there were no issues, and promptly signed it. Once done, he handed it over to Roderick.As Roderick was about to leave, Lut
"Do you hate me?" Isabella asked him.Luther did not respond to her question, opting for silence as he continued eating his dinner. That version of him reminded Isabella of their first meeting during that winter break, when he had been equally stubborn, keeping to himself without saying a word.However, Isabella was not one to feel awkward and decided to shift the conversation. "Dad, is he always this silent when you're with him?""Pretty much," Joshua admitted. Luther was not one for idle chit-chat. He would always communicate work-related matters efficiently, conveying what needed to be said concisely. In fact, over the years, Luther rarely engaged in small talk.Isabella glanced at Luther but refrained from saying more. Instead, she savored her meal, stuffing piece after piece of meat into her mouth. After a few bites, she praised the staff who had prepared the beef stew, commenting on their excellent culinary skills. The beef stew prepared at home was relatively healthier
Luther's eyes darkened, avoiding Isabella's gaze.Attend..."Dad, have more." Isabella continued eating her beef stew, serving Joshua some vegetables. She acted like the previous conversation was just a brief exchange between friends.After dinner, Luther chatted with Joshua for a while before leaving. As soon as he departed, Joshua went to Isabella's room. Isabella was engrossed in a game with her best friends and Nick when he entered. Right when the game reached a crucial point, Isabella told Joshua, "Ten minutes."Joshua nodded, taking a seat on the nearby couch.Isabella's friends on the other end of the game asked, "What do you mean by ten minutes?""That we're finishing the game in ten minutes. I have something to do after," Isabella replied. "What could you possibly have to do? It's already late at night," they asked. However, their curiosity got the best of them, and they continued, "Aren't you in Jiverton to pursue someone? How's the progress?""Zero progress," Isab
Luther was lying on his bed in a loose-fitting robe, with only the bedside lamp casting a soft glow in the dim room. He held a picture frame containing a photo of a girl in a school uniform, her smile radiating warmth. If Isabella were there, she would immediately recognize the girl in the photo as herself. Luther could not bring himself to put the picture down and had been staring at it for quite some time. He had always lived a solitary life, but since Isabella's unexpected appearance that afternoon, his thoughts and emotions were spiraling out of control.Around two in the morning, Luther turned off the bedside lamp, but the photo remained in his hand. He tossed and turned in bed until six in the morning. Unable to sleep, he decided to get up and change into some comfortable casual clothing before going for an early morning run.Over the next few days, Isabella did not reach out to him. She spent her time either accompanying Joshua around various places or catching up on what
Isabella said, taking a small sip of her drink and acting a bit tipsy, "Even though it's in the past, those childhood memories have always stayed with me. I bet you don't know how I felt when I didn't receive your replies."Luther noticed her mood change. Isabella leaned on the table, tilting her head to look at him. "Luther, do you find me annoying?"Luther noticed her reddening cheeks and her slightly playful tone. He decisively took her glass, saying, "You're getting drunk. I'll take you home."Isabella shook her head. "No."Regardless of her protests, Luther took her belongings and carried her out. His gaze was unreadable, and he held back whatever emotions erupting from his heart.Why did she still want to drink despite her low alcohol tolerance? "Why didn't you respond to my messages back then?" Isabella murmured in his arms.Luther hesitated for a moment."Why did you disappear without a word? You have no idea how sad that made me."Luther placed her in the passenger