The room fell silent, the heated discussions among the executives coming to an abrupt halt. Lydia's headache intensified."Director, I have a suggestion," one manager spoke up. "Regardless of why our competitors are suppressing us, we need to showcase superior work. There's an upcoming high-fashion design competition. I believe this is an opportunity. If our company can place well, those who canceled contracts with us will regret it."Lydia's eyes brightened. Strength speaks louder than words; if they could prove their capability, why worry about others' schemes?She shot an approving look at the design manager. "Good. I'll leave this to you. Contact the organizers and select some talented designers to represent us."The design manager beamed with pride. "Rest assured, Director. I will handle it well."Not wanting to be outdone, the business manager chimed in, "Director, I'd like another chance. Allow me to visit the companies that canceled contracts and try to win them back."With bo
"Lydia, are you really sure there's anything left between us? Wasn't it you who said we should go our separate ways, bridge by bridge, road by road, never to cross paths again? Besides, aren't you already engaged to Andrew?""Lambert, when did you become so unprofessional? I remember you weren't always like this. Moreover, wouldn't it be better for the studio's long-term growth if it became independent?"Lambert curled his lips into a smile. "You're not wrong. For a design studio to grow stronger, it's best to operate independently and create its own brand. But why should I do that? You know I don't lack money, so there's no reason for me to sell off a studio with potential."Lambert's firm stance left Lydia momentarily at a loss. She had come here brimming with confidence, assuming that a large company like Universal Conglomerate wouldn't care about a small studio, especially since they were divorced, and there was no need for further entanglement. But now, Lydia realized she had ove
A knock on the door interrupted Lambert's thoughts. "Come in!" he called.His assistant, Ivan, entered, carrying a stack of documents. "Boss, these are the files that need your signature today. Please review them. Also, Steven from the branch office called earlier to ask about the new project; he hopes you can respond as soon as possible. You also have a lunch appointment with President Mu of the Mulin Group, and at 3 PM, you need to attend a bidding meeting. This is your schedule for the day."Lambert rubbed his temples, extinguishing his cigarette. "Understood, Ivan. Starting tomorrow, Lydia will be reporting to the company. She'll be here for a month, serving as the boss's assistant. All her tasks will be directly assigned by me, got it?"Ivan nodded slightly. He understood perfectly, and he was also well aware that this new assistant was actually the boss's ex-wife. So, was the boss planning to reconcile with his ex-wife? Placing her by his side and letting time do its work—what a
A handsome man stood at the entrance of the boss's office. When he saw Lydia approaching, his eyes lit up, and he stepped forward eagerly."Hello, Lydia! I'm Ivan, the special administrative assistant here. The boss has already informed me about your arrival. Here's your ID card. Your desk is inside the boss's office, but since the boss hasn't arrived yet, would you mind waiting here for a bit? If you have any questions or need help with anything, feel free to ask me."His tone was very polite, with just the right level of formality."Thank you, Ivan!" Lydia replied with a smile."No problem at all; it's my job. If there's nothing else you need, I'll head back to my office next door. Have a great first day!"Ivan's courteous demeanor put Lydia at ease, filling her with anticipation and confidence for the work ahead.Lydia glanced at her watch—it was already 7:55 AM, but there was still no sign of Lambert. Given her current position, it seemed like she had no choice but to wait.Is thi
Who would have thought that a simple mistake would lead Lydia to offend her boss's ex-wife?Ivan, however, was secretly pleased. This incident would only strengthen his position as the chief assistant. With Sibyl out of the picture, the female secretaries under her wouldn't be so arrogant anymore.Unaware of the trouble she had inadvertently caused or the favor she had done for Ivan, Lydia stood outside Lambert's office, anxiously waiting for him to appear.As she nervously glanced around, a pair of long legs appeared before her, and when she looked up, she saw Lambert's cold, expressionless face. "Don't you care about your appearance at all?"Lambert's disdainful tone made Lydia's face flush. After standing for an entire hour, she could barely stand anymore. So, she had squatted down beside the office's potted money tree, idly plucking at its leaves out of boredom and frustration.By the time Lambert arrived, the once lush money tree had a noticeably bald spot.Lydia quickly stood up
Lydia nodded subconsciously but quickly lowered her eyes when she realized she had done something foolish again. "Sorry!""You should apologize. I'm here to work, not to see you fawning over me, even if I'm the one you're drooling over! But looking at how desperate you seem, is Andrew not taking good care of you?"Lambert's words pierced Lydia's heart like icy daggers, making her feel both pain and coldness. Her face turned pale as she looked up and met Lambert's cold and disgusted eyes.Lydia bit her lip. "Rest assured, Lambert, even if you were the last man on Earth, I wouldn't be infatuated with you because you're utterly revolting!""As an employee, is that how you talk to your boss?""Respect is mutual. Since you don't respect me, why should I respect you?""I almost forgot, you're always so sharp-tongued. Since you're so good at talking, why don't you go hand out flyers at the company mall?"Lambert's face darkened as he called Ivan. "Take Lydia to the outdoor mall, give her a d
"There's a Chinese restaurant next door. What do you think?""Sure, let's go there!"Lambert and Ivan decided to relocate their "stakeout," while Lydia began her lunch.The lunch was a standard boxed meal, consisting of two meat dishes and one vegetable dish. It looked decent, but the lack of seating was a drawback. The staff handing out flyers were grouped together in threes and fours, using discarded cardboard boxes as makeshift tables and placing unused flyers on the ground to make do with their meal.Some staff, who had good relations with nearby shops, managed to borrow small stools, but Lydia sat alone under a nearby tree.She wasn't as emotionally affected or disdainful as one might have expected. Even though she knew these people were isolating her, she didn't care much. After all, she would only be here for a month at most, so why bother with these workers?As Lydia opened the lunchbox, a foul smell hit her, making her stomach churn. Yet, the hunger in her belly made her eage
"What good is being good-looking if you can't be charming? Why doesn't anyone invite me out to eat? I'm not bad-looking either!" A strikingly beautiful woman complained with a hint of jealousy in her voice."Oh, come on, let's face it—you just don't have what it takes. It's not something you can be jealous of. Just focus on your work, okay? Some people get invited to dinner, but not you!"The group laughed and exchanged sarcastic remarks, but Lydia ignored them, focused solely on her meal. She was genuinely starving. For some reason, her appetite had been off lately, and she hadn't felt energetic. Now that she finally felt like eating, she wasn't going to waste time listening to their envious banter.They were on completely different paths; there was no point in getting caught up in their petty jealousy.Seated in the Chinese restaurant, Lambert watched from a distance as Lydia finally started eating heartily, and the knot in his chest began to loosen. He felt like he was being torn i
Once Lydia calmed down, she realized Lambert had already come in. Given Wythe's presence, it was obviously unrealistic to ask him to leave.Seizing the moment, Wythe turned to Lydia and said, "Mom, can I stay with you tonight?"Lydia nodded without hesitation. "Of course you can! Where else would you stay?"As she spoke, she shot a glance at Lambert, her eyes clearly indicating that she wanted him to leave as soon as possible. He was just too much to deal with.Unfortunately, Lambert didn't take the hint and instead asked, "Lydia, you only have a small bed here. Wythe won't fit; I think he should stay at my place."Although it was just next door, Lambert's place was vastly different—a spacious two-hundred-square-meter apartment with three bedrooms and two living areas, while Lydia's was only about ninety. As soon as he moved in, Lambert had redecorated one of the rooms specifically for Lydia.Before Lydia could respond, Wythe looked at
No matter how upset Lydia felt, Lambert followed her like a shadow. However, he managed to avoid any more foolish actions after their earlier confrontation, even going so far as to apologize.He was humble, hoping to cheer her up, but she remained as cold as ice, leaving him in despair."Dad, I've arrived at Y City Airport! Come pick me up!"When Lambert received Wythe's call, he felt like a savior had arrived. Ever since their argument over Lydia's job, she hadn't spoken to him at all. Initially, she wouldn't let him in, and now she didn't even open the door. If she saw it was him through the peephole, she would resolutely stay inside!With that attitude, even Lambert's best efforts were useless.Wythe's arrival was the perfect catalyst to break the deadlock. Delighted, Lambert headed straight to the airport after dropping off Lydia's meal, as usual.Meanwhile, Lydia was fuming at the sight of meals consistently hanging on her door. She cou
Lambert presented himself as refined, but his underlying dominance was unmistakable. "That's not the case, Principal. I'm just worried about Lydia's health. She's pregnant, and she's caring for a class full of four- and five-year-olds. If something were to happen, it could be very dangerous for her."The principal furrowed her brow, eyeing him curiously. His concern seemed more like that of a family member than a parent. "While your point is valid, we've already considered this. Surely, you wouldn't expect her to be dismissed? After all, maternity leave is an option now...""Maternity leave is limited," Lambert replied firmly. "Besides, you must know that Lydia can't stay here forever."The principal felt uneasy. Lambert's demeanor and attire suggested he was no ordinary individual; why would he want his family working in such a small place? Something felt off."On what grounds are you so sure?" she asked.Lambert responded with unwavering confiden
Meanwhile, Lydia was feeling quite emotional in her room. The impact of seeing Lambert, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, was overwhelming. He had lost quite a bit of weight, and from his words, it seemed he had been eager to find her ever since he left.It would be a lie to say she wasn't touched; he truly cared about her. She had always held onto him in her heart and never let go. However, the idea of going back because of this was unlikely; after all, she was a stubborn person, and once she made a decision, it wasn't easy to change her mind.Lydia hoped that Lambert would take the hint and leave soon so her life could return to normal. Otherwise, her heart would be in turmoil!As Lambert, whom Lydia hoped would leave, was knocking on the door next door, an elderly man in his sixties opened it, eyeing Lambert suspiciously.Lambert straightened his clothes and spoke with a gentle tone, "Hello, I'm Lambert. The thing is..."Lydia, completely obl
Using their son as a shield might seem a bit embarrassing, but it was undeniably effective. Sure enough, upon hearing Wythe's name, Lydia paused her resistance to Lambert. She struggled to move her legs and began to make her way toward her home.What should have been a short ten-minute walk turned into a half-hour ordeal due to Lydia's difficulty in moving. During this time, she even awkwardly made a trip to the restroom. As she entered the later stages of her pregnancy, not only had her legs swollen, but her trips to the bathroom had also increased significantly. Just moments ago, she had finished a latte, which made the situation even more awkward—suddenly needing to find a restroom while walking.Lambert, while unaware of the many inconveniences pregnancy could bring, couldn't help but feel like a negligent husband and father as he watched Lydia struggle. He realized he knew nothing about what she was going through. Seeing her in such discomfort made his heart
Lambert closed his eyes, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart. He had truly found Lydia!"Sorry, Lydia, I think I got a bit carried away!"Could this be a dream? If it is, he hoped he'd never wake up.Lydia was at a loss for words. This wasn't just being a bit excited; he was clearly overwhelmed!She decided to change the subject. "Lambert, how's Wythe doing?" Her son was the person she cared about most, and the one she felt she owed the most to."He's fine, but he really misses you. I didn't expect that after all this time, you wouldn't even call once."Hearing this, Lydia lowered her head, guilt washing over her. In some ways, she knew she hadn't been a very good mother. She had neglected her son for her own feelings."I'm sorry..."Lambert sighed softly, a mix of emotions swirling within him. "You don't need to apologize, Lydia. It's all my fault. If I hadn't misunderstood you, you wouldn't have felt the need to leave Nov
Debby felt a sudden jolt, her ears turning bright red. Being caught doing something wrong and exposed in public was a uniquely uncomfortable experience."Uh, I..."Lambert's heart raced. Could it be that he finally found the right place? Was Lydia really at this kindergarten?Fearing he might startle her, he spoke gently, his tone patient. "Debby, there's been a misunderstanding between Lydia and me. I care about her deeply, and I can't lose her. I don't know how you've interpreted our situation, but as her friend, I assume you want her to be happy too?"Debby hesitated at his words. Was this man truly a scoundrel? Upon reflection, Lydia had only mentioned that she had divorced her partner and left Nova City due to some circumstances. She had never spoken ill of her ex-husband, so perhaps she had misjudged him?Debby's expression shifted, yet she still seemed unsure. Lambert seized the moment to ask, "Debby, Lydia hasn't left, has she?""How
Lydia could hardly believe her ears, but Debby wouldn't lie to her. So, Lambert had really come looking for her.Her emotions were a whirlwind. It had been nearly five months since she left. During this time, she had come to Y City alone, found a job at a kindergarten, and gradually found some peace.Being away from the chaos allowed Lydia to reflect on herself, and she realized that the situation with Lambert wasn't entirely his fault. While he sometimes acted presumptuously, his intentions were good—he always acted out of concern for himself. Each argument only chipped away at their relationship.No bond can withstand constant fighting.Lost in thought, Lydia absentmindedly traced her fingers over her phone screen. Should she reach out to Lambert? According to Debby, he was probably headed to Rong City.She lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes casting shadows over her troubled eyes. When she first heard that Lambert was looking for her, her
As Lambert stepped out of the apartment, a lost look lingered in his eyes. For the past few months, he had been caught in a cycle of hope and disappointment almost every single day.He should have been used to it by now, but each time he felt let down, hurt, and increasingly restless. The longer the search went on, the more he worried about whether he would ever find Lydia."Hey, don't be too downcast. Finding someone is like this; as long as you persevere, you will eventually locate them!"Lambert nodded at her comforting words, knowing well that now wasn't the time to give up."Lambert, since you haven't found her yet, what's your next move?"He frowned slightly. "I think I'll stay here for a while. According to the information my friend gave me, there might be another Lydia in City Y."She sighed. "You really have it tough. How long do you think it will take to find her? It's like searching for a needle in a haystack!""It's okay;