“Come see me at my office.”
Jacob’s voice rang again on the phone, Rita frowned.
Bewildered, Rita asked, “Why?”
“It’s about the authorization and copyright of your design work.” Jacob took a look at Rolex as he
explained. “See you in three minutes.”
“I…”
Jacob hung up before she finished.
Holding her phone, Rita shook her head.
Like attracts like. Jacob became domineering by association with Liam.
She put her phone aside and resumed her packing. It’s not until when she finished packing that she set
out to Jacob’s office.
Right now in Jacob’ office, Liam sat on the couch cross-legged, his fingers tapping on the armrest. He
took a glance outside the office.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Three minutes. And the hallway was still empty.
Liam’s face darkened for an instant.
He stared at Jacob, “Where is she?”
His voice, solemn, gave Jacob chills and had him sweat over his back. “Be patient, Liam, haste makes
waste.’
Liam responded him curtly with an “Oh”. He shifted his position on the couch. “Just so you know,
there’s only one hour left before you can punch out.”
Jacob’s mouth twitched at his “friendly” reminder.
Why are you always dragging me into your love drama with Rita?
I want no part of this?
Damn you, Liam.
Jacob cursed, but only inside himself.
Jacob kept his eyes at the door apprehensively, praying: Rita, come on, my life is in your hands now.
The clock kept ticking.
Another ten minutes passed, and Rita still hadn’t showed up.
Jacob’s palms sweat at a glance at Liam.
He reached his phone out stealthily, trying to call Rita. The door was pushed open as he tried to dial.
“Sorry, I’m late.”
Rita’s arrival relieved Jacob. “It’s ok, you came, and that’s enough.”
“Let’s get straight into it now that you’re here.” Sitting on the couch, Liam handed a contract to Rita.
“This is the labor contract I asked my layer to draft. Take a look, and sign it if you find it acceptable.”
“Labor contract?” wasn’t it just about buying the copyright?
Confused, Rita took the contract and started reading.
“the Wilson Group has placed a premium on quality. We will buy the copyright, but still, we need you,
the designer, to select the textile and mount of the ring. So by common consent, the board decided that
we’ll hire you as the chief designer of this program.”
His explanation sounded reasonable.
However, Jacob twitched his mouth.
Common consent?
You decided it yourself! Only yourself!
“Oh…I see.”Rita didn’t notice any anomaly but continued her reading of the clauses.
“Take your time.” Liam seemed to divine what Rita was thinking, he said, “if you have any objection,
feel free to say it.”
Jacob had never seen a supple Jacob like this. His jaw was all over the floor.
Grabbing at his chest in bitterness, his mouth kept twitching. You were a totally different person when I
first came to the company?
Where were the fairness thatthe Wilson Group had been emphasizing on?
What? Was Rita off-limit?
“I think there won’t be any problem. After all, it’s your lawyer who drafted it. But I have on more
condition.” Rita put down the contract and raised her eyes to the man sitting across from her.
“What is it?”He raised his brows.
“I haven’t finished my college yet, so, I can only be in my post after school.” She wouldn’t let anything
hold up her education.
Her winning was partly due to her effort, partly luck, and partly that fact she had seen Charlotte’s
design before.
So, she still needed to learn.
“No problem.”
Liam agreed without hesitation, which surprise Rita.
It’s that easy?
But she found his forthrightness somehow kind of weird.
But she couldn’t tell what was wrong.
Maybe she’s just overthinking.
She must be overthinking.
It’s just a normal business collaboration, it had nothing to do with personal relationship.
After a second check, Rita signed her name on the contract.
A smile emerged on Liam’s face when he saw Rita finally signed her name. The smile lasted only a
second before he suppressed it. “Done?”
“Done.”
Rita nodded, shoving the contract before Liam.
Liam only took a glance and reached out his hand. “Look forward to our collaboration.”
“Likewise.” Lightly, Rita gripped Liam’s fingers as a token handshake, and then withdrew instantly. “Is
there anything else that I need to know? If not, I should go back to my dorm now.”
“No. But don’t forget to punch in at 2 P.M.” Liam said, his eyes glittering.
For an instant, Rita scowled. “This afternoon?”
“Is there a problem?”
“…no, it’s just that, I have to check if I have any class to attend this afternoon, if I do…”
“I asked your mentor for your schedule earlier. It seemed like you’re free this afternoon.”
Liam handed a class schedule towards her before she finished.
Looking at the schedule, Rita frowned her brows lightly.
She felt like she was being tricked.
Or was she thinking too much?
“See you at 2 p.m. at the company.” Liam said when Rita drifted away.
Liam leaned his head forward to Rita as she raised her head again.
The distance between them, so close, gave Rita a sudden shock.
What is he doing?
Her body stiffened on an instant.
On the blink of an eye, Liam leaned forward again.
It’s even closer now.
So close that she could count his eyelashes.
“Don’t be late, Rita.” abruptly, Liam said.
Rita trembled, puzzlement in her eyes. “That’s it?”
“What else could it be?” Liam looked at her interestedly. “What did you think I was going to do?”
“I just thought you had something more important to say. Excuse me to leave if you don’t.”She smiled,
straightening herself up.
Then she just left the room
The glitters in Liam’s eye faded as he watch Rita limped away.
She really had no feeling for her anymore?
Frustrated, he lowered his eyes, his eyes filled with confliction.
Liam leaned against the desk and fumbled a cigarette out when the footsteps died in the hallway. He
took a deep buff, allowing the smoke to fill his lung.
He’s becoming really addicted to cigarette recently.
“… Liam, you got what you wanted, I brought Rita here to you. Why are you still looking so frustrated?”
Jacob asked, bewildered.
Liam rubbed at his forehead. “You did bring her to me, but her heart is still not with me.”
“Go chase her back. Big deal?” Jacob fanned his hands out, said casually.
Liam paused, and then put on a helpless smile.
He turned his head to the window and stared out off into the sky.
Nobody could tell what he was thinking at this moment.
On her way leaving the office, Rita kept her lips pressed.
She stopped at a turn, whirled her head back to the office where she just got out. Emotions floated in
her eyes.
She was right, this wasn’t just collaboration.
He let her leave Wilson Family, and then hoaxed her back in another way.
It’s what Liam said at last made her realize.
She took a sigh.
You don’t have to do this.
I don’t need you to do anything to make things up to me. It’s freedom that I want now, why don’t you
understand?
I’ll make you understand one day.
The frown on her face faded. Dragged her left leg, she limped her way downstairs.
Her crippled leg made the descending much harder to her.
It took her fifteen minutes to reach the bottom.
And when she did, she was drenched in sweat.
When she trying to balancing herself, someone grabbed her waist and dragged her into a classroom.
“Ah!!!” terrified, Rita screamed.
But a cold hand covered her mouth the next second, she could barely make a sound.
“It’s me, don’t be afraid.”
The fear vanished when she heard the similar voice.
She jerked her head up to look at Oliver and gave him an angry look to tell him to let go of her.
“Do you know how to bandage?” He asked, face pale.
It was then when Rita noticed that something was wrong with Oliver.
His face was dreadfully pale. It looked like he could pass out in any second.
What happened to him?
Wondering, she studied Oliver.
Soon, she spotted something sharp on the right sleeve of his hoodie stabbed into his arm. Blood
seeped through the wound and trickled down onto the floor.
All of a sudden, Oliver stumbled and fell face-down.
The bang stunned Rita. “Oliver!”
She dashed to him.
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