Chapter 2
I clenched my fists, trying to keep my emotions in check.
I straightened my back, holding onto the last bit of composure as I headed back to the office.
As soon as I got to the office, Sophie called me.
She whined in that sugary voice of hers.
"Grace, I can't figure out this form. Can you help me out?" she asked.
Sophie was never good at her job. I had to beg Jonathan to get her a spot at his company.
She never tried to improve herself. Whenever she had a problem at work, she always came running to me first.
I'd shown her how to do it countless times, and I'd even tried to talk sense into her, telling her she couldn't keep relying on me forever.
But she always put on that innocent face, clinging to me and whining, "As long as I have you, Grace, I don't need anyone else. You won't ever leave me, right?"
"As long as I have you, Grace, I don't need anyone else. You won't ever leave me, right,?"
Just thinking about it gave me the creeps.
"Figure it out yourself," I said coldly.
With that, I hung up.
Less than five minutes later, Jonathan called.
"What's wrong, Grace? Did you and Sophie have a fight?" he asked.
I answered, my tone icy: "She's been pestering me again, even during work hours."
'She's so irritating, always interrupting me at work,' I thought.
"Aren't you annoyed by her too? Why bother asking me?" I shot back.
Jonathan was momentarily at a loss for words, then finally explained.
"She came running to my office in tears, saying you two had a fight and begged me to ask why you were upset," he said.
"I figured you must be feeling pretty down after arguing with her, so I thought I'd try to make you feel better," he added.
"How about we grab something tasty tonight? Don't let it get to you, okay?" he said.
'I guess before I leave, I should have a real talk with him.' So I agreed.
After work, Jonathan came to pick me up.
I opened the passenger door and found Sophie sitting there, looking pleased and beaming at me.
"Grace, we came to pick you up together! Isn't it a nice surprise?" she chirped.
Jonathan glanced at her and said quietly, "I brought her along because I didn't want you to think I was ditching her again."
"I brought her along because I didn't want you to think I was ditching her again," he repeated.
"Honey, what do you want to eat tonight?" he asked.
Before I could say anything, Sophie shot her hand up.
"Let's get Japanese! I haven't had it in forever, and I really miss our usual sashimi spot" she chimed in.
Jonathan cut her off, his tone suddenly turning cold.
"My wife gets to decide what we eat," he said.
Sophie let out a little huff, then turned around in her seat to look at me in the back, her voice bubbling with excitement.
"Hey, bestie, what are we eating tonight?" she asked.
I looked away, my voice calm and distant: "Let's just get Japanese."
"Let's just get Japanese," I repeated.
Sophie blew me a kiss, flashing a cheeky grin.
She turned back to face the front.
On the way, the two of them kept bickering nonstop.
It honestly felt like I was just a bystander, completely shut out from their little world.
When we got to the Japanese place, Jonathan went ahead and ordered a bunch of sashimi and other raw dishes.
Sophie tapped the menu, pouting a little as she reminded him, "Jonathan, Grace never eats raw stuff. What is she supposed to do, just watch us eat?"
"Seriously, Jonathan, Grace never touches raw food. How is she supposed to eat with us?" she added, her tone half teasing, half complaining.
Jonathan and Sophie were the ones obsessed with raw food.
Jonathan shot me an apologetic look and added a sukiyaki pot to the order.
They chatted away for a while, and then Jonathan suddenly paused and looked up at me.
"Grace, when are you leaving for your business trip?" he asked.
I held my juice, my tone cool and distant as I shot back, "So you're just waiting for me to leave, huh?"
"Is that what you want? For me to just leave?" I said quietly, my voice cold.
Jonathan stared at me, completely stunned and confused.
He swallowed hard, a hint of hurt in his voice. "I just wanted to get our wedding photos done before you left for your trip."
"I just wanted to get our wedding photos done before you left for your trip," he repeated.
Sophie froze for a second, then dropped her gaze and stayed silent.
On the way back, she quietly slid into the back seat and stayed silent the whole ride.
Jonathan's eyes trailed after her as she walked in, his mind clearly elsewhere.
I said in a calm, even voice from behind him, "Let's get the wedding photos done tomorrow."
"Let's get the wedding photos done tomorrow," I repeated.
He just muttered "okay" and didn't come out of his room for the rest of the night.