Chapter 2
On Wednesday afternoon, I got a call from Mrs. Lane. "Claire, are you free? I was hoping we could have some tea together."
I hesitated for a second, then said, "Sure."
We arranged to meet at a quiet tea house. Mrs. Lane looked great. She clearly took good care of herself, dressed elegantly, and honestly, she could easily pass for someone ten years younger.
"Claire, how's work going?" she asked, pouring me a cup of tea.
"It's going okay. I've been keeping pretty busy," I replied.
"Busy is good," she said with a smile. "Young people should really push themselves."
After a bit of small talk, she set her cup down and looked at me. "Claire, I wanted to see you today because there's something I need to talk to you about."
I nodded. "Please, Mrs. Lane, go ahead."
"I know everything that's happened between you and Richard," she sighed. "You're a good girl, and it's been tough on you these years, hasn't it?" I listened quietly.
"But," she paused, "when it comes to marriage, it's not just about fate; it's also about whether your families are a good match."
"What do you mean by that, Mrs. Lane?" I asked.
"Claire, I know about your family. Your parents passed away early, and you've fought your way up all by yourself—it hasn't been easy," she said gently. "But Richard's status is different now. His company has grown, and he moves in different circles..."
"So you think I'm not good enough for Richard?" I asked.
"That's not what I mean," she said with a smile. "I just think maybe you two just aren't right for each other. If you try to force things, it'll only make everyone exhausted." I just looked at her, staying silent.
"You've probably met Emily Forrest," she went on. "Her dad is a deputy director in the city government, so her family is well-off. She's got a great personality—mature, considerate, and really knows how to take care of people..."
"Mrs. Lane," I interrupted. She stopped talking. I picked up my cup and took a small sip.
"I bought that ring myself," I said, looking her in the eye. "Three years ago, I spent my very first bonus on it. Did you know that, Mrs. Lane?" She was caught off guard.
"Richard told me we'd wear our matching rings together once we got married," I said, setting my cup down. "But he lost his ring three years ago."
Mrs. Lane's face went a little stiff.
"Mrs. Lane, I get what you're saying," I said, standing up. "But when it comes to Richard and me, we'll handle it ourselves."
I paid for the tea and left the tea house. My hand trembled slightly as I walked out the door. But I kept my back straight.
*****
The next day, it was time for the executive meeting. The meeting was all about our business plan for the second half of the year. Richard was standing in front of the projector, looking confident and full of energy.
"In the first half of this year, we landed several major clients, and our revenue grew by 35% compared to last year," he said, pointing at the numbers on the slide.
"Especially the Summit project, a 6 million order, the biggest deal we've ever closed since the company started."
The room erupted in applause.
"This project took a full eight months, from the first contact to the point where we had a signed agreement," he said, glancing at me. "Claire really put in a lot of hard work during this time." I nodded.
"But what I want to emphasize," he shifted gears.
"Is that our achievements belong to the whole team. Without the support from the sales department, the collaboration from the tech team, and the logistics backing from the admin department, this project wouldn't have made it this far."
Everyone in the room nodded in agreement.
"So, the credit goes to all of you," he said with a smile. "BrightEdge Solutions has never been a one-person show."
I looked at the numbers on the slide.
6 million.
Eight months.
156 emails, 47 phone calls, 12 face-to-face meetings.
Every single time, it was just me.
'A team achievement, huh?' I thought, a hint of irony flickering in my mind. I picked up my glass and took a sip of water.
After the meeting, Richard called me over. "Claire, did my mom talk to you yesterday?" he asked.
"Yeah," I replied.
"Don't take what she said to heart. That's just how she is," he said, leaning against his desk, sounding casual.
"I didn't let it get to me," I said, keeping my tone steady.
He glanced at me. "Good." There was a brief silence.
"Claire, I need to run something by you," he said.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I was thinking of having Emily shadow you for the follow-up work with Summit," he said.
I looked at him. "Emily is the secretary."
"Yeah, but she wants to learn more about the business side," he said with a smile. "Would you mind showing her the ropes?" I was silent for a few seconds.
"Richard, Mr. King from Summit really cares about the professionalism of whoever handles the account," I said.
"That's exactly why I want her to learn from you," he said, straightening up and giving my shoulder a reassuring pat. "Don't worry, she won't get in your way."
He was about to walk away. "Richard," I called out. He turned around.
"When will you give me back my ring?" I asked.
He froze for a second. "Almost done. I'll give it back once it's fixed," Richard said, not bothering to turn around. "Carry on."
He walked away. I stood there, staring at his back as he left.
I thought, 'Resize it, huh?'. Back when I bought the ring three years ago, I measured his finger and mine. Turns out, his size was exactly the same as mine. So really, there was never any need to change a thing.