Chapter 1
The company was hosting a badminton game with a first prize of 30,000 dollars in cash.
That was exactly the amount I needed for the down payment on our wedding home.
So I pushed myself to the limit and made it all the way to the finals.
My opponent in the final match was a rookie, a young girl who had just joined the company.
"Ms. Reed, you're so good at this. Would you mind if I switched teammates?" she asked.
All I could think about was winning the cash and finally getting our home.
I just blurted out a yes.
The next second, David Grant, who had turned down my request to team up, walked onto the court, racket in hand.
He used to be a pro, even played in the state championships.
But in this casual match, David made sure Sophie Quinn got all the shots.
As Sophie slammed down the last shot with all her strength, my right eye went completely numb.
Sophie hurried to apologize. "I didn't mean to. I just wanted to try out the smash technique David taught me."
David said coolly, "Hey, injuries are just part of the game. Take a breather, and don't be late for the dinner to celebrate Sophie becoming a regular employee."
Blood seeped through my fingers as the pain hit me.
I finally snapped out of it.
The match was over. I'd lost.
I gently set my racket down on the ground.
Suddenly, I realized I didn't care about that apartment as much as I thought.
*****
After getting my eye treated at the hospital, I was in a cab on my way to the hotel.
Someone tagged me in the work group chat.
[Ms. Reed, we're all here. Just waiting on you.]
Sophie sent a voice message right after, her voice gentle and a bit apologetic.
"Ms. Reed, are you upset with me? It's my fault for not knowing my own strength.
"But my coach said it's disrespectful to hold back against your opponent."
David messaged me privately: [Where are you? You're Sophie's direct supervisor. If you don't show up, she'll be embarrassed.]
I replied with just three words: [On my way.]
Ten minutes later, I pushed open the door to the private room.
David, as the department director, was sitting at the head of the table.
Sophie was sitting right next to him, the two of them whispering together.
The moment I walked in, the whole room went silent.
Sophie's hand shook, and she spilled her whole cup of coffee all over herself.
"M-Ms. Reed," she stammered.
Her eyes welled up, like a frightened rabbit.
"Your eye," she whispered.
"I'm so sorry, it's all my fault"
David glanced up at me.
His voice was cold and distant. "Is it serious?"
I shook my head.
He looked up, his brows furrowing slightly.
"If it's not serious, then don't fuss about it next time," he said.
"Sophie's new, so go easy on her, alright?"
The room went quiet for a moment.
One of my coworkers tried to break the tension. "Maybe Ms. Reed is just worried her eye might get infected. That's understandable."
"Sophie's been feeling guilty about it since the game ended." David cut him off, glancing at Sophie.
"She's new here, so she's a bit jumpy," he continued.
"Emma, just be more careful next time."
I nodded and took the only seat left, right by the serving entrance.
"Ms. Reed, are you sure you're alright?" someone asked.
I took a deep breath. "It's not as bad as it looks."
Just need a minor procedure.
It was scheduled for three days from now.
Sophie wiped her nose and suddenly stood up.
She made her way around the crowd and stopped right in front of me.
"Ms. Reed, can I take a look at your eye?" she asked.
"No need," I said.
But she was already reaching out.
I didn't have time to stop her.
The moment the bandage came off, everyone saw my right eye, all smeared with ointment.
Sophie froze, forcing a smile.
"Thank goodness it's not serious. Otherwise, I'd never forgive myself," she said.
"Sorry, I got so scared I totally embarrassed myself."
She bolted out, covering her face.
Everyone at the table exchanged awkward glances.
Someone finally cracked up.
"Ms. Reed, aren't you being a bit dramatic? It's just some ointment and a huge bandage. You scared Sophie so much she actually cried."
"Seriously, it looks way more intense than it really is. It's barely a scratch, right?"
"Poor Sophie, she must feel really bad and scared now."
David got up and went after Sophie himself.
Everyone in the private room started shipping them.
"Whoa, it's the gentle mentor and his adorable little mentee!"
"Mr. Grant is unbelievably gentle with Sophie! I've never seen him act like that with anyone else!"
"Yeah, he's always so distant with us, especially with Ms. Reed."
A bitter, sour feeling spread through me, and the pain in my right eye came rushing back.
He said since we were both climbing the ladder, we had to keep things under wraps.
So I kept my head down and played it safe, staying his subordinate for five years.
Never let anyone at work catch on to what was really happening between us.
Since when did he start taking on a girl as his mentee?
Nobody even picked up their forks until David came back.
Half an hour went by, and all we got was a message from David in the group chat.
[Go ahead and eat without us. Sophie's not feeling well, so I'm taking her home.]