Chapter 4
Benjamin yanked me out of the live–streaming room.
He scoffed, his icy glare piercing through me,
“Elizabeth, Nicholas Williams is my cousin. Kiss him? You think you deserve that?”
Those words tore through my heart like shrapnel.
When our eyes locked, the sheer hatred radiating from him nearly crushed me.
Rubbing my reddened wrist, I swallowed the bitterness behind my eyelids. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know who he was. I was just paying off a lost bet.”
Suddenly, a tall figure stepped between us, squaring off against Benjamin.
“Who says she doesn’t deserve it? That’s for me to decide, bro. Back off.”
AX
My breath hitched as I stared at Nicholas’s back. My gaze traveled up over his shoulder–Benjamin’s frigid eyes still pinned me, their glacial contempt piercing my heart until it bled.
“Nicholas, what do you see in her–her mercenary nature or her scheming mind?”
Nicholas confronted him head–on: “Bro, just because you got hurt once
playing poor with a scholarship student, must you jump at shadows like this?”
“And stop fixating on ‘benefits.’ Our Johnson fortune could last ten lifetimes.”
With that, Nicholas took my hand and brushed past Benjamin.
From the corner of my eye, I caught Benjamin’s expression freezing.
Outside the company, Nicholas released my hand with an apologetic look, explaining earnestly.
“Elizabeth, Benjamin lost control today because he got burned pretending to be poor while dating that poor girl. Please don’t take his words to heart.”
“Hmm.” I pretended everything was fine, responding with a light laugh, never revealing I was that scholarship student.
Nicholas thought I didn’t believe him and explained patiently: “My brother was crazy about that woman. He even tattooed her name over his right atrium, then later had surgery to replace that entire patch of skin.”
“Benjamin found her disgusting, and I agree she brought adversity,” he said, his intense gaze fixed on me. “But you’re different-”
An uncontrollable wave of pain surged through my chest.
The tattoo over my own right atrium–bearing Benjamin‘ name–seemed to ache in response.
Skinning and cutting out flesh… That must have been excruciating for him.
I tried to hide the tears welling up in my eyes, cutting Nicholas off.
“Since we’re just colleagues, thank you for helping me out today.”
The word “colleagues” choked off whatever Nicholas had prepared to say. His bright eyes turned dull instantly.
I turned and left him behind.
When I packed up my things and went to HR to resign,
the HR officer coldly pushed a voluntary resignation agreement at me: “The termination date agreed between you and Mr. Hayes is the end of this month. Leaving now counts as voluntary resignation—no severance.”
My mind went blank. I couldn’t afford to lose that compensation- medical bills drained my funds, and my savings were untouchable.
I changed my mind instantly: “Then I’ll work through the month before leaving.”
Only four days left. No reason to throw money away.
Hearing this, the HR officer scoffed at me, glanced at the coffee beside her, and ordered:
“That’s Mr. Hayes‘ coffee. Since you’ve got nothing better to do, deliver it to Miss Victoria.”
On the bag, Benjamin’s handwritten note gleamed under the fluorescent lights.
“Less ice, less sugar. Drink less coffee and get more sleep.”
The words felt warm. Once upon a time, such warmth had also shone
on me.
I took the coffee and walked out of the office toward Victoria’s room.
As I walked, I couldn’t help but think of the past.
I remembered Benjamin’s phone memo filled with notes about my preferences.
“Elizabeth loves to eat watermelon, doesn’t like vinegar, loves strawberries but hates strawberry–flavored candy…”
A wave of bitterness welled up in my heart.
Does he also record Victoria’s preferences like this?
When she’s on her period, does he make ginger tea for her and massage her belly?
When she’s sad, does he hold her in his arms and sing to comfort her?
Thinking about it, I suddenly felt my thoughts were foolish.
Victoria was his fiancée, the person he chose to spend the rest of his life with. Of course he would, and he’d only give her more.
My eyes burned with unshed tears.
Shaking off the thoughts, I knocked on Victoria’s office door and entered.
“Miss Reynolds, your coffee ordered by Mr. Hayes.”
As she reached for it, Victoria froze mid–motion, her piercing gaze
12vourbers.
locking onto the slightly open collar of my dress.
I looked down, following her stare to the exposed “Hayes” tattoo on my
chest.
