“They had feelings for each other but kept it respectable. I wouldn’t condone it, but I understand.”
“I heard Mr. Spencer’s wife is formidable and really aggressive. Skyla, on the other hand, is such a delicate, frail girl. How could she possibly win against Mrs. Spencer? First, she got her face messed up, and then she was publicly humiliated.
“She was a promising graduate student, but she got demoted to the logistics department. The price she paid was too cruel.”
I heard all of this from Mrs. Holmes when I sent her some pastries.
Over the years, I kept up the habit of bringing her desserts. just stopped telling Aiden about it after he sneered at me the first time.
After I sent out that report in PDF form, Mrs. Holmes personally called me over to her house. She was a warm, chatty old woman. She was always smiling and always eager for gossip.
“Do you regret it?” she asked.
My eyes stung, but I shook my head. “No. I had to do it.”
Mrs. Holmes laughed. “You remind me of myself when I was younger.”
Two years ago, by sheer accident, I found out that this seemingly harmless, kindly old lady once held a high- ranking position in the government.
“But you’re not as tough as I was,” she added with a wink. “No matter what hardships I faced in life, I never once gave up on myself.”
My expression dimmed. I lowered my voice. “Back then, I stepped back from my career for my family and my child. I had no other choice…”
“Really?” Her sharp, wrinkled eyes gleamed. “Were those problems truly impossible to solve?”
I froze.
Chapter 13
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Mrs. Holmes smiled and continued, “Or was it just an excuse? Sometimes, women tell themselves they’re sacrificing for their family when really, they’re just avoiding competition and the pressures of the outside world.”
That day, Mrs. Holmes‘ words hit me like a hammer.
On the way home, sweat clung to my skin as the same question repeated over and over in my mind. “Was it really impossible?”
At dawn, after a sleepless night, I finally saw the truth.
That was the day I started making changes. That day, I hired Kelly, started looking up exam schedules, and bought my study materials.
Now, standing here at the family day event, my gaze swept over the people in the room. They were people who had very little real connection to my life.
Then, my eyes landed on an old woman in the center of the room. She was carefully eating a piece of cake with a fork.
“Mrs. Holmes!” With light steps, I walked straight over and greeted her openly.
Mr. Holmes‘ face lit up when he saw me. “Lily, I’m so glad you came! Please help me talk some sense into my old mother. She’s eating way too much sweet food again.”
Everyone’s faces registered shock. They clearly had no idea how I became so close to Mr. Holmes‘ family. This included Aiden.
He followed behind me, looking stiff, his eyes wide.
Mrs. Holmes pulled me down to sit beside her, leaning in warmly to whisper in my ear, “I came today to back you up.”
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Chapter 14
