Wren snorted loudly, tossing her hair over her shoulder with a smirk as soon as she saw Willow approaching.
Willow walked calmly toward them, her posture relaxed but her gaze sharp. Elizabeth hurried to her side, a bright smile lighting her face.
"The amount of strength and time you waste on me—if you wasted that time on work, you'd probably be the CEO or President by now," Willow mocked them with a playful wink.
Clara crossed her arms and sneered. "We are just waiting for the time you will be sent out of this company."
Willow stopped in her tracks, her lips twitching slightly. "I'm leaving anyway. You don't need to stress yourself," she said coolly, her voice calm as she tilted her head.
"Miss Willow," Elizabeth called, grabbing Willow's hand gently and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Even if she decided to leave, it won't be your time yet," Michael, the renowned bag designer, spoke up for Willow again, his voice calm but edged with amusement.
He was truly tired of watching them pretend they could be compared to Willow. The truth was simple—even the two combined couldn't match even a quarter of Willow's talent. And yet they kept dreaming... how ridiculous.
"Mr. Michael," Wren whispered his name softly, disappointment heavy in her tone.
She had always harbored a crush on Michael—everyone knew, including Michael himself. Now, hearing her crush speak those words in front of everyone felt like a slap. Her heart clenched painfully, and she quickly looked away, blinking back tears.
"Willow, come see the new bag designs I made. Maybe you'll have ideas for which shoes would go with them," Michael said, ignoring the others as he gestured toward his workstation.
Willow nodded gracefully and followed him, her steps light, Elizabeth trailing close behind.
Michael laid out his new bag designs carefully, the soft rustle of papers filling the air as Willow leaned forward. Her eyes sparkled as she studied them, her mind already racing with ideas of which heels or footwear would pair perfectly with each piece.
She loved her job—deeply—and she was incredibly talented. If only she had more time.
Together, they discussed colors and combinations, their voices a low murmur as they crafted visions of elegance and style. Willow took a few pictures with her phone—Michael trusted her completely, so there was no hesitation.
As she straightened up, ready to take another photo, a familiar voice called her name softly from behind.
"Willow, can we talk?" Jasmine asked hesitantly.
Willow turned, her expression unreadable for a moment before she nodded. They walked a short distance away, where the others wouldn't overhear.
"I'm sorry I didn't defend you when I heard about the kidnapping," Jasmine said quickly. Her tone trembled slightly—it was clear she was truly sorry.
"You don't owe me any explanation. We're human," Willow replied, taking a small pause. "It happens."
"No, it's not okay. I feel very embarrassed for not defending you," Jasmine insisted. She looked down, twisting her fingers anxiously. She hadn't been able to sleep well since the whole matter came to light.
"It's okay," Willow said softly. In truth, she'd never cared whether anyone defended her or not. It wasn't something she needed.
"I lost my father when he was kidnapped, so I had always hated anyone associated with kidnapping," Jasmine confessed. "But that's not enough for me not to believe in you."
"I'm so sorry for your loss. But honestly, the fault is mine. You never truly knew what kind of person I am, so you can't be blamed for not defending me," Willow replied, her voice gentle as she sought to ease Jasmine's guilt.
"Thank you. Still, I am sorry," Jasmine repeated, her eyes shimmering.
Before Willow could respond, Alex, Reed's assistant, approached politely.
"Miss Willow, Mr. Reed is asking for you."
Willow nod at Jasmine in response before leaving.
---
Reed's Office
"Mr. Reed," Willow greeted warmly as she entered the room, her usual smile gracing her lips.
"Hello, Miss Willow," Reed replied with a smile of his own, gesturing for her to take a seat.
She sat gracefully across from him, folding her hands in her lap.
"How have you been?" Reed asked kindly.
"Good," Willow replied simply.
"So... will you come back to work now?" Reed asked, his tone light but curious. It seemed like she'd taken her leave just to abduct Alder, after all.
"Not yet," Willow replied. She smiled faintly. "At least let me finish my leave first."
"Okay, then. I won't be a greedy capitalist. I'll let you rest," Reed joked, smiling, and Willow smiled back in return.
"Have a nice evening," Reed said.
"And you too, sir," Willow responded softly and left the office.
The door closed behind her with a soft click.
As soon as she was gone, Alder emerged silently from behind the curtain where he'd been hiding.
"It seems she still wants to rest before coming back to work," Reed remarked, watching him.
Alder said nothing, simply taking a seat in the chair where Willow had just sat. His fingers gripped the armrests tightly, as if trying to hold onto her lingering presence.
"Why don't you talk to her?" Reed asked gently.
"What do you want me to say to her?" Alder asked, his face expressionless, but his eyes betraying a deep sadness.
"I've known Willow for about two years now, and I've never seen her truly happy," Reed said softly. "It always seems like she has no reason to be happy. But that time we overheard her talking to you on the phone… she sounded like someone else entirely. She sounded happy."
(The phone call Reed was referring to was when Willow abducted Alder and accidentally picked up his phone — Chapter 8.)
"I told you what she said, right?" Alder asked. His voice dropped as he continued, "I told you she has no thought of building a family with me." His expression now carried a deep, raw sadness.
"Okay," Reed replied quietly. "But you heard what she told those ladies the other time?"
Alder looked at him, silently asking which part.
"Every relationship doesn't need a happy end—just the time you spend together," Reed quoted her gently.
"I don't just want time spent together. I want to build a family of my own with her," Alder said, his voice cracking slightly. "I want her in every aspect of my life."
"If she doesn't want that, you can't convince her like this. Maybe if you start this relationship without a destination in mind, you might be able to convince her to become your forever," Reed advised. Then he added, with a weak smile, "Or you can always be like me. No love, no problem."
But it wasn't funny to Alder.
Alder stared ahead, unseeing, lost in his thoughts. It was as if he wasn't in the room anymore.
---
Smith Mansion — The Next Day
Juniper knocked softly on Alder's door.
"Come in," Alder called, lying on his bed, though he sat up quickly when his mother entered.
"Mom," he greeted, voice weary.
Juniper smiled warmly and sat on the edge of his bed.
"Alder, I think it's about time to forget everything that has happened and move on with our lives," she said gently. "I know you like Willow, but she's not the one for you. Just beg Flora back and let everything return to normal."
Alder said nothing, only watching her with tired eyes.
"I know Flora well. If you beg her, I know she will forgive you. Even if you don't want an elaborate wedding, you can still do a low-key one," Juniper continued, trying to reason with him.
"Mom, I won't marry Flora for no reason," Alder said firmly, his voice low but determined.
"Okay, then why don't you marry Flora, and I'll talk to her to let you keep Willow as your mistress?"
"That's impossible. Only Willow will be my wife. I'm not interested in keeping a mistress," Alder snapped, his eyes flashing with anger.
"Look at the bright side, Alder—Flora can help the family business. Willow can't," Juniper said calmly, as if determined to make him understand.
"Willow couldn't offer anything to me then, but now she's the number one designer in this country and ranked top seven in the world. She's made a name for herself. Still, you won't accept her. Why?" Alder demanded, frustration in his tone.
"Because she's from the slum, and someone from the slum can never be worthy of the Smith name," Juniper said coldly. She stood to leave, then turned back. "Like it or not, Flora will be your wife, and Willow will never step foot into this family."
She left the room, leaving Alder sitting on the bed, his mind swirling. Her hatred for Willow had somehow grown even stronger than it had been four years ago.
But he had made up his mind. Only Willow would be his wife—in this life, and even in the next.
---
Across the Room — Leif and Iris's Room
Since their last argument, Leif and Iris hadn't spoken. Sage and Juniper had noticed but chose not to interfere, hoping the couple would resolve it on their own.
Iris entered the room quietly and overheard Leif talking on the phone.
His phone was on speaker as he worked through some files.
"I don't want to interfere between Alder and Willow," Leif said to the person on the other end.
"But if you don't, we can't just watch them go on like this," Reed said urgently.
"You know Alder—he has always known what he wants…"
"Yes, he just needs a little push," Reed interrupted. "I heard Willow listens to you. Why not talk to her?"
"Maybe I'll try talking to Alder first, then to Willow next," Leif replied, ending the call.
"If their relationship has turned sour, why don't you leave them alone?" Iris asked sharply, but Leif ignored her.
"Why can't you just talk to your brother and ask him to marry Flora? That would help the family business more than Willow," she pressed, her tone rising.
Again, Leif said nothing.
"Why do you like Willow so much?" Iris demanded, her frustration clear.
"Because she knows when to be quiet," Leif replied dismissively. It wasn't the truth—just something he said to push her away.
Thankfully, it worked.
Iris glared at him, her eyes narrowed, and stormed out of the room.
---
Reed's Side of the Call
Reed leaned back in his chair, Sage curled on his lap.
"So… how do I do?" he asked softly, gazing down at her.