“It’s nothing,” Hamish looked at the documents in Tobias’ hands, “What’s this?”
“It’s the contract you need to sign and the investigation about Finn. Chiwood Burns Group has been in turmoil lately. After Finn’s leg injury, the stock has been declining. Moreover, Finn has been absent recently, and those shareholders are getting restless.”
Hamish’s expression was plain, “I see.”
Is that all?
“Give me the documents that need to be signed.”
Tobias approached, sorted the documents, and Hamish quickly flipped through them, confirming their accuracy before signing his name.
Seeing Tobias still lingering, Hamish asked, “Is there anything else?”
“Mr. Burns, uh… Miss Powell has already signed over there, but the information I received is that her boyfriend signed on her behalf.”
Hamish’s heart skipped a beat, his upper body visibly hesitated. His throat choked for a moment before he asked, “Elisa’s boyfriend?”
Tobias had also hesitated when he received the news, but he knew Hamish would find out sooner or later. It was better to inform him first rather than catching him off guard.
“The security guard said that. He mentioned that Miss Powell brought a man back with her. They had intended to return the package as usual, but the man with her opened it.”
Hamish’s voice was hoarse, “What about the flowers I sent?”
“They were thrown away just like before, only the gift box was taken.”
“How do you know that was Elisa’s boyfriend?” Hamish inquired again.
“The security guard said that she introduced him in person.”
Hamish felt a pang in his chest, trembling as he inserted his fingers into his hair, supporting his head. He felt as if he was submerged in icy water, his breath shallow, hands and feet growing cold.
He had never expected Elisa to become someone else’s girlfriend so quickly, leaving no chance for him at all.
The day he saw Elisa leave on Louis’ back, he had already anticipated this day, but he had quickly suppressed that thought. He didn’t dare to dwell on it.
Louis had previously told him that everything that should and shouldn’t have happened between him and Elisa had happened.
At that time, he was furious, but upon reflection, Louis had clearly looked like he was lying. If something had truly happened between him and Elisa, would he have been so easily shaken by a few words?
He had always thought that as long as Elisa didn’t end up with Louis, he might have a chance.
Hamish restrained the impulse to scream his heart out. His face was bitter as he muttered to himself, “It’s okay, what does it matter if she has a boyfriend? As long as they’re not married, it’s okay. Besides, even marriage can end in divorce.”
Saying he didn’t mind was definitely a lie. How he wished he could be Louis, standing openly by Elisa’s side, instead of persistently pursuing her every day, sending her things she had once liked.
Hamish was strangely calm, but his hand supporting his forehead kept trembling.
Elisa always said he didn’t understand love. His affection for her stemmed from the guilt of mistaking someone else for her and causing their death.
He did feel guilty and regretful, but his love for her wasn’t merely seeking solace for that guilt.
From the beginning, he had been fond of her. Elisa, a figure faint in the water, had captivated him for nine years until she left.
He had mistaken Lorelei for that figure in the water, but when he was with Lorelei, most of the time, he was trying to find glimpses of that captivating figure in her.
Elisa said he didn’t understand love, but wasn’t she the same? They had both mistaken people and met the wrong person at the wrong time, even their exchanged glances were wrong.
Elisa was also indifferent by nature. Her affection seemed strong, but it was actually too light. Her liking for him was a mistake, and once she realized this mistake, she would retract it all.
When they were still together, he had asked her once, if he hadn’t saved her back then, would she have married him?
Elisa had directly replied at the time that she wouldn’t even spare him a second glance, let alone marry him.
Hamish regretted the past. If he had been gentler with Elisa, if he had understood love earlier, Elisa wouldn’t have distanced herself from him so much.
Elisa, such a proud and assertive woman, surpassing all the women in Bankshire combined.
He had looked down on her pride, treated her like a caged bird, and felt it wasn’t enough, so he destroyed the wings she was proud of. Only after losing the radiant Elisa did he wake up. He realized that he loved theassertive and proud Elisa, the one who had returned to her, alongside Louis.
Those hazy memories instantly became clear. Ah, yes, this was the Elisa from the past, the one who hadn’t yet belonged to him.
Her pride, confidence, assertiveness, radiance, smile, and health had all returned. However, this perfect Elisa no longer belonged to him. Everything good about her belonged to a person named Louis.
Elisa, couldn’t you have given me a chance to learn how to love?