But my feelings toward Carter had always been complicated. I respected him, yet I had resented him. I felt guilty towards him, yet I also harbored grievances. I had once sincerely wanted to spend my life with him, yet I also longed to break free from the invisible cage he had placed me in.
I wondered if I was suffering from some kind of split personality disorder.
“I don’t blame you, Laura,” Carter said lightly, “It’s my own fault. No matter what I do, I can’t win your heart…”
“Don’t say that!”
“Laura,” he raised his hand to stop me from speaking further. Then he went to the bedside table and pulled out a stack of documents from the drawer.
“You hardly ever tell me about your work, but that doesn’t mean I’m not interested,” he handed me the documents, “Take a look at these. They might help you with your writing.”
I flipped through them, stunned.
“Where did you get these?” I whispered.
He just chuckled lightly, “I’m also a member of The Lynch Family…”
These documents…
To him, obtaining these documents seemed as easy as grabbing a jar of jam from the kitchen.
But these were The Lynch Group’s next quarter bidding proposals!
The content of the proposals was very detailed, including not only the basic minimum prices but also predictions of stock price fluctuations.
“Is this… Did Cameron give these to you?” I felt a bit panicked.
“No,” he said, “Cameron has been abroad for the past three months, we haven’t been in touch.”
“Then you…”
“Never mind where I got them from. Just tell me if these are helpful to you?” he looked at me, his gaze tinged with a hint of expectation.
I felt extremely anxious as I flipped through them repeatedly, confirming whether these were indeed considered confidential business information.
The proposals contained some of the most core content of The Lynch Group. If this material were to be leaked, the magazine would definitely sell well. Moreover, this was all new to me, and it could greatly enhance my own understanding. If I could write something based on this, it would also be a significant improvement for myself.
“Laura?” Carter prodded.
I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at him, my heart pounding.
“What do you think?” he asked.
“Well, this will definitely grab attention,” I closed the folder, “but…”
“That’s great!” he breathed a sigh of relief, smiling, “Take them all! Work on it tonight, try to publish something, and see how it goes.”
“But… but this isn’t right!” I blurted out, “These are confidential business documents!”
“What kind of secret is this?” Carter scoffed, looking unimpressed.
He looked at me, “Laura, do you not understand my position in this household? Yes, the company has kept a position for me, but it’s just a facade.”
“Everyone thinks I’m useless, incapable of handling any responsibility,” he gazed out the window, his expression forlorn, “And you know what? I think so too. I am useless.”
I knelt in front of him, “Carter, you’re not…”
“No need to comfort me, I know what I am,” he said softly, “So tell me, if these were really confidential files, would they end up in the hands of someone like me?”
“Carter…” I widened my eyes, suddenly understanding.
What he said made sense. He stayed at home all day, how could he possibly get hold of confidential documents? And Cameron, being meticulous, would never easily leak such files.
“So go ahead and write fearlessly,” he looked into my eyes, “Laura, I know you haven’t had much news to write lately. Your performance at the magazine is the worst, isn’t it? I also know that newspapers and magazines like something new and exciting. If you write something with an insider’s perspective, it will surely make people take notice.”
“And the data in these proposals can also help stock investors see the situation clearly. You know it’s not easy to make money from stocks nowadays, and if there’s any fluctuation in stock prices, an average family might not be able to bear it. If you write about this aspect and provide some guidance to investors, it would also be a good deed.”
His gaze was clear. He had always been sincere, perhaps I had just misunderstood him too much in the past.
I silently took the documents from him and nodded gently, saying, “Thank you.”…
The next day, I handed the finished manuscript to Holly. After reading it, she was practically jumping with excitement.
“Laura, you’re amazing!” Her eyes sparkled. “Once this commentary is published, it’s going to sell like hotcakes!”
“Are you sure?” I still lacked confidence in my writing.
“Of course! This is insider information! Nowadays, not many reporters have the capability to get their hands on such first-hand data.”
Her assurance made me even more uneasy. Even an outsider like her could see that this was “insider information”, yet Carter had assured me it wasn’t confidential…
“I’ll go do the layout now, and we’ll publish this in the afternoon!”
“That seems too fast.”
“Not at all! I can’t wait to publish it!”
“Holly…” I hesitated, holding her hand, “Maybe… maybe we should wait a bit longer?”
“Why?” She looked at me quizzically.
“I don’t think I’ve written it very well.”
“It’s perfect!” She patted my shoulder. “Laura, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Your writing, your journalistic instincts, and the sharpness of your commentary are all top-notch! You’ve just been unlucky, not finding anything valuable until now.”
“This could be your breakthrough!” She winked. “Once it’s published, it’ll definitely stir up discussions in the industry. And then you’ll have a representative work. The Golden Pen Award selection is about to start, and if you’re lucky, this piece might even get nominated!”
Her words filled me with joy, as if the award was within my reach.
“Hey,” she nudged me, “It seems like The Lynch Family is treating you pretty well! Both brothers are working hard to serve you, huh?”
I blushed.
I had already told Holly about my connection with The Lynch Family. I didn’t have many friends, but I felt a strong bond with Holly, so I was willing to confide in her.
“Are you feeling confused right now?” She leaned in, whispering, “Which one should you choose? Carter is gentle, Cameron is domineering, but the crucial point is, both of them are willing to…”
“Don’t say such things!” I quickly covered her mouth. “Don’t mention Cameron! Why do you think I couldn’t stay at the TV station? Wasn’t it because of him? Wasn’t the last incident big enough?”
“It’s because of that incident that you lost your job. But Cameron still celebrated your birthday for you…”
“Holly!”
“Okay, I won’t say anymore.” Holly smiled. “But from the look of it, I can tell you’ve already made your choice.”
“I… it’s not Cameron!” I blurted out.
Holly looked at me with a knowing expression.
“Alright… alright, it’s not Cameron!” She hugged me gently and whispered, “But Laura, I truly hope you find happiness. What happened with his sister wasn’t your fault. You can’t choose the kind of father you have.”
“Even without that father, we could never be together.” I said, “He has a fiancée, and I have Carter.”
Holly seemed like she wanted to say more but ultimately just patted my back.
“I’ll go publish the article,” she said, turning away with a gentle smile. “Laura, you shouldn’t be tied down.”
Yes, I didn’t want to be tied down.
But I still couldn’t make up my mind.
Cameron and I were just a mistake.
The article was published smoothly, and just as Holly predicted, it caused a huge sensation. The magazine sold out within two hours that day. Many bookstores requested additional copies, and the article was being rapidly shared online, with comments nearing a hundred thousand.
It seemed like every journalist was discussing one name, Laura.
I had never experienced such adulation before.
In less than three days, I became one of the top commentators at the magazine.
The overwhelming joy of success washed over me.
I called Cameron. “Have you seen all my article online these past few days?” I said with a proud laugh. “You said birthday wishes shouldn’t be spoken aloud, that they wouldn’t come true. Well, take a look now! I’m about to become the chief journalist!”
There was silence on the other end for a long time, then his deep voice replied, “Is that so? Congratulations then.”
It sounded busy and noisy on his end, but I didn’t think much of it.
“Of course!” I smiled, lowering my voice. “Tonight… at the apartment? I’ll finish work early and make dinner for you.”
“Okay.” He answered readily.
I took the day off with Holly’s permission, bought his favorite foods, and brought them back to the apartment.
As I cook, I mock myself for resembling an inexperienced young housewife.
I had just placed the final dish on the table when the doorbell rang.
Hurrying over, I met his icy gaze.
“Cameron,” I called out, “Why are you standing there? “