Although Rosalind had never intended to look down on those who were less fortunate, she struggled to comprehend her mother’s perspective.
She believed that whether a man was rich or poor, if he was unfaithful, it wouldn’t make a difference-the betrayal would still be there. If she ended up with someone who was both poor and unfaithful, it would only intensify her anger.
Furthermore, with Eva’s current attitude, Rosalind wondered who she could possibly bring home without them being subjected to verbal abuse or worse. The thought of introducing her husband to her mother filled her with trepidation.
“I need to meet him in person. Only if he passes my test will I acknowledge your marriage,” her mother insisted.
“I understand. I’ll bring him,” Rosalind replied, her tone laced with helplessness.
The pressure at work was already overwhelming, and now her mother had added another burden. Finding a pretend boyfriend seemed more challenging than staying up all night to write multiple project proposals.
After hanging up the phone, Rosalind leaned against the wall and let out a long sigh. She couldn’t afford to dwell on these matters for long, as the SNS evaluation was about to commence-the success of their project hinged on this crucial step.
Collecting herself, Rosalind hastened back to her office to organize her materials. She found herself consumed with work for the rest of the day.
The good news arrived when the SNS project passed the evaluation, securing the much-needed investment. However, the bad news followed shortly after-Ulric requested her presence at the hospital to visit Sirena.
Rosalind couldn’t help but wonder how many more times Ulric intended to make her jealous in front of Sirena. Couldn’t he be a bit more considerate? It tempted her to reveal the truth directly to Sirena. But it was just a fleeting thought, terminating the contract now would be disastrous given her current circumstances.
As the workday drew to a close, Rosalind silently prayed that Cedric would ask her to work overtime-preferably throughout the night. Unfortunately, her prayers went unanswered. Just as she had hoped for an escape, Ulric’s call interrupted her thoughts.
“Meet me in the underground parking lot.”
“… Alright,” Rosalind replied with a hint of resignation.
She left her office at a leisurely pace, took the elevator down, and made her way to the CEO’s designated parking spot.
Ulric was waiting for her, stepping out of the driver’s seat. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just feeling a bit tired.” She wished with all her might that she could feign illness and decline the invitation. However, Ulric had invested a substantial amount of money and rarely asked for anything in return. If she found an excuse to avoid even this, it wouldn’t be long before she faced termination.
It all boiled down to financial troubles.
“In that case, let me take you home so you can rest.”
He said it so naturally, without a moment’s hesitation.
Rosalind was taken aback. “Really? Can I skip this?”
Ulric offered a wry smile. “Of course you can, but… I’m afraid I have to go.”
Even Johnny had accused him of being unkind, and upon introspection, Ulric realized there might be some truth to it. Due to his aversion to close relationships with women, he instinctively distanced himself in situations that could be misinterpreted.
“You go ahead, don’t worry about me. It’s nothing serious. I’ll be fine after resting for a while!”
Rosalind felt a sense of relief, and her mood improved as they drove along.
Ulric stole glances at her through the rearview mirror, sensing that she didn’t appear tired at all.
After dropping Rosalind off at Easthaven Bay, Ulric proceeded to the hospital.
Upon entering the ward, he spotted Johnny assisting Sirena in sitting up.
As soon as Sirena caught sight of Ulric, she instinctively pushed Johnny away and exclaimed, “Ulric, you’re here!”
“Yes,” he replied calmly, placing the fruits and supplements he had just purchased on the table.
Observing this scene, Johnny furrowed his brow. “You two can talk, I’ll go fetch her medicine.”