"Call the cleaner to mop the floor," someone whispered, as if trying to forget the accident.
From that moment on, the Fashion Design Department had a new reputation for Willow—a reputation that was already well-known from that point on: She was someone whose temperament should not be underestimated.
Then, Sophia returned after changed her clothes. Upon seeing Willow, her eyes widened in shocked.
But this time, something was different—no harsh words or sharp glances. Sophia didn't even greet Willow, as if she didn't see her. She simply walked past, deliberately avoiding any interaction.
And then , Sophia even moved her desk from its original spot next to Willow's to another location in the office. It was clear she didn't want any further contact.
The change didn't go unnoticed by their coworkers. Although Gery had made arrangements beforehand, no one dared to ask Willow to do menial tasks.
The tension among the coworkers was palpable, and they made sure to be cautioned around Willow.
After a short lunch break, Gery called Willow into his office.
"Willow , an important client is arriving as soon, and I need to handle them directly. Take these documents to the main meeting room on the seventeenth floor."
He quickly tossed the stack of papers in his hand before grabbing his jacket, looking somewhat rushed.
Willow nodded and headed toward the elevator, carrying the documents.
The Stars Vision skyscraper is a labyrinth of offices and departments, with each floor serving a different function. The building also features recreational areas for breakfast, meeting rooms, guest reception areas, and other facilities.
Although the building was well-organized and clearly marked, Willow still felt a little confused when she stepped out of the elevator on the seventeenth floor. The unfamiliar layout of the rooms made her hesitate for a moment about which direction to take.
"Damn it! If I take the wrong step and delay the meeting, this will be a disaster." She muttered with a frown. But just as she was about to give up, she noticed an open meeting room door nearby, and a group of people walking out.
Instinctively, she headed toward them, intending to ask for directions to the main meeting room.
But then, something made her pause as she glanced into the room, her eyes fixated on a familiar face.
Is that..... Rainer?
Willow stood frozen in place, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared at a man standing inside the room. The man bore a striking resemblance to Rainer. But something was off—why wasn't Rainer in a wheelchair?
The man, who looked exactly like Rainer, stood with a relaxed posture, leaning slightly forward as he gave instructions to the people around him.
The group listened attentively, their expressions serious, their demeanor respectful.
From her position, Willow could only see part of the man's face—not close enough to clearly see his entire expression.
Unconsciously, she took a few hesitant steps forward to see more clearly.
She was very curious—how was that possible? Why was Rainer here? And more importantly, why could he stand? Wasn't the Rainer she knew supposed to be paralyzed?
"Who are you?" A calm yet curious voice suddenly sounded from behind.
Startled, She turned around and found a man wearing glasses and a neat suit staring at her with a curious look.
"Ah... I'm..." She reflexively glanced back at the meeting room, but the man she had just seen was gone. The door was now closed tightly. "I'm here to deliver some documents. Is this the main meeting room?"
The man's eyebrows furrowed slightly before he gave a polite smile and a understanding look. "You must be new here. The main meeting room is on the seventeenth floor, but in the opposite direction. You've been looking in the wrong place."
The opposite direction? Willow bit her lip, a sense of frustration beginning to rise and settle at the bottom of her heart. How stupid! No wonder she couldn't find it.
"Then what about the meeting room over there? I saw a lot of people there earlier," she said, pointing to the room in front of her.
The man adjusted his glasses, his voice firm and tinged with warning. "That's the CEO's meeting room. If you're not a senior executive or core employee, you shouldn't enter without permission."
The CEO's meeting room? Willow's mind raced. So, was that Collin's meeting room?
"Aren't you here to deliver documents? Don't linger here. If others see you wandering around, you'll definitely get reprimanded." The man urged her, gesturing for her to leave immediately.
"Oh, right, thank you." she glanced back once more. But with the weight of the documents in her hands, she pushed aside her curiosity and hurried toward the main meeting room.
Fortunately, most of the meeting participants had not yet arrived, and the meeting had not yet begun. She managed to submit the documents on time.
After completing her task, she took the elevator back to the Fashion Design Department.
However, her mind was in turmoil. The image of that man—who bore a striking resemblance to her husband—kept popping into her head.
Was he really him?
But that clearly didn't make sense. Her husband had no reason to be at Stars Vision, let alone standing there as if he hadn't spent the past few years in a wheelchair.
Maybe she was mistaken?
Returning to her desk, Willow hesitated before taking out her phone. She opened Rainer's number and began typing a message.
"Rain, where are you now?"
It was just a casual question, a whim. After sending the message, she leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingers on her phone while waiting.
But several minutes passed without a reply.
A sense of disappointment slowly crept into her chest. Rainer might not respond—he'd been in a bad mood all morning and had locked himself in his study.
Sighed, she placed her phone on the desk and tried to focus on the company's design website.
Just as she began to get into her work, her phone suddenly buzzed .
It was a call from Rainer.
Willow was startled—she quickly looked around—some colleagues were busy working, while others were clearly slacking off. Not wanting to take the call at her desk, she stood up and moved to a quieter spot nearby.
"Hello." As she spoke, her voice softened without her realizing it.
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Rainer's deep, calm voice came through, "What's up?"
Rainer's voice was soft and gentle, accompanied by the faint rustling of something that grew fainter as it reached her ears.
An odd warmth crept over her skin as the phone pressed against her cheek. She lowered her voice unconsciously. "Yes, nothing. I was just asking."
Rainer's tone shifted slightly, a gentleness slipping into every word. Willow could almost picture his expression, how his eyebrows raised slightly as he spoke.
"Just asking? Are you sure it's just a casual question about where I am?"
Rainer's voice—calm, deep, and easily seductive—disrupted her thoughts, and before she could stop herself, honesty slipped from her lips. "I... just don't want you to disappear again for days like before. I don't even know where you are?"
A soft laugh echoed from the other end of the phone, soft, deep, and tinged with a hoarse note that made her pause for a moment. She was captivated.
"What are you laughing at?" the question slipped out before she could think twice.
Still laughing, Rainer replied, "Willow, are you trying to saying you can't be apart from me? I don't know how attractive I am to you—I thought you'd be so worried about me?"
His voice grew deeper, almost intimate, with a teasing edge to it.
Or maybe it was just her imagination running wild, teasing her thoughts.
Rainer's teasing comment made Willow's face flushed. Why could she be so blunt, saying what her thought so freely?
Wasn't that the same as saying she needed him so badly?
Nervously, she pressed her cold palm against her hot, flushed cheek.
"That's not what I meant," she snorted lightly, trying to defend herself from embarrassment.
Before she could say anything else, Rainer cut her off, his voice warm and calm. "Don't worry. For the next few days, I'll be at home, waiting for you to come home from work."
The unexpected promise took her by surprise. A gentle tug tightened in her heart, her heart racing, the fleeting emotion quickly giving way to overflowing joy.
A calm warmth spread across her chest. She couldn't contain the happiness surging within her.
For the first time in years, someone had spoken those words to her... happy?