Lothar Group, Avril's workplace, was the top public listed company in Country M.
The car stopped outside the building. Avril hung her handbag on her shoulder and was about to get out of the car.
"I'll walk you in," Haider said, interrupting whatever Avril was about to say.
Avril swallowed back her words of gratitude and nodded slowly. He had sent her all the way here.
Wouldn't it seem rude if she refused him?
The two of them walked side by side into the lobby. The receptionist heard the sounds of someone approaching, so she raised her head to take a look. Her eyes widened in shock when she noticed the man next to Avril, and she hastily stood up straight.
"Pr-President!"
"President? The new president?"
Avril wondered. Avril looked at the receptionist with puzzled eyes. She then turned her head and looked around.
"Why don't I see any new faces?" she thought.
"Good afternoon, Nancy." Avril greeted her with a smile before she headed to the elevator.
The look on Nancy Oswald's face became stranger. She was trembling, pointing at Avril, not uttering a word.
"Avril!" Lina yelled as she ran to Avril from afar.
"You're finally here! I just heard that the new president is arriving soon. You should hurry up... Hey, you brought a friend?"
Lina turned to look at the handsome man next to Avril, and then her eyes widened in shock.
"President...Mr. Evans!" She exclaimed.
Lina was famous for having an exceptionally loud voice in the company. Hence, when she exclaimed like that, everyone in the lobby could hear her. Avril looked at Lina in confusion.
She then looked at Haider. It took her a while to put the pieces together.
The president was... Haider Evans Ventrue?
Haider was the new president of the company?
Avril was in utter confusion, and she parted ways with Haider as she went upstairs to her department. She had always believed that she had good self-control, but at that moment she could not hold back her anger. She slammed her bag onto the table heavily.
"This is too much!"
"Haider didn't tell me that he is the new president of my company!" Avril angrily thought.
She felt extremely embarrassed. She had been discussing with Haider how handsome, young, and capable the new president would be all the way!
Her newly-wed husband was now her boss. Wasn't that a little too much of coincidence?
Seeing her colleagues chatting about the identity of the new president, Avril felt even more uneasy.
If her colleagues ever found out that she had just gotten her marriage certificate with the newly appointed president this morning...
Wouldn't she be drowned by their endless gossip?
Avril slumped in her chair and lowered her head on the table helplessly. She really wanted it to be a dream, but it was reality!
"So, I just become the wife of my immediate superior?" Avril drew a jaw-dropping conclusion.
If it were still the day before, this coincidence would be something she would never dare imagine!
"Oh Avril, why do you look so down? Even if you've been dumped by a man, shouldn't you keep your emotions under control? What if your negativity affects your colleagues at work?" Angie's voice came from behind her.
Avril frowned but she did not raise her head.
"Where did this wild dog come from? Barking like a mad dog! Such a nuisance!"
Angie angrily slammed her hand on the table in front of her. She was wearing a new diamond ring on her middle finger.
"Avril, stop being so shameless!" Angie looked at her with disgust.
"You could not keep your own man in check, so you just keep scolding others to vent your anger? My God, save it, just go home and think about why you can't keep a man!"
Avril felt a wave of pent-up anger rushing right into her chest, causing her heart to ache.
"How could Angie be so shameless? As a mistress, she is bossing around and accusing me. But I'm the victim! My life was completely ruined! Does she really think that I am such a pushover?" She couldn't help yelling in her heart.
"Angie!" Avril stood up. In contrast to Avril's tall and slender figure, Angie's short stature made her look like a dwarf.
"I was trying to be considerate to you, all for the sake of our long friendship. So, 1 did not expose anything about you having an affair with Jack. Why are you doing this to me now? Why must you provoke me further?"
Angie stared back at Avril's attractive face, and a flash of jealousy appeared in her eyes. It was all because she had been so envious of Avril's good looks, which put Avril under the spotlight. Angie always had to be a side character, second best to Avril.
Even the man Angie had first befriended, Jack, had eventually fallen for Avril as well!
"Why must I always be the loser? All I wanted was to prove that I'm more attractive than her!" Angie thought.
"This is a new ring Jack bought for me. Isn't it stunning?" Angie proudly showed the diamond ring on her finger.
"The ring he bought for you was so ugly and old-fashioned. Let me tell you, Jack threw it away this morning right after you left." Angie continued challenging Avril's limit.
Avril's brows were furrowed in displeasure, and yet, Angie continued to ridicule her.
"Oh yes, you don't know it yet, do you?Jack has proposed to me earlier at noon. We'll be having our wedding soon. Be my guest, won't you?"
Angie kept blowing her own trumpet. However, all Avril could feel was how ridiculous the whole situation was. Jack had proposed to Angie right after Avril broke off their engagement. It was preposterous! Finally, Avril realized that Jack did not love her at all.
Avril took in a deep breath, trying to cover up the bitter pain she felt inside.
"It's not worth it, grieving over the loss of a jerk like Jack!" she thought.
"Oh really? Congratulations then!" Avril replied. To Angie's surprise, Avril sounded calm, as if she could not care less about what Angie was saying.
"How could it be?" Angie frowned.