ELLA.

I tapped on the notification slowly, and the message immediately came into full display on my screen.

> Hi Ella, we would be closing from work in an hour time, and I would love to walk you home.

The moment I finished reading it, a sharp headache spread through my skull instantly.

I shut my eyes briefly.

Seriously?

Why now?

How was I supposed to handle this now?

I leaned back against the wall behind me while staring blankly at the screen of my phone.

Micheal was only trying to be friendly, that much was obvious but the problem wasn’t Micheal.

The problem was the triplets, especially after the way they reacted earlier.

Lawrence had practically dragged me away from the cafeteria simply because I was eating with Micheal.

And Lurgard...

Gosh.

Just thinking about his expression earlier was enough to make my head ache even more. There was absolutely no way they would allow me to walk home with another man.

I tapped my feet lightly against the floor as frustration slowly built inside me and everything suddenly felt exhausting.

Refusing Micheal would seem rude.

We had only just become friends.

And honestly, he had been nothing but kind to me. He kept me company and spoke to me normally without making things overly complicated.

He was just being polite by offering to walk me home yet somehow, even something as simple as that now felt like a huge problem.

I pressed my fingers lightly against my temple again, then another troubling thought crossed my mind.

Coming to work daily with the triplets...and leaving with them too...would definitely create gossip around the company sooner or later.

People notice things quickly, most especially in a place like this.

The triplets were important figures in the company and I was merely their assistant. An assistant they were already acting strangely possessive over.

I lowered my gaze slowly, as a bitter feeling crept into my chest almost immediately.

I had already experienced what gossip could do once before—back at Bloodfang. The memories still hurt deeply, as the whispers, the mocking stares and the cruel comments behind my back—Barren, as that word alone nearly destroyed me back then.

I could still remember how suffocating it felt walking through the pack while people looked at me with pity and ridicule like I was incomplete and worthless...and even now, the trauma from it still lingered deep inside me.

I unconsciously wrapped a hand around my stomach protectively.

What would they call me this time?

A shameless woman?

The triplets’ plaything?

The thoughts alone made my chest tighten painfully, and the worst part...I wasn’t even thinking about myself anymore.

I was thinking about my child.

I didn’t want my baby growing up hearing terrible things about their mother. I didn’t want any stain attached to my name that could someday affect my child’s confidence or future.

No matter what happened, I needed to protect this child. Even if it meant distancing myself from everyone else.

I stared helplessly at Micheal’s message again, then slowly exhaled. After much contemplation, I finally gave in and my fingers hovered briefly over the screen before I slowly typed a reply to Micheal.

> Sure, there is no problem with that. See you at closing hours.

I stared at the message for a few seconds and then finally...I hit send.

The moment the message was delivered, I exhaled deeply and tucked my phone back into my pocket.

Now the problem was something else entirely.

Which office was I even supposed to return to?

I stood quietly in the hallway, unsure of where exactly I should go. The earlier noises and arguments had already subsided completely.

Which clearly meant Bernard had probably left already.

Honestly, I was relieved, because the atmosphere around him was strange and uncomfortable.

And judging from the reactions of the triplets earlier, his sudden return definitely wasn’t a good thing.

I remained standing there awkwardly for a while before eventually deciding to return to Lurgard’s office.

At least my things were still there. Slowly, I pushed the office door open carefully and the moment I stepped inside, I instantly relaxed slightly.

Lurgard was seated inside the inner office, his attention was completely fixed on the large computer screen before him as he worked silently.

Luckily, he didn’t notice me immediately and I quietly made my way toward the desk and sat down gently.

I tried my best not to make any unnecessary sound. Honestly, after everything that happened earlier, I didn’t trust myself around him anymore.

Not when my body reacted shamelessly every single time he got close.

I shook the thoughts away immediately and forced myself to focus on the documents in front of me instead.

Work.

I needed to concentrate on work.

Slowly, I resumed what I had been doing earlier, flipping through files and typing occasionally into the system.

The office remained unusually quiet, and only the soft tapping sounds from Lurgard’s keyboard echoed faintly from the inner office.

Seconds slowly blurred into minutes, then minutes melted into more minutes and before I realized it...an entire hour had passed already.

My eyes widened slightly the moment I glanced at the time.

Closing hours.

I instantly sat upright, without wasting another second, I hurriedly packed my things together. I arranged the files quickly, grabbed my bag, and carefully slipped my phone into my pocket.

Then slowly, I stood up from the chair, and without looking towards Lurgard’s direction, I tiptoed toward the office door almost like a criminal trying to flee from a crime scene.

The moment I stepped out successfully, relief washed through me instantly. I didn’t stop walking until I used the elevator.

Micheal was already waiting for me, and the moment he saw me, his face brightened immediately.

"There you are," he said with a smile.

I smiled back lightly.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting."

"It’s fine," Micheal replied easily. "I only just got here too."

We exchanged a few more casual words before heading toward the company exit together.

Everything felt normal for exactly two seconds, because the moment I stepped outside the company building...

My entire body froze.

My face paled instantly.

And at that moment, I genuinely wished the ground would just open up and swallow me whole.

Because a very familiar voice suddenly echoed my name.