A waiter handed Ellsworth the menu, and he ordered a few

dishes. Next to him, Kelsey reminded him, “Ells, you’ve ordered pretty much all my favorites. What about Hara?”

Holding the menu, he nced at Harriet.

He saw her as the third wheel.

The feeling was mutual. So, she picked up her phone from the

table.

When he passed her the menu, her phone rang.

She answered at once, and Jolene’s voice came through. “Ms.

Chavez, Mr. Massey is here. He says the second project’s

paperwork hasn’t been finalized yet. Since Mr. Townsend

hasn’t signed, they can’t get to work.”

She said, “I see. I’ll be right back.”

After hanging up, she looked at Kelsey. “Kelsey, I’m sorry.

Something came up at work, and I gotta go back. You guys

enjoy!”

Without waiting for their response, she picked up her bag and

phone and left.

She felt much better the moment she stepped out of the restaurant. Even the sky seemed to brighten a lot.

***

In the restaurant, Kelsey asked Ellsworth, “Are you really

getting a divorce?”

He scoffed, “You actually believed her?”

To him, Harriet was all about money and power. Even if she did

want a divorce, she’d calcte every dime that was hers. The

property division alone would take forever.

Kelsey said, “She seems pretty serious to me. Or… it’s you who

don’t want a divorce?”

He let out a chuckle. “You’re funny. Let’s eat!”

Changing the subject, he asked, “How are you feeling?”

She said, “I’m fine. Don’t worry. Sylvia must have been praying

for me.”

Sylvia Graham was her sister.

Harriet went back to her office quickly. After negotiating with Dillon Massey, the CEO of Ranton Group, she stood up and saw

him off, smiling, “Rest assured, Mr. Massey. I’ll get Mr.

Townsend to sign the contract right away. The project won’t be

dyed.”

“Thank you, Ms. Chavez,” Dillon said.

“Don’t mention it. It’s what I should do.”

“Mr. Townsend is really lucky to have you as his wife!”

She smiled, walking him out the door.

Shortly after, Jolene brought her lunch over. “Ms. Chavez, how

was your check-up today?”

Opening the container, she smiled, “Everything’s normal. Don’t

worry!”

But Jolene still frowned. “Ms. Chavez, no matter what, your

health has toe first. Everything’s fine now because you’re

young. But what about in ten years? You really shouldn’t

exhaust yourself.”

She said, “I know. Thank you. I’ll pay more attention to it.””

She wouldn’t remain upied or drain herself for much longer.

Despite what she promised, she dove back into work the second

she finished lunch.

That night, she worked overtime again, just as usual.

It wasn’t because she was a workaholic or something. Rather

than sit alone at home staring nkly at the ceiling, she

preferred burying herself in work.

Ellsworth, on the other hand, had a business dinner that night.

During the dinner, his phone rang.

It was a call from Patsy.

He walked outside and picked up, and her voice rang out. “Ells,

it’s sote. Where are you? Have you forgotten what I said the

other day? At least be a good husband once in a while.”

Stubbing out his half-smoked cigarette in a nearby ashtray, he

asked, his voicezy, “Mom, are you at Auburn Heights?”

1:|: ?? ?? 1:|:| ? ? ? ??

“Yeah. I’m gonna stay here for a while. Come back,” Patsy said.

“Hara’s working overtime. Pick her up on your way back.”

After a while of silence, he said tly, “I see.”

He hung up the phone and rubbed his temples, feeling a

headacheing on.

Then he scrolled through his contacts.

Several minutes had passed, yet he still couldn’t find Harriet’s

number.

He didn’t save it.

Though he tried to recall it, the digits had blurred together in

his memory.

Thinking that the office was on his way home, he simply put

his phone away and drove straight there.