Chapter 20 Top Performer


    Since Jude agreed to let me file for work injurypensation, I naturally wouldn''t spare any expense for him.


    Plus, I had my own agenda this time. I kept feeling like the way Jude looked at me was different today, which reminded me of the past.


    I sorted all the receipts and sent them straight to finance that night.


    After a good half an hour, she finally replied.


    Nina: [Is this your medical record? Did Mr. Carson approve the reimbursement?]


    Me: [Yep, I''lle see you tomorrow.]


    I could imagine she must be utterly shocked, given that no one at thepany was aware of my illness.


    Nina was an old hand at the Carson Group, personally picked by Jude''s grandpa to help Jude.


    I trusted her and knew she wouldn''t spill the beans. And I believed if Jude asked her, she''d tell him the truth.


    I gently gripped my phone, the screen showing my chat box with Jude. I couldn''t


    help but wonder what he''d look like if he knew I was really sick.


    The next day, I went straight to finance with the receipts.


    When Nina saw me holding the reimbursement form, she looked utterly


    speechless." Ada, is this for real? I thought you were joking. You sure you want thepany to reimburse you?"


    I nodded, of course, I was sure, or I''d be footing the bill myself.


    Nina didn''t give me a hard time but told me how to organize the receipts directly.


    When she saw my receipts, she clearly froze. "How old are you? How''d you get this illness? When was the surgery?"


    Yesterday, the doctor changed my dressing, fearing my wound would reopen. Everything was clearly written in the medical record.


    Nina could see it, and I believed anyone who wanted to check could find it out.


    I didn''t answer her questions but instead asked, "Did Jude tell you it''s okay to reimburse me?"


    Sessfully unlocked!


    She nodded. "Said it counts as worker''sp."


    "Nothing else?" I pressed.


    Seeing Nina shake her head, I had nothing more to say.


    If he had just asked one more question, maybe he would''ve known about my condition, but he didn''t


    I let out a heavy breath, my lingering hope finally dead.


    He couldn''t care less about me, so naturally, he wouldn''t bother to know what expenses I was reimbursed.


    My health check report had been sitting in his usual spot for the car keys for months.


    Back then, i thought maybe he''d turn over a new leaf like the male lead in the novel, who felt remorseful after realizing his wife was sick.


    But he didn''t even nce at my health report, and eventually, I had to throw it away myself.


    My situation with Jude wasn''t a secret at work; he''d brought plenty of women to the office. Pretty much everyone knew I was cheated on.


    Yet, he just wouldn''t let me go, and the colleagues had all sorts of things to say about


    it


    *


    Nina looked at my receipts and then gave me a sympathetic look. "Ada, you''re capable and pretty. Why him? Listen, save up more money, got it? Just look at that Vivian."


    1 nodded in full agreement.


    Maybe that was the right way for those who''d been through it-feelings were fake, only money was real. Now I got it too.


    Suddenly, I felt a bit envious of Vivian, being so clear-headed in her prime.


    Before leaving, I reminded Nina not to tell Jude about my illness.


    She looked puzzled, asking, “Maybe he''d change after he knew?"


    I shrugged helplessly. "He won''t; he''d just think I''m ying the victim card. Better


    not." He''d never know, and maybe that was for the best.


    As I left the finance department, I saw Vivian showing off her bag to others proudly. "It''s a limited edition; you have to queue for ages. You need millions in annual spending to even get the chance.


    "Yeah, Jude pre-ordered it for me; he chose the color. Isn''t it nice?"


    When I approached, she seemed to notice me and called out dramatically, "Ada, you really came to finance for reimbursement?


    "It''s just a few hundred bucks, worthing for reimbursement? You really that broke?"


    She lifted her chin, her eyes full of smugness.


    Then, pretending to be concerned, she whispered softly, "After all, you''re still the CEO''s wife. Acting so stingy like this will make Jude aughingstock."


    My gaze fell on the bag in her hand, and I nodded seriously. "You''re pretty loaded, more than me, the so-called CEO''s wife,"


    "Hmph, don''t underestimate me. This isn''t part of your ''marital property" She


    deliberately emphasized the phrase "marital property."


    Guess I hit a nervest time; her voice got even louder. "This bag? Bought it with my sry. I''m a top performer, so Jude specially bumped up my bonus.


    "Don''t get any wrong ideas. Jude just reserved it for me; I paid for it myself."


    I couldn''t help butugh out loud upon hearing this.


    An intern with a six-figure bag? Jude sure was loaded.


    "What are youughing at? Are you looking down on me?" Vivian was now like a


    cat whose tail got stepped on, ready to blow her top any second.


    I wiped the tears fromughing and gave her a thorough once-over from head to


    toe. As an intern, putting in effort in bed counts, too.


    "Not bad indeed. Keep it up, or the top performer next month might not be you."