Alvin sat in his chair, dressed in a ck suit, a white shirt, and a tie with star patterns.


    That tie was a gift I had given him for his birthdayst year. He never wore it, probably because he didn’t like it. But now, after we had parted ways, I was surprised to see him wearing it.


    His expression was dark, his eyes locked on me with an intense, almost hostile gaze.


    I knew why he was angry, but I stayed calm and spoke first, “Mr. Dolton, what’s this about?”


    “Where have you been these past few days?” His voice was sharp and cold.


    “On vacation,” I replied, sidestepping the question.


    Alvin’s fingers tightened slightly on the desk. “I asked where you went.”


    .


    “Tideport,” I said, answering without hesitation. There was no reason not to tell him.


    His brow furrowed deeper, and for a moment, confusion shed in his eyes, as if he didn’t know what Tideport was. But then again, it was such a small, insignificant town. I thought, ‘Why would he know?’


    If he actually cared about me, though, he would have known. I had mentioned it before-it was where I was born, the ce my parents always dreamed of taking me.


    But he had forgotten. Because he didn’t care enough to remember. The things I said had never mattered to him.


    “You went there for vacation?” Alvin’s question sounded almost mocking.


    And I couldn’t help it-I smiled, just a little. “Yes,” I said, nodding.


    “Then why was your phone off? Why didn’t you respond to any messages on WhatsApp?” His words were pointed, each one colder than thest..


    I pressed my lips together. “Isn’t it my choice, Mr. Dolton?”


    His face grew even darker, his expression hardening. “Yes, it’s your choice. But thepany has rules. Employees can’t let personal matters interfere with work.”


    “Has my absence affected anything?” I asked, giving him a t look.


    Alvin swallowed, and suddenly, I thought of Josh. The way his Adam’s apple had moved when his chin brushed my nose… It was bigger, more defined, and somehow more masculine.


    “About the amusement park…” Alvin raised his hand and pointed at me. “Are you really going to say this hasn’t had an impact?”


    “No,” I answered firmly. “Whether I was on vacation or not, the lighting issue would still be there. As soon as I found out, I cut my vacation short and came back immediately.” I had ten days off, but I only took seven.


    Alvin fell silent for a moment, then, after a brief pause, nodded sharply. “But this is your project. Any issue here is your responsibility.”


    “I know,” I said, standing my ground. “I’m already working to fix it. The handover won’t be affected.”


    Alvin knew my capabilities, and he also knew I could be stubborn. He nodded. “Alright, I’ll give you some time. But if the


    handover is dyed, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”


    He didn’t finish the sentence, but I knew exactly what he meant. So, I finished it for him. “If the handover fails, I’ll take full responsibility for the losses.”


    “Can you afford that?” He snapped, his voice rising suddenly.


    I tightened my fingers slightly, then replied, “I know I can’t. That’s why I won’t let it affect the handover.”


    It was a tense back-and-forth, but usually, these kinds of exchanges would have reassured him. Yet, for some reason, I could tell that he was getting more frustrated, not less.


    He fell silent, his gaze still fixed on me.


    “Is there anything else, Mr. Dolton? If not, I’ll get back to work,” I said, turning to leave.


    “Stop!” His voice was cold, sharp.


    “What else can I do for you, Mr. Dolton?” I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.


    Alvin tugged at his tie, clearly frustrated. “Zoe, what’s going on? Why didn’t you get the marriage license? Why did you suddenly disappear?”


    Once the business matters were done, we were back to personal issues-the real reason he had called me here.


    “I’m not causing trouble,” I replied tly, making my stance clear with those words.