Chapter 23: What You Think, You Become

After a hair-raising trip to Rural Retreat, Ursula had been in a daze at work these past few days, making frequent errors.

Seeing Ursula daydreaming for the fifth time today, Komatsu couldn't help but ask with concern, "Store Manager, what's wrong with you?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing, I'm going to check the warehouse," Ursula snapped out of her reverie.

"Store Manager, it's lunchtime now." Komatsu kindly reminded her.

What's going on with the Store Manager, he wondered, daydreaming aside, had she forgotten what she had already done? She had just done the inventory check this morning.

Realizing she had been absent-minded as she looked at the inventory sheet in her hand, Ursula said with a tight expression, "Komatsu, you go ahead and eat."

Seeing that Ursula had no intention of leaving, Komatsu asked kindly, "Aren't you joining us, Store Manager?"

"No, I'm not really hungry," Ursula shook her head.
Seeing that Ursula genuinely did not want to join them, Komatsu did not insist and left with the other colleagues.

Ursula massaged her temples, worn out. Alone, she returned to the lounge and quietly sat on a stool to rest with her eyes closed.

Matthew's eyes were deep and mysterious, kept swirling in her mind.

She had thought that Matthew would come to look for her soon, but three days had passed since she came back. Her initial panic had slowly settled into a calm.

Not a single call, not one message, her gaze involuntarily fell on her phone's screen, which was as dark as her mood, shrouded in black clouds.

Buzz, buzz, buzz...

The faint vibration interrupted Ursula from her thoughts. Her clear eyes locked onto the phone screen, seeing a familiar number, her palm slightly trembled, a bitter smile formed on her lips. It seemed that whatever she thought of would come to pass.

"Hello..." Ursula noticed a hint of an inexplicable nervousness in her voice.

"The check is ready. Come collect it with your things for the exchange, Ursula."

Matthew's cool voice came through the phone. Despite the physical distance between them, Ursula felt a chill spread through her body, turning her fingertips, gripping the phone, deathly pale.

She steadied herself, forcing calm into her tone, albeit with a touch of strain, "Okay, I understand."

A few seconds of silence on the other end felt torturous to Ursula, every second suffocating, almost giving her the illusion...

She was like a death row inmate awaiting her sentence.

"Ursula, you've really surprised me." Matthew's calm voice was like a sharp blade piercing her heart, it w as painful, with an indescribable sense of sorrow.

Ursula's voice was icy, masking the sting of his sarcasm. "If that's all, I'm hanging up." The line went dead before he could respond.

Matthew, caught off guard by her abruptness, sensed her desperation. His assistant Lin Hai peeked in, noted Matthew's dark mood, and thought better of interrupting. Discretion was the better part of valor.

Ursula felt her energy drain away as she hung up, noticing only then the dampness of her clothing. It was lunch time, a good chance to slip through the office unnoticed. She gathered her things and made her way to Matthew's office. Although close by, it was her first visit in their three-year history.

She stood before the 32-story tower, a beacon of the city's elite. Matthew's domain spanned the 19th and 20th floors. His success was as evident as the building's prime real estate.

The busy floor offered Ursula some anonymity. She inhaled deeply and entered.

Riding the elevator, her heart raced, recalling the whirlwind that had brought her and Matthew together. Despite the chaos, she cherished the thrill of their secret moments, watching him work, admiring his focused gaze, and his striking features.

She was drawn to his leadership and charisma, having savored three years of stolen time. Yet, an emptiness lingered, a craving for more than his sporadic attention.

The sound of the elevator snapped Ursula back to reality. She stepped out into the hushed office space. A few workers remained, heads down, focused.

Approaching the reception, she asked, "Hello, where's Matthew's office?"

The receptionist, wary of another attempt to get close to Matthew, maintained her composure. "Do you have an appointment?"

"No, but he asked me to come over. I'm Shan," Ursula replied, noting the receptionist's skepticism.

After a verifying phone call, the receptionist's attitude shifted to respect. "Miss Shan, this way, please."

Ursula followed, thanking her. They passed through the bustling office to a formidable door at the end—a barrier as daunting as the man behind it, a mountain named Matthew.

The receptionist knocked, announcing, "Matthew, Miss Shan is here."

"Let her in," came the deep reply.

The receptionist, now more curious about Ursula's identity, especially after Matthew's girlfriend's recent visit, let her pass.

Ursula maintained her composure, though her sweaty palms betrayed her anxiety.