46

Suzanne was so exhausted that she fell asleep quickly.

Nathan thought she had been sleeping more than usual lately, but assumed it was due to the ravages of her illness.

His cell phone rang and he quickly picked it up so that the noise would not wake Suzanne.

“Mr. Strong," that was the voice of his deputy assistant.

“Yes?”

“Sorry to bother you, sir, I just wanted to remind you about your meeting today at eight o'clock.”

“Emilia, I ask you to cancel all my morning appointments, I'll be a little late today," he asked, relaxing.

“Yes, sir.”

“Thank you, see you later," and he hung up.

At ten o'clock he thought it was time to wake Suzanne up, but first he went to the kitchen to get a tray with the breakfast that Mrs. Marcia, the cook, had just made.

Suzanne was awakened by the pleasant aroma of toast that filtered through her nostrils.

“Mmm, smells delicious," she murmured as she sat up.

“I brought breakfast, I thought you might be hungry," Nathan offered.

“You don't know how hungry," she murmured, before she took a bite of the bread with strawberry jam she was holding in her hand.

“You have some jam here," he said, as he bent down to wipe it off, and she was not surprised when he did so with his tongue.

“Nathan…”

“I think the jam tastes better on you than on this piece of bread, that gives me an idea," he said mischievously, curving his lips into a mischievous smile.

“Enough ideas for today, we must go to work," she reprimanded him, somewhat heated.

At half past eleven they arrived at the company, after that relaxed morning.

“Sir, you have a visitor in your office," Emilia informed him as soon as she saw him get out of the elevator.

“Who is it?”

“She said it was an old acquaintance.”

He nodded and headed for his office, with Suzanne at his side.

“I thought you had set her up next to you," Suzanne said when she saw that the desk of her substitute was in the hallway next to Nathan's office.

“That desk is yours alone, honey.”

He opened the door to enter, but when he heard Emilia call out to him, he turned back.

She entered the office, but stopped suddenly when she saw the red-haired woman sitting there, the undesirable woman who had humiliated her months before, when she had inadvertently spilled coffee on her dress.

Valery, how could she forget that woman.

“You? I thought Nathan had gotten rid of you," she said with contempt.

“You can see he hasn't, my dear," Suzanne said with the same sympathy.

She opened her mouth to say something, but was silenced when she saw the door open. She quickly got up from her seat and rushed into Nathan's arms.

Nathan hugged her back, just as Suzanne had seen him do months ago.

“I think I'll have to get used to your surprise visit," Nathan said with a grimace.

"Don't worry, this time I'm staying in London permanently, just like old times, handsome," the redhead said flirtatiously.

Suzanne didn't like hearing her say that at all, and especially in the way she said it. Nathan pulled away from Valery, uncomfortable.

"Have a seat," he told his guest, as he sat in his chair.

"Nathan, how is it possible that you haven't fired this girl?" she said, pointing to Suzie, who was sitting at her desk.

She seemed serene, although inside she was fuming.

"She's an excellent employee," he said.

Suzanne couldn't let him see how hurt she was by his words, she didn't even bother to look up and continued with her work.

Just a few hours ago he had said that she was his wife and now she was just an employee.

«Idiot», she thought angrily.

"Nathan, I came to invite you to lunch, I need your advice on a business I'm about to start, but first I want to know what you think," Valery spoke enthusiastically. "After all, you're the businessman I admire most."

Nathan hesitated for a moment before answering, he looked at Suzanne trying to catch her eye; but she continued to stare at her phone.

"Fine.”

"Then let's go, it's already twelve o'clock," she took his arm familiarly. "I know an incredible place to have lunch."

"Wait outside, I need to talk to Suzanne," he informed her and Valery frowned.

"Don't take long, handsome."

Once alone, he approached her, hesitant.

"Baby..."

"Why are you still here? They're waiting for you outside," Suzanne said in an icy tone.

"Suzie, don't start," he scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable. "She's just a friend."

"Well, I haven't said otherwise," she looked at him seriously, shrugging her shoulders.

Nathan looked at her with a sullen face and left angrily. Suzanne shrugged her shoulders and tried not to think about what had happened. It would do no good anyway.

A few minutes later she took her purse and left the office to have lunch.

"Suzie," she heard her name being called as soon as she got out of the elevator.

"Lucius," she said, happy to see him again.

It seemed like fate that on the same day that woman had returned, she would see Lucius again. It had been more than two months since she had seen him.

After Nathan had found them talking in the hallway, he had sent the boy to work as far away from her as possible. Although when she could, Suzanne would occasionally pass by the finance department where he worked.

"It's good to see you again, you're more beautiful than the last time I saw you," Lucius said, hugging her affectionately.

"You're a sweetheart," she said, smiling.

"What if I treat you to lunch and you tell me how your life is going?"

"Fine, let 's go."

Suzanne thought about declining the invitation, but then she thought that there was no harm in having lunch with a friend, after all, Nathan was having lunch with a "friend.”