Chapter 72 Lifting the Siege

(Lena's POV)
Raphael suddenly approached me, he said he wanted to talk to me about something, I did not show resistance to such a request, on the contrary, I had been waiting for Raphael to come forward.
It was dinner time and Rafael looked at me. And I was looking at him the whole time, and our eyes locked at this moment.
"What do you want to talk to me about?"
"Lena, I think we can separate for a while."
When I heard Rafael say this, my mood couldn't help but tense up.
"Are you trying to get me to move out?"
"No! That's not what I meant." Raphael quickly calmed down, then he looked over at me and continued, "I don't need you to work for me for now."
"So, you're firing me?"
To be honest, rather than being thrown out by Rafael, I felt that even if I lost this job, it didn't matter.
Since I want something, I must pay something, and God is very fair.
"Of course not, it's just that you don't have to work around me for a while."
My brow furrowed, not knowing what Raphael was trying to do.
Just as I hesitated to ask why, Raphael continued, "Lena, I trust you, but now I have to do this, and I hope you can understand me."
"Sure."
Of course, I understand Rafael, I'm not angry, but whenever I'm at night I can't help but think, if I understand them, then why can't they understand me?
This question will not be answered.
After a few days, I had to go to work at the new place that Rafael had arranged for me.
The environment here is worse than Raphael's office, but I don't get uncomfortable with it; on the contrary, I'm very comfortable with it.
Jerry is a very enthusiastic-looking young man who is a little older than me, but he has been working at Hill Group for five full years.
I have a lot of things I need to ask him for advice on.
After actually coming to work here, I found out that these jobs are not so easy. On the contrary, the work in Raphael's office was quite easy.
At this time, I can't help but wonder if it was all done on purpose by Raphael.
I have always been grateful for Raphael's care.
I didn't realize until this moment that he had done so much for me.
After I rearranged that information, I transferred them all to the computer.
I sighed and then stood up intending to get myself a cup of coffee to refresh.
I had just walked over and hadn't even filled my coffee when suddenly someone bumped into me.
The impact also made me feel very troubled, and I didn't stand firm on my feet and stumbled a few steps. Then I turned my head to look at the other side.
That woman looks worse than me.
She spilled all of her coffee on her dress.
Then the woman's eyes widened in shock and she reached out her hand, pointed at my nose, and posed a very arrogant look questioning me: "Why are you in the way here?"
"You're the one who bumped into it, okay?" I suddenly felt ridiculous.
I have always been able to feel that people here are more or less hostile to me, but I just want to do my job and do not want to invite trouble, only unfortunately these troubles do not think so.
When I first arrived, none of them were willing to help me, and only Jerry offered me a helping hand.
I would often overhear their discussions in the bathroom as well.
But I didn't care about all of them.
Because I've been through a lot of stuff.
Some of the things that are completely unacceptable to ordinary people, I have experienced.
Until now, I am still haunted by something.
I don't have the energy to deal with these boring people, but they don't think that way.
I looked at the woman in front of me, and when she heard my explanation, her attitude seemed to become even more arrogant. The woman sneered as she looked me up and down with a contemptuous look.
I was irritated by this look in her eyes, but I was still suppressing my temper and said in as calm a tone as I could, "If you don't mind, I can help you get your clothes clean."
"No, no, if I give you my clothes, you will surely spoil them for me, right?" The woman's attitude made me even more annoyed.
I took a deep breath: "And what do you want me to do?"
The woman put the empty cup she was holding to the side, and then she put her arm to her chest. The woman walked over to my side and started to look at me from the side.
"Nothing, I just need you to promise me that you'll stay away from Jerry."
I suddenly gasped at the woman's words.
God, can't I even have normal friends anymore?
By this time I had no fear left, I turned to the woman and looked her straight in the eye, and said, "So what you're saying is for me and Jerry not to continue seeing each other?"
"Yes, do you have a problem with that?"
"I'm sorry, I know you don't want to hear me say this, but I refuse."
The woman saw that I was such an attitude, and her face instantly became ugly.
"You are only a newcomer, some places or because you listen to me, Jerry is a good man, he is good to anyone, you better not think about using him."
The woman's words sounded as if I was a very jerk of a woman as if I must be trying to use Jerry for something bad.
"I know what you all say about me behind my back." I lowered my voice and said the words out loud.
The woman narrowed her eyes and looked at me with a dangerous look.
"So you know we call you a slut and call you a bitch. Since you know that's what we did to you, you should understand what I mean too. New guy, I don't want to waste time with you, you better remember what I said today, if I see you so close to Jerry again in the future, things like today will still happen in the future."
The woman moved closer to me, she reached out her hand, gently nudged my chest, and said, "I warned you."
"If I'm not mistaken, it should be business hours."
The woman quickly backed away from me, and then she shot a very nervous look at the person behind me. As soon as I heard the voice, I knew exactly who this person was.
But I didn't turn around.
"It looks like you guys need help, so if there's anything you need, you can tell me, and I'll help you out whenever I can, so, ladies?"
The woman still looked at me or something with a wary gaze, she exhaled, then withdrew her gaze and looked at me again.
"I know, but exactly how I'm going to do it, I'll only listen to my heart."
The woman glared at me, and she seemed to know that the person who came was not someone who could help her, so she walked away from me very sensibly.
I waited until the woman was gone before I turned around and looked up at William behind me.
"Long time no see." I typed care, but it was all out of courtesy.
After all, William still helped me out.
"Thanks."
William looked at me, then he gave a low chuckle, and I lowered my head and did not continue to look at him.
However, the very moment I lowered my head, William suddenly reached out and put his hand on my head.
I almost jumped at such a movement, and I jerked my head up and reached out to swat his hand down.
Such a scene is a bit awkward.
And it was also at this time that I suddenly thought of what the woman had just said.
I do know exactly how they talk about me, they all say that I am not a good woman and must have my agenda for approaching Raphael. However, my plans were probably dashed, which is why I was driven here by Raphael. The first thing that happened was that the one who stepped in for me now was not Raphael, but William.
It's amazing that those people knew about Raphael and me, so they must have known about Raphael and William as well.
I took another step backward, and William seemed to see my resistance.
He didn't push me to do anything, but gave a soft laugh and tried to soothe my emotions.
This was the way we got along until we met Rafael.
William was very nice to me.
"I just saw you here earlier, and you were maybe in some trouble, so I walked over, and nothing more." William shrugged his shoulders, and he looked unconcerned.
I let out a laugh and looked up at him, "I suppose you have a lot of work now, too?"
"Indeed, I now appreciate instead how busy Rafael is usually."
I couldn't help but roll my eyes, and by this time, the atmosphere had calmed down.
"If you have nothing else to do, I think I should bid you farewell now as well."
I had a lot of work to take care of and didn't have time to continue the small talk with William.
"Well, then, I'll leave you to it."
William did not say much, which is rather a little different from his previous, and he was a little surprised by these same reactions.
But William still gently stroked my cheek before he left.
"William, wait a minute."
I don't know why I suddenly called out to him.
Maybe it's trying to get an answer from him.
Maybe it's just to make up for some of your regrets.
But, no matter what I wanted to do, the moment William turned back, I used to lose the desire to continue.
"What's wrong?"
I looked at William's figure and suddenly felt some bitterness.
Even my eyes seem to have moistened up.
"No, it's nothing."
I didn't return to my seat until after William had left.
I just want to ask him, William came back, whether it is to compete for the succession of Hill Group, or me.
However, his answer doesn't matter at all.