Chapter 38 Why Overthink?

Why does everything involve Grace?

Yvonne felt like she had a grudge with Grace for this lifetime!

"Are you afraid?" Elijah noticed a layer of worry in her eyes.

Yvonne pursed her lips. "If it's fair competition, there's really nothing to be afraid of. But if Grace secretly sabotages me, I won't be willing."

"What can you do if that happens? There are many unfair things in the world." Elijah's gaze fell on her.

With lowered lashes, she got up and said, "You wash the dishes, I'll go revise the drawings."

Elijah followed her into the bedroom, took her laptop in his hands, and gave suggestions as he read.

Yvonne made notes one by one.

After going through the first draft, it was already late at night.

"After you're done editing, send me the electronic version, and I'll give it a careful read tomorrow." Elijah naturally placed his hand on her shoulder.

She didn't find it inappropriate and massaged her slightly stiff neck. "Let's go to bed. Oh, by the way, when I bought Joseph a down jacket, I also bought one for you. It's hanging in the closet. Do you want to try it on?"

Elijah paused at her words.

As the sponsor of this secret relationship with Yvonne, it should be him who spent money on gifts to make her happy.

After a while, he said lightly, "Sure."

Yvonne took Elijah's hand and walked into the closet, putting the well-made long black down jacket on him.

It was a simple style, but Elijah managed to wear it with a casual and cool vibe.

"It seems like I’ve never got to wear such thick clothing." Elijah's face stiffened. "Thank you." The words "thank you" almost reached his throat but didn't come out.

Yvonne took off the down jacket and hung it back in its place.

The fact that the down jacket, costing over two thousand dollars, didn't stir any emotions in Elijah's heart made Yvonne feel defeated.

She mustered up the courage a few times but couldn't bring herself to mention the "engagement" with Ryan next Saturday.

Well, let's wait until tomorrow.

After taking a shower, Yvonne walked into the bedroom in her pajamas, only to find that Elijah had also gotten onto the bed.

"You—"

Before Yvonne could speak, Elijah reached out and turned off all the lights in the room.

He said coldly, "Go to sleep."

"Fine, I'll sleep." Yvonne didn't dare stay too close to him, so she moved aside and left her back for him.

The two of them didn't speak again.

Perhaps it was because Yvonne had spent the whole day working on her computer, drawing sketches, that she fell asleep first.

Listening to the rhythmic and gentle breathing by his ear, Elijah's heart was in chaos.

He remembered clearly that the last gift he received was six years ago.

It was a suit Shirley gave him.

After Shirley passed away, he never wore that suit again. It hung in the wardrobe of the old house.

The woman next to him was only a simple physical relationship, yet she brought him a different kind of warmth.

This warmth made him greedy, obsessed.

He reached out his long arm and held Yvonne tightly in his embrace.

It was still dark when Elijah woke up.

The woman in his arms was still asleep as he quietly got out of bed to freshen up.

He went into the wardrobe and saw the black down jacket.

He stared at it for a while, then changed his clothes and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

When Yvonne got out of bed, she smelled the aroma of frying eggs coming from outside.

She walked into the living room and saw Elijah busy between the dining room and the kitchen.

Elijah was wearing a light-colored shirt and black trousers, with his sleeves slightly rolled up. Though he was only setting the table, he appeared focused, as if he was working.

From Yvonne's perspective, Elijah's side profile was strikingly handsome, like a statue, with sharp edges and corners.

Suddenly, she thought that being able to sleep with this man was not a bad deal at all!

At that moment, Elijah glanced at her.

The smile at the corner of her lips happened to catch Elijah's eyes.

In an instant, a hint of infatuation flickered in Elijah's deep gaze.

He held his breath and concentrated his thoughts, casting away distractions in his mind. "What's so funny? Tell me," he said.

"I just feel that making breakfast is a bit of a waste of your talents," Yvonne laughed as she sat down on the dining chair.

"Are you worried about me?" Elijah held his chin with one hand, narrowing his eyes as he observed her.

She snorted, "Don't flatter yourself."

"Do you have plans for Saturday? I want to take Joseph to climb RD Mount. You’ll have to come, of course." Elijah seemed casual, but this decision had been rolling around in his mind all morning.

This Saturday, Yvonne was supposed to have her engagement ceremony with Ryan. How could she possibly go?

She lied, "Sorry, I already made plans with Hannah yesterday. We're going shopping and watching a movie on Saturday."

Elijah nodded and said, "Okay, how about Sunday then?"

"Sounds good," she agreed, feeling guilty.

She felt like she had missed another opportunity to be honest with Elijah.

It was just an engagement ceremony for show, right? Maybe Elijah didn't even care.

With that thought, she quickly reassured herself.

Today was Monday, and she had to go to work.

Last Friday, Yvonne submitted her drawings. One-third of them were approved, while the rest were rejected.

She carefully reviewed the reasons for rejection and made the necessary improvements before resubmitting.

Team leader Owen casually mentioned the RD event. "It’s said that this year the organizing committee only issued two golden invitation cards within the country. One is with Grace from the Brooks Group, and the other one's whereabouts are unknown.”

“As long as they qualify for the competition, even without winning any awards, it’ll give their careers a significant boost,” Susie mentioned.

The other colleagues were guessing who would have the other invitation card.

Yvonne remained silent and started scrolling through her phone.

Mrs. Winston mentioned her by tagging (@) her and asked if she had returned. Yvonne replied in the group chat, saying, "Auntie, I'm sorry, I still need a few more days before returning to Winslow."

Mrs. Winston responded with a series of helpless emojis.

Shortly after, Ryan sent her a private message: [Hang in there, my friend. Next Monday, I will definitely help you regain your freedom! My mom has been going crazy shopping these days, so try not to go out on the streets.]

Yvonne replied with a simple "okay."

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. It was Richard from the design department. "Owen, there's a client who needs on-site drawings; can you take care of it?"

"Sure," Owen agreed and glanced at a few subordinates. "Susie has an urgent draft to work on. The three of you, who wants to come with me?"

Working on on-site drawings for clients not only required solid professional skills but also good communication. It was a common scenario to work hard all day and be unnoticed.

This job was troublesome for all renovation companies and often didn't yield good results.

Seeing that her colleagues remained silent, Yvonne volunteered eagerly, "I'm still new to the company and unfamiliar with everything. Let me try it out with Owen."

"Working on on-site drawings tests the designers' adaptability. You're all young, so don't worry about failure," Owen sighed gently and gestured for Yvonne to come downstairs.

Half an hour later, Yvonne followed Owen to Wood Mansion.

Yvonne never dreamt that the client would turn out to be Carlos.

Carlos's renewable energy company had rented two floors in Wood Mansion for expansion and urgently needed renovation, so they approached the FA Center Company.

Carlos didn't expect to meet Yvonne and, for the ease of communication, even hired a Spanish translator.

Upon seeing Yvonne, Carlos got overly enthusiastic. He started with a big hug and asked about her recent work and life. He also suggested they should go for a drink and chat sometime.

After several reminders from Yvonne, Carlos finally started discussing his requirements for the renovation design.

Yvonne really wanted to secure this project. Even though she sensed that Carlos wanted to take advantage of her, she had to communicate with him.

The two conversed fluently in Spanish, leaving Owen and the translator aside.

Whether it was measuring or creating computer-aided designs, Carlos stood by Yvonne's side like a loyal sidekick.

Because he was attracted to Yvonne, he was also extremely pleased with the designs she created.

They produced five design drafts continuously in the morning, and Carlos couldn't stop praising them. He insisted on treating Yvonne and Owen to lunch.

Lunchtime

Despite the kind hospitality, after the three of them finished ordering at a Western restaurant, Owen discreetly settled the bill.

Owen had become completely marginalized, unable to understand Spanish. Carlos's attention was solely on Yvonne, and he felt like even his breathing was unnecessary.

Yvonne was clever. She didn't finish her meal and took advantage of Carlos's fondness for her, getting him to obediently sign the renovation contract.

Owen sent Yvonne a WhatsApp message from across the table: [Keep up the good work and try to secure all of Carlos's renovation orders this afternoon.]

Yvonne replied with an "OK" emoji and sent another text to Owen: [No matter how much Carlos chases you away, make sure to stay close to me this afternoon. I can't be alone with him!]

Shortly after, Owen replied: [I will, without a doubt.]

As the three of them descended from the private room on the second floor, Yvonne nearly twisted her ankle. Carlos, who was beside her, reached out and held onto her waist.

This scene was coincidentally noticed by Elijah, who was sitting at the corner of the first-floor dining area. He was at a distance from the revolving door, and if you didn't pay close attention while coming down from the second floor, you wouldn't notice where he was sitting.

Carlos's hand lingered at Yvonne's waist for less than three seconds before she playfully pushed it away.

The two whispered to each other, Yvonne with a radiant smile and Carlos with an unabashed desire in his eyes.

Elijah watched them leave the restaurant, his face turning cold.

"What's wrong, Mr. Harper?" the client across from him asked cautiously, unaware of the situation.

"Nothing. I need to use the restroom," Elijah replied, his face heavy.

He walked to an empty hallway and sent Yvonne a WhatsApp message: [Where are you?]

Yvonne didn't reply.

Growing increasingly frustrated, he dialed Yvonne's number.

It rang several times before Yvonne's voice came through, "Calling at this time? Do you need something?"

"No, nothing." He tried to calm himself down. "I was just bored and wanted to chat with you for a while."

"I'm working overtime. I'll call you back when I'm done," Yvonne said anxiously, preparing to end the call.

Elijah furrowed his brows. "Where are you? So busy?"

Yvonne hesitated briefly before laughing. "Where else would I be? Of course, at FA Center Company."

"Alright then."

Elijah voluntarily ended the call and leaned against the cold wall.

He searched his whole body but couldn't find a cigarette.

Anger surged within him from the deception, but he quickly regained his composure.

He dialed Arthur's number and explained a few things in a low voice.

Shortly after, Arthur called back.

"Mr. Harper, I just checked. Carlos gave the renovation of the new company to FA Center Company. Miss Brooks happens to be in charge of the design drawings."

Elijah pressed his fingers against his forehead. "I see."

For the rest of the afternoon, Elijah remained busy.

Two cases were assigned to him as a substitute lawyer, and the thick dossier was giving him a headache.

Subconsciously, he hoped that Yvonne would have a change of heart and give him a call or a message, but he didn't receive anything by the end of the workday.

He returned to Rhode Hills and brewed a pot of tea, but Yvonne still hadn't come back.

Forget it, she is with Carlos for work, why should he be having these random thoughts!

The phone rang, and it was Joseph.

"Dad, why isn't Aunt Yvonne answering her phone?"

"She's busy with work." He closed his weary eyes. "She'll call you back when she's done."

Disappointed, Joseph said, "Goodbye."

After finishing a pot of tea, Elijah couldn't help himself and found Yvonne's number to dial.

Yvonne didn't pick up, but called back after two minutes. Without greeting him first, she coldly asked, "What's up?"

In that moment, Elijah felt a suffocating sensation in his chest. He restrained himself and said, "Is it not possible to call without a reason?"

"I'm busy, I'll be back later." Yvonne's tone softened a bit. "If there's nothing else, I'll hang up."

"Where are you?" Elijah said as he grabbed his coat and car keys.

"...Working overtime," Yvonne replied guiltily.

From the afternoon until now, she had lied to him twice.

Elijah left no room for her anymore and said sternly, "I'm in the parking lot of the FA Center Company now. Come out, Joseph wants to see you."