Chapter 3

Kimberly’s gaze moved toward William before she could stop it.

His eyes were elsewhere, as if he were only an uninvolved guest.

Janet continued with her sweet, pleasant smile.

“Don’t say that about Ms. Martinez. Maybe she isn’t feeling well these days.”

She swapped the glass for another and offered it again.

“I’m sorry. The liquor was too strong. I didn’t think it through. This fruit wine is delicious. Girls can drink it even during that time of the month.”

Kimberly studied her calmly.

When she finally saw Janet’s face clearly, confusion stirred inside her.

Janet had wide eyes and a soft, round face. Kimberly’s features were finer, her eyes tilted at the corners.

Janet was thin and dressed in a pure, innocent style. Her complexion and lip color made her look like she had just recovered from a serious illness, like a camellia nearly withered on the stem. Fragile enough to invite pity.

Kimberly, meanwhile, had been told by William in bed more than once that she was a vixen soaked in aphrodisiac, seductive from head to toe.

Obviously, the two women looked nothing alike and had completely different personalities.

Then why had William kept her by his side?

When he refused to answer years ago, had that not been an admission that she was a substitute?

While Kimberly assessed Janet, Janet was assessing her too.

She had not expected William’s secretary to be this beautiful.

Even wrapped in a trench coat, Kimberly’s figure was impossible to miss.

And that face.

Cold, refined, and seductive at once. She had the cool, untouchable air of someone born to privilege.

Any man would be caught by a woman like this.

If Janet had known, she would not have chosen this sickly makeup today.

Her features were already less delicate than Kimberly’s. Standing together in front of William made the comparison unbearable.

But she also needed William to see her looking unwell.

At that thought, Janet pretended to cough.

Ruth hurried over at once, alarmed. “Janet! Are you all right? Come sit down.”

Janet patted Ruth’s arm gently.

“I’m fine. I’m used to it.”

Ruth turned on Kimberly, her voice rising. “We already switched the hard liquor to fruit wine. Just drink it. She’s weak. Are you weak too?”

Janet coaxed softly, “Ruth, maybe Ms. Martinez really isn’t feeling well.”

Kimberly now understood what kind of scene this was.

Janet had her back to everyone. She was smiling, her voice tender, but the look in her eyes carried a quiet provocation.

Kimberly did not care about that.

But William knew she was allergic to alcohol, and he had not said a single word.

Was this not him indulging Janet?

Last night, the man had been buried in her body whispering sweet, filthy things. The next day, he cast her aside like something worn out.

And apparently that was not enough.

He had made her bring a gift all the way here for his woman, then let his woman humiliate her.

If the debt she owed him had not been so heavy, she might have taken the glass and thrown the wine straight in his face.

Kimberly’s insides were churning, but her expression grew calmer and calmer.

Refusing to humiliate the woman William loved counted as another way to repay him, didn’t it?

Kimberly was about to reach for the glass.

A large hand took it first.

She turned and saw William’s close friend, Justin Young.

Justin tipped the glass back and drank it clean. Then he smiled lightly at Janet.

“Ms. Martinez is allergic to alcohol. I’ll drink for her.”

Annoyance flickered through Janet’s eyes. It disappeared in an instant, replaced by her usual gentle expression.

“Justin, how gallant. Don’t tell me you’ve taken a liking to Ms. Martinez?”

Justin remained perfectly at ease.

“I’ll treat that as a joke, Ms. Campbell. But next time, don’t play matchmaker where you don’t belong.”

Then he turned to Kimberly.

“Ms. Martinez, I’ll walk you out.”

Kimberly did not answer. She turned and left the private room.

Justin hurried after her and began, “Don’t blame Will. He...”

“Justin.” Kimberly cut him off and stopped. She looked at him calmly. “Thank you for what you did just now. I’m fine. Go back and enjoy yourself. I’ll leave first.”

Justin stepped in front of her, ready to say more.

Kimberly added, “He saved my mother’s life. A little wine is nothing. His woman’s pride matters more.”

She left.

Justin returned to the private room looking thoroughly deflated.

While Janet went to the restroom, he sat beside William and quietly repeated Kimberly’s words.

William’s eyes turned terrifyingly dark.

He gripped his glass tightly and said nothing.

Justin frowned. “You didn’t stop it yourself because you were worried Janet would target her later?”

William did not reply. He lifted his glass and drained it.

Justin studied him closely, then smirked.

“Fell for her, huh? You deliberately had her come here because you wanted her to lose it and fight with you? What are you going to do now?”

William’s hand paused.

Then he sneered. “Me? Fall for her? Ridiculous.”

“Right, right. Ridiculous. You signaled me to step in and save her only because she’s your employee, correct?”

William shot him a cold look and poured himself another drink.

Justin kept needling him.

“That Stewart girl looked like she had it out for Kimberly. Do they have some grudge at the company?”

William’s eyes sank. He lit a cigarette and smoked in silence.

In the restroom, Ruth was furious.

“That Justin really sticks his nose everywhere. We should’ve embarrassed Kimberly Martinez properly just now.”

“That’s enough.”

Janet interrupted softly while looking at her reflection.

She patted another layer of the palest foundation over her face, making herself look even more bloodless.

Then she snapped the compact shut, her eyes dimming.

“If I go too far in front of Will, he’ll get annoyed. I’ll have plenty of ways to drive her away from him later.”

Ruth hesitated, then moved closer with an eager, flattering tone.

“You know what you’re doing. I checked. Kimberly Martinez never went through HR interviews. Mr. Carter brought her straight into the company. Their relationship is definitely not ordinary.”

Janet’s hand paused in her hair.

“Are you sure?”

Ruth nodded quickly.

“I know someone in HR. It’s such a harmless thing. He had no reason to lie.”

Janet frowned. “But earlier... if Kimberly Martinez really is allergic to alcohol, and she’s often gone to business dinners with Will, there’s no way Will wouldn’t know.”

At that, a smile returned to Janet’s face.

“If Will truly cared about her, would he make her come out on a cold night to deliver a gift to me? At most, she’s the one clinging to him.”

Ruth nodded along instinctively.

“That makes sense. A man like Mr. Carter? What woman wouldn’t want him? Maybe he only poached her from somewhere else because she was good at her job.”

Janet thought for a moment.

“Help me look into Kimberly Martinez’s background. Her bearing is too exceptional. She doesn’t look like an ordinary girl. And everything she wore today was expensive.”

“Leave it to me.”

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