Chapter 87
By lunch break, Chloe was still thinking about Damian. His words, that laugh, the way his gaze lingered just a little too long. She’d barely heard half the conversations on the design floor.
So when she spotted Bella sitting alone in the company cafeteria, staring blankly at her untouched food, Chloe didn’t hesitate to walk over, her brows drawing together in a worried frown.
“Hey,” Chloe said, sliding into the seat opposite her. “What’s up? How did it go p>
Bella looked down, twisting her spoon between her fingers. For a moment, she didn’t speak. Then, quietly she said, “I’m thinking of quitting p>
Chloe blinked. “Quitting?” She leaned forward, her brows knitting together. “Bella, wait, what do you p>
“Quitting what p>
The voice came from behind them, firm and familiar.
Both women turned when they heard it, startled to hear someone else was listening to them.
Raymond stood there, holding a cup of coffee, his pale gray eyes flicking between them. His usually easy smile was gone and replaced by something unreadable. Concern, maybe. Or something even heavier.
Chloe sighed and sat back, crossing her arms instinctively. Bella, on the other hand, stiffened when she saw it was Raymond.
“Nothing that should concern you,” Bella said quickly, trying to sound casual but not quite managing it.
It shouldn’t be what he was thinking. There’s no way he would stand and have her quit working in StoneTech. If she did, what excuse did he have to see her? Had what he did really hurt her that much? If she’d known it would hurt her this much, he probably wouldn’t have done that.
Raymond didn’t move away. Instead, he set his cup on the table and pulled out a chair beside Chloe. “If it’s enough to make you want to quit, then it concerns me. Tell me, I might be able to help p>
Bella sighed, closing her eyes briefly. “Raymond p>
“Look,” he cut in gently, “I know you don’t want to talk to me. And I get that you didn’t want… us.” His words faltered for a moment, then steadied as he went ahead. “But even if you don’t see me that way, I still care about you, Bella. Genuinely. If you’re struggling with something, and it’s something I can help with, I’d want to. Please, tell me. What’s going on p>
Chloe’s gaze darted between them, tension pricking the air. Raymond’s voice though soft sounded pushy and impatient and it made Bella’s posture tighten more with every word.
“Raymond, I appreciate that,” Bella said finally, her tone polite but distant. “I really do. But you don’t have to worry about me. I’ll be fine p>
Why wouldn’t she just open up to him? Hadn’t he been vulnerable to her in the past? Wasn’t he worthy of hearing her vulnerable words? Raymond thought as he tried not to lose his cool.
“I’m not sure you will,” he said quietly. “At least not alone p>
That did it. Bella’s lips pressed into a thin line. Her eyes glistening with tears threatening to spill if she didn’t didn’t leave there. Then, she stood abruptly, her chair scraping the floor.
“I said I’ll be fine,” she repeated, her voice low but sharp enough to draw a few glances from nearby tables.
Without another word, she picked up her tray and walked away, the heels of her shoes clicking against the tiled floor until she disappeared through the glass doors.
For a moment, Chloe just sat there, staring after her. Then she turned slowly to Raymond, who looked like he’d just been punched by silence.
“Wow,” she said finally, setting down her fork. “You really don’t know when to stop, do you p>
Raymond blinked, taken aback by her question. “What p>
“You should’ve let her be,” Chloe said flatly. “She said she didn’t want to talk, Raymond. That was your cue p>
“I know. It’s just that I was p>
“Showing concern? Yeah, I got that,” Chloe cut in. “And normally, that would have been sweet. But right now, it’s just… annoying p>
He frowned, sitting back slightly. “Annoying p>
“Yes, annoying!” she snapped, surprising herself with how sharp her voice sounded. “Bella’s going through something you don’t understand. And pushing her when she’s trying to breathe doesn’t help — it suffocates her p>
Raymond opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again. The expression on his face—hurt, confusion, guilt—made Chloe sigh. She hadn’t meant to lash out, not really, but the tension had been building since morning, and now it was spilling out like steam from a cracked pipe.
And somehow, she was blaming herself for forgetting her friend’s pain for a second. Chloe sighed, knowing she was probably venting her guilt on Raymond.
“Look,” she said more quietly, “I know you meant well. I do. But sometimes caring too loudly makes it harder for people to heal. You’ve got to give her space p>
He nodded slowly, guilt softening his expression. “You’re right,” he murmured. “I just… hate to see her like this and not be able to help p>
Chloe gathered her things, her irritation ebbing into tired sympathy. “I know. We all do. But next time, try listening instead of saving p>
Before he could respond, she stood, slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked away, her quick strides echoing down the hall as she went after Bella. Follow current novᴇls on
Bella’s office was quiet when Chloe arrived. The door was slightly ajar, and through the narrow opening, she could see her best friend sitting at her desk, staring blankly at her computer screen. The monitor was on, but nothing was moving—no typing, no clicking, no life.
Chloe knocked gently before slipping in. “Hey,” she said softly. “I told him off for you p>
Bella’s lips twitched faintly, though it wasn’t quite a smile. “You didn’t have to. He was just trying to help p>
Chloe pulled up a chair and sank into it with a sigh. “Yeah, I know. But I still think he was pressing too much. You said no, he should’ve stopped p>
Bella glanced down at her hands. “He didn’t mean harm p>