Chapter 58 Quit Playing the Good Guy
Jake, feeling a deep sense of unease, hurried to catch up with Gwen. He grabbed her arm. “Bradley didn’t mean to. He misunderstood you. Don’t hold it against him.”
Gwen forcefully pulled away. “You really care about your reputation, don’t you, Mr. Hall? What makes you think you can tell me not to hold it against him?”
Jake glanced at Judy and Yara, who were both glaring at him with hostility. “Can’t you be more forgiving? Let’s talk about this like friends.”
Gwen chuckled indifferently. Her eyes were filled with cold detachment. “I don’t have friends who are divorced from me, only dead exes.”
Though Jake had heard this kind of rejection before, he still couldn’t manage to take it in stride. He said seriously, “I’ll release an apology statement tomorrow morning and have him delete the post later.”
“I don’t need your fake kindness. Aren’t you the one who allowed your friends to treat me this way?”
“Me?” Jake frowned deeply, clearly not agreeing with her.
Gwen’s expression showed nothing but bitter disappointment as she locked eyes with Jake. “It’s because of your repeated indifference that they think I’m someone they can trample on at will. Now, you want to play the good guy?
“Compared to Sarah’s and Caitlin’s blatant disdain, or Bradley’s accusation, your hypocrisy disgusts me the most.”
Jake was shaken to his core.
He had never paid attention to Gwen’s situation in Hall Manor, so he had always assumed things were as calm as they seemed.
He never touched her, so they never had kids. Sarah always used this against her, but he never spoke up for Gwen, not
even once.
His friends constantly badmouthed Gwen in front of him, but he never took it seriously. He allowed their disrespect for her to fester.
Realizing this, he felt utterly ashamed.
Gwen turned away calmly. Any trace of hurt was completely gone. “Even if you don’t do anything, I have plenty of ways to make Bradley apologize.”
Without a second glance at Jake, Gwen put her arm around Yara and said, “What do you want to hear tonight? I’ll sing it for you.”
Judy, concerned, asked, “Are you okay?
“I’m great. Couldn’t be better.”
“We can leave if you’re upset.” As a reserved person, Judy rarely showed such a caring demeanor.
Gwen shook her head. “He’s not worth it.”
“My babe would never get upset over something like this. We should party even harder tonight!” Yara pulled the two ladies toward the crowd.
“You’re right! Let’s drink till we drop!”
The next day, in the general manager’s office, Gwen was intently reviewing a report while Larry stood beside her with a smile.
The report highlighted Theodore’s victory in defeating Mysoria Bank and successfully acquiring a listed company.
“Ms. Lawson, we’re so lucky to have someone like Theodore on board. He actually pulled off a merger we had no hope. of winning! I couldn’t even sleep last night because of the excitement.”
“The data looks good,” Gwen responded calmly with a nod.
After Larry left, Gwen received a text from an unknown number, “Time to fulfill your promise. See you tonight.”
She raised an eyebrow. It was from Theodore.
He had proven himself with his skills, so she couldn’t back out. But how did he get her number? She’d have to ask him
about that later.
As soon as the workday ended, Gwen grabbed her bag and headed downstairs.
Theodore’s flashy sports car was already waiting. He got out, walked around to the passenger side, and made a grand gesture. “Your chariot, milady,” he said smugly.
This time, Gwen didn’t refuse and got in.
Theodore took her to a restaurant called “Faith“, known for its romantic atmosphere,
He attentively pulled out Gwen’s chair and signaled to a violinist who had been waiting. The violinist began playing Salut d’Amour, while the restaurant manager presented a bouquet of crystal roses.
It was clear that Theodore had put a lot of effort into the evening.
Gwen glanced at the roses and said indifferently, “Just put them on the table.”
“You don’t like them?” Theodore asked.
Gwen rested her chin on her hand, looking bored. “This place is full of couples, and with this setup, it feels like a proposal What do you think? Do I like it?”
“Well, this is our first date. Of course, I need to show some effort. Don’t all women like this kind of thing?” Theodore’s eyes gleamed as he spoke with a smile.
Gwen rolled her eyes. “It’s only sweet when it comes from someone they like. Otherwise, it’s just a burden.”
