Love Contract novel Chapter 31

'I can't believe I lost my temper like that!

If I carry on like this, I'm afraid that I will fall in love with William, or worse, I fear that my love for him will grow deeper and deeper.

I can't let that happen. I can't risk getting too close to him again. I can't keep pretending as if I don't have any feelings for him.

Oh for crying out loud, he is the CEO of the company and I'm just an employee!

I just hope that this year passes off without a hitch and as soon as possible, '

Mary thought in his heart.

During lunch time, William ordered takeout. Judging from that, it seemed as though he wasn't going to leave his office for the rest of the day.

"Mary," Jane asked in confusion, "are you really the wife of the CEO?"

"Well... Yes. I am." Mary wondered what this was about.

"Then why didn't the boss order food for you as well?" "Oh," said Mary with a bitter smile, lowering her head. "When we're in the company, he is the boss and I am just his assistant. There is no husband and wife."

"Is that so?" Jane's bafflement was obvious, but she continued, "I guess it's true when they say that integrity and principles are the cornerstone of this company!"

'She is so cute, in an innocent sort of way, ' Mary thought.

"Mary! Why don't we go out and get some lunch together?"

"Sure, that sounds like a good idea!" Mary collected all the documents from her table and stood up to head out.

"I'm so happy that you'll be joining me today, Mary," Jane said in a chirpy voice. "I am absolutely famished!"

While standing in the elevator, just as Mary raised her head to look forward without a conscious thought, her eyes met with William's cold eyes, staring at her straight from his office. Startled, she quickly pressed the 'close button' as William's face shrank and eventually disappeared behind the elevator doors.

The two co-workers bonded quite well with each other at lunch. "How long have you been working in the company?" asked Mary.

"It's only been three days," said Jane, full of food in her mouth. "The day I first started in the company you were on a business trip with the CEO."

"I see." Mary nodded thoughtfully and said, "Well, if there's anything you need help with, feel free to let me know!"

"Thank you so much!" Jane nodded her head like a chicken pecking rice and said, "That's very kind of you, Mary. You won't believe how happy I am to be working for the AJ Group."

"Really?" Mary smiled curiously and asked, "Then tell me, how happy are you?"

"I don't know where to begin." Jane's eyes lit up and she continued, "I've done some research before joining the company. Everyone speaks very nicely of you, Mary. Almost everyone said that you are a very good person. I was so relieved to hear that!"

"Really?" Raising her eyebrows with great satisfaction, Mary felt delighted, having been given such a morale boost.

"It's true! I'm not just saying this to make you happy," Jane insisted, and then continued, "The CEO, however, tut tut..."

Jane finished her sentence prematurely with a disappointed sigh, which made Mary laugh. "What's wrong with the CEO?"

"Mary, please don't take this the wrong way." "I won't."

"Then listen carefully." Jane drew her head close and whispered, "When I searched the company's information online, many people in the forums mentioned that the CEO was gay."

"Gay? " Mary was beyond startled as she had never heard a more preposterous rumor in her entire life. "That's nonsense!"

Jane burst into laughter and said, "I think so too! I mean, those people wouldn't be saying that if they saw the CEO's wife having lunch right next to me!"

"I can see why people turn to gossip more nowadays. After all, work isn't the most enjoyable activity in life."

"I guess you're right," Jane replied, nodding pensively. "Nowadays, if a man is very good looking and doesn't have many female friends, people immediately think he is gay."

"Well..." Mary shrugged her shoulders and said, "This is what the world has come to!"

"Yes, unfortunately so." Jane sighed with an ambiguous expression and said, "Whether the CEO is a gay or not? You are the only person who can say, Mary."

"Me?" Mary looked at Jane as her cheeks blushed red without her consent.

"Yes!" Jane covered her mouth and snickered. "How's the CEO in bed?"

"Ahem..." Mary nearly choked on her food and she coughed repeatedly. Where did this little girl find so much courage to speak like that? "You...

"Mary, you're blushing! Oh my god!" Jane cackled gleefully, thrilled that her joke was a success.

Mary didn't say a word to William even after she got off work.

She took a taxi home all by herself and when she got there, Mary didn't even have the appetite to eat anything. Certain that William wouldn't come home, she closed the doors and went to bed early.

The schedule for the company, hospital, apartment and convenience store was full for the day. If only Mary could avoid meeting with William, she would be happy and relieved.

Mary felt that William must have hated her very much. Clearly he must have thought that the "wife" he chose was perfect. Unfortunately, he did not expect her to cause him so much stress and trouble. 'I'd better get out of his life before I lose myself in his love completely.'

It had been three full days since the two of them had started avoiding each other. Whether it was Mary who was avoiding William or William who was avoiding Mary, it was Kevin who suffered the most during this time as he was the one who acted as a bridge between the two.

"I'm dying..." Kevin walked out of the office, feeling utterly exhausted and defeated.

"What's wrong?" Mary asked, feeling sorry for him as he had clearly been through a lot in the last three days.

"Mr. Lan told me to go to the shooting site!" Kevin had a bitter look on his face. "In the past three days, I've only slept for three hours each day. Now, Mr. Lan wants me to go and watch over the site. I don't think I'm going to make it!

"Then you might as well 'devote yourself to work until death'!" Jane chuckled.

"That's such a horrible thing to say! Why are you making this harder than it already is?" said Kevin.