Chapter 175
I stared after Frederick, my expression turning grim. I wondered if I should keep going. Then a voice inside me told me to keep going. I had already started, after all–and there was no turning back now.
So, I looked straight into Mrs. Guzman’s eyes and said, “Don’t worry. Just like he said that day, I only see him as a brother. Unless I’m divorced, I won’t do anything inappropriate to him.”
Mrs. Guzman’s gaze flickered, as if she couldn’t quite tell whether I was agreeing or refusing. “Then can you keep your distance from him in the future?”
I smiled. “We’re working on a project together. How exactly am I supposed to keep my distance?” Her face fell, but she didn’t say anything.
Mr. Guzman looked like someone had just punched the living daylights out of him. “Ms. Sawyer, I’ll release a public statement soon. I’ll say what happened at the birthday party was just some childish joke. “You and Frederick are both still in your twenties, so it’s not unusual for young people like you to act out a little. Jonathan may be young too, but he’s already a key figure in our circle. It’s not a good look for someone like him to be caught up in a mess like this.”
“And yet his scandal with Alicia is perfectly fine, huh?” I responded with a smile. Mrs. Guzman frowned. She was clearly displeased, though she managed to keep it off her face. Someone of her social standing wouldn’t easily express their emotions, even if she was annoyed.
She quickly recomposed herself and said, “Elise, as a woman, I really do understand. But we’re not the kind of powerful businesswomen who dominate boardrooms, right? Men are out there fighting their battles, handling social affairs–and sometimes things just happen. “It’s not that we should indulge them, but sometimes turning a blind eye helps keep the peace for everyone. Don’t you agree?”
She said all this with a smile, but I found it unsettling. I couldn’t help but glance at Mr. Guzman. “So does Mr. Guzman make you turn a blind eye at home too?”
Mrs. Guzman froze at once, anger flashing across her face. Clearly, it was easy to preach tolerance to others. But when it hit home, it definitely hurt.
It took her a long time to recollect herself this time. Eventually, she forced a smile and said, “Elise, you know I’m saying this for your own good. There’s no need to treat me like an enemy.” I rose, wiped my mouth, and then tossed the napkin on the table.
“I don’t see you as an enemy either.” My gaze darted between Mr. Guzman and Mrs. Guzman before I gave them a faint smile. “I only came out of respect for Frederick and Aria. Honestly, I don’t even know you well. If you think I should keep my distance from Frederick, then I hope you’ll tell him that. After all, it takes two to tango, don’t you think?”
As soon as my words fell, they both looked like they’d just swallowed a lemon. I dusted my hands and turned to leave. I wasn’t trying to deliberately provoke them. They clearly knew they couldn’t control Frederick, so they turned their attention to me, trying to make me bear the blame while still acting high and mighty. There was no way I’d fall for a trap like that.
After I left, I didn’t contact Frederick again. Sure enough, the Guzman family soon issued a public statement saying that what happened at Aria’s birthday party was just a misunderstanding. It was nothing more than young people fooling around. Their wording was polite and respectful, but once I read between the lines, their message was crystal clear.
Chapter 176
The statement released by the Guzman family was impeccable. “Ms. Elise Sawyer has long been a valued friend of Frederick’s, and our family holds her character in the highest regard. Should she be open to it, we would be honored to regard her as a goddaughter in spirit. “However, in a formal capacity, such a designation may not be appropriate. While we deeply respect and admire her, it is most fitting for us to continue treating her as a cherished younger member within our circle.” It all sounded dignified and polite, but anyone in our circle could tell that the Guzmans simply didn’t want Frederick to be publicly associated with me.
I gave no heed to the rumors at all, and soon founded my own company. Once the funding came through, I immediately picked an office space downtown. The building was a bit dated, and its antiquated decor made it worse–its location was still convenient and prime. A real sense of belonging washed over me when I finally hung up the company’s sign.
For the past few months, I barely returned to the Ford residence, nor did I stay at Willowcreek. Jonathan had tried to reach me several times, but I turned him down or avoided him altogether. Each time, I’d see a Koenigsegg parked downstairs. Its flashy appearance was impossible to miss. Only after he left would I come down. And that was how we kept missing each other, month after month.
But Alicia had sought me out several times. She’d block my way and ask, “Elise, how long are you going to keep this up?” I had no idea why she asked, but I noticed how much her tone resembled Jonathan’s. I merely glanced at her and said airily, “Whatever I do is none of your concern.” That sent her over the edge. She wouldn’t budge in front of me, but she couldn’t come up with a better excuse either.
“Y–You can’t leave!” she sputtered. I simply yanked her aside. I couldn’t even be bothered to say another word.
It wasn’t until I met up with Gabrielle later that I learned that Jonathan had been ignoring Alicia lately. People had started to talk, speculating that she was losing his favor. Unlike his usual indulgence, Jonathan had grown cold toward her. With nowhere else to vent her frustration, I became her only outlet. Only by pissing me off could she feel better. But whatever was going on between them had nothing to do with me.
Lately, I’d been completely immersed in work. Because of the lack of capital, very few people applied to our company. I ended up hiring some fresh graduates to develop games with me–they were affordable and capable, after all. Right now, this was pretty much the only industry suited for starting a business from scratch. Our goal was clear–to create simple, easy–to–play mini games. As long as one of them became a hit, it could instantly support the whole company. So lately, I had thrown myself completely into work, trying to optimize the code they wrote as much as I could.
After a while, Frederick reached out to me. Unlike when I kept dodging Jonathan, I didn’t turn him away this time. We agreed to meet at La Doghouse, but he suddenly changed his mind. “I want to check out our company,” he said. Then, after a brief pause, he added, “If you still think of it as our company."
“It’s always been our company–and that won’t change.” I cut him off. “I will never forget what you’ve done for me.” Frederick fell silent and said nothing. But hearing his breathing suddenly grow labored, I knew the matter was settled. However, I didn’t expect him to show up at the company that very afternoon.
“New Voyage?” he looked at the name, carefully taking it in. “I didn’t think you’d go with something so simple.”