2025-11-08 17:13:06Jeremy clenched his hands tightly, forcing himself to stay calm and not lose control.
“No need,” he said curtly. “I can handle it myself.”
He had just pushed his chair back when Mr. Hargreaves’ deep voice rumbled from the end of the table.
“Oh, of course. Handle it yourself. A man who can’t even keep his little shop in order during dinner time. How impressive.”
A faint laugh came from one of Claire’s brothers.
“Isn’t it funny, Father? One small problem and the future son-in-law is already running from the table. What happens when he has a family? Maybe if the baby cries, he’ll run out the door too.”
“Don’t be like that,” another chimed in teasingly. “Maybe that’s just how life is for… small business owners. Everything feels like an emergency.”
Soft laughter rippled around the table. It sounded harmless to their ears, but to Jeremy, every chuckle was a slow, deliberate stab to the chest.
He even wondered how his past self could have endured this family for so long, people who looked down on him at every turn, yet came running for help whenever they needed something.
Claire’s face hardened in irritation.
“Enough! Can’t you at least show him a little respect?” she said sharply, though her voice was nearly drowned out by the lingering laughter.
Jeremy said nothing. He stood tall, one hand in his pocket, his gaze fixed on the candle in the center of the table.
The orange flame flickered in his eyes—and within them, there was no anger, only a stillness too cold to be called calm.
Mr. Hargreaves gave a small, displeased snort.
“Go on, then. Take care of your business. But next time, make sure your ‘business’ is stable enough not to interrupt another family’s dinner.”
Jeremy looked at the old man for a moment, then nodded slowly.
“Thank you for the advice,” he said flatly. “I’ll remember that.”
He was about to step away when one of Claire’s brothers spoke up again with a mocking tone.
“Wait, hold on. At least pay the bill before you run off, right? Or is Lucas covering for you again?”
Mr. Hargreaves raised an eyebrow, as if the thought had just occurred to him.
“Good point. We haven’t called the waiter to close the tab yet. Jeremy, you’re my daughter’s fiancé, aren’t you? It would only be polite for you to settle your part before leaving.”
The air at the table tightened instantly. Claire opened her mouth as if to speak, but before she could, Lucas’ cheerful voice broke in.
“Oh, come on, Father. Let me handle it,” he said quickly, patting Jeremy’s shoulder in a show of brotherly warmth.
“Jeremy’s my friend. I know his shop’s having some trouble, no need to make things harder for him.”
Lucas turned to Claire with a relaxed smile, and her family nodded in satisfaction.
“See? That’s what a true friend looks like,” one of them remarked.
Lucas chuckled lightly. But behind that easy laughter, his eyes gleamed with quiet confidence.
He knew Jeremy too well, stubborn, humble, always wanting to prove himself. The man would definitely sneak back later to pay the bill without saying a word.
Lucas wouldn’t have to spend a single penny, yet he’d still look generous in front of the Hargreaves family.
The same old game. Only this time, Jeremy saw through it.
He looked at Lucas, a faint smile crossing his lips, one that, for some reason, made Lucas feel a flicker of unease.
“Of course,” Jeremy said softly. “You really do know how to make people believe in you, Lucas. Thank you.”
Lucas laughed, thinking it was a compliment. “Ah, come on. I’m just trying to help.”
Jeremy didn’t respond. He simply gave a slight nod to the family, then turned to leave.
Just before he reached the door, Claire’s voice stopped him.
“Jeremy…”
He turned slowly. Claire was looking at him with gentle eyes, though guilt shimmered faintly beneath them.
“I’m sorry… I can’t go with you. Father already planned an event after dinner, and if I leave now, it’ll just make things even more awkward.”
In his previous life, Jeremy had smiled softly at this exact moment, reassuringly.
He had told Claire he understood that his business wasn’t important, that she should stay and enjoy her time with her family.
And those words had made her look at him with admiration, feeling loved and cherished.
But now, thinking about it, if she had truly loved him, it wouldn’t have mattered.
She would’ve gone with him, left the fancy dinner behind, to stand by his side.
This time, Jeremy just looked at her for a long moment without a smile. Also no warmth in his eyes.
He spoke quietly, but his words were enough to freeze the air at the table.
“It’s fine. I’m used to being alone.”
Claire fell silent, stunned, unsure how to respond. At that moment, Jeremy seemed both familiar and foreign, someone she thought she knew, yet couldn’t quite recognize.
He lowered his head slightly, murmured a few polite words to her to keep up appearances, then turned and walked away without looking back.
His footsteps echoed against the floor, fading slowly as the heavy doors closed behind him.
He didn’t go to the front desk or call for a waiter to settle the bill. Instead, he left calmly and found a quiet place nearby to hide, to watch, and to wait.
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Latest Chapter
Chapter 78
The Senior HR officer let out a quiet breath, then tapped the desk lightly with his fingertips, as if pulling the thread of the conversation into clearer focus.“Jeremy, I’m going to speak frankly,” he said, his voice calm but weighted.His gaze fixed on Jeremy before shifting to the man seated opposite him.“I am already aware of the copy of the letter from your legal counsel, the letter sent to the Retail Division Manager.”The manager stiffened instantly, his shoulders going rigid, though he tried hard to appear composed. After all, he was still a manager, and his pride ran deep.“Technically,” the Senior HR continued, “this could be considered a personal matter between the two of you. However, because its impact has dragged the company’s name into it, caused internal unrest, and directly intersected with work matters and divisional structure, I cannot simply stay out of it.”He paused, then spoke more slowly, as though choosing his words with care.“I want this issue to end peacef
Chapter 77
After the manager left, the atmosphere in the data analysis department did not immediately return to normal.A few seconds passed in awkward silence. Then, little by little, quiet whispers resurfaced, softer and more cautious this time, yet clearly filled with curiosity that had not been satisfied.Rick became the next target.Someone nudged his elbow. Another lightly patted his shoulder. Several pairs of eyes flicked toward him, full of unspoken encouragement.Go. Ask him.Rick let out a helpless breath, straightened his shoulders, and walked over to Jeremy’s desk.“Jer,” he called softly, trying to sound casual but failing to hide his curiosity.“What was that about, just now?”Jeremy was tidying up his things. His hands paused for a moment, then resumed their usual movements. He turned to Rick with a relaxed expression.He knew they were curious, it was normal in a company like this. Besides, gossip was often considered a form of entertainment amid workplace stress.“Oh, it was not
Chapter 76
Within the company, the atmosphere was no less noisy than the online world.News that the retail division manager had been summoned directly by HR spread quickly, passing from one cubicle to another in deliberately lowered whispers. Not long after, follow-up rumors surfaced, about the formal reprimand he had received, about a high-level warning letter that was rarely issued except in serious cases.At first, however, not many people truly paid attention.“It’s probably just about division performance. What else? If not that, maybe a promotion issue,” someone said indifferently.“Yeah. HR always overreacts,” another replied.“Has no one thought this might be related to that whole retail mess that’s been trending? The retail issue is connected to the retail division manager, isn’t it?”“Whatever. It’s not our problem.”To most people, it sounded like a trivial internal matter. After all, the company was dealing with far too many things to worry about one retail manager.Until the manage
Chapter 75
The tide on the internet turned mercilessly.Jeremy’s name was slowly abandoned as the primary target, replaced by a topic far more satisfying to the public’s appetite: the rival retail chain.And like fire meeting gasoline, the name of the company managed by Lucas was dragged into the flames without mercy.At first, it was nothing more than speculation drifting through comment sections, gradually forming a new narrative.It did not take long for speculation to harden into accusation.Netizens began digging. No one knew who threw the first stone, but once it happened, everything collapsed in rapid succession.Old documents resurfaced. Anonymous testimonies circulated. Fragments of financial reports that had “conveniently leaked” were dissected relentlessly.One by one, ugly stories about Lucas’s retail chain came to light.Allegations of internal corruption, manipulation of sales figures ahead of annual reports, pressure placed on small suppliers, price-setting schemes too precise to
Chapter 74
Not long after Jeremy’s post spread, a follow-up reaction arrived, not from Jeremy himself, but from the party that had stood behind him from the very beginning.His legal counsel finally spoke up.The firm’s name alone was enough to make many people pause their scrolling. It was a legal team known for being solid, multilayered, and nearly impossible for ordinary people to approach.Its reputation was spotless, its track record long, and most cases it handled… rarely ended without results.Their official statement was released across multiple channels, concise, systematic, and cold.Not emotional. Not provocative.Yet its impact struck far harder than any outburst of anger.They stated that from the outset, their client, Jeremy, had been the target of structured public-opinion manipulation. That the online uproar was not merely a spontaneous reaction from the masses, but had been actively driven by certain parties.Then, one by one, evidence was attached.Screenshots of conversations
Chapter 73
Several days passed after the meeting with Senior HR, yet nothing truly happened.There was no follow-up announcement from the company. No additional summons. No noticeable change in attitude at the office.Jeremy continued to come to work as usual, arriving on time, completing his tasks neatly, and leaving without drawing unnecessary attention.He also still visited the retail store from time to time.Not to interfere, nor to assert authority. He merely offered a few brief suggestions, made sure everything was running as it should, then left.To outsiders, his visits seemed ordinary. But no one knew that beneath that calm routine, Jeremy was working on something else entirely.For several consecutive nights, the lights in his apartment stayed on until late. His laptop screen displayed documents he would promptly close whenever someone else was nearby.He worked with a calmness that did not come from ease, but from patience, because he was waiting for the right moment.Meanwhile, in t
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