Chapter 32

The whole day slipped by with Yvonne trapped in a storm of tangled speculations.

She shut herself inside the apartment, rarely leaving her bed. Whenever hunger gnawed at her, she wandered to the fridge, picked at whatever she found,and then sank back into uneasy sleep. Hours slipped by unnoticed until darkness pressed against the windows.

The sharp trill of her phone startled her awake.

Through the curtains, the glow of city lights spilled into the room, making the silence feel heavier, the loneliness more acute.

Blinking through the haze, she rubbed her face, willing herself back to focus, and fumbled beneath the pillow for her phone. The screen lit up with the name of TR Entertainment's HR representative. After a pause of indecision, she finally swiped to answer.

A bright, polished voice came through the receiver."Ms. Ellis, have you made your decision yet? Will you be joining TR Entertainment? In case you didn't know,the benefits package we offer is excellent." Her grip tightened around the phone. Would she accept it or not?

All day, Yvonne had wrestled with the question. She had agreed to Julian's impossible challenge-five million in three months. Yet the reality gnawed at her Filming a drama or a movie would take at least half a year, and by then, her swelling belly would betray the secret she was desperate to hide.

If not directing, then what path remained? Directing had been her only true passion, the one thing she cherished as much as-or perhaps even more than-Julian. Leaving him didn't mean she had to abandon her dream...did it?

"Ms. Ellis?" The HR rep's cheerful reminder jolted her back.

Snapping out of her daze, Yvonne tightened her grip on the phone. After a long, steady breath and a flicker of resolve in her eyes, she answered firmly, "I'll take the job."

More than anything, she needed a job right away, even if it was just a temporary lifeline. For now, she resolved to sign on first and figure the rest out later.

Once she agreed, the HR rep walked her through the essentials,highlighting the start date. Yvonne carefully noted everything down. That day came sooner than expected. Rising early,Yvonne freshened up and applied a touch of makeup.

In the mirror, a woman with curved eyes and a gente,radiant smile looked back at her. The light sweep of lipstick gave her delicate features a healthy, vibrant glow.

Pleased with what she saw, Yvonne lingered a moment.

Since graduation, she had plunged straight into marriage with Julian. The handful of projects she had worked on back in school had never been commercial, which meant this counted as her first real job.

A restless mix of nerves and anticipation stirred in her chest. After checking her makeup once more, she leaned close to the mirror and whispered encouragement to herself. Only after confirming she had forgotten nothing did she finally step outside.

Downstairs, a gleaming white Range Rover idled at the curb,already waiting.

When Yvonne stepped closer, Spencer swung the door open, holding a lush bouquet of fresh flowers in his arms.

Her eyes widened at the sight. "Spencer? What are you doing here?"

He offered a calm, tender smile as he extended the bouquet toward her. "It's your first day at work. I came to send you off properly."

The fragrance of the blossoms lingered as Yvonne accepted them, a surprised smile breaking across her face. She brushed her fingertips lightly over the petals and teased, "I'm starting a job, not going to school.I don't need a parent walking me in on the first day."

Spencer chuckled softly, his gaze never leaving her."The first day at work matters just as much as the first day at school. Remember the first day of school life?I walked you in that morning too."

His voice softened as he studied her, affection hidden in his eyes. "Back then, you always clung to me for comfort, always stayed by my side. But the older we grew, the further away you drifted. Yvonne... I still hope you'll lean on me. Even if..."

He hesitated, weighing his words before saying at last,"Even if you only think of me as nothing more than a friend."

His words about their childhood pulled Yvonne into a daze.In those days, the Ellis family had yet to collapse,and her parents were constantly away, leaving her in the care of their neighbors, the Briggs family. She used to grumble about her parents' absence,sometimes even blurting out that they might as well never return. In the end, those careless nonsense became her reality.

Tears pricked at her eyes as the past washed over her.Spencer reached up, brushing a loose strand of hair from her cheek, his tone low and comforting. "The anniversary of your parents' passing is coming up. Do you want me to go with you to pay your respects?"

Yvonne forced a shaky smile, dabbing at her tears before nodding. "Alright. Thank you."

"There's no need for thanks between us," Spencer murmured softly, shaking his head.

He stepped back toward the car and pulled the door open for her. "Come on, I'm your exclusive driver today. Let me take you to work."

A watery laugh escaped her as she bent down and slid into the seat.

Neither of them realized a discreet black luxury car sat quietly a short way down the road

Inside, Julian watched the white Range Rover vanish,his face unreadable. His long fingers snapped the cigarette in half just as the car disappeared from sight. Morton, barely daring to breathe, glanced nervously at the time before stammering, "Mr. Powell, we...we missed the chance to drive Mrs. Powell. Should we..."

Julian interjected, his words laced with cold steel,"Head to the company."