It was still early morning. The hallways of the company were quiet and calm, almost meditative. The scent of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air, blending with the soft hum of the central ventilation. Deniz walked in with light steps, her face glowing with confidence and joy—just like the morning light streaming through the tall windows. Her smile wasn't just professional—it was wide, warm, and a little mischievous. She headed straight toward Rachel's desk. The gentle tapping of her boots echoed faintly through the space.
Mary, standing near the coffee machine, observed the scene in silence. She held her cup between her hands like a shield against her own swirling emotions. There was a new energy in Deniz—something unstoppable, almost electric.
Rachel, her head buried in paperwork, looked up with a frown. "What's going on? Why are you standing there grinning like that?"
Deniz replied with an even brighter expression. "I'm just happy... because you helped me!"
Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Helped? What are you talking about?"
Deniz crossed her arms. "If you hadn't dropped the Southern Province project, I would've never gotten the chance. Now I'm going."
Rachel stood up in disbelief. "You? Instead of me? Wasn't Mary supposed to go?"
Deniz grinned slyly. "Mary? No. I spoke directly with the holding company. I'm going—with one of their reps. A guy named James."
The name James dropped like a small stone into Mary's thoughts, rippling through her with vague memories and heartbeats. She almost laughed aloud—but held herself back.
Rachel was still stunned. "I meant that James too... I didn't know you were going."
"Yep. Everything went great. Thanks for clearing the way. Now I've gotta go—Mr. Connor's waiting."
Without another word, Deniz walked past her. Rachel sat frozen, pretending to type, her fingers tapping aimlessly on the keyboard.
Later that day, at lunch, Deniz and Mary sat together.
"Did you see Rachel's face? She looked like she was about to explode," Deniz said with a smirk.
Mary chuckled. "Honestly, without you, I wouldn't have known what to do in this mess."
Deniz raised a brow. "Exactly. You'd be lost without me."
Mary replied playfully, "Yeah, because this clearly has nothing to do with James."
Deniz laughed and sipped her drink. "Hey, the old saying goes—if you want to really know someone, travel with them."
Mary's tone turned more thoughtful. "Do you actually think about him? Like… as a future partner?"
Deniz sighed. "I'm not sure yet. But maybe I'm sacrificing myself a little—for your future."
Mary smiled and took Deniz's hand. "I promise—one day, I'll be one of the best painters in this city."
Deniz gave her a meaningful look. "You understand everything—except this. I wasn't just talking about painting… I meant your whole future."
Mary sighed. "Here we go again... You're not Nicholas."
"No, but I'm sure you like him."
Mary murmured, "He only sees me as a friend…"
"Really? His actions say otherwise."
Mary paused for a moment. "Anyway… when are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow. James already left today. I'm going a day later so it doesn't look suspicious."
"Take care of yourself… and if you can, enjoy it."
Deniz winked. "You just take care of yourself here—not just for painting."
As the sun set, Mary arrived at her painting class. The room smelled of thinner and pencil shavings. Yong was organizing supplies. Nicholas and Helen hadn't arrived yet. Mary greeted Yong and put on her apron.
A few minutes later, Nicholas walked in. Mary remembered the gift he had given her and smiled kindly, but Nicholas replied coldly. Her smile faded.
Yong noticed the tension and stepped closer. "Mary, would you like to paint upstairs with me?"
"If it's not a problem…"
Nicholas, fastening his apron, hesitated for a second.
"No problem at all," Yong said, and before Nicholas could respond, he took Mary's hand and led her upstairs. Nicholas was left behind, silently organizing his brushes with a scowl.
About fifteen minutes later, Helen arrived. She noticed Mary peacefully painting with Yong upstairs and cast a suspicious glance at the scene.
Helen sat beside Nicholas. "Are you okay? You seem off today."
"Lost some shares. Not in the mood."
"A lot?"
"Yeah. But I don't want to talk about it."
Upstairs, Yong was gently guiding Mary with care and humor. Sometimes they laughed. There was a soft, friendly atmosphere between them. Two hours passed. Mary packed up her things and walked down to Nicholas.
"I hope the loss wasn't too bad. I didn't know… I'm sorry."
Nicholas barely looked at her. "Thanks. Goodbye for now."
Yong, who had been listening, stepped forward. "Nicholas, haven't you learned to separate your work problems from your personal life?"
"Now's not the time. I'm pissed off."
"I'm just giving advice. One day, you might regret it."
"What do you mean?"
Yong said nothing. He turned to leave. Nicholas, frustrated, followed. "Wait! What do you mean?"
Yong turned back and said calmly, "You don't always get a second chance to win someone's heart—not just romantically, even as a friend. Don't mess it up."
"I didn't do anything! I just wasn't in the mood!"
"She came up to you smiling. You replied coldly. Now she thinks you're pushing her away."
"You're not a detective."
"No. But I hate when people play with feelings. You don't get it now, but you will someday."
Yong walked away. A few moments later, Mary and Helen exited the building together.
Nicholas stood up straight. "Mary, want a ride home?"
Mary gave a faint smile. "No, thanks. I've got something to do. You go ahead."
She walked away. Helen nudged Nicholas with her elbow. "Bravo. You blew it again."
"I seriously don't know what just happened…"
That night, Mary came home tired but restless. "Ava?"
No reply. It was past ten. Mary called her phone. The ringtone came from behind the door. Moments later, Ava walked in—still in her work uniform, exhausted.
"Where were you? Why are you so late?"
"Don't ask… I was baking cheesecakes in the cafeteria till now."
"But your shift ends at five!"
"Yeah, but the manager said corporate liked my cakes. Since I'm new, I have to prove myself."
"Is that fair? I should tell Yong to talk to Diana."
"No! I heard from the others that if someone puts in a word for me, they might not extend my contract."
"Alright, then do what you think is best. But don't harm your health. Come have dinner…"
"No dinner. I'm too tired. Going to bed."
Ava headed to her room. Mary looked at her with concern and whispered under her breath:
"I don't have a good feeling about Diana's behavior…"