Ethan tilted his head to look at her. His profile was full of deep thoughts, and though he spoke comforting words, inside he still had doubts. As the boss, of course, he knew this was a good thing, but as a husband, he just felt distressed.
Hmm, the ex-husband felt the sa way.
While she was lost in thought, he flicked her forehead. "You said before you’d recomnd new perfurs to . Give the list tomorrow, and I’ll think about it."
"I’ll send it to you as soon as I get to the company." The list was always on her computer, and she’d already sent him a copy, but he said he didn’t want to look and deleted the email. After Ruby finished speaking, she didn’t forget to remind him, "But before Daydream hits the market, be careful not to let any information leak."
She spoke seriously, but Ethan beside her said, "I don’t care, you’re too tired now. Find soone to replace you so you can rest."
He didn’t want to find soone before, holding onto the thought that she might co back, but now, he didn’t want her to return. If working at The Sterling Group couldn’t make her happy, then he wouldn’t give her this job.
More important than taking The Sterling Group to the next level was making her live a happier life at this mont.
Ruby was a bit peeved by his words and gave him a sidelong glance, stubbornly saying, "Who wants to hand over work that’s half-finished? If this fragrance sells big, I’d be losing a lot."
"Don’t worry, your share of the profits won’t be less."
"Mr. Sterling, I’m a forr perfur, and what I value more than the profits you offer is my reputation, OK?" Ruby exaggerated her emphasis.
Ethan nodded, then suddenly turned his head guiltily and asked, "So... you’ve thought of going to another company?"
He knew, with Wenny’s reputation, even if the two fragrances at The Sterling Group weren’t as successful as before, there would still be companies eager to hire her. The imnse buzz around her brought exposure beyond her skills, ensuring she wouldn’t lack job opportunities.
But the thought of her working for another company made him uncomfortable.
Who wants to compete with soone they like?
Ruby glanced at him, considered for a mont, and said softly, "Don’t worry, I don’t plan on working elsewhere for now. After I finish this ss, I just want to spend ti with the two kids and my dad."
Sotis, when she looked at Honey, she thought of Naomi Sinclair.
Naomi Sinclair had a lotus on her back, and at nineteen, she had a sharp angle inked in. Every year, she added a petal, year after year.
Would her Honey be like that too?
Even though the doctors shook their heads and sighed over and over, giving despairing conclusions, maybe Honey would create miracle after miracle like Naomi Sinclair.
Ethan knew she was thinking of the kids again and reached out to hold her hand.
Ruby was startled for a mont but didn’t pull away because she understood his kindness and his guilt.
For Honey, they couldn’t live in guilt forever. She... she couldn’t bear letting him endure such punishnt.
The first thing Ethan did upon returning to the company was having a four-hour eting. He didn’t even eat lunch; although he let the assistants out, the few bosses in the eting room had only coffee to drink.
Ethan’s departure this ti was quite willful. Though it was only a few days, Howard’s work over here was already facing imnse difficulties, with so people deliberately making things hard.
The Sterling Group hadn’t encountered such a significant crisis in a long ti. If at this ti people were driven apart, it would definitely be the best opportunity to collapse The Sterling Group.
It’s said that during those four hours, Ethan charmingly refuted five new proposals, adjusted the heads of four major projects, and graciously said a phrase, "If you’re not satisfied, get out." In four hours, he managed to leave attendees feeling on the verge of a ntal breakdown.
Ruby felt fortunate that she was now just an outsourced staff at the company and didn’t have the qualifications to attend this eting. Many people were firing shots at her, and the firepower was intense. Ethan could’ve ignored them all but childishly didn’t let them have the satisfaction.
There’s no way around it; when soone has a soft spot, they must fight for certain things, even if it seems aningless and childish to others, but staying silent would make him uneasy.
In the evening, Ethan personally played food deliverer and even granted special permission for the lab staff to have dinner in a eting room, forbidding anyone else from reserving it for a eting.
The girls in the lab, seeing Mr. Sterling’s gentle and thoughtful deanor, pledged to work harder while also looking forward to the high-end, grand ball at the end of the sprint period.
Tonight, Ethan was naturally the one waiting for Ruby.
He purposely reclined the passenger seat, prepared a pillow and blanket for her, just wanting her to sleep comfortably in the car, even if it was just twenty or thirty minutes, it would help recharge her body.
Ruby saw his ticulous preparations, said nothing, but felt grateful inside. Yet, she was also a bit apprehensive; she didn’t really want to get too close to Ethan right now.
"I’m just afraid you’ll fall asleep in the bathtub again tonight." He said, a bit reproachful.
Ruby adjusted her posture, "It’s been a long ti since I worked at such a high intensity; my body is not coping." The previous events had greatly affected her. Although she didn’t feel it usually, it beca evident when she had to exert energy.
Lack of energy, delayed reaction, the dozens of scents she previously could distinguish instantly now required thought, and the margin for error had markedly increased.
These issues were also reasons for her tension.
This job, which greatly tested gifted talent, undoubtedly required her to take care of her body, but bodily decline wasn’t sothing hard work or determination alone could make up for.
With her eyes closed, she tentatively asked, "If, I an if I can’t continue as a perfur, maybe beco a useless overweight nobody again, you won’t stop providing living expenses, right?"
Ethan chuckled, "Even if I assure you, can you really feel assured?"
"Guess so."
"Alright, I promise, as long as I have a bite to eat, so will you, Ruby Sullivan."
"No way, also my dad, Honey, and Seth."
Ethan was exasperated, "Yes, also your dad, Honey, and Seth will all have a bite. Honey and Seth are my kids; why wouldn’t I care about them?"
"That’s right, I only need to worry about myself and my dad." Ruby sighed, "To be honest, the hospital he’s in is really expensive. When I first ca to ridia, I was a bit anxious because of this."
"Ms. Sullivan, please trust a bit more."
"I noticed you often call Ms. Sullivan lately, won’t that make sound old?" Ruby, eyes shut, slightly furrowed her brows.
He thought for a mont, "Then should I call you Ruby?" That’s what he called her when they were teenagers; he even had another nickna, chubby girl.
Ruby shivered, "Ms. Sullivan is fine."
Ethan laughed, "Everyone else calls you Ruby Sullivan; I just want to use a different na for you."
Ruby couldn’t help but open her eyes a slit, glanced at the back of his head, then quickly closed them tightly. She murmured almost inaudibly, "Mm."
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