Chapter 1634

A female employee with dark circles under her eyes spoke up quietly, “Jamie, have you ever been scolded by Mr. Lucas?” Jamie instinctively replied, “No…”
The moment the word left her lips, she regretted it.
As expected, everyone’s eyes lit up with curiosity, and they swarmed around her, pestering her for tips on avoiding Ben’s wrath. Jamie, clutching her laptop, bolted out of the office like her life depended on it.
“Too dangerous,” she thought to herself.
The office was no longer a safe haven for her.
Still holding unfinished reports, Jamie decided to retreat to a quiet lounge to complete her work. But as she entered, she froze.
Ben was already there, sitting with his laptop, his piercing gaze lifting to meet hers.
Jamie instinctively stepped back, “Oh, sorry, wrong room.”
“Jamie,” Ben called out, his tone firm, “have you been avoiding me?”
Jamie’s heart raced, unsure of how to respond.
Ever since Ben’s heartfelt words a few days ago, her emotions had been a tangled mess. She had no idea how to face him. Avoidance seemed like the safest option.
But Ben had clearly had enough of her evasiveness. He stepped closer, his voice resolute. “You can reject me if that’s how you feel, but running away? What’s that supposed to mean? Do you see me as someone to be afraid of?” Realizing his misunderstanding, Jamie tried to explain but faltered.
The truth was, Ben wasn’t entirely wrong.
Sensing her hesitation, he let out a quiet sigh. “I promised I’d give you time, and I’ll keep that promise. But please, stop avoiding me.”
Jamie felt a pang of guilt as he left the room.
After that, she resolved to stop dodging him. She forced herself to treat him as normally as possible, pretending everything was fine.
Her change of behavior had an immediate effect.
The employees were the first to notice the shift.
Where once Ben had been snapping at everyone, now his mood seemed more stable. He still wore his usual stoic expression, but compared to before, his demeanor was practically warm and sunny. The office was collectively relieved.
“He’s human again!” one colleague marveled.
“I can’t believe it,” another added. “He approved my proposal without making me redo it five times.”
Meanwhile, Jamie kept her head down, pretending not to notice her coworkers speculating about the mysterious change in their boss.
But soon, she had no time to think about such things.
News came that Ben’s father, Mr. Lucas Sr., had collapsed.
What began as a case of high blood
pressure had revealed a slew of
underlying health issues, including coronary artery disease. Though not immediately life-threatening, his
condition left him unable to manage
the Lucas Corporation.
It was only then that Jamie fully understood why Mr. Lucas Sr. had been so determined to keep Ben tied to the company.
Noah wasn’t biologically part of the family.
With Ben being the only legitimate
Pet
son of the Lucas family, Mr. Lucas Sr. must have felt the pressure to secure the company’s future before his health deteriorated further. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to rest in peace.
While Jamie could accept this logic, she wasn’t so sure Ben would feel the same.
After Mr. Lucas regained consciousness from his coma, Ben left the hospital, but he returned several times over the next few days. Each time, he came back unusually quiet. “He wasn’t entirely wrong,” Ben admitted, frowning deeply. “But I still can’t forgive him.”
For a fleeting moment, Jamie thought she saw confusion in his eyes. It was a vulnerability she had never associated with him.
She quickly dismissed the thought.
But it wasn’t her imagination. Ben was indeed in a low mood for two days.
Thankfully, Jamie stayed by his side
the entire time, offering comfort in her own gentle way. “If it doesn’t make sense now, then don’t try to force it If his wish was for Lucas Corporation to thrive, then focus on running it well.”
She couldn’t forgive Mr. Lucas Sr. on Ben’s behalf, nor could she justify his actions of disregarding others’ feelings under the guise of noble intentions.
But what Jamie wanted was simple. It was for Ben to be okay.
It seemed Ben reached the same conclusion. After a couple of days in a reflective haze, he finally returned to the Lucas Corporation, ready to take on his responsibilities.
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