Chapter 33 - Nothing New

In fact, I was the most tired out of the entire bunch. I was slapped in the face and kicked on the shin by Keith’s newest ex. Before that, I had my hair grabbed, and before that, I was showered with water from a vase.

‘I should’ve just taken him up on the stock offer,’ I thought with my tired brain.

It certainly felt like the amount of work I was doing right now was worth that much. In fact, being overworked was okay. On top of having to find Keith’s sex partner, I even had to grit my teeth through unwarranted violence. ‘If the opportunity strikes again, I’ll be sure to ask for a million shares.’

Just as I reached that thought, I creased my brows. What was I saying? At that point, I would just quit for real.

“Yeonwoo?”

I was pulled back to reality when someone called my name. Emma was staring at me with a look of confusion. Embarrassed that I had been caught spacing out, I hurriedly pretended to be doing something else.

Emma apologized, “I’m sorry, Yeonwoo. It feels like you’re always the one having to do all the rough work.”

Surprised by her sudden remark, I looked up. She was standing there with a regretful look on her face. I finally realized what she had meant. She had come back from giving jewelry to a new girl earlier today. This meant that I would soon have to go and report the breakup to another girl who would but remain in Keith’s past.

“This is my job, after all. Don’t worry about it,” I consoled her, swallowing my sigh.

There were certain things in the world that I couldn’t get used to, no matter how many times I went through them. Hearing insults from someone standing right in front of me got exhausting over time, even if I tried to empty my mind. Moreover, it happened way too often.

“Don’t you think Mr. Pittman has been changing his partners way too often these days?” Emma suddenly asked what I had been thinking in my head. It seemed almost like we were telepathically connected, but this wasn’t just Emma and me. Jane and Rachel also agreed and pitched in.

“Yes, it’s getting out of hand.”

“I wonder if something happened.”

“Something, huh…”

I wanted to deny it, but it wasn’t like I had any more information on Keith than they did. All I could say was something like, “Mr. Pittman has always been rather promiscuous. He has always changed around his partners.”

“But it’s been happening way too often,” Emma emphasized once more. “Before, it used to last at least two or three months. Some of them even lasted six months. Recently, though, he’s been calling it every month at most.”

Before I could find something to say, Jane interjected. “Do you reckon Mr. Pittman is trying to get into the jewelry market? He couldn’t be trying to buy out Tiffany & Co., could he?”

Rachel immediately refuted, “When will he ever buy out Tiffany & Co. by buying a bracelet here and a necklace there? Don’t be dumb.”

“But he buys them so frequently.”

“Just no. You make no sense.”

Rachel snapped and lightly pinched Jane’s nose. I watched Jane roll her eyes as I opened my mouth. “In any case, it’s Mr. Pittman’s personal life. Our job is to make his life as easy as possible… whether it be his work life or his personal life. We just need to do our job properly.”

Emma replied with a sour face, “I suppose so.”

I stood up from my seat, hinting at the end of the conversation. “I should go pay Miss Annabel James a visit, then. Please wrap up the rest of Mr. Pittman’s daily schedule and ensure that no issues arise.”

“Will you be going straight home afterward?” Jane asked.

I turned around and faced her. “If nothing happens, then I’ll be coming back. I assume something will, though.”

I smiled bitterly. Rachel jabbed Jane with her elbow. I pretended not to see it and turned around to leave the office. I could almost feel the exhaustion weighing down my body.

*

*

“Is that right? It can’t be helped, then.”

I opened my eyes wide in shock. It was such a refreshing reply. Had anyone ever accepted the breakup this easily? 

As I stared at her face in awe, she giggled. “What? Did you think I’d throw a tantrum or something? I’m disappointed that you saw me as that kind of person.”

“N-No, well… I’m sorry,” I stuttered in astonishment.

Annabel smiled gently. “I’ve heard a lot about Mr. Pittman’s terrible habits. I should be thankful instead for having been given an opportunity like this. It didn’t last as long as I hoped for, but what can I do? It’s not like he’d come back even if I complained. I have no choice but to accept reality.”

I still couldn’t believe it after hearing everything she had said. The woman before my eyes was a supermodel who had claimed the status of number one model until last year. Although her title was stolen by an up-and-coming model, her prestige was still as high as ever. ‘Perhaps those who have seen the top are different after all.’

I could never have imagined such confidence and dignity in someone. Having had fully prepared myself for curses and chastisements, I almost felt defeated. ‘To think that he broke up with a girl like this in just three weeks…’

I almost felt pity for him. I could only hope that his new partner would be like this woman.

“What’s that you’re holding? Is it for me?”

Her question snapped me back to reality. I handed her the large envelope that I was holding. “Oh, yes. This is a gift from Mr. Pittman for giving him the pleasure of being with you.”

Annabel elegantly took the envelope from me. Her well-kept nails drew my attention more than anything else.

“I heard that Mr. Pittman offers a very generous compensation,” she added like an afterthought to herself, chuckling softly.