Chapter 68: Chapter 68
After everyone finished eating, Nancy invited Primrose to go to the convenience store to buy coffee, taking the opportunity to discuss the recent gossip.
"How long do you plan to keep it a secret? You're legally married, not having an affair. Why can't you be open about it?"
Nancy was genuinely curious about Primrose's decision. Even though everyone in their company was friendly and easy-going, and they knew Primrose's situation would have no ill intent, at most they only marveled at Primrose's luck in marrying a good husband.
Upon hearing this, Primrose paused for a moment, contemplating something, then replied while placing the coffee cup on the counter for payment.
"We'll wait until the feelings between me and Joel are more stable. Until now, we still don't seem like a married couple. I feel there's still some distance."
Nancy sighed. What distance was she talking about? She only saw Primrose keeping her distance from Joel, but she had never seen Joel reject Primrose or maintain a distance. Every time they met, Joel seemed to take good care of Primrose.
"When should we go on a trip? Let's invite both Brian and Joel to come along, and it'll be a chance for you and Joel to bridge the gap."
Nancy teased with enthusiasm. Primrose nodded. After all, she hadn't been on a trip for a while, so experiencing something new with Joel would be nice.
"And it's a chance for Brian and Joel to get to know each other. We're best friends; we can't let our boyfriends remain unfamiliar."
Nancy added quietly, and then she and Primrose discussed the itinerary for the upcoming trip. It was their first time bringing their boyfriends along, so the travel plans needed to be carefully organized.
Returning to the company with their coffee cups in hand, Nancy and Primrose were caught in a sudden rain shower. Their clothes and hair quickly became soaked. Since they were close to the company, they decided to hurry back instead of seeking shelter from the rain.
"Unbelievable. The weather forecast clearly said it would be clear and sunny today, perfect for a trip. Hmph, clearly all lies."
Nancy vented her frustration and criticized the deceitful weather forecast. By now, both of them were thoroughly wet from head to toe due to the rain. Nancy's hair was no longer flowing gracefully, and her makeup was smudged, making her dislike the situation even more.
As they rushed into the company's lobby, their hair was disheveled, and their clothes were wet, except for the intact coffee cups in their hands. They looked at each other and burst into amused laughter at the sight of each other's struggling appearance.
"Did you bring your makeup kit? Do you want to use it?"
Nancy playfully suggested, pulling Primrose inside and speaking in a friendly tone. Primrose, who usually didn't carry makeup, quickly nodded and placed the coffee cups on the work table before heading to the restroom to touch up her makeup.
"All is perfect now. Right now, I'm a beautiful international beauty queen."
After readjusting her hair and makeup, Nancy stood confidently, proudly running her hand through her hair. She looked at herself in the mirror with satisfaction, growing more confident in her own beauty.
"Alright, it's almost time for the afternoon work. Beautiful queen."
Primrose playfully echoed Nancy's teasing, and then the two of them headed back to their workstations, waving goodbye to each other.
Primrose returned to her office and boredly sat in her chair. There clearly wasn't much to do. This afternoon, Joel had some work to handle at the company, and he had assigned Primrose a few small tasks to do in her free time. Primrose quickly completed them and then, like the most idle woman in the company, stood trimming flowers and watering the cactus pot by the door.
Her phone on the table rang with a gentle chime, breaking the silence in the room. Primrose picked up the small watering can and put it down, then picked up her phone to read the message.
It was a text message from Joel, and its content couldn't be more teasing.
"Sweetie, do you miss me? I'll be here all afternoon, not going back there anymore."
Just reading the message, Primrose could already imagine Joel's current expression: bright eyes, a slightly mischievous smirk, and lips playfully curved. She chuckled softly and replied nonchalantly.
"Not missing you. Who are you that I should miss? Focus on your work; don't text me flirtatiously during working hours."
On the other end, Primrose imagined Joel's enticing words, each sentence making her heart race with excitement. Despite always pretending not to care and acting cold, deep down, Primrose's emotions were already surging.
"Is that so? How sad! My wife doesn't need me and doesn't love me. It looks like I'll need to drink a lot tonight to drown my sorrows."
"Do you like a serious, work-focused man? If I were more serious, would you love me more?"
"Sweetie, encourage me a little. I can be excited about work until midnight. Give me a boost, will you?"
"Hey, what are you doing? Why aren't you replying to my messages?"
"Sweetie, you're so wicked. I miss you so much that I think of you even when I'm looking at contracts. And yet, you dare ignore me."
"Hmph, from now on, I won't initiate texting you anymore. Get ready for my icy demeanor."
Primrose lazily refrained from replying, while Joel continued to send messages in vain. As the sound of the message notification kept ringing in the quiet room, Primrose could imagine Joel's helpless and sulky face on the other side, making her chuckle.
A leisurely afternoon passed by, and Primrose peacefully went home with Nancy's ride. Even though Joel kept saying he would come to pick her up after work, Primrose consistently declined.
After all, it wasn't a convenient route, and Joel had already had a tiring day at work. She didn't want him to have to drive the extra distance. However, Joel didn't understand this and continued to send frustrated messages, blaming Primrose for not fulfilling her wifely duty of picking her up after work.
Throughout their previous relationships, Primrose's response to Joel's dissatisfaction and reproach had always been the same: silent indifference. And this time was no different.
"Why are you staying silent like this? Why can't you be straightforward with Joel about what you're thinking?"
"Clearly, you're trying to act uninterested when you actually do love Joel. Hmph, Joel is right; you truly are a heartless woman."
Nancy mimicked Joel's tone of condemnation and frustration, looking at Primrose somewhat exasperated. Why did she always have to maintain an icy goddess facade? Wouldn't it be better to just live genuinely?
Just like with Brian, they didn't hesitate to express their love for each other, so their feelings were growing stronger.
Primrose seemed to be pondering over this too. In her previous relationships, she had always been the passive one in matters of affection, occasionally teasing her partners but mostly being the recipient of their advances.
Now, she and Joel were somewhat the same. Initially, she playfully teased Joel, but now everything was about closing the distance between them. So Primrose had grown accustomed to pretending indifference while Joel made efforts to win her over.
However, it seemed this might not be the best approach.
"Because I don't know how to do it, and I feel awkward about where to start."
Primrose explained sheepishly, tilting her head down and playing with her hair. Nancy, having driven Primrose home, parked the car and leaned in to whisper something in Primrose's ear, then gave a chin-up gesture with a cool demeanor, her tone carrying a hint of amusement.
"Do you understand what I said now? Do you know what to do?"
After some contemplation and considering the practicality of Nancy's advice, Primrose nodded quietly, then got out of the car, making sure to thank Nancy sincerely.
"Alright, no need for such exaggerated politeness. When you get pregnant, let me know. I'll gladly be the baby's godmother to help take care of it alongside you."
Nancy laughed and drove away, leaving Primrose feeling a bit embarrassed and not daring to lift her head.