Second Chance: Marrying into Wealth Chapter 181

"Ms. Grey, your apology isn't sincere, and I don't accept it!"

Quinlan's voice was soft, almost timid, but the fact that she spoke up at all was a big step for her.

I gave Marlowe a half-smile. "Ms. Grey, did you hear that? If you're going to apologize, be genuine about it. The camera's still rolling."

I pointed towards the camera.

Honestly, if I didn't have the upper hand, anyone watching might think Marlowe was the one being wronged here.

Thinking back to how she treated others before, it was only fair she got a taste of her own medicine. Maybe this would teach her a lesson.

Marlowe gritted her teeth. "I'm sorry!"

Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear the resentment and anger in it.

I ignored her and turned to Quinlan. "Do you want to forgive her?"

Marlowe ground her teeth. "Quinlan, I already apologized!"

The implication was clear: you should forgive me now.

Quinlan looked down, silent for a moment.

No matter what she decided, I would respect her choice.

Life had many lessons, and she had been through too much. Today, I wanted her to make a decision for herself.

When Quinlan looked up, her eyes were filled with determination, a stark contrast to her earlier timidity.

She looked directly at Marlowe and said loudly, "I don't forgive you!"

"You!" Marlowe's eyes blazed with anger.

Quinlan, however, seemed at ease. She said to me, "Thank you!"

Then, without another word, she quickly left the room.

Marlowe frowned, watching the mess left behind. She shouted at Quinlan's retreating figure, "Come back, Quinlan! You don't want this job anymore, do you? You haven't finished your work, and your things are still here. Where do you think you're going?"

This time, her only response was silence.

The look Quinlan gave me before she left was so resolute that it made my heart sink with worry.

I shot Marlowe a glare and hurried after Quinlan.

But she was already gone.

I was about to call her when I received a message from her.

Quinlan: [Melinda, thank you for standing up for me today. I hope I didn't cause you any trouble! After what happened, I've decided it's better to leave Echo Magazine than to endure more of Marlowe's bullying and lose my dignity. The country is big; I don't believe she has that much power. I'll find a place for myself.

So, I've decided to leave the company and Starlight City to find a new job elsewhere.

Also, your dog was so cute the other day. I bought some clothes and toys for it. I'll have them sent over by courier. I won't be coming by to drop them off myself.]

Her words made me even more worried for her.

Quinlan was such a kind and lovely girl. Why couldn't life be a little kinder to her? And how could Marlowe be so cruel?

I needed to find Quinlan quickly. I was afraid she might do something drastic. I wanted to help her, to stop her from making any rash decisions.

She didn't have to leave Starlight City. I didn't believe Marlowe had that much power.

Marlowe's threats were just to scare Quinlan, who, coming from the countryside, had a natural fear of city people and couldn't tell if Marlowe's words were true or not.

But when I tried calling Quinlan again, her phone was off.

I decided to wait until she calmed down before contacting her again.

I sent her a message: [You're alone in a new place. There's no rush to leave. I'm still here in Starlight City. Let's talk things over before you make any decisions. Don't act impulsively.]

After sending the message, I put my phone away.

I didn't want to see Marlowe's annoying face anymore, so I asked Vincent to escort her out.

The rest of the day, I was distracted at work, my mood noticeably low.

Thankfully, the afternoon wasn't too busy, and I gradually calmed down.

As the weather cooled, it got dark earlier.

When I left the office, night had already fallen. I noticed Christopher standing by the entrance.

It was odd. Why was he standing there alone instead of leaving in his car?

Thinking about him reminded me that he liked Marlowe. Maybe that was why Marlowe felt so confident. She said I relied on Paula, but who was she relying on? Christopher?

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I decided to ignore him.

I had overcome my fear of driving, so I planned to drive home.

Just as I started the car and was about to leave, I got a call from Christopher.

"I just saw you. My driver had an emergency. Can you give me a ride home?"

He said he saw me.

Did he see me trying to avoid him?

He sounded calm, so maybe he didn't notice.

I reassured myself and backed the car up to where he was standing. "Mr. Collins, please get in."

I unlocked the back door.

To my surprise, Christopher opened the front passenger door instead.

"Mr. Collins, the back seat is more spacious and comfortable," I said, since I was acting as the driver.

He ignored me and sat in the front, not bothering with the seatbelt.

He rarely drove himself, usually having a driver and sitting in the back seat, so he seemed to forget about the seatbelt.

I reminded him twice, but he still didn't get it.

"I'll do it," I said, taking a deep breath.

Christopher stayed still, his eyes fixed on me, making me blush.

It must be his eyes that made me think inappropriate thoughts, not my own wicked mind.

I reassured myself and leaned over to fasten his seatbelt.

The seatbelt was stuck under him, so I had to tug a bit. He leaned forward, and suddenly we were face to face. My heart raced.

Had I been too close to Christopher?

Would he think I did it on purpose?

He quickly leaned back, but my face was still hot.

Finally, I managed to fasten the seatbelt and returned to my seat.

I took a moment to calm down before starting the car.

Christopher, surprisingly chatty, asked, "Do you drive to work every day now?"

He seemed unaffected by the earlier incident.

I realized it was just me overreacting and decided to learn from his composure.

"Yes, it's more convenient."

Taking a cab every day meant waiting, especially in the rain. Sometimes the app would send a car far away, and I'd have to wait in line. It wasn't convenient.

Living in the suburbs, driving was easier.

I overcame my fear of driving thanks to Christopher.

So I said, "I have to thank you for helping me overcome my fear."

He replied, "You've thanked me already, haven't you?"