Love Began with the First Meeting novel Chapter 1416

We had been spending so much time practicing the perfect smile, that, gradually, we didn't even dare to shed vulnerable tears in front of each other.

Time went by really fast. Although Addison had left Sally's life, his influence remained overwhelming. For her, he seemed like the brightest shooting star crossing the dark night sky, and his dynamic influence illuminated the sky over her head. She couldn't help thinking about him and their past. The time that they had spent together was still fresh in her mind, and at times she felt it like a dull ache in her heart. She couldn't bear the thought of rousing herself from that beautiful dream. Deep down, she refused to say farewell to the past. However, the harsh reality was such that they had become the most familiar strangers since the day they had parted. Needless to say, matters were the same for Addison as well.

Henrik was called away on a business trip. Despite his absence, the operations at the Rock International Corp headquarters still maintained its standards. All employees were wholeheartedly devoted to their work, even though the boss was away. However, for the secretaries working in the CEO's office, the days had become relatively easier. Since the CEO was no longer present in the office, the girls were left with much more time to gossip during their work hours. The topics of discussion ranged from company staff, clients, and even the private life of the CEO himself, and many more juicy stories. Sally, having never been much of a talker, always listened to their gossip instead of joining the conversation. Most of the time, she just smiled briefly when something interesting caught her attention. However, one of the names that they mentioned led to a widening of her eyes. She yelped, "Lina?" Jennie was surprised by Sally's reaction. She looked at her blank face and wondered why on earth Sally would care about Lina. Staring Jennie directly in the eyes, Sally murmured, "Who is this Lina? I have heard that, Henrik doesn't have any siblings."

"Oh dear, you haven't been on Dragon Island for long, no wonder you have no clue about such things," another young secretary named Elisa Chang whispered as she leaned towards Sally. Her face was full of mysterious joy. She whispered, "Lina was adopted by the boss's family about five years ago." So saying, Elisa became even more excited. She placed her elbows on the table and leaned even closer to Sally. Thinking for a second, she then explained quite seriously to Sally, "I have been working for Rock International Corp for almost six years. I remember it happened around the time when I first came to the company. Throughout the years, I had always held the impression that the boss and his family were very formal and given to few words. Despite the fact that they didn't act as aloof as the rest of the wealthy society, I found it quite unusual for them to actually adopt a teenage girl like that."

Her words brought Sally's heart to her throat. Sally pressed her lips together, not trusting herself to speak just then, and raised her head. Her long eyelashes covered the real emotions in her eyes as she casually asked Elisa, "Maybe there is an untold story behind all this?" She forced a brief smile onto her face as if she was merely talking about the weather. "You know what? If the boss ever found out that we were gossiping about his private life, our lives would probably be in danger!" With this exaggerated statement, she even pulled a cute face. Sally tried to act like nothing but her normal self.

But Jennie gave Sally a disapproving look. Her eyebrows furrowed as she had noticed her behavior to be slightly unusual.

"We really shouldn't be talking about this matter. Of course our lives won't be in danger, but we could definitely lose our jobs because of it," said another senior secretary who looked in their direction. She warned them in a deep voice. She had remained quiet during their gossip. However, she paused her work in front of the computer and looked at Sally in concern. With a profound look on her face, she continued, "Sally, if you came here to work, then I strongly advise you to stop talking about this matter. Just treat it as harmless gossip. As soon as you step out of this office, you shouldn't even think about it anymore. You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat!" She paused for a second and carried on in a less stern voice, "However, if you are really so curious and want to dig up more about it. I think you should just quit your job. Because if Henrik ever knows about what you are doing, you will face a horrible end."

Her words of rebuke stung Sally's ears. She sat motionless in the chair, her eyes wide open and her face pale as paper. For a long time, she didn't even know how to respond. Her mind was spinning fast as it suddenly occurred to her that Lina could be no other, but Little Pear. Because the times of events matched!

"Alright, Melinda, stop scaring Sally. Look how petrified she is already!" Elisa rolled her eyes at Melinda and patted Sally lightly on her shoulder, trying to give her some comfort. Then she looked at Sally sincerely and said in a serious voice, "Sally, it is okay! We are just gossiping and teasing. But jokes aside, you probably shouldn't mention this matter anymore. Especially when Henrik is present. Remember, don't say anything about it for the sake of us all. Actually, we should all keep our mouths shut when it comes to the private matters of Henrik and his family." The look on her face became more and more serious as she continued, "Henrik really hates it when people talk about his private life. Unless, you are one of his closest mates, like Addison."

Sally nodded her head in quiet acceptance. She knew that they meant well for her. And she certainly would not mention it anymore. However, deep inside, she found it really confusing that Henrik would keep such a secret. It felt like there was a lump in her throat as she gazed out through the office window. She felt nervous, the thought of Lina haunted her and left her feeling uneasy from head to toe.

The sudden vibration from her cell phone pulled Sally back from her reverie. She jumped to her feet and stared at the phone in amazement. It took her several seconds before she realized that she had to answer it. The caller ID read "Matthew". Sally closed her eyes and cursed inwardly. Then she quickly opened her eyes, inhaled deeply and answered in an abrupt tone, "Master Matthew, could you stop calling me already?" Her voice was actually shaking. Anger filled her as she grated between her teeth, "I shall never agree to your demands!"

"It is alright." Matthew's voice sounded casual and relaxed. "I am just calling to invite you for a meal with me."

"Stop playing your unnecessary tricks on me! They won't work!" Sally's shoulders shivered as she tried to control her rage. Her voice was loud enough to turn heads. As she realized her inappropriate behavior was drawing attention, Sally silently sighed and nodded briefly to her colleagues. Then she lowered her voice and snapped, "I won't have dinner with you! You can forget about it. Don't you ever call me again regarding your stupid notions! Moreover, don't even try to make me feel grateful towards you. I don't care anymore. I am not going to give you even the slightest gratitude for giving me access to Henrik."

Matthew's face cracked with a profound smile, and his voice sounded distant yet overwhelming as he explained, "Uncle Yates just wanted to meet the woman who can so easily make headlines with her scandals. I am only the one who was told to pick her up in person, so don't shoot the messenger. Rest assured, today it will be just you and me." He paused briefly and then continued, "The venue has been booked in advance. I can guarantee you that no one else will be present."