Ch. 129: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life chapter 129

Chapter 129

Kevin's eyes shifted to the calendar, realizing that the end of their three-year term had arrived—the day they agreed to divorce. How had time flown by so quickly? In what felt like just a moment, he and Norah had already spent three years as husband and wife. But Kian was the one who understood the situation best.

With an irritated tug at his tie, Kevin fixed his gaze on Kian and spoke with a sharp edge in his voice. “Did Norah tell you?”

Kian sensed something off in Kevin’s tone, something strange and unsettling, but he answered carefully, “…Yes.”

Kevin’s eyes narrowed. “You and Norah seem close if she confides in you like this.”

Kian felt a lump form in his throat. “We’re just colleagues, Mr. Edwards. We exchange a few words here and there, but there’s nothing more to it.”

Kevin’s stare made Kian feel like he was being sized up as competition. He stammered out, “I swear, Mr. Edwards, Norah and I are just coworkers. We hardly talk outside of work.”

Kevin felt a subtle wave of relief wash over him.

Yesterday, Norah had been distant, and now he understood why—she wanted to leave her job and escape from his life. She was shrewd, handing in her resignation just before their divorce day.

With an impassive face, Kevin returned to his work, ignoring Kian. It was clear that the idea of divorce was Norah’s wishful thinking. Kevin had never truly considered ending their marriage.

Kian stayed silent, realizing that anything he said could make matters worse. The thought of losing his bonus made him dread going home for the holidays.

Just then, Kevin’s phone rang.

Meanwhile, Norah had been waiting at the Civil Affairs Bureau for nearly thirty minutes. She knew Kevin well enough to be confident he’d arrive on time to finalize their divorce.

But as time ticked by without any sign of him, she finally called to check on him. She was sure they were on the same page—they had discussed it enough lately. She thought he would remember.

When her call lit up Kevin’s phone screen, he glanced at it and then looked at Kian. “You answer it.”

“Oh,” Kian said, scrambling to comply. “Hello, Secretary White.”

Hearing Kian’s voice made Norah pause, then she asked, “Can you put Kevin on the phone?”

Kian looked at Kevin, who mouthed, “Tell her I’m busy.”

“Mr. Edwards is a bit occupied at the moment,” Kian said, trying to keep his tone neutral.

Norah’s brows knitted. “Did he forget? Please remind him that he needs to come to the Civil Affairs Bureau for the divorce.”

Kian looked back at Kevin, received another silent cue, and replied, “Mr. Edwards is extremely busy today and can’t step away. He won’t be able to make it.”

A stunned silence followed on Norah’s end.

She had been certain today would be the day. She had prepared everything, only for Kevin to be “too busy” to show up. That wasn’t the outcome she had hoped for. “When will he be free?” she pressed.

“I’m not sure when Mr. Edwards will be available,” Kian said. “But he definitely can’t come today.”

Kevin signaled to Kian once more, who added, “By the way, Secretary White, you’re late for work. If you don’t come back soon, your pay will be docked.”

Norah’s lips tightened. “Didn’t you know I resigned?”

“Mr. Edwards hasn’t approved your resignation yet, and there’s no one to replace you. You’ll need to come back,” Kian said, trying to sound polite. “You can head straight to the office from the Civil Affairs Bureau.”

Norah was left speechless. Not only was the divorce delayed, but she still had to return to work. If there had been a successor, this wouldn’t even be a conversation.

“Will I be able to leave once someone takes over my position?” she asked, resigned to the situation.

“In theory, yes,” Kian confirmed.

“Fine. I’ll talk to HR to start the process,” Norah said, ending the call.

Kian let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, feeling like he’d just survived a minefield.

Kevin, who had been listening intently, relaxed. Knowing Norah wasn’t pushing hard for the divorce and would return to the company gave him an odd sense of comfort.

Norah left the Civil Affairs Bureau, disappointed but determined. On her way back, she received messages from Gwen, who was concerned and wondering when she would return. Then there was Gloria, who had worried incessantly last time, calling nonstop until Norah reassured her. This time, Gloria already knew about the divorce and wanted to take Norah out to celebrate. But Norah wasn’t single yet—there was no reason to celebrate. Instead, she had to get back to work and face her reality.

Twenty minutes later, Norah arrived at the company. She went straight to HR. “Do we have any suitable candidates for my position?” she asked.

One of the HR reps responded, “Well… Secretary White, we’re currently at capacity. We’ll need to post the job and recruit someone, which could take some time.”

Norah sighed. She hated delays but knew she had to take charge. “Then post the job. I’ll personally screen candidates. Just let me know when applications come in.”

“Understood.”

Once the job posting went live, applications poured in—thousands of them. Candidates ranged from seasoned professionals to recent graduates, all competing for the spot. Norah felt a strange sense of nostalgia as she sifted through the resumes. She remembered starting as a young assistant at Edwards, running errands and working her way up to Kevin’s side. Seven years had passed in a flash, turning her from a naive girl into a seasoned professional.

Reflecting on those years, Norah couldn’t help but think how fleeting youth was. With that thought, she got back to combing through resumes, determined to find the right person for Kevin.

It was late when Kevin stepped out of his office and saw Norah still at her desk, poring over the resumes. The light from her lamp highlighted the serious expression on her face.

Kian, standing nearby, said, “Secretary White has already contacted HR and started reviewing resumes. If she keeps at it, she won’t finish before sunrise.”

Kevin’s jaw tightened as he walked over to Norah.

Hearing footsteps, Norah looked up and met his eyes. “Mr. Edwards, are you done for the day?” she asked, maintaining a professional tone.

Kevin didn’t answer, his eyes drifting to the pile of resumes in her hand. With a chill in his voice, he asked, “Why are you in such a rush?”