Ch. 22: Mr. Edwards' Unraveled Life chapter 22

Chapter 22

When Steven and Norah reached the second floor, they found it much more elegant and less crowded than downstairs.

The door opened, and people inside of the private room shouted excitedly, "Mr. Lord! Mr. Lord is here!"

"Steven, you've really changed! You're so handsome and successful now. There must be a long line of girls who like you."

Steven joked, "I don’t know about that. I’ll have to check when I get back."

"Well, you're still single, so pay attention! There are plenty of ladies here. Steven, you're a catch—make sure you take advantage of it!"

They chatted with Steven for a while, then noticed Norah standing behind him. It seemed Steven had anticipated her arrival, and with a smile, he said, "We have a special guest today—Norah is here too."

Norah said, "Sorry I’m late."

"Norah, you’re not very considerate. You rarely come to these gatherings. If it weren’t for Steven, I doubt we’d see you at all."

"But Norah still looks as beautiful as ever."

"Being beautiful is an asset. She’s the secretary of President Kevin Edwards from Edwards Group, so it’s quite something for her to come with him."

As they hadn’t seen each other for a long time, they began catching up.

Though some comments were unpleasant, Norah took them in stride. Having worked for many years, she had developed a thick skin.

Her job might seem glamorous, but she knew she was just an employee.

Steven, sensing Norah might feel uncomfortable, smiled and tried to ease the situation. "Everyone is here now. I’m treating tonight, so feel free to eat as much as you want. Don’t worry about the cost."

"Steven, you’re the big boss. Of course, we won’t hold back."

Norah looked around at her old classmates. Some hadn’t changed much, while others had changed drastically—some had gained weight, some had lost weight, some were now housewives, and others had become more composed with life’s experiences.

Norah wanted to find a quiet corner and sit down, but Steven said, "Norah, sit next to me."

He took the spotlight at the party, sitting in a prominent spot, and Norah was right beside him, drawing attention.

With many old classmates eager to build connections with Steven and advance their careers, drinking and chatting were inevitable.

It seemed there were only two seats available.

Norah had no choice but to sit down.

Seeing Steven’s attention on Norah, someone couldn’t help but tease, "Steven, I didn’t expect you to still care about Norah so much after all these years. It’s nice to see you taking care of her at the party."

"Do you remember when Steven wrote that love letter back then? I saw it. I wonder if he ever sent it to Norah."

Everyone turned their gaze to Norah.

She became the center of attention, but she didn’t quite understand why. Her relationship with Steven back then wasn’t very close.

Even if he had written a love letter, it couldn’t have been for her.

Norah smiled slightly. "That’s impossible. If Steven had a crush on someone, it definitely wouldn’t be me."

Steven poured a cup of hot tea for Norah and said, "Stop drinking for now. Have some tea to warm up."

"Norah, you and Steven aren’t together, are you?" Seeing how attentive Steven was to Norah, someone boldly guessed, "You’re just not admitting it because you’re afraid we’ll gossip."

Norah was startled by the question and quickly denied, "No…"

"I bet you two are together!"

They enjoyed stirring up drama, ignoring Norah’s denial, and shouted in unison, "Hurry up and kiss her! Kiss her!"

Everyone cheered and clapped loudly.

This was why Norah disliked attending these gatherings. It was fine to compare salaries, but they also enjoyed gossiping and spreading false rumors.

The loud cheering was audible outside.

"Kevin, this restaurant is excellent. You should try it later. If you like it, we can come back next time."

At that moment, Bianca followed Kevin up to the second floor.

She was pleased. She had initially planned to dine the next day, but decided to invite him out that evening, and he agreed right away.

At this moment, a loud voice could be heard.

"Steven, if you’re a real man, tell us now if you and Norah are a couple." Someone, influenced by alcohol, boldly asked.

Kevin froze when he heard this.

The room wasn’t fully closed. There was a screen and antique décor, with curtains partially drawn, making the figures inside somewhat obscured.

But Kevin immediately spotted Norah sitting next to Steven.

She was sitting so close to Steven at the party, which seemed to confirm the rumors that they were a couple in the eyes of others.

Kevin’s gaze was sharp as he looked through the curtain, feeling very uncomfortable. He irritably pulled at his tie.

The mention of a "kiss" made his anger reach its peak.

Bianca, overhearing the conversation, smirked slightly. "Isn’t that Norah? Why is she with another man? She has a family, and yet here she is, attending a party with someone else. Isn’t that inappropriate? People might misunderstand and think they’re a couple."

Bianca glanced at Kevin’s face, knowing her words were meant to provoke. She wanted Kevin to see that Norah was not denying any relationship.

Kevin’s face darkened, and he said coldly, "Don’t worry about her."

Seeing his displeasure, Bianca said, "Alright, let’s go eat."

They walked into the private room.

Inside, Norah was overwhelmed by the noise.

Steven, who had been abroad for years and was used to such teasing, could handle it. But Norah, a woman with a reputation to maintain, found it uncomfortable. She didn’t want to be seen as a bad person. Seeing the commotion, Steven set down his cup and, no longer as kind, said, "Stop speculating. Norah and I just reconnected as friends. What do you think our relationship is?"

The joke seemed to have gone too far, and a classmate said, "So that’s it. We got all excited for nothing."

"Norah, we were just joking. I hope you don’t take it too seriously," another classmate added.

Although Norah felt uneasy, she maintained her composure and smiled. "You were too loud earlier. If you had heard my explanation sooner, there wouldn’t have been any misunderstanding."

Seeing the situation was defused, the other women became intrigued. "If Steven isn’t married yet, we single women should make a move."

Steven, playing with a small object in his hand, smiled slightly and said, "I have someone I like."

The room fell silent. Steven’s serious tone indicated how much he valued this person.

Norah turned her head, surprised that Steven really had someone special.

"Steven, you really like someone? Who is it? Do we know her?"

Everyone was eager to hear his answer.