Chapter 26: Qualifications
“I’ll do my best,” Troy said.
Imogen mustered up her courage and asked, “What’s wrong with Miss Page?”
Ever since Troy left, she had a premonition in her heart that he wouldn’t return soon, just like yesterday. She couldn’t fathom why Sarah had called him away for two consecutive days.
Troy glanced back at her, his face showing a frown. “Imogen, you didn’t used to ask so many que
S.”
Imogen turned pale and said, “My feet are excruciating. Could you…”
“The injury on your foot isn’t serious. If necessary, you could call the servant for help.” Troy’s tone was cold, and he left without looking back.
Imogen watched him leave and felt an overwhelming bitterness inside. She rarely let her guard down, but when she did, he dismissed her as a burden.
When someone isn’t interested in you, showing vulnerability won’t change their mind.
They were on the verge of divorce. Did she have any right to interfere in his affairs? She felt lost. Troy had merely done her a favor, yet she had deluded herself into thinking she was special to him.
Once again, she humiliated herself.
Imogen didn’t anticipate that not only did Troy not return that night, but he was also absent the next day and the following evening.
She sat on the bed, unwilling to accept the situation, boringly scrolling through her phone until sleep overtook her, leaving a bright light by the bedside.
In the morning, she woke up to find the bed sheets neatly arranged, and there were no signs of anyone’s presence.
Imogen lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, and sighed deeply.
‘What was the point of all this?‘
person
As the morning light filtered through the curtains, Imogen lay in bed, contemplating why she still clung to hope despite the impending divorce. Troy had been the she had longed for over the past ten years, and they had spent three years together as husband and wife. How could she reconcile the conflicting emotions within her?
With each passing moment, Imogen felt her hope waning. Perhaps as Troy’s disappointment in her increased and her love for him dissipated, she would find it impossible to hold onto any glimmer of optimism.
Struggling, she finally managed to rise from bed and wash her face. Today was Sunday, and tomorrow marked the day she and Troy had agreed to receive their divorce certificate. After obtaining the official document they would be legally unrelated.
However, they still had to live together without the formal constraints of marriage. Despite how close Troy had become to Sarah, Imogen knew she had no grounds to argue. All she could do was watch as her husband embraced another woman after their divorce. The days ahead seemed fraught with challenges, and she feared the emotional toll it would take.
cane,
Imogen refused to accept a life filled with bitterness and didn’t want to become resentful. Seeking a moment of solace, she made her way to the balcony, leaning on a and settled into a rocking chair to bask in the warmth of the morning sun. Her phone n chimed, signaling a new message on Facebook. Imogen picked up the phone and saw a message from Liam.
Fat Cat (Liam’s online nickname): [Didn’t you say you were coming to my house for two days? It’s the weekend today; why don’t you come?]
Imogen recalled her promise to Liam a few days ago and quickly replied to the message.
Hot and Cold (Imogen’s online nickname): [I’m sorry but I can’t make it. Please apologize to your parents for me. I’ll definitely come and see them when I have time in the future.]
Fat Cat: [What’s the matter? Is work keeping you too busy? I haven’t seen you in the studio these past two days.]
Hot and Cold: [It’s a long story. The last time I went to the studio, I was hit by a falling frame and twisted my foot. I’m still confined to my home for now.]
The messages from Fat Cat paused for a moment before a sudden video call came through. Imogen clicked to connect, and Liam’s handsome face appeared on the screen. He looked genuinely concerned as he asked, “How is it? Is it serious? Have you seen a doctor? What did they say?”
Imogen reassured him, “Don’t worry, I went to the hospital right away. The doctor said it’s not too serious; I just need a few days of rest at home.”
As she spoke, she switched the camera to show Liam her wrapped right ankle, visibly swollen and elevated.
Liam was taken aback. “Isn’t this serious? How did it happen?”
“Perhaps it’s just a run of bad luck. I’ve been experiencing some unfortunate events. recently,” Imogen replied with a smile.
“I’m taking a few days off. My mother happens to be going to the temple. How about I ask her to find a safety token for you?” Liam offered kindly.
“Thank you so much! That would be really kind of you,” Imogen said, switching the camera back to the front.
“Hey, where do you live? Since you can’t come over, why don’t I go and see you? What would you like to eat? I can bring something for you,” Liam said impulsively.
Imogen and Liam were childhood friends but only reconnected officially last to Liam’s busy work schedule, they hadn’t seen each other much in private. Most of
year. Due their meetings were arranged to eat out or when Imogen visited Liam’s parents‘ home. Liam was unaware of Imogen’s current situation and only knew that she had been adopted by the Marshall Family.
Imogen naturally wouldn’t refuse Liam’s offer to visit. After all, Troy was not at home at the momt/She agreed with a smile, “Sure, come to the Midtown Villa area. When you reach
,uard, let me know. Oh, and when you come, could you bring me some Roast beef from San Jose Road and a piece of Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte cake from the bakery on the first floor of Times Square?”
“Brother, those two places are quite far away,” Liam protested.
Imogen playfully teased, “Can’t you make a detour? Since you want to come and see me, you should show some sincerity.”
Liam laughed, saying, “Okay, okay, I’ll come right now,” with a hint of indulgence in his tone.
By the time Liam arrived, it was already approaching noon.
The guard at the community entrance called for a video call to confirm Liam’s entry before allowing him in. By this time, Imogen had already been assisted to the first floor, where she sat in the living room, waiting for Liam.
Liam located the villa based on the house number Imogen had provided. Upon entering, he remarked, “The housing prices here must be quite high, right?”
Imogen smiled, not directly responding to the question as her mind was preoccupied with work matters. She was on a call with her assistant discussing the release of photos for the two teams‘ restaurant cooperation.
As they finalized their conversation, Imogen added, “Listen, you have yesterday’s group photo, right? Pick one where Mr. Marshall and Miss Page don’t appear too close and prepare it for release.”
“Sure, I’ve got it covered,” the assistant replied.
After hanging up, Imogen quickly freshened up before Liam’s arrival.
When she reached her company, her assistant greeted her, saying, “Director Forbes, have you contacted Sarah’s team? What did they say?” Imogen entered the elevator and -asked.
“Mr. Marshall has already handed this matter over to the public relations department?”
The assistant hesitated and replied, “Yes, that’s correct.”
Imogen pursed her lips tightly, keeping her emotions in check.
As the elevator doors opened on the corresponding floor. Imogen stepped out and
came face–to–face with Charlene.
The moment Charlene saw Imogen, her face lit up with a smug smile and a hint of mockery. “Oh, it’s our Director Forbes. Yesterday, Miss Page and Mr. Marshall came together. Did you see that? Someone desperately tried to seduce Mr. Marshall, but he didn’t seem interested in her. He even personally stated that he wasn’t familiar with her. I wouldn’t have the face to stay at Marshall Group of Companies if I were you. It’s really embarrassing.”
Imogen remd composed, seemingly unperturbed by Charlene’s comments. She simply igno. er and walked past her without saying a word.
Upon hearing Charlene’s taunts, Imogen couldn’t help but pause her steps, her curiosity piqued. Charlene approached with a smug smile and continued, “I’ll reveal the truth to you. Mr. Marshall instructed me to use the marketing accounts to disclose that he and Miss Page once had a romantic relationship. Do you understand what that means?”
A chill ran down Imogen’s spine, and her face turned pale as she felt a sense of unease settling in. Restlessly, she returned to her office.
She picked up her phone and opened the hot search interface again, only to find that the comments had taken a new direction.
Netizens naturally fantasize about a potential relationship involving money and power when a female star is linked to a wealthy businessman.
This was particularly detrimental to Sarah, who had recently returned to China for her career development.
However, the marketing account owners were now posting blogs, revealing Imogen and Troy’s past romantic relationship. They even shared posts and photos from their college days, where they were hailed as the best couple on campus, walking hand in hand, perfectly matched.
With the two reuniting, rumors circulated that they intended to continue their relationship.
Furthermore, there had been earlier rumors suggesting that the original spokesperson for the Marshall Group of Companies was supposed to be Xena Wilson, a famous new star, but the position suddenly shifted to Sarah.
It seemed that netizens had finally put the pieces together.