Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I turned around and saw a tall man standing before me.

I rarely met men who were over 6'3" tall, so it took me a moment to recognize him.

"Mr. Knight."

His eyes sparkled, and a smile spread across his handsome face.

"You remember me."

I smiled back at him. "It's hard to forget someone who uses jade for wedding rings these days."

Six months ago, he had ordered a pair of jade rings from Jenkins Jewelry Company, saying they were for his fiancée.

Jenkins Jewelry Company was not known for jade, but he insisted that I make the rings.

He had noticed me three years ago at a jade carving competition where I won first place. It took him quite a bit of effort to find out that I had joined Jenkins Jewelry Company.

I was pleasantly surprised.

Jenkins Jewelry Company mostly dealt with gold, silver, and diamonds, so this was my first jade order.

I personally went to the jade market in Kloihull and found a piece of top-grade translucent jadeite. I crafted a pair of matching rings for him and wished him and his fiancée a lifetime of happiness.

The rain had almost stopped.

Brodie looked down at me. "Would you do me the honor of having dinner with me?"

I glanced around. "Mrs. Knight..."

"There isn't one."

"What?"

"There is no Mrs. Knight. I am not married."

I felt a bit awkward as we sat down in the restaurant.

He had been so particular about those wedding rings; he must have loved his fiancée very much.

But he never gave them to her. It must have been an unhappy story.

Brodie calmly handed me the menu to order.

I absentmindedly picked a few dishes, and he added a few more.

After the waiter left, he smiled gently.

"There's no need to be so reserved. My fiancée ran away. She's now with someone she loves and is very happy."

I paused and asked, "Aren't you angry?"

He replied calmly and warmly, "I was angry at first. We've known each other since we were kids, and I've always been good to her. But she made me look so foolish."

"But if my kindness was one-sided, she would be pushed along by me, unable to see if she truly liked me or just liked someone who was good to her."

"And I wouldn't be able to tell if I really liked her or just couldn't let go."

"One must love oneself first to avoid becoming an obsessive gambler."

I fell silent.

Chasing Darin for the past five years, I had already gambled everything.

I couldn't let go of the little bit of kindness he showed me, nor could I let go of the porridge I cooked for him, the nights I stayed up, the drinks I blocked for him, and the career I changed halfway through.

I had become accustomed to bowing my head and compromising, deceiving myself, and even putting my dignity on the line.

It was truly pathetic.

When the dishes were served, Brodie urged me to start eating, and I realized that I had subconsciously ordered all of Darin's favorite dishes.

And the ones Brodie added were all my favorites.

His fair fingers moved the Blackened Fish and Buffalo Wings in front of me.

"Last time we ate together, I remember you loved spicy food. This restaurant is famous for it. Give it a try."

I took a bite of the wings.

Because of Darin's weak stomach, I had rarely eaten spicy food in recent years.

The pain on my tongue quickly spread through my entire mouth.

After eating bland food for so long, the strong stimulation was quite uncomfortable.

But I liked it.

We had a very enjoyable meal.

Brodie suddenly suggested that he wanted to recruit me to his company.

He worked in the art industry and was planning to expand into jade carving.

I felt a surge of excitement.

My family has a long history in the jade business. It was only because Darin struggled to find someone for Jenkins Jewelry Company's outdated designs that I went to help him.

But I hadn't been involved in the jade industry for five years.

Brodie said, "But you never gave up. The earrings, necklaces, and bracelets you wear are all carved by you. Your Facebook regularly features your jade carvings. From traditional carved jade to modern ornaments, you've always been improving yourself."

"Miss Harvey, I chose you after careful consideration, not on a whim."

A wave of emotion surged in my chest.

He understood me.

In my five years at Jenkins Jewelry Company, I had diligently won many design awards and led several design trends in the industry.

At first, Darin would excitedly hug me and praise me as the greatest designer of the century. But as time went on, he took my efforts and achievements for granted, and if I didn't do my best, I would be held accountable.

I was even handed over to the clueless Melany to boost her performance.

Yet Brodie, whom I had only met a few times, could recognize my talent and genuinely appreciate and respect it.

I was tempted.

But.

I put down my fork and said seriously, "Mr. Knight, thank you very much for your appreciation. But I am currently pregnant, and I don't think it's suitable for me to change jobs."

Brodie paused for a few seconds, then smiled again.

"Congratulations, Miss Harvey, but I don't see that as a problem. Your talent won't disappear because of pregnancy, and I believe a comfortable work environment is beneficial for the baby."

This was the first time someone had considered a job from my perspective.

So, I raised my glass of juice.

"Then, here's to a pleasant collaboration, Mr. Knight."

We had a great conversation.

So much so that I didn't even notice the dozens of missed calls vibrating in my bag.