I Choose Him, Your Worst Enemy novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9 Since You Are Here, Let’s Talk

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As soon as Wynette walked into the studio, her assistant Jasmine Thomson hurried over and fell in step behind her.

“Ms. Jewell, Shepherd Group suddenly wants to pull their investment. What’s going on?” Jasmine asked.

It turned out the fallout hadn’t just hit Jewell Group. Even the studio Wynette and Noah owned together was affected.

Wynette had considered this possibility before.

But now that it was actually happening, it still hurt.

She had poured so much effort into this studio, and Noah had seen it all with his own eyes.

Yet now he was pulling the funding just like that.

Even though she had already thought about walking away before, the news still shook her.

“Find the contract we signed with Shepherd Group. I’ll go to their company and talk to them,” Wynette said.

The contract clearly stated that if Shepherd Group pulled out for reasons unrelated to the studio, the studio had the right to reclaim full ownership of the game.

In other words, if Shepherd Group gave up on the mobile game, the studio could find another

partner.

Jasmine had been with Wynette since the studio was first founded.

She knew Wynette’s work style well and could keep up with her thinking quickly.

So the moment she heard Shepherd Group was pulling out, she dug up the contract and marked the relevant clause.

Wynette glanced at the tablet. Jasmine handed her and smiled slightly. “Let’s go. Come with me to Shepherd Group.”

Jasmine followed right behind her. “I contacted them right away, but Mr. Shepherd’s assistant said he’s not in the office and isn’t taking appointments for now.”

It clearly sounded like they were trying to avoid Wynette.

Wynette stopped walking. She had thought the same thing.

She took out her phone and called Noah. The call went through, but no one, answered.

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Chapter 9 Since You Are Here, Let’s Talk

She tried several times. Same result every time.

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Putting her phone away, she told Jasmine, “Since it’s the weekend anyway, tell everyone to stop working and go home early. Come back Monday.”

With Shepherd Group pulling their investment, everyone had been working day and night on the game. Wynette decided to give them the time off.

Jasmine nodded but still looked worried. “Ms. Jewell, what’s… going on? Didn’t you and Mr. Shepherd already register your marriage? Why would Shepherd Group suddenly-”

She stopped herself before finishing the question.

Everyone at the studio had seen their relationship.

Even though Noah rarely came by, whenever he had time he would pick Wynette up or drop her off.

Thinking about it now, Jasmine suddenly realized something. Noah hadn’t picked Wynette up in a long time.

Had something happened between them?

Jasmine instantly regretted asking such a stupid question.

Just as she was about to brush the topic aside, Wynette answered calmly. “We never registered. And we won’t be getting married. Jasmine, all business ties between me and Noah will be severed.”

“… Oh. And the game…?” Jasmine asked helplessly.

No one knew better than her how much effort Wynette had poured into it.

Originally, Wynette had planned to launch the mobile game alongside their PC game once the beta test succeeded.

But now? How could that plan continue?

Wynette thought for a moment. “Let’s see what Shepherd Group decides first.”

If Noah really wanted to abandon the project, Wynette believed she could take it over herself.

But she also knew Noah wasn’t that easy to deal with.

Sometimes she truly couldn’t understand him.

He clearly couldn’t let go of Lorelei, yet he kept insisting there was nothing between them and that Wynette was just overthinking.

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Chapter 9 Since You Are Here, Let’s Talk

Every time they argued, he would eventually grow angry and defensive.

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Since Wynette had already said that much, Jasmine didn’t press further. “Ms. Jewell, I’m on your side,” she said.

Then she went out to tell everyone in the studio to head home.

Soon the lively studio fell silent.

Wynette sat alone in her office.

On the computer screen in front of her was a scene from the game.

A couple wearing matching outfits stood side by side beneath a magnolia tree. In front of them was a swing wrapped in magnolias.

Clicking the swing triggered an interaction.

Petals drifted through the air as the boy pushed the swing. The girl smiled happily.

Wynette kept clicking the mouse. Again and again.

Over and over.

Just like she had done countless times before.

Except back then, she would smile along with the characters.

Now?

Even after repeating the action more than a hundred times, the joy was gone. Only the sting remained.

In the garden of the Jewell residence, there was also a century-old magnolia tree. A small swing hung from it.

Noah had built it for her with his own hands when they were kids.

When Wynette was little, she loved sitting on that swing, calling out for him to push her higher.

As the years passed, they both grew up.

Wynette could no longer fit on that swing.

And Noah never pushed her like he did when they were children.

Only Wynette remembered all those memories.

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Chapter 9 Since You Are Here, Let’s Talk

Thinking about it, she let out a self-mocking laugh.

Finished

She was the only one still standing in the same place. The spirited boy from her memories was gone, completely changed.

It was her fault for refusing to see it, for fooling herself all this time.

Finally, Wynette stopped clicking.

On the screen, the girl on the swing suddenly fell to the ground. The boy who had been pushing the swing was gone.

The romantic shower of petals turned into pouring rain.

This was a hidden feature Wynette had designed.

After 99 interactions, the hundredth would trigger a hidden storyline.

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