The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 286

With that, Suzie had finished her meal. She felt she had made herself clear enough.

“Oliver, I’m heading back to work. Don’t forget to pick up Stella tonight. The three of us should have a few drinks.”

Oliver didn’t respond. Just as Suzie opened the car door, he asked in a low voice, “Are you planning to marry him?”

Her foot had just touched the pavement, her body still half in the car, when his heartbroken tone struck her like a physical blow.

She never wanted to hurt him, but… some pain seemed unavoidable.

Suzie got out of the car gracefully, then leaned back in, facing him. “Well, if he’s the right one, I’ll consider it.”

“Suzie…” Oliver’s eyes were filled with a dejected helplessness, his words catching in his throat.

Feigning urgency, Suzie glanced at her watch. “Oliver, I’m a bit tight on time. Let’s talk more tonight. Remember to get Stella.”

Without another word, she shut the car door decisively and walked toward Hayden’s office building, not once looking back.

Inside the car, Oliver sat frozen in the driver’s seat, motionless for a long time.

Suzie’s words echoed in his mind again and again.

He was furious with himself for being too cowardly to even confess his feelings. Now she had a new man in her life, and if she got married, he would lose his chance forever.

After the agent left the office, Hayden, who had been leisurely sipping coffee on the sofa, began to applaud slowly.

“Our Suzie is getting more and more capable. When I first met you, I really thought you were the soft, sweet, delicate type.”

Suzie shot him a playful look and rose from her swivel chair. “You can stop praising me a million times a day. Let’s get down to business.”

She walked over and sat on the sofa next to him, her tone turning serious. “There are two things. First, having my office here in your studio, with my agent, assistant, and photographer coming and going… I feel like it might be disrupting your studio’s operations.”

“Nope, nope, nope,” Hayden cut in immediately. “Skip to the second thing. You’re staying right here. If my star photographer leaves, my studio will collapse. Besides, setting up your own studio is a ton of paperwork. You’d be better off spending that time with the kids.”

Despite his firm tone, Suzie still felt hesitant. Hayden hadn’t just given her a large, private office; he had also renovated a room to be a soundproof, fully equipped space just for her live streams.