Young boss

In front of everyone, under the stunned gaze of Elizabeth, Steven, the blonde girl, and all the staff watching, Kyla did something unexpected. The woman known to be cold and firm and who always rejected every man who tried to get close to her now embraced Edward unceremoniously.

Edward looked shocked, his body stiffening for a moment. He did not expect Kyla to do this, especially in front of many people. Kyla's hug felt tight as if she wanted to convey something more than just words.

"Kyla..." Edward whispered, 

standing still, his eyes shifting from the awkward-looking Kyla with flushed cheeks; the situation felt even more complicated, especially when Elisabet looked at Kyla with a hateful gaze that was hard to hide.

Kyla loosened her embrace slowly, kept her distance, and tried to speak softly even though her face clearly showed guilt. "I'm sorry, I..." she said softly, her gaze downcast momentarily before finally meeting Elisabet's piercing gaze. In that instant, guilt overcame him.

"I'm sorry, Elisabet. I didn't-"

"Oh, Miss, why apologize?" interrupted the blonde girl with a mocking smile. "They're divorced, right? There's no need to feel guilty."

"Shut up!" Kyla's stern voice cut the girl off. Kyla's gaze turned cold, making the girl flinch in surprise.

"Sorry, Miss." The girl raised her hands as if giving up but still walked away with an annoying expression.

Edward, who had been watching, finally opened his voice, calm but full of hidden emotions. "What she said is true. You have nothing to apologize for, Miss Kyla. Elisabet and I are divorced."

The blonde-haired girl, who had not left, looked back and chuckled. "See, it's true what I said." She looked at Kyla triumphantly.

Kyla took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "It's not like that, Edward. I just... I don't want to make things worse. I want to take care of his feelings," she said as she glanced at Elisabet, still standing with her jaw set.

The blonde-haired girl interjected again, this time in a more sarcastic tone. "Guard her feelings? Why did they never take care of Edward's feelings? You shouldn't have to"

"Shut up!" Kyla's voice was shrill, sharper than before. This time, her eyes looked at the girl with firmness. "Why do you always interfere? Leave!" she pleaded, more like an irresistible order.

The girl looked surprised but finally shrugged nonchalantly. "Fine, if that's what you want," she said as she stepped away. However, This time, she left, leaving the three of them in an increasingly tense atmosphere.

Edward smiled a little, looking at Kyla. "No need to apologize, Miss Kyla. You did nothing wrong. I'm just surprised; why are you suddenly hugging me? Is there something big going on?"

"Yes," Kyla replied quickly. She paused for a moment, trying to ease her nervousness. "I just wanted to thank you. At first, I thought you were playing me for an investment. Turns out I was wrong. As you said, they invested twice as much. This is amazing! How did you manage to do that?"

"It's not a big deal. I'm just helping out. Besides, it's not all mine," replied Edward casually.

"You mean?" asked Kyla, confused.

"Forget about it. The important thing is that your company is saved now. And I also thank you for answering my question."

"About this pendant?" Kyla fingered the pendant around her neck.

"Yes," Edward nodded.

"Yes," Kyla replied quickly. She was silent for a moment, trying to ease her nervousness. "I just wanted to thank you. At first, I thought you were playing me for an investment. Turns out I was wrong. As you said, they invested twice as much. This is amazing! How did you manage to do that?"

"It's not a big deal. I'm just helping out. Besides, it's not all mine," replied Edward casually.

"You mean?" asked Kyla, confused.

"Forget about it. The important thing is that your company is saved now. And I also thank you for answering my question."

"About this necklace?" Kyla looked at him.

"Yes," Edward nodded.

Before Kyla could speak again, frivolous laughter could be heard. Elisabet, who had been listening, couldn't help but laugh. "What did you just say? Investment? He's the one who invested? Don't joke around, Miss Kyla! He's just an ordinary staff in this company, with a mediocre salary. You're being scammed! Don't buy into his bullshit!"

"Really?" Kyla looked at Elisabeth coldly. "Then you know her wrong. I'm not just saying that. Edward has-"

"Miss Kyla, I don't think this needs further discussion. How about I invite you to have lunch together?" Edward suddenly cuts in, trying to divert their attention.

As if she understood Edward's intentions, Kyla immediately agreed to his invitation. However, in her heart, she had another goal: she wanted to know more about Edward's true identity.

On the way to the restaurant, Edward quietly drove Kyla's car while Kyla sat beside him, looking out the window. They finally arrived at a modest restaurant, far from the fancy places Kyla usually visited.

Looking at the condition of the place, Kyla felt hesitant.

"Are you sure we're going to eat here?" she asked as she glanced around.

"Of course," Edward replied with confidence.

"But... what about the cleanliness of this place? And what ingredients are they quality-assured? I mean, we'll be fine later, right?" he asked, half worried.

"Can't we find another place, maybe one better than this?" asked Kyla.

Stopping Edward in his tracks.

"You want a romantic dinner with candles? Maybe I should set it up later." Asked in a teasing tone.

. "Stop talking nonsense, Edward. I'm not asking for anything like that." Kyla snorted in annoyance

"Sorry, I was joking. Trust me, this place is clean, and the food is good. You won't be disappointed." Edward chuckled.

"Alright, I believe it this time," he said finally.

As soon as they entered, the aroma of Italian cuisine filled the air. The restaurant was small but felt cosy. The owner, an elderly gentleman, greeted them kindly.

 "Mr. Edward! You're back again?" he said. Then he turned to Kyla. "Is this your wife? How beautiful!"

Kyla was shocked, her face flushed. Edward chuckled. "Thank you, Uncle. But she's my boss, not my wife."

The restaurant owner smiled awkwardly. "Oh, sorry, miss."

Kyla smiled slightly. "It's alright."

"What can I prepare for you?" the restaurant owner asked.

"Make my favourite dish. I'm sure she'll love it," Edward replied.

The owner quickly entered the kitchen while Kyla gave Edward a curious look.

 "Your favourite dish? I'm curious," she said.

. "Just wait." Edward smiled

Kyla started to feel more comfortable, but her cell phone ringing broke the mood. Upon seeing the name on the screen, his face turned serious.

"Sorry, I must take this call," she said quietly.

"Please," Edward replied.

Kyla stepped away momentarily, speaking in a serious tone on the phone. After hanging up, she returned to the table with a forced smile.

"Everything okay?" asked Edward softly.

Kyla nodded.

"Nothing to worry about. Just a work thing," she replied shortly.

"You suck at lying. Tell me quickly, what happened?"

Kyla smiled slightly, a little surprised. "Is it that bad?"

"Yes, to the point that I can see your insides," Edward replied, half joking, half serious.

"Ha...? Stop teasing me, Edward. Alright, I'll tell you."

Kyla took a deep breath before speaking. "Grandma asked me to come to my cousin's engagement ceremony."

"So?" asked Edward with a curious expression.

Kyla let out a long breath, looking frustrated. "It's not that simple. There's something much more complicated than just attending a party. You want to know who made the investors pull out of the company?"